How do you engineer the perfect Thanksgiving? Is it all about the food? Are you a master seating arranger? Do you decorate like a Pinterest pro? Because we love engineering so much, we tend to apply it to most things in our lives, including holiday planning.
Most projects follow a commonly used approach* that we think could be helpful this year:
*Note: As with all spirited family “discussions,” the information in this description of Professional Engineering is limited but well-intended.
Project Management
It’s critical to establish a central point of contact for
any project to ensure that information is managed and distributed in the most
efficient way possible.
Congratulations, Project Manager! You’re in charge of all Thanksgiving correspondence (insert air horns, flashing red lights, and panic alarm sounds).
Now that you’ve been awarded the holiday hosting contract, you will oversee allergy requests, preference tracking, and researching Uncle Erwin’s new ketogenic lifestyle and how to use liquid monkfruit. You’ve probably been fielding these requests and inquiries for the last month and they’re bound to continue until you close the front door behind the final guest.
Hang in there, Aunt Lydia is hosting in December.
Preliminary Engineering
This phase typically involves the work necessary to assess
the overall site and formulate an approach for success.
As the host(ess) with the most(est) you’ll need to allocate
a decent amount of time to this phase. Measure that oven, do a test run with
that table leaf, and start hounding your guests for those missing RSVPs. Nobody
likes a surprise addition to the kids’ table.
Hang in there, Aunt Lydia is hosting in December.
Final Engineering
Rounding out the planning and design stages is Final
Engineering. During this phase, team members from the project’s municipal and
development teams can give final comments and make sure the goals of the
contract are met.
This is essentially the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday leading up to the big day. Cousin Grace will call to demand three more vegetarian sides. An in-law (specific one omitted for universal safety) will comment on proper carving tools. Your neighbor may even stop by to ask how many cars to expect on the street.
Hang in there, Aunt Lydia is hosting in December.
Construction Management
When there is something to build, there must be people to
oversee its construction. Inspectors, project managers, and skilled crews come
together in this phase to make magic. A dirt lot becomes a building. A trench
becomes home to a pipeline that carries clean water to a nearby park. Whatever
the project, this is where it comes to life.
It’s also all hands on deck in your kitchen. Whether you plan
your work assignments a week before, or four hours before, the morning of
Thanksgiving is “go time!” You’ll be on “don’t cut your finger off” duty,
running the “break another plate and you’re going to boarding school” crew, and
supervising the “stop throwing marshmallows at your sister” and “stop antagonizing
Uncle Erwin” efforts.
Did we mention Aunt Lydia is hosting in December?
Whatever your plans for the culinary extravaganza, the entire team at ERSC sends its warmest wishes for a safe and happy holiday!
No Comments