Meetings ...

I attend many, many meeting as part of my job.  While I do have many meetings with my professional peers, I also have many meetings with community groups and interest groups who aren't exactly professionals.  People who are very red where their head meets their shoulders, if you follow.  These meetings, if they are in the afternoon or evening, often involve beer.


I am getting burnt out, and my temper is getting short.  I am tired of meetings, and especially tired of meetings that should only last an hour becoming 3 hours because the old boys have to tell stories between every actual discussion point.


I was at a meeting a few weeks ago with one of these groups, in the basement bar of their club house.  I was exhausted; I had been out in the field all week in very hot temperatures, I would have rather been home vegging out on the sofa. It was around 8:30 in the evening ... and they had the country classics station on Galaxy...


Now I have nothing against Merle Haggard when I am in the mood ... like if I am trying to chill out, or fall asleep.  When I am fighting hard to stay awake, however, I consider it cruel and unusual.


I texted S with my complaint and he replied to consider it as training in withstanding torture techniques, excellent preparation for my future career as a spy (S alternates between suggesting I go work for CSIS, and suggesting courses and training I might consider for when he leaves the military and starts his own "contracting" firm).


It made me smile, and helped me make it through the rest of the meeting.  I have called that to mind in a few meetings since, and not only has it brought a smile to my face, last night I believed it may actually have saved a few lives, as I practiced maintaining a calm, cool exterior while the people around me argued over inconsequential details, again, while I could have been spending quality time with my sofa ...


Perspective, my friends, is a wonderful thing.