(no subject)
Jul. 5th, 2002 01:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cellioYesterday I went to Johan and Arianna's to help paint the new kitchen for Pennsic. It's a 10x10 Tudor facade, with a canvas roof, so painting involved mostly trying to paint brown timbers without splashing paint on the white walls. We were not entirely successful, but that's what the touch-up pass is for. We got interrupted by rain, but we got most of the painting done. This is going to look quite spiffy when it's set up, and it lets us eliminate one modern fly.
Before the rain the temperature was above 90 and it was very humid. The rain didn't actually do much for the humidity (it was a sprinkle, not real rain), but today is much cooler and less humid so something happened. I guess I was out in the heat and sun for too long yesterday, because I was really wiped out at the end of the day and didn't go to the party I'd wanted to go to.
Wednesday night I went to the officers' meeting for the local SCA group. I haven't been to one of these in a while. (I'm not an officer, but the meetings are open to the public.) Some aspects weren't as annoying as they were last time I was there; in particular, the officer with verbal diarhhea seems to have gotten smacked down along the way. One thing did surprise me, and it made me wonder how many of the officers are familiar with the concept of fiduciary responsibility: a bid for a very expensive event (with some non-trivial risk) was brought up for the first time and passed at this meeting -- with questions lingering. I'd like to see a change in baronial policy that you at least have to announce agenda items in advance when they involve large expenses. I'm not opposed to doing big events, but most of the people who made the decision did so after about half an hour of discussion, having heard nothing of the bid before the meeting. It doesn't matter how good the team involved in the bid is; that's not a good way to run things. It reminds me of the Bad Old Days when the chapter president privately decided what would and wouldn't happen and officers' meetings were for show.
Tonight I lead services at Tree of Life. Dani's out of town and the weather was hot until today, so I'd already decided to have cold foods for Shabbat. Cold cherry soup is good this time of year, and cherries were on sale Wednesday. Yum.
Before the rain the temperature was above 90 and it was very humid. The rain didn't actually do much for the humidity (it was a sprinkle, not real rain), but today is much cooler and less humid so something happened. I guess I was out in the heat and sun for too long yesterday, because I was really wiped out at the end of the day and didn't go to the party I'd wanted to go to.
Wednesday night I went to the officers' meeting for the local SCA group. I haven't been to one of these in a while. (I'm not an officer, but the meetings are open to the public.) Some aspects weren't as annoying as they were last time I was there; in particular, the officer with verbal diarhhea seems to have gotten smacked down along the way. One thing did surprise me, and it made me wonder how many of the officers are familiar with the concept of fiduciary responsibility: a bid for a very expensive event (with some non-trivial risk) was brought up for the first time and passed at this meeting -- with questions lingering. I'd like to see a change in baronial policy that you at least have to announce agenda items in advance when they involve large expenses. I'm not opposed to doing big events, but most of the people who made the decision did so after about half an hour of discussion, having heard nothing of the bid before the meeting. It doesn't matter how good the team involved in the bid is; that's not a good way to run things. It reminds me of the Bad Old Days when the chapter president privately decided what would and wouldn't happen and officers' meetings were for show.
Tonight I lead services at Tree of Life. Dani's out of town and the weather was hot until today, so I'd already decided to have cold foods for Shabbat. Cold cherry soup is good this time of year, and cherries were on sale Wednesday. Yum.
(no subject)
Date: 2002-07-05 01:19 pm (UTC)As for the bid collection process -- there may have been an earlier announcement that we missed. As soon as I heard about it, I jumped. :)
Again, honestly, good communication is key. If you have any questions or objections, we want to hear them. We want to get this bid and for it to be a good an enjoyable event. Please email me if you want anything answered.
(no subject)
Date: 2002-07-05 01:29 pm (UTC)If it had occurred to me at the time, I would have suggested that she hand the gavel to her deputy for that part. I didn't realize until later that the appearance of conflict of interest -- which has absolutely nothing to do with the acuual presence of conflict of interest -- bothered me. I flashed back to the way some things were done 10-15 years ago around here, even though I think Gretchen wouldn't do stuff like that.
Again, honestly, good communication is key.
Yup. Next time maybe dropping a note to the baronial email list earlier would help; among things, it might have netted some volunteers to do some of the scut work. But you know what they say about 20/20 hindsight. Next time we'll do better; for example, the person bidding on the known world heralds' event should be planning lots of advance notice to the officers and general membership.
Questions: I'll send you email. I think I asked most of 'em during the meeting, but followup is good.
Re:
Date: 2002-07-05 01:58 pm (UTC)And yah, email me the questions. We'll do what we can. :)