project management & walkabout

it seems my jan 8 post didnt' push through. anyways, i learned something about project management today. i had planned a ballroom dancing activity here in AIM and I had the go signal from the Student Council and the SSAR (i think it mean student s... for academic relations :-D). According to my contact in the SSAR, they would be the ones reserving the SGV Conference hall II for today's activity. unfortunately, perhaps due to oversight it was not reserved. But still it was fine, the guards say nobody was reserved for today. But when I went there there was this leadership seminar. The guards asked why there was this seminar without any reservations. Apparently that seminar was not finished yesterday and they had the room reserved also for today. I could have contested the issue but I had no official papers to show that I was reserved since I was assured that they would be the ones reserving the venue. But I'm not pointing fingers here. I actually find the event fruitful for me.
Back in the University of the Philippines, when we used to have dance workshops, we put up flyers for marketing and we were assured there were participants. Sort of like "If you build it, they will come." Here at AIM, marketing it isn't that easy. I sent an email to the whole batch of students and there were a few responses. There were actually a bunch of batch mates who personally told me that they will go. But as I went about calling people in their rooms to inform them that the workshop is canceled, most of them were asleep. I guess I tailored the sunday schedule to fit my schedule. I thought of doing it on a Sunday afternoon but I assumed that most people like me would be studying their case packs. Moreover, our Saturday schedules were usually spent sleeping after a WAC.
I also learned that marketing ballroom dancing which for most students here is a new thing would be quite difficult. First they do not know the current rates outside, which is pretty much twice the cost I was charging, and about 3 times more dances. Second, as students, there was a price range which they were working with. Since most of us here at AIM are studying full time, we also are working with budgets. I guessed I had an overlooked the issue since I had a different market segment in the first place. My primary market segment was the younger students whom I see always going out and dining in these expensive places. There was no secondary market identified. Plus, I did not take into consideration that most of the students are busy studying, thus they just brushed off the ballroom dancing invitation.
I learned that there are people willing to help you. But they also have jobs to do and as such they can't accommodate you even with that sincere smile and the kind words. But I don't take it against them. In the end, I should be ready, end-to-end.
I've started a new walkabout project. I'm organizing a team to scale Mt. Banahaw in Quezon. I guess what I've learned can help me prepare for this. Mt. Banahaw is one of those places where there is a lot of psychic energy. This is perhaps due to the effects of volcanic activity since it is a dormant volcano. Furthermore there is a lot of myths about the place. I hope to bring a group to that place called the 'twilight zone' where all the electromagnetic forces converge.
I have started jogging in preparation for the walkabout and also for my health. So far I've been getting my old jogging pace. I've started with slow jog but the impact is a bit heavy on my feet although, it builds up on my stamina. Also, I promised to run the marathon walkabout of my friend, so that would be my first official marathon.
There has been talk about giving the wash grades or temporary grades for the 1st year of MBA. I'm a little bit concerned because there is no immediate feedback for those classes which have ended about 2 months ago. There is only a maximum of 25% quantitative/qualitative subject which you can fail. And I feel that I haven't been very good in my quantitative subject. I cant exactly point to the exact issues why I'm having a hard time on these quantitative subjects. I am alright with algebra and calculus but finance and accounting seems very alien to me. :-)