And that's done

One piece of hopeful news: coming back into town, we drove up past where my friend's house is. The lights were on and the front door was open (she keeps the front door open with just the screen latched when she's right there in her front room). I haven't heard anything from anyone, so I am assuming  that means they just kept her overnight and then discharged her, perhaps with a warning to eat better or more.

The meetings are over. They were only semi-deadly. We had a few deadlock moments at the beginning, including a point where we had THREE motions open on the floor. (I am not a real parliamentarian, but I was the president of the local AAUW chapter for eight years, and so I learned enough of Robert's Rules of Order to know what should and should not fly). I almost got up, stalked over to the chair where the hastily-appointed and somewhat-unwilling moderator was, yanked him out of it, and said, "Move over. You need someone who knows how to run a meeting." But I didn't, because that would get me a Reputation, and I don't want a Reputation. There were also at least two and possibly three hobby-horse jockeys, but we managed to get back on track.

On the other hand: I got to see one of our graduates, someone who had been a favorite student of mine. (Yes, we're allowed to have favorites, as long as we don't let that reflect in the grading process) He is now teaching at one of the smaller schools in the state. He sat with me and with my colleague who went with me and that made it better. 

I will say, before the meetings they had....I guess I'll call him a "motivational speaker." (No, not like Iron Will, more like someone selling something). It was not how I would have chosen to spend that time.  The thing is, the way to motivate me before something like this? Give me the task to be done, let me do it to the best of my ability, and then let me scram. I don't need to be cajoled into it, I don't need dancing ducks and explosions on a PowerPoint presentation to tell me how it's important. I just need the guidelines of how to do it and to be turned loose to do it.(One way I know I'd never survive the corporate world is that all those enforced-fun and team-building things bring all my cynicism and bad attitude to the fore. I become a combination of Daria Morgendorfer and Raven from Teen Titans. My reaction to motivational programs is pretty much, "I say it's spinach, and to Hell with it.")

But at least they're done and I probably won't have to go back next year. (I will say - five hours in a university minivan, with the middle bench seat really trashed, to the point that I could feel the springs poking into my hip - no bueno.)

And more importantly, it looks like my friend is home from the hospital. So I'll take that.