Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management

15.1. Completing the Design

The next eight weeks were some of the most stressful of my life. Not because things went wrong; they didn't. And not because things were out of control; they weren't. It was just a feeling that I was unprepared for surprises. Every time something changed—and believe me there were a lot of little changes—I had to yank Sheila off whatever she was doing to help Amanda figure out the new finish date.

I tried to get Sheila to show Amanda or myself how to recalculate the schedule, but she had so much information in her head that we couldn't get the hang of it. All the while I cursed Martha for being so cryptic and for letting me learn whatever lesson I was supposed to be learning the hard way.

Halloween came and Jenny and I took the kids around the neighborhood so that they could collect candy for me. It is tough to be a parent at that time of year, but I believe the sacrifice is worth it in the long run. Consequently, I was at the health club riding a Lifecycle to rid myself of the caloric sacrifices I had made for my children when one of the women who worked at the front desk approached me.

"Mr. Campbell?" she asked

"Yes," I said, turning my head a little too suddenly and spraying her with sweat. You would think people who work in health clubs would be used to this kind of thing, but maybe she was new.

"There's a phone call for you at the front desk," she told me as she grabbed a towel and wiped frantically at her face. I guess "Wagon Wheels" don't smell ...