M
oving was going to be a piece of cake. I had it all worked out. We would set
up a studio with new equipment in our new location, and get it all up and
running before tearing the old place down.
So we crafted a plan. We would be occupying previously unfinished space in the new
digs, so the first order of business was to have our offices and studios built out. At the
same time, El Toreno was going to be relocated into adjacent space on the floor below.
All of this required building permits. In early May, we drew up plans, shooting for
occupancy by July 1.
Somewhere near here, a building inspector is reading this and is clutching his sides,
laughing uncontrollably.
Shortly before the 1st of August, we had our building permit. By this time, a hole had
been cut into the floor of one corner of our proposed lobby, to allow for venting of the
kitchen in the restaurant below. Workmen scurried about amid piles of debris.
Nobody doubted that we would be moving in by September 1st… until sometime in
mid August. By that time, we were receiving assurances that we could have our carpet
installed by the middle of September.
With a large empty space across the hall, it might have been prudent to begin moving
things into that space while we waited for the carpet. Unfortunately, there was that
whole “set up the new studio and get it running” thing that had to be accomplished
first.
So we waited. At long last came the day when we could start installing the new studio
equipment, even as the workers continued to install the drop ceiling and other minor
finishing touches.
To nobody’s surprise, even though I had spent countless hours pulling cables
throughout the entire space, installing the studio equipment took longer than
expected. The inevitable delays were incurred due to unexpected problems with
equipment configuration, but at last we had a functioning studio.
With more than a little trepidation, we “threw the switch”, and began broadcasting,
with limited functionality, from the new office. We did not have everything in place,
but it was enough to get started. We had challenged Murphy’s Law. Punishment was
swift and sure.
I spent a lot of time racing back and forth between the two locations in order to keep
things patched together. Bear in mind, that save for a few pieces of studio equipment
and a chair or two, nothing had yet been moved.
It now became clear to me that I would need another two weeks to get everything
If it is true that we learn by making mistakes, I am indeed a learned man.
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