Random life update, and a few thoughts on the OTW

[rusty_halo]

Anyone going to Dragoncon this year? 10zlaine and I got a Marriott room and memberships, so I guess we’re going. ;) I’m looking forward to it; it’s hard to get bored at a con where there’s so much content and even when none of the programming interests you, just sitting in the lobby people-watching provides hours of entertainment.

Work has been ridiculous. Like staying in the office until 10:30pm and working from home until 1am and coming in at 8:30 the next morning ridiculous. It’s so stressful I don’t even have time to process how stressful it is, because it’s always on to the next thing, and any free time I get, I just want to sleep. I slept until 1:30pm today. I should be exercising or cleaning, but, ugh, I can’t work up the energy to get off the couch, because I know tomorrow morning the mad rush is going to start up again.

I got assigned to be the manager of a big project about a month and a half ago, which I guess is a good thing because it’s a lot more interesting than the little afterthought projects I was working on before, and I’m actually working with people who are really smart and competent, and it’s a topic that I’m interested in. It’s just, OMG, so much, and going so fast. I can’t even think about vacation because this project is going nonstop until at least next March. Ugh.

Anyway, I ended up spending much of today reading posts about the OTW election. It all makes me sad, because as far as I can tell, there aren’t actually any villains, just a lot of people trying to do good work who don’t necessarily have the skills to accomplish their goals successfully, which unfortunately often ends up hurting other people.

(The post I found most compelling was this one, because it expresses a lot of the same concerns I have that the fannish golden age we’re living in now isn’t likely to last forever.)

Also, having spent the past year learning to be a project manager, I have to say: no matter how smart and well-intentioned you are, being a good manager is really hard. And it’s a hell of a lot easier with a good mentor than when you are trying to figure it out on your own. Maybe the OTW should either recruit experienced volunteers or hire consultants to teach project management skills to people in key roles within the org?

Anyway, I think the ideas behind the OTW are wonderful, and I hope that these are growing pains that they’ll be able to work through and emerge from in a better state.

Originally published at rusty-halo.com. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[soundingsea]

I can't imagine navigating the crowds at something the size of Dragoncon. I'm sure you'll have a great time, but I get panic-attacky at the thought of tens of thousands of people!

Oh, the OTW thing. I can't even post about it right now, because I have All The Thoughts. Yes, project-managing is horribly hard. Yes, delegating is hard. Yes, letting go is hard. I really love AO3, so I can understand why for some it's the be-all and end-all, but at the same time, the larger issues are so, so important.

I realized something in the last few weeks (of being sick and exhausted all the time): I have to do some things that aren't work, or I will completely lose my mind. Today, I baked and lifted weights at the gym. Yesterday, I watched a couple of movies. It's a sad little start on trying to have a life again, but I have to try. Is there anywhere you can carve out some 'you' time?

[rusty_halo]

I'm sad you won't make it to DragonCon, but I totally understand why it's not for you.

Reading the OTW stuff today *was* my me time, lol. I've pretty much given up on me time during weekdays, but am trying to keep my weekends free so that I can have some time to relax. Unfortunately I'm just so burned out during the week that it's stressful to actually do anything on the weekend beyond reading.

[alpheratz]

Oh god, your work situation sounds just ridiculous. Are you getting compensated for all this extra time you're putting in? I'm guessing not. :( I'm glad you have a chance to unwind a bit on the weekends and go to cons, but oh man, I wish work wasn't quite as intense. *hugs*

[txvoodoo]

On the AO3/OTW thing, this post was most illuminating to me: http://skud.dreamwidth.org/13354.html

It's been years since I've worked in software, but skud's presentation makes sense to me, and the way AO3 has been doing it seems destined to end in coding fail.

[greenwitch]

Sweet, D*C! This'll be my 6th year in a row. I also snagged a Marriott room (managed to get doubles, even.) My friends and I are already piecing costumes together so we don't freak out like idiots in August because we're not prepared, heh.