About the new job

Hello again,
Wow, do I have a lot to tell. It has been a few weeks since I have updated you. I have been extremely busy. I have a short video which may help you understand why. My internet is choppy at best. Some days it's average (slow), some days it's very slow, and some days it's dead. Lately, it has been the latter. So, that complicates my communication. Mostly it is that I am just way too busy.
So, I got promoted to lead. I know how this sounds, but it is not necessarily a good thing. This job has been hanging out there since I arrived. It was suggested several times that I apply for it. I resisted that strongly. There is another lead here, Ralph, who is highly qualified for the job and very much respected among the crew. Being his peer is a difficult chore. Having done some lower management before (Devil's Head and Wild Mountain) I know what to expect, and those expectations have already fulfilled themselves. Only this time instead of 15 to 20 year olds, I am dealing with middle aged experienced mechanics who in some cases know way more about life and/or this airplane than I do. None of this stops them from acting like 15 year olds, however. And then, I have to deal with the guys whom I have been very chummy with. Now, I have to give them direction and discuss them with my superior, a position that has proved very uncomfortable. None of this is new to most of you, nor is it to me, but add this BS to the already existing stress that I have ranted about previously and life begins to get stretched a little too thin. I think it was Frodo who said, “I feel like butter spread over too much bread.”
Well, I got a little off track there. What I wanted to tell you was how I ended up in this job. There are definetly some worthless piles here. Unfortunately, these are the same people who tend to be the biggest self promoters and the ones who get promoted. And the two that I have the most problems with were the only ones up for the job. Well, I can deal with that as long as Ralph is here to temper them. Then comes Ralph's vacation. Instead of taking two short breaks he will go home for one long break right about today (have a nice trip Ralph). My supervisor states in a meeting before Ralph leaves that someone will be asked to fill that job temporarily, receive little for compensation and not have much say in the matter. Well, all of this adds up to: Cliffy, step up.
The good and the bad of it.
Bad:
The pay is miserable. I make less than the parts guy and just slightly more than the mechanics.
I don't get to hide in a little corner doing maintenance.
My new shift sucks.
I am responsible for the behavior of grown men with adolescent minds, trapped in a military compound.
The are no added benefits. i.e. First in line, room of my own.
My free time is a privilege and interrupted or taken away without question. This is not new but, it is now there are a whole new slew of reasons to wake me, keep me late or bring me in on my day off.
It becomes impossible to even have the illusion of friends. There are no confidants for me.
The spotlight moves onto me, not something you want when you just wanted to put your head down and muscle through.
I am expected to do a lot more QA work. Not exactly what you want from a guy without much experience.
Good:
The unspoken perks.
Added respect.
Looks good on a resume.
When someone is not doing there job, they have to listen to me.
I don't have to do the piddly maintenance tasks that I hate. i.e. Lube the gear, inspect the interior.

Well, I should really go. I have gone on a while about things you all probably don't care that much but, right now it consumes my world.
Please note that my internet is down so I have to rely on work for that. Which means I am not readily available for email correspondence and loading video.
Until the next time,
Hope to see you all on the third full moon from now,
Cliff