Failure
Wednesday, 28th March 2007Posted under: struggles ,
Never under estimate the destructive power of unfulfilled ambition.
And so it was. The Dome setup, like the entry to some bizarre space portal. Inside hung the polar fleece material like great dark veils inside some grand Mongolian nomadic Yurt. External sounds retreat into the background as you step into the tardis like space inside. The projector humming, the screen hanging precariously from the heights, cushions on the floor and a couple of folding chairs for the elderly and infirm. It was the colossal womb of a giant.
I also had an ezy-up at the entry, to give some protection from the weather for me, and those waiting to go in. Yes, the hordes, waiting to go in. My A-frames, with funky colourful graphics explaining the amazing world about to be experienced inside, stood sturdy, spruiking in silence. And the great white walls of Questacon towered above, like some ominous castle looking down over my dreams. And then the visitors started to arrive.
Pleasant hellos, "experience something marvelous", "the kids are anxious to get into Questacon, sure, when you come out". And again, "Come and check this out!, less than the cost of an icecream!", "Keen to get in." "On your way out, sure." And again.......and again.....
Then the families started to come out of Questacon, kids are screaming tired, the parents look haggard and irritated. "Come and experience the Dome!" "Sorry, the kids are too tired", "We've spent all our money," "We have to be somewhere else now, sorry."
So my first lessons in consumer behaviour came about. Kids who had been pestering parents to go to Questacon for ages were too keen to spare 10 minutes for some weirdo with some large globulous music ball tent thing. After spending substantial amounts of money on entry fees, food for the family, and then toys from the shop, when families left Questacon parents were reluctant to spend any more, regardless of how little it was. Kids were over stimulated and crying tired, parents were worn out by hours of managing their hypo kids in public. Everybody just wanted to go home. Neither did it help that I had first set up in winter when it was cold outside, and sometimes raining.
That's not to say there was nobody who wanted to go in, there were some. And those who braved the dark round world of the unknown loved what I had created and were impressed by its originality. But overall the numbers were bad, and it became clear pretty early on what kind of miscalculation I had made. And it hurt. This kind of experience effects your moods, your enthusiasm, drive, your relationships, everything goes sour. Self doubt settles in like some vile stench.
It was just as well I had exercised enough sense to have alternative plans for my Dome in case of exactly this scenario.