Buried

So I return from Karen's wedding hoping to take a bit of a breather. I have been in wedding chaos mode for almost six months now and I have had enough. I had planned on taking it easy and getting back to some old projects that have taken a back seat since I went into wedding mode.

My 2005 year in review CD-Rom isn't done yet. In fact there is a long way to go before it is finished! And unfortunately it's going to be a while before I get to it now. Last week Stuart referred this crazy woman to me to do a slideshow for her ski group's 20th anniversary. Sounded ok but after having dealt with her a few times now, I've come to the conclusion she is just a busybody.

First of all, Stuart gave her my phone number and said not to call me that night because I was going to the theatre. What does she do, she calls me anyway. Of course I had no idea this was coming so I answered the phone. The show hadn't started yet and actually we were just walking into the theatre at that point. She gives me the run down on what she wants and asked me how much I'd charge and I said $50. BIG MISTAKE! Turns out she has 473 photos to go in this slideshow she wants me to make and they all have to be scanned cause she doesn't use digital.

So she tells me in addition to the photos she also has a VHS tape which has the first 10 years of this group and the photos make up the last 10 years. I spent the next 20 minutes, while I'm waiting for the show to start, trying to explain to her that I cannot incorporate the VHS tape. I explained it five ways from Sunday that I can't do what she's asking and she keeps asking the same question as if the answer is gonna change. Drove me insane especially since the show is gonna start soon. I finally get her off the phone by agreeing to meet with her. But I did NOT agree to do the slideshow.

In the meantime she was going to talk to her 'video' guy, who by the way backed out of doing this for her, about adding the VHS to the slideshow I already create. Figuring that she would get someone else to do the whole thing cause I said I couldn't do the VHS I thought she'd call and say not to worry she found someone else. NO such luck!

She shows up at my place on Tuesday 2 hours late (I had company over by then) and unloads five fully stuffed photo albums and then out comes the infamous VHS tape. Again she tried to 'convince' me to include the tape. I then again explain to her that what she is asking for is NOT impossible I just can't do it. I know the theory behind it but I've never done it and I'm not about to start learning by doing a project for someone else. She finally leaves after WAY too much time with the bloody VHS tape.

So here I am one week later and I still have two photo albums to scan. To date I've spent 13 of my own free time doing this for this woman. All my grand plans of finishing my Christmas cards, doing the year in review CD Rom, doing my Christmas shopping or cross-stitching my Christmas ornaments have gone out the window. I'm actually quite mad about this situation.

Of course I know I have to blame myself for part of it. I am not good at saying no to people. It's about time I learn. Even though Stuart referred her to me, I could have said no. I should have done that cause now I'm stressed about getting this done on time! Oh yeah! I forgot to mention not only does she dump all this work on me, she needs it by next week. There goes my life for the next week.

After I finish this blasted thing I have my Christmas party to plan which is not this Saturday but the next. I have a lot of prep work for that ahead. And I'm looking forward to that party. I want to make it good but it looks like I'm not going to have much time to do that. The other thing is because the scanning eats up so much of my time I don't even get time to eat or clean my apartment. Damn this whole situation!

Last night Ann was over for a photo shoot. She asked if I would do promotional photos for her theatre group. The photo shoot lasted three hours but it was SO much fun! I have a lot of editing to do with the photos now but that project will be pushed aside till the crazy lady's slideshow is done. I would much rather be editing the photos.

After I finish that slideshow I still have to do one for Karen before I go home for Christmas. I promised her one of all the wedding photos.

I usually like doing all this stuff but not like this. I like to spread it all out.