Difference between On the job and Managing

I never cease to be amazed at the Osprey that live around here.  Today I saw one more who had been successful at fishing in the Kennebec.  It looked like the fish he/she caught was about as big as its captor.  I watched the bird soar above the bridge and I wondered if its wing muscles were aching from the effort.

We have a system down now to capture these 3x5 cards and we can do one whole folder and then part of another in one day .  Our supervisor called up today and told us that he would be up to Augusta to visit in about 12 days.  At that time he wants us to give him a definite time frame in which we expect to get the Caribou court rework done, plus these cards from WW1 files and also have done the Washington County and York County papers prepared and digitized before we leave.

He really has no idea what he is asking.  The Washington county records are in 300 boxes with about 50 legal size folders in each box and each folder can contain as little as one piece of hand written, very fragile paper, or up to 20+ pieces of paper of varying sizes and written in undecipherable longhand.  He wants an LSI for each piece of paper for this particular project.  Plus he expects that the York Court records will be done as well.  So far, the York papers are still wrapped tightly, packed (read that really packed in boxes) and have not been humidified or pressed out or put in folders and we have no idea how many folders or boxes this will amount to.  I want to roll on the floor laughing while asking “You want it when?”

His end of the work is the business model end………………..the business model asks for goals and a measurable outcome.  We are working with really old paper, fragile to the touch and in need of capture in the most delicate way – no slam bam, thank you ma’m stuff will get this stuff done in the time frame that he expects.  And “You want it when?”  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha  He is totally out of touch!  When he comes it should be a real eye opener, if he is able to reach that point.  You want it when????????? Ha ha

To get it done before we leave Augusta is not on the menu with this one.

This month does not look good for getting it all done - and next month doesn't look too good either.