A time to blog

I might as well get some of my blogging out of the way tonight. Tomorrow's will have a different tone and mood.

I decided very early this morning that I wasn't really going to do much work at the museum today. As I was drinking a spot of tea in the pilothouse this morning because I got there early and had everything under control, I decided I was just going to be a figurehead today. The on-duty manager who is there but doesn't really do anything. And hey, that's okay, because I'm in charge and people work for me. So yay for me having the upper hand and control. It's fun. I got work done, but it was more setting up the building because I won't be there next weekend. While doing this, I realized that: a) I am a very nice person, especially when it matters most, b) no matter how aggravated I get, support is always appreciated, c) I have the ability to tell visitors complete bullshit, but in a way that sounds professional and believable, and d) I am an uber-organized individual and "such a teacher."

Shall we start explaining these in order? Some of these might have more than one part.
a) There was a dad in the museum today with his two sons. They were having a blast in going through everything. The dad was actually explaining to them what some of the things were and they were thoroughly enjoying the entire museum. There is a penny machine in the Dossin and the boys asked what that did and if they could have one. I was nearby making a list (to be explained later) and heard him say no. I took off for the office and got a couple of the smashed pennies (there are tons back there). I went up to the dad and asked if it was okay if I gave them the coins and he agreed. The kids were thrilled to get them. I think I might have convinced them on getting a membership and wished them a fun afternoon as they were going home to watch football (I didn't even turn green with envy!). It was fun and I was really happy to make the kids' day and see such excitement at all parts of the museum.
a) There are volunteers coming this week to clean both the inside and outside of the museum. I left a note to the ones cleaning the outside of the building that warranted me being called "so nice" by my docent. I just had to laugh. This is what my note was about: we have muskrats on Belle Isle. There are a couple borrows on the museum grounds and I left a note indicating where they are and asked them to please not fill the holes or disturb the ground. While this makes me sound like a crazy, enviro-friendly hippy freak, I'm not at all. And I'm sure they could find their way out if their homes were covered up, but I don't know and I don't want them sufficating under the foundation of my building. So really, this "so nice" gesture is out of total greed. Ha.
b) There was a miscommunication whether it be intentional or on purpose in my household yesterday morning. I don't know which or really even care. But my mom said to me this morning that I need to call because I "work on Belle Isle where people are abducted and beaten and murdered and thrown to the side of the road." My verbal reply: "thanks, mom." My thought process: I'm already on high alert when I'm on the island because it is Belle Isle; I'm not a flipping idiot, mom, I know this already; Thanks for making me even more paranoid than what I already could be; I know the inner roads of the island, the location of the police station, and between my smarts - I could either outsmart or outwit most anyone - and Bauer moves, could probably stand a chance; I would so rather be getting talked to by someone else's mom who still thinks I'm too quiet and weirded out by whatever to be comfortable. All this after waking up only five hours of sleep. I wanted to cry. And when I told my dad what my mom told me, I almost did. Then I sped to Tim Horton's and got some damn caffeine in my system.
Later in the day, both parents showed up at the Dossin and looked around. I thought it was just going to be my dad by the sounds of it. I knew my mom wasn't nearly as interested or even wanted to be there, but I took it with a grain of salt and thanked them. It is nice to have that support, especially when I work in a place (or two or three) that I can be so passionate about.
c) People ask why we don't have things. I can give a legitimate and true story as to why. Then I can give out the name and contact information of other staff members who might be able to better answer their questions while pulling this fabricated idea about future exhibits out of my ass and sounding believable about it. Considering I can't lie worth a damn, this shows that when you're the authority figure, you have control and people will believe you. It's an amazing thing.
d) My organization knows no bounds. I made a list of chores the volunteers can do to clean up the museum and organized it by area of the building. Then I organized the cleaning stuff and left a note on the doors and other areas as to what was where. Ha. I'm sure they could have opened it and figured it out themselves, but hey, I'm just trying to make it easier on them. :)
d) My teacher side prevails yet again, only this time, I'm calling myself out on it. I'm not going to be there this weekend and so I wrote my VSAs a note about what they can work on and I even pulled out the proper paperwork and envelopes they'll need, like they've never done it before. Ha. As I was writing all these notes, I totally felt like a teacher leaving notes for a sub. I thought it was kind of funny.

Somewhere, someone is growing impatient and wants to read this. Not bad for a day's work being nothing more than a figurehead, eh?

I'm off to read some books now.