Challenges. Changes. Choices.

It's July 1st.

For those who don't know, I work in higher education in a state I like to call Big Swampy. I work with budgets generally, but I do whatever needs doing, really. The state university system in Big Swampy is on a budget cycle that runs from the first day of July to the last day of June in the following year. So today is the first day of a new budget cycle. Of course, we're still working to close out the previous year, as well. And this past year was not necessarily an easy one. They're all difficult, in their own ways, but this past year was exceptionally and fantastically hard on me. There was a lot of transition, a lot of change, some really frustrating work dynamic, and endless problems without ready solutions. The next year looks to be about the same, because there is so much going on right now.

The new Chancellor starts today. I was introduced to her in the hallway this morning.

My new manager, the head of the academic division, also starts today. There will be meetings. The "getting to know you" sort, and the "what do you *DO* exactly" sort, and hopefully the "how do we fix what isn't working" sort, but I am not going to hold my breath on that last one.

In two weeks, a person we brought in to work on budgets and business processes for our on-campus housing is leaving. The other support staff working with them is fairly new, a little out of their element, and has not been brought up to speed on everything yet. The purchasing system is locked out until next week. When it opens, that person who is leaving will have three days to get the recurring services in place. The manager for the student services areas is already freaking out a little bit, because she was at a conference when this news broke. So now, of course, I have to help guide people through how to make things work in a staffing shortage. But this is something I've done more times than I can count. Literally, I can't remember the number of times we've done this. It's actually kind of ridiculous at this point. Which is why I'm just shrugging my shoulders and shaking my head over it right now.

In two weeks I leave for a short trip Up North. I guess I'm supposed to come back?

Fine. Fiiiiine.

If...I mean, when I come back, my old boss from before this past year is pretty much out the door, moving on to another college to the south. Her job is about to be parceled out, if anyone can figure out exactly what it was to begin with.

At some point in all of this, someone will have to figure out if I work for the academic area or the student services area. It has to be done. People can't keep pretending the "split B seven different ways and expect perfection " model even remotely works. It doesn't. Denial is a river with muddy waters. There be crocodiles. Constant vigilance!!