In a moment of genius and vision, the business decided that it would run Forbidden Planet's 30th Anniversary party across nine stores for two days.

That wasn't the problem.

The fun started when this genius and vision expanded to allow our myriad suppliers to 'sponsor an hour' in return for mention on publicity materials.

Sounds simple doesn't it?

Nine stores plus two days equals a LOT of hours - and a number of suppliers who all, of course, wanted different things. Spondor one hour in London only, sponsor one hour in Bristol but on both days, sponsor an hour acrross the group but send their schwag in three different loads... or just send us a shit load of random STUFF.

Hence, three days stuffing bags and humping boxes.

The Master Grid, drawn up between Leesa and myself, detailed over one hundred and fifty different KINDS of goody bag - each one listed, catalogued, labelled, boxed and (I hope) sent out to the correct store.

In long years of re-enactment, I learned the hard way about the logistics of event management. In five years at Forbidden Planet, I've put those lessons to use.

I've never seen anything like this.

i can't claim it's perfect - but there is an enormous amount of job satisfaction to be gained from pitting oneself against a task of that magnitude and actually making it happen.

There are weeks when I hate my job.

And there are weeks when it fucking rocks.