Not A Good Start

Wednesday totally sucked. Here's what happened.

So I go by the Communication department at around 2:30 to check out the equipment. The shoot is supposed to be at 4:00. Now, according to department regulations, equipment can only be checked out between 1:30 and 4:00 - I'm in the right time frame.

I get there to discover that Robert, the guy in charge of checking out equipment, for some reason has left the university and won't be back for about 10 days. That's no problem, I think to myself. After all, I've been signed up to get this equipment for a week. Surely he realized that and left instructions, right?

Wrong.

Nobody in the department has keys to get into where the equipment is except the Head of the Department, and he won't let anyone back there unless it's for class. Campus Movie Fest doesn't count. However, I'm told the professor of my video production class has keys and is supposed to check out the equipment in Robert's absence. So I go down to his office to get him...

He's not there. Instead, I find a note on his door saying to drop by between 10:00 and 12:30 on Thursday, during his office hours.

It was at this point I nearly burst a blood vessel.

IF THE SIGN-UP SHEET SAYS EQUIPMENT IS TO BE CHECKED OUT FROM 1:30 TO 4:00, YOU SHOULD BE THERE BETWEEN 1:30 AND 4:00 TO CHECK IT OUT.

I went to the Film Studies department to try to get equipment from them. But unfortunately I'm required to get permission from the head of the department, and of course, she wasn't around. I spent a few hours wandering around trying every other solution I could think of. I even thought I would temporarily check out the Campus Movie Fest equipment, but they didn't have any good mics. So basically, I got screwed.

When I got home that night, I had an email from my professor saying, "Andrew, Robert's gone for a while. Stop by my office today from 10 to 12:30 to get the equipment."

He had emailed it to me at 10:02 AM.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YOU CAN'T EMAIL SOMEONE DURING THE NEW TIME TO INFORM THEM OF THE NEW TIME AND EXPECT THEM TO GET IT, IF THEY ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP UNTIL 1:30! IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!

You know what the worst part is? When I signed up to check out the equipment, I left my phone number. All he had to do was pick up the phone and call me to let me know that I would need to stop by earlier than expected.

As a result of the Communication department's inability to communicate, Wednesday's shoot had to be postponed until Friday. I spent most of the evening extremely pissed off and thinking about killing kittens.

I went by during my professor's office hours on Thursday, like he said. I got the equipment. I had to miss class in order to do this. Somehow, I managed to restrain myself from punching him square in the balls as soon as I saw him. The thought crossed my mind numerous times.

Anyways, I've got the equipment now, and we're set to go. The plan is to film all of the interview segments tomorrow. It's going to be a busy day. Hopefully the rest of the shoot will go well and without any unexpected setbacks...