Work Day

I woke up about at about 7am this morning, not at all happy about the hour or the prospect of putting a tie on. I know 7 isn't that early but i still hate mornings. I didn't get any coffee before I left so I don't really remember the drive to work. Getting to work at 8am, when you have no Events going on is kind of interesting. My job on those days consists of returning phone calls and cold calling people to get the info for thier upcoming events. But who wants to answer my questions that early in the morning? So I just kind of open up a worksheet and stare at it until about 10am, when reasonable people will start to take phone calls. Of course on the East Coast 10am is already 1pm so I keep some people waiting all day for a phone call. I keep forgetting that and try to call back east at like 3 and wonder why I'm not getting return calls. How embarassing to have to have client remind you of that. So anyway tuesday is meeting day so at 10am we had this strange conversation about how having outlines ready "2 weeks out" really meant "4 weeks out". But that we should continue to have events ready "one week out". huh? My pleas for logic fell on deaf ears. That little meeting I think actually took place at 11 because now that I think of it, we had lunch right after that. PF Chang's Chow Fun noodles, Kung Pao Chicken and a discussion whether its appropriate to tip the to go guy. Lunch went right up to the finance meeting at 1:30 where we find out who owes us money and why they probably won't ever pay us. Right into the Events meeting where we present event outlines and pretend that 1,2, or 4 weeks away we have all the info we need. From Events we go into the catering meeting. Where events that are now 1,2, or 4 DAYS away are changing thier food and beverage needs. The catering meeting takes you to 3pm and the long dark tea time of the soul that is the 3-5 stretch as I like to call it. A stealth exit will be required at 5pm if I want to avoid a retirement party from 5-7pm. Sure its overtime but its also awkward conversations with the people higher up than you. 4:45pm the call comes from 2 cubes over, the one right in front of the bosses office, "Hey Pete! You going to the retirement party!?" and then from the boss, "It would be appropriate for you all to go, the board of directors will be there....." DAMMIT! Okay a quick handshake and I'm out by 6pm. Just as I'm plotting a stealthy getaway is when the CEO takes to the Mic. 5 teary sets of eyes later it's 6:30pm and the presentations are over, my office mates have long since faded into the background (even the boss is no where in sight...) I shake hands and slip out. I console myself with the fact that I just got paid a shitload to eat hors d'ourves and drink a beer. SHIT! I just broke a pact with Randy not to drink for a month and didn't even realize it til I'm driving home. Great. Well that was my work day. Bored? Not as much as I am.