The Ninth Circle of Meeting Hell

Wondering why I haven't commented on your blog lately? Perhaps a peek at my schedule will help to clear up the mystery. I only wish I was exaggerating or kidding for comedic effect. Instead, this is actually my life.

Get to work at 8:40 because I have a 9 a.m. meeting. I typically get to work between 9:30 and 9:45, coming in a little bit later and staying a little bit later because the traffic is exponentially better for me that way. Because the traffic can be so ridiculously and unpredictably bad, I have to leave the house by 7:30 if I want to ensure that I'm in the office by 9 a.m. Which means I have to get up and out earlier than usual, and as well all know, morning is not my best time.

8:40 to 9:00 Eat oatmeal, read emails that have come in last night and this morning.

9:00 - 12:00 Vendor demo. This meeting ran over by an hour. I also really, really should have tanked up on caffeine ahead of time. Plus for some reason my normally comfortable cotton tights were itchy, and I had to fight the urge to fidget. Due to the meeting running long, I missed my weekly development team meeting from 11:00-12:00. Luckily, the team is pretty self-sufficient, and they figured out that I wasn't coming and went on with their days.

12:00 return to my office. Feel a little overwhelmed when I get a look at all the email that has piled up in my box in just three hours. Deal with the various people who come by my office with questions.

12:40 realize I don't have much time left to eat lunch.

12:45 to 1:00 Microwave lunch, eat lunch. Pop online to see what the stock market is doing.

1:00 Off to a meeting with the VP of IT about some stuff that needs building.

2:07 Realize I'm late for my pub team meeting. Leave programmers debating a solution. Dash over to the conference room and tell them we'll reconvene at 2:30. Run back to the programmers. Make progress! Feel good! But not quite enough progress, so we have to meet again tomorrow!

2:32 Pub team meeting commences in conference room that smells, oddly, of fish and wine. I like meeting with my pub team. They are a good bunch. That is not to cast aspersions on my poor development team who got ditched earlier in the day. They are also a great bunch. I'm lucky enough to really like all of the people I work with right now.

3:00 Run to next meeting. Establish test plan for Monday.

3:20 Oh look! 10 blissfully free minutes until my conference call. Holy crap. How did I get so many emails just since 1 p.m.?

3:30-4:30 Conference call. This is a weekly call that is sometimes a complete disaster. It goes ok today.

4:30 Snack time. Yippee! And now I get to try to start actually getting some work done. Return phone calls. Go through emails. Try to remember all the stuff I promised I'd send to people, follow-up on or write out in my various meetings.

8:10 I could probably work for four more hours, but I decide it is time to give up, pack it in and go home.

8:45 Home! I'm so happy to see Seamus wagging at the door and John smiling at me. I owe John special thanks for walking Seamus this morning (I'm usually on mornings) and for cooking dinner, both of which made my day much easier.

Tomorrow looks very similar, with meetings from 10:00 to 11:00, 11:00 to 12:30, 1:00 to 3:00, 3:00 to 4:00 and 4:00 to 4:30. Wish me luck - I'm going to need it.