Why does everyone want stuff all at the same time? I am convinced that some project managers like to assign you things that *have* to be done, knowing all the time that you have a lifecycle plan due. I think it is attempted sabotage. If I don't get funded then I will continue to be a grunt on their project.
Part of this I did bring on myself by taking on a lot recently with my most favorite non-governmental project by willingly and eagerly doing all sorts of experiments. And here it is a few weeks later and all my results are rolling back in. So in the midst of my writing a lifecycle plan for the first time, I am trying to analyze data and set up a presentation to report to the client.
The presentation I finished today. 40 pages to present in teleconference tomorrow plus a 3 page written report summarizing a statisticians report. I am spent. Completely.
So now I guess I can focus on my lifecycle plan. Remember I said it was going to be $500K. Wrong. After meeting with all my collaborators and the program manager we settled on my asking for about $1.9 million dollars. It is spread over 4 years. I have just started managing small tasks ($100K), here now I am asking to manage a project with over a million dollars. Excuse me while I am sick here.
I struggled to maintain control of this concept paper. I originated the idea and submitted the concept paper while pretty much everyone ignored it and never responded to my inquiries. Now here we are with the "go ahead" and everyone wants a piece of it or to manage it. I gave up a section, or at least agreed to share my lead with a man I had never met before. But has experience in the area. He has been helpful. Much moreso than my "mentor". *$&#)#@
If funded I am a shoe in for a promotion and will be hiring a post-doc. I am freaked. How can I possibly make this work? Scary.
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