The Sweasy Expansion Factor

School for students starts in exactly a week, and it's becoming apparent to me that I am NOT going to get done everything that I was hoping to get done this summer.

Back on June 8 I made a post about all of the things that I was going to have to try to get done this summer. Here's where I stand with a week to go:

1. work with maintenance to install 38 projectors in classrooms--I think about 10 of the projectors are installed. The maintenance department worker in charge of the installations slipped and fell off of a ladder and ended up missing a week of work. Even when he came back he was still a little slow and now he has other jobs to do, too, so now it doesn't look like this will get completed until the end of the calendar year.
2. install 23 wireless access points and configure--This is actually not that hard a job. It shouldn't take me more than 2 days to complete this job from start to finish (But see below for information about my ability to estimate stuff). But I haven't started yet.
3. replace the switches in one of the district's network closets--I don't know when I'm going to get to this one.
4. install a new server in a new rolling rack and configure the server--I installed the server in the new rolling rack, but I haven't had time to configure it.
5. move several other servers into that rack--Haven't started it
6. install 5 new administrator workstations--This is done.
7. consolidate 8 aging network servers down to 2--I didn't think I was going to get to this, but due to circumstances beyond my control I am going to HAVE to complete this by next Monday. It will probably take a day of work (again, see below).
8. complete the attendance reports for THIS year--This was the most time sensitive thing, and it is completed.
9. set up the Student Information System software in preparation for NEXT year--This is also completed.
10. set up new account for new employees and delete accounts of old employees--I've completed this, too.
11. help set up and run a statewide technology conference for about 600 attendees.--Did it.
12. prepare and present one session during that conference.--Did it.
13. And actually, there are about 15 other things, but I think you get the picture--There are now about 85 other things.

So I got about half of what I was hoping to do done, which is pretty much par for the course for me. I always overestimate what I can get done. Lisa even has a name for it: The Sweasy Expansion Factor. When I tell her I can paint a room in two days, she'll say, "And with the Sweasy Expansion Factor that means you'll have it done in a week and a half. Good. I can work with that." And then she writes down on her calendar the date a week and half from now and puts on it "Bryan finishes painting." And she's usually right!

Anyway, I digress. What I was trying to say is it was a busy summer at work, and it's going to be a busy fall, too.