Friday (Day One of the Festival) -- Computer Power
First off, we ALL were getting a LOT of steps today! Rich had some amazing amount that I don't recall. Jeff and Adeena, too.
Fitbit Update: Marilyn got 15,000+ steps today. And I got 13,000+ steps. I find that amazing, as I was trying NOT to walk too much today, because my ankles and feet were so swollen and so painful. (They look pretty awful tonight.) But we did walk out to get something to eat for lunch. And then we had the Opening Ceremony at 5:00 down in the park at CityFair, so that's a hike. Plus we walked around inside CityFair and the RoZone during the evening and night (and back and forth to the office). So even with me trying to stay off my feet, I still got well past 10,000 steps today...
I got up at 2:30 last night to do the garbage last night (as I mentioned yesterday) and Marilyn and I were up until around 4:00 a.m. We got up again around 6:30-7:00 and quickly got ready. We had to get into the office so I could be there for Emma and Marilyn could head to judging.
We did dash over to Starbucks to get coffee (Rich and I brought back coffee for Steven and... I forget who else). I forgot about that for my steps. Hahaha.
Steven told me that he forgot about training, so he told Emma she didn't need to come in this morning. He knew she'd be there late and didn't want her first day to be terribly long. Marilyn and I eventually discussed it and decided to put off training until next week. Whatever. Hahaha.
It's difficult to describe the first day of the festival. It's high energy, stressful, exciting, fun, busy, difficult, good and emotional. It seems like several days wrapped into one, really. I think it was either a 15 or 16 hour day for the two of us (and probably more or less for other staff members, depending on their roles). For example, Rich gets up early (I think he said 3:00) to do early morning TV -- but he doesn't stick around for the really late night stuff. Steven is going almost around the clock, as he runs CityFair. Angel had to do early morning TV AND be on stage late night to do the fireworks countdown! Plus he stayed past that. I think many of us put in a minimum of 10-12 hours today. This weekend will be busy, with Memorial Day on Monday.
The funny thing is that this is a vacation weekend for most of the nation, but obviously NOT for us. Hahaha.
A really GOOD moment for me today, work-wise?
Well, yesterday I broke down and deleted one Distribution Group on the Exchange and created a new one to replace it. This shows up as an email address in the Global Address List (GAL) for the office, listed with our individual email addresses. For example, my email address at the office is charliec@festivalname.org (not the real thing, but close enough). And the Distribution Group would look like staff_2016@festivalname.org. This would contain 'members' (user emails) that all would get an email sent to it. So if I want to send to all 28 emails at once, I use that.
Years back I did instructions -- with images -- that showed HOW to use such an email address. Why does it matter so much to me? Because if people try to just ADD each of our staff one at a time, they almost always FORGET somebody. This way it's automated, if you will.
So today I wanted to CHANGE that set of instructions to reflect the new name of the DG email. I needed new images. And I wanted the text to be larger and more readable.
I did screencaps for the images, no big deal. I added arrows to make certain areas stand out. I uploaded them where they belonged (FTPed this stuff) -- but I kept finding part of the same images displaying. I finally reasoned that out (too complicated to explain), so I had the instructions with images that I needed! (woo hoo) Then I tweaked the STYLE SHEET and changed the font size there, so it would display as I wanted. Finally I emailed the URL to the staff so they can reference the instructions. All very satisfying!
Until I mess around with code I tend to FORGET how much I enjoy doing it! It's a pleasure to know what you want to change and to be able to do it via a style sheet so that it touches all your text. Very cool! Let's face it: I still love to code. Hahaha.
Today was all about PEOPLE. Kelly (one of our festival 'fans') came by to get her pin today and see Marilyn and me (and Christine). She participates in Special Olympics and is very proud of that fact. We've known her for years and years. She went down to see the Opening Ceremony, but didn't ride any rides (probably afraid). Sponsors were there, directors were there, the media was there. I met Tony's daughter Savannah -- who is a straight-A high school student and so sweet! She made up her one B from middle school because she didn't want it in her transcript come time to apply for college. She wants to go to an Ivy League school one day (she just finished her freshman year). The media was there. Festival volunteers (non-directors) were there. Police were there (the Portland Police Bureau is the Grand Marshal of the Starlight Parade this year). The public was there. Our Staff was EVERYWHERE! I saw family (cousin Linda) and friends (Rob and Jeff). I interacted with the public a TON (I got asked questions constantly).
Marilyn and I spent a ton of time with Adeena, attending her first-ever festival fireworks! And time with Jeff and Angel and on and on and on. I should list everybody, but I'm just too tired right now.
The FOOD at the party tonight (a VIP party that focuses on our Sponsors) was FABULOUS.
I'm forgetting so much. I just need to go to BED.
It was a crazy, exhausting, painful, hard, fun, exciting, WONDERFUL day. I can't even begin to list how many people I hugged today!
I'm very proud to work with one of the best staffs ever. They are amazing people.
The day wasn't perfect -- something I'll share another time (maybe privately with my LJ friends). That's life! But it was pretty close to perfect, anyway.
Adeena is getting an iPhone! I'm so very happy for her. I just love that girl so much.
Whatever else I'm forgetting will just have to wait. I'm dead on my feet.
Henry Update: I don't know. I think his eye is worse than it has been. He probably needs more drops than I can give him right now, poor boy. I guess we'll have to wait and see...
Sweet dreams, friends! I hope the weather holds all weekend...
Fitbit Update: Marilyn got 15,000+ steps today. And I got 13,000+ steps. I find that amazing, as I was trying NOT to walk too much today, because my ankles and feet were so swollen and so painful. (They look pretty awful tonight.) But we did walk out to get something to eat for lunch. And then we had the Opening Ceremony at 5:00 down in the park at CityFair, so that's a hike. Plus we walked around inside CityFair and the RoZone during the evening and night (and back and forth to the office). So even with me trying to stay off my feet, I still got well past 10,000 steps today...
I got up at 2:30 last night to do the garbage last night (as I mentioned yesterday) and Marilyn and I were up until around 4:00 a.m. We got up again around 6:30-7:00 and quickly got ready. We had to get into the office so I could be there for Emma and Marilyn could head to judging.
We did dash over to Starbucks to get coffee (Rich and I brought back coffee for Steven and... I forget who else). I forgot about that for my steps. Hahaha.
Steven told me that he forgot about training, so he told Emma she didn't need to come in this morning. He knew she'd be there late and didn't want her first day to be terribly long. Marilyn and I eventually discussed it and decided to put off training until next week. Whatever. Hahaha.
It's difficult to describe the first day of the festival. It's high energy, stressful, exciting, fun, busy, difficult, good and emotional. It seems like several days wrapped into one, really. I think it was either a 15 or 16 hour day for the two of us (and probably more or less for other staff members, depending on their roles). For example, Rich gets up early (I think he said 3:00) to do early morning TV -- but he doesn't stick around for the really late night stuff. Steven is going almost around the clock, as he runs CityFair. Angel had to do early morning TV AND be on stage late night to do the fireworks countdown! Plus he stayed past that. I think many of us put in a minimum of 10-12 hours today. This weekend will be busy, with Memorial Day on Monday.
The funny thing is that this is a vacation weekend for most of the nation, but obviously NOT for us. Hahaha.
A really GOOD moment for me today, work-wise?
Well, yesterday I broke down and deleted one Distribution Group on the Exchange and created a new one to replace it. This shows up as an email address in the Global Address List (GAL) for the office, listed with our individual email addresses. For example, my email address at the office is charliec@festivalname.org (not the real thing, but close enough). And the Distribution Group would look like staff_2016@festivalname.org. This would contain 'members' (user emails) that all would get an email sent to it. So if I want to send to all 28 emails at once, I use that.
Years back I did instructions -- with images -- that showed HOW to use such an email address. Why does it matter so much to me? Because if people try to just ADD each of our staff one at a time, they almost always FORGET somebody. This way it's automated, if you will.
So today I wanted to CHANGE that set of instructions to reflect the new name of the DG email. I needed new images. And I wanted the text to be larger and more readable.
I did screencaps for the images, no big deal. I added arrows to make certain areas stand out. I uploaded them where they belonged (FTPed this stuff) -- but I kept finding part of the same images displaying. I finally reasoned that out (too complicated to explain), so I had the instructions with images that I needed! (woo hoo) Then I tweaked the STYLE SHEET and changed the font size there, so it would display as I wanted. Finally I emailed the URL to the staff so they can reference the instructions. All very satisfying!
Until I mess around with code I tend to FORGET how much I enjoy doing it! It's a pleasure to know what you want to change and to be able to do it via a style sheet so that it touches all your text. Very cool! Let's face it: I still love to code. Hahaha.
Today was all about PEOPLE. Kelly (one of our festival 'fans') came by to get her pin today and see Marilyn and me (and Christine). She participates in Special Olympics and is very proud of that fact. We've known her for years and years. She went down to see the Opening Ceremony, but didn't ride any rides (probably afraid). Sponsors were there, directors were there, the media was there. I met Tony's daughter Savannah -- who is a straight-A high school student and so sweet! She made up her one B from middle school because she didn't want it in her transcript come time to apply for college. She wants to go to an Ivy League school one day (she just finished her freshman year). The media was there. Festival volunteers (non-directors) were there. Police were there (the Portland Police Bureau is the Grand Marshal of the Starlight Parade this year). The public was there. Our Staff was EVERYWHERE! I saw family (cousin Linda) and friends (Rob and Jeff). I interacted with the public a TON (I got asked questions constantly).
Marilyn and I spent a ton of time with Adeena, attending her first-ever festival fireworks! And time with Jeff and Angel and on and on and on. I should list everybody, but I'm just too tired right now.
The FOOD at the party tonight (a VIP party that focuses on our Sponsors) was FABULOUS.
I'm forgetting so much. I just need to go to BED.
It was a crazy, exhausting, painful, hard, fun, exciting, WONDERFUL day. I can't even begin to list how many people I hugged today!
I'm very proud to work with one of the best staffs ever. They are amazing people.
The day wasn't perfect -- something I'll share another time (maybe privately with my LJ friends). That's life! But it was pretty close to perfect, anyway.
Adeena is getting an iPhone! I'm so very happy for her. I just love that girl so much.
Whatever else I'm forgetting will just have to wait. I'm dead on my feet.
Henry Update: I don't know. I think his eye is worse than it has been. He probably needs more drops than I can give him right now, poor boy. I guess we'll have to wait and see...
Sweet dreams, friends! I hope the weather holds all weekend...