8:35 p.m. - 2003-03-30
Job # 2
I've spent most of the weekend doing work for Elections Canada. I've had to nail down the details for the office and some one to print ballots. In addition, I've being trying to work out how I want to organize the staff who have demonstrated a lot of strengths in past events, so that I get the best in team building and they get as much as I can afford to pay them through my budget. A bit tricky yet, because without knowing exactly when they'll be needed some may not be able to make a commitment. Most are people who work part time or parts of the year. Summer holidays may also be a factor.
My Dad and I went out to look at the four office locations the realtor had suggested for me. One is nearly perfect, two would be just fine and one is one I can make work if the others aren't available. Here's hoping that the landlords are open to a short term lease and that I don't have to deal with the problems I had last time - that wasted several days of a very short work schedule, not to mention causing major stress.
We also visited a new seniors' center to get a feel for the needs of the new residents. It appears to be a supported living arrangement, with one phase of 125 units opening in about a month with a second similar unit to open later. Looked across to the new community on the other side of lake and what did I see? That's right, several new, very large apartment buildings under construction. It would be easy to estimate another 1000 or so new people just in those dwellings alone. The other work I am supposed to complete is planning how best to get all those people registered to vote and how to accomodate the extra numbers in terms of polling stations. Going to be a bit of a tight squeeze to say the least. I'm hoping at least one of the facilities will feature a gym or something similar that I could rent for voting day. We'll see.
We drove out in the farming area north of those communities which is also part of my responsibility. It was almost too beautiful a day to think about statistical issues. The forecast was for about 16 C/60 F which feels close to tropical after temps a couple of weeks ago in the -30 F/C range. The sky above was cut in a north south direction by a river of clouds. Clear sunlit blue each side, the "river" composed of deep blues, purples, pinks and dove grey. Can't wait for the first real good thunder storm of the season - then it's really spring.
Ended the trip with grocery shopping - fresh fruit and veggies are almost affordable again, hurray - and lunch at the seafood restaurant. Love their chowder and salad option. Told my Dad about the stuff going on at work, and also explained about some very weird stuff that happened when I was co-chair of the local Amnesty International group about 15 years ago. It was very disturbing at the time and ties into some of the international stuff going on now. Haven't really told too many people about it - most don't have enough background on Middle Eastern history to understand some of the implications. It's obvious both in the quality of the news reports being offered to readers and in the letters to the editors that have been sent in response. Myopic is a mild statement.
Anyway back to work, got a couple of more hours to go tonight.
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