A 'staff" meeting

For those who thought, "well, she's working now...she'll probably not have time to write all this junk anymore"...I guess that wasn't the case. Ha! The fact is...I write everyday. It's this journal-thing that I picked up when I was a kid and I've been doing it ever since.

It's funny how things come back to you once you start plugging away. I did the "Corporate-type" thing for years and years---many of you just know me as the biker-chick...but I was a working stiff for many years before I could afford the luxury (of being a biker-chick). Not that working with pilots and crew is corporate---but it is compared to working in a bike shop. The first day, I could feel the squeaky-wheels of my brain turning for a bit...in need of some oil (or T-9 for you bikers), but by today I started plugging away, and I'm getting my brain back in shape in the process.

In fact, I organized and co-chaired my first "very informal---no bells and whistles" staff meeting today. The "owner" even joined the meeting and did the basic introductions, and it went well. But to say I'm not overwhelmed with the challenge would be a lie. No back-office systems. We're talking over 30 years of post-it notes and redundancy (my computer geek comrades will understand). We've got a fleet of over 15 charter planes, plus customer planes, in addition to a plethora of the owner's family fleet...and all have to meet Federal regulations/safety criteria. And unlike the "I LOVE CHANGE" attitudes of the high-tech/fast paced Silicon Valley (remember SGI?), folks don't embrace change quite the same way on the slower-paced prairie.

Luckily, the guys I'm working with have a great attitude...and are incorporating as much humor as they can muster when dealing with this cheery red-headed "idea" girl. My, "how about if we try this?" commentary, gets followed by the "why we can't/won't/don't do things this way is because we can't/won't/don't". And the bottom line is that they "know" and I "don't know". I am quickly brought back to when I was in Europe, trying to impose systems in different countries that would accommodate local culture while at the same time incorporate US-based "Headquarters" requirements. There is a happy medium, but it is challenging to learn both sides so that everybody can "get along".

I love the challenge! And if the seasons don't change as quickly as I'd like them to, at least my scenery finally has. We're off to the cities for the weekend. Mike leaves Thursday and I will join him on Friday...He's got an "off-site" thing and then I am joining him. Can't wait!