From Pool Boy to Bell Boy

On July 16, I start working in the foundry making bronze bells. And just in time. I expect the next seven work days to be the longest I have ever endured. Either it's just the heat, or there is a small group of people here that are just trying to piss me off. I was going to work in bakery tonight doing some painting so it wouldn't have to be closed tomorrow, but the manager pissed me off so bad that I'm not going to bother. Tomorrow I only work a half-day in maintenance because I do tours in the afternoon, and Friday I'll be in the foundry for my orientation day (basically wandering around in the foundry watching other people work). So maybe I'll get to it before I leave maintenance, maybe I won't. Right now I could care less if it ever gets done. I have other projects that are more important anyway, so I will be spending my time in maintenance working on those.

Once I'm in the foundry, I will be going to work, then going straight to my apartment. I am now here for one reason and one reason only; learn how to do stuff I would never have a chance to learn any other way. Once I have milked this place for all I can, we leave.

Jerry Pournelle invented what he calls Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy:

In any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representative who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent. The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions.

The stated goal of Arcosanti is to build a test arcology for 5,000 residents. Those who share that goal, assuming they ever existed, seem to be very thin on the ground and are completely missing from the ranks of anyone who makes decisions. This place is a lot like a certain Baptist church in northern Michigan I could name, including the group of key participants who publicly state that they will leave if the organization ever grows much above 100.