Staff Meetings

Is anyone else required to attend weekly staff meetings? I really feel like they are a waste of my time. Allow me to explain why...

You see, my boss, Rob, is a pretty busy guy. He's our Executive Director so he's always out schmoozing and hob-knobbing with "high society" in Wilmington. Either that or he's in meetings all day (which are also probably pointless). Because Rob is barely in the office, none of "his" employees have a chance to ask him questions or update him on office/campus happenings. This is when staff meetings come into play.

I was always under the impression that staff meetings were a time for one to brainstorm and collaborate with co-workers (at least, that's what they have been at my previous professional jobs), and maybe briefly share with others what you have coming up over the next few days - if you feel so inclined to do so (I rarely do). At this job, however, staff meetings are a time when Lindsay, Crystal, and Kim ask/tell Rob what's going on in their day-to-day lives. I frankly do not care because I already hear about this nonsense on an hourly basis. I have enough work related things to worry about. I do not want to hear about how a member of the Board didn't RSVP for an event but showed up anyways and complained the whole time about how cold the food was or how the trashcan was full. (And I kid you not when I say that these are topics of discussion.)

If I have something to tell/ask Rob, do you know what I do? I PICK UP THE PHONE! (It's probably a new fad and hasn't quite reached the other side of the office yet, but I find that it works fabulously well for me. Folks on campus have even taken to using this device!) I think that Alexander Graham Bell sheds a tear every time someone properly utilizes his invention. I'm not quite sure who invented the Blackberry, but I'm sure that Rob is making that person proud by knowingly using said device to answer my frequent calls.

I really don't see the point in wasting everyone else's time talking about budget issues that do not pertain to them. If it were me - and this happens to me often - I would not want to sit around a table listening to someone ramble on and on about which table linens to use so that they hit the floor just so in an effort to conceal the table legs and scratches on the floor. Just choose a damn linen and give me the bill so I can pay for it, ok?

So, if you ever need to reach me on Wednesdays between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon, chances are I'm downstairs slitting my wrists with my fingernails and unraveling the carpet with my pen.