So I’ve started this new job and even during the interview, I was told
that the application being built was slated for a Fall 05 release.
Based on what I knew that the program was required to do, I figured
that we’d make that date working the minimum daily hours. Today I heard
how people were seriously concerned about making the deadline. Hmmmmm.

After hearing that I decide to reminice on the past three weeks
productivity and keep an open eye for “little” blackholes for time.
Here’s this week so far:

<ul>   <li>(Every) Monday  morning meeting
on the progress/status of development.  Not much to report I was
told, so it should be a short meeting.  2 hrs.</li>
</ul> <ul>   <li>8:30am start (every
day).  All employees must gather and validate each other on the
events that occured in each’s life since the end of the previous
day.  20 minutes.</li> </ul> <ul>  
<li>Today 1:30pm.  2nd developer on project (team of two)
must diagnose the physical and social issues surrounding the illness of
the  technical writer’s daughter.  45 minutes.</li>
</ul> Meanwhile, I’ve done my part in the pursuit of the
“looming” deadline by building 4 complicated financial reports and
adding functionality to the reporting infrastructure.

One thing is for sure, we will have all the reports done by Fall 05,
everyone will feel good about each others personal lives and we will
know how to raise a socially balance child, but we won’t be able to
resize any of the damn windows in the program.