Milage may vary...

So it begins...

Just when I think life will calm down a bit, the Demon Murphy decides to help me out.

It started yesterday, when my boss came to my desk and this was the conversation.

Him: So, about that new Residential Sales Literature you were about to start on...
Me: Yeah?
Him: Well, I was thinking we might want to rethink which part you start on first.
Me: Ok, I guess it's really up to you, we can start on any phase of the project, it all comes out the same in the end.
Him: The thing is, I think we should start the technical literature first.
Me: It does need the most work, and we might get more out of it in the long run.
Him: That's the catch of it though, I was thinking more short term. You know the training classes we're running in September?
Me: Yeah, pretty big school if I remember...
Him: That's the one. Tell how likely you think it is to get the All Products Technical Guide done by then.
Me: o.O... uh... umm... *mental headdesk*
Him: Is it that bad?
Me: You're asking me if I can design and get printed a 500 page technical catalog from scratch by the 22nd of September? Yeah, you might say that's kind of bad...
Him: Well, do you think it could be done?
Me: (Much thinking)...
Me: Well, I'd have to have everything to press no later than Friday the 11th of August. And even then, I'm not sure the printer can get a project like this done in that short of time. I mean we're talking about a 500 page, full color, perfect bound book.
Him: Well... it's more like three 500 page books, don't forget about our OEM partners.
Me: ...
Me: I don't know. You're asking me if I can design, from scratch, three 500 page books in 14 days.
Him: Yeah, that's not much time is it.
Me: No, no it isn't. But, it does sound like an interesting challenge. 1500 pages of content in 14 days. I think that might be a record or something.
Him: Well, I don't want you to burn yourself out on it, if you don't think we can do it, just tell me we can't do it.
Me: I *think* I can get it done. Maybe... But if I do, I want something in return.
Him: K...
Me: I want another week of paid vacation to take at a time of my choosing.
Him: You make this happen, and you'll get it.

So, there you have it. 1500 pages of content in 14 days. That's 107.15 pages per day until save for service provider. The more I've thought about it, the more I think I can do it. However, any free time I have is pretty much gone for the next 14 days.

So we'll see what happens. I've got the outline done today and I can start layout tomorrow. If I make it, I'll have a nice week's worth of vacation banked away to take later in the year. I was thinking sometime in October. Maybe around the week of the 15th, which happens to be the probable date for the first WoW expansion to come out. Heh, maybe this won't be so bad after all.

More details to come...

posted by Dave @ 2:19 PM