Research Home -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Logout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Logged in as cbecker. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2004 NRU Not for Distribution After spending two hours in a meeting with the team last week, outlining the status of the project and the timeline and making an action list of items that need to be completed, the meeting today was a royal disappointment. Not a damn thing. Blank stares. Either my team is composed of a wad of Silly Putty, or they’re wholly uninspired and/or lazy. I’m hoping for the latter so that it would at least be possible to frighten them into action. I never did like Silly Putty. It was too plebian. Any yahoo off of the street could play with it – where was the challenge? But all the outlines, to-do lists, and major organizational tools were all for naught. They managed to write their names on the white board next to the task they agreed to do for this next week, but did they actually do their assignments? Did they do ANYTHING? Besides drawing boobs on the white board, the answer would be “no.” Go team. I promised the completion of the hop equipment and a first round of testing by the start of next month. At the rate this team is going, however, I’d be lucky to have that by the start of next year. If we don’t provide some results, the government is going to start cutting back the funding, and most likely my position. Though I think I’d rather keep my job than the funding. I can probably trim some fat off of the team. Jim especially annoyed me today. After missing last week’s meeting, he came in today and challenged a number of the decisions that were made. Perhaps if he had been there LAST week, he could have voiced those concerns and actually made an impact on the project. Instead, he just wastes my time. I think I want macaroni and cheese for lunch, though I can’t imagine Dick Cheney eating macaroni and cheese for lunch. I need to revamp my eating habits and consume more dignified food stuffs so I don’t look out of place at the big lunch meetings. Jim needs to tuck in his shirt. NOTES: Check Epicurious for food ideas Make list of annoying Jim things for therapy session Pick up suit from dry cleaners Light fire under collective team buttocks Last therapy session was upsetting. Dr. Rodsild suggested the possibility that I may have expectations beyond my (and other’s) capabilities. Not only did I point out to him the rudeness with which he interrupted my recounting of my list of annoyances, but I pointed out to him that my expectations were really very low. I don’t expect miracles – I just expect people to meet a deadline. And tuck in their shirts neatly. And I want to be President, but that’s in a few years from now. See? I’m realistic about the time it takes to achieve goals. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I do like the Prozac though. Meeting today was again disappointing. Susan did turn in her assignment of engineering a better energy-coupling system, which looks fabulous. Unfortunately, Jim failed to complete his assignment of re-vamping the system framework, so we have nothing to put Susan’s system in to test it. Which just figures. This team does everything backwards. I again strongly suggested to the team that they get their asses in gear and actually finish something should they wish to stay employed. I probably would have stated that in a stronger fashion had I not felt so mellow. I should remember to drink more coffee before meetings – caffeine usually jazzes me up. NOTES: White board has another set of boobs drawn on it. Still no major progress to report. Out of trial Prozac. Fired Jim. Well hot damn!! Apparently, when I fired Jim, I really showed the rest of the team I mean business. I’ve never seen such productivity! They’re really starting to hustle! And WOW do I love coffee! I went to visit some of the other team members today in their workspaces and they nearly cringed when I came over! The fear of failure has finally sunk into their skulls! We’re going to do it (we’re just two months behind schedule. No big deal.)! Just got off the phone with the higher-ups. They are cutting back on our funding. Not by a lot. Just a couple of million. Shouldn’t really make that much of an impact. I should go tell the team, but I can’t find them. I think they’re busy working. Also, I think I may have taken a misstep when I yelled at Susan today. But she did make the coupling device 32.26cm wide and not 32.30cm wide, leaving a small gap in the casing that now causes this really annoying rattle when it powers up. Women shouldn’t be allowed near a metal lathe. They’re so unskilled. However, as Dr. Brown would say, “patience, Craig. Take deep breaths before you speak.” I didn’t take any breaths. I hope Susan isn’t mad at me. She’s a really good worker.