"We shall miss your suppressed yawns" - the past week at work

Monday
After a week's holiday getting up this morning was a bit difficult.  Outside the house a mist had rolled over the fields, but it soon burned off and the rest of the day was hot and sunny.  Instead of going to the office I went to a Conference Centre where the NGO's Awayday for senior managers was being held.

Beautiful old mansion, a bit shabby inside. 

We dress-down for these Awaydays, and this causes as problem as how casual should you go?  If you dress down too much no-one takes you seriously.  In the end I wore some very casual grey trousers (these are my brother's, but they fit me perfectly), a polo shirt, and a Tommy Hilfiger blazer I never wear.

I was half-an-hour early and sat talking to Felix S, who is also part of the Marketing department.  We were joined by a consultant who is to make a presentation to the management team.  It was awkward talking to him as neither Felix nor myself knew why he was there.

When everyone had arrived we went upstairs to one of the big conference rooms and sat round in a semi-circle as each department made a presentation about what they had done over the last couple of months.  My boss, Marketing Director Tom D, give the presentation for our department, so there was nothing for me to do except watch.  Lunch was boiled eggs with cream, and some roast pork.

After lunch I could hardly keep awake.  It was torture trying to look alert and interested.  I really longed to close my eyes and doze.

Tuesday

Very relaxed day.  I got up at 7.30 and had a leisurely breakfast.  Another hot and sunny day and I wore sunglasses for the first time this year.

I drove to a Midlands town for a collaborative meeting with representives from other organisations the NGO works with.  We are pooling our resources to develop some software, but the project is not going well.  No-one really knows how to get out of the situation, so I suggested we just stopped the development.

This suggestion was met with enthusiasm by the other people at the meeting.  I think they were relieved that someone had at last made the obvious decision.  I was not bothered about taking this responsibility as I am on a short-term contract and will be long gone before any repurcussions develop.

After the meeting I simply went home.

Wednesday

Again a drive across to a Midlands town - a different one to yesterday.  The urban centre was confusing, and I got completely lost several times.  Eventually I parked my car and walked to the hotel where I was booked to attend a training course.

There were three other people attending the course, which was organised by a government department.  I was the only non-civil servant there.  "Three days to learn how to fill in a form is a bit excessive" one of the others said.

The two trainers came in and we had coffee and biscuits.  The training venue was a long room in a half-basement, so the windows looked up at people's legs walking on the the pavement outside.  The morning went quite easily.

Long two-hour lunch break.  I was at a loss as to what to do.  After wandering round the streets I went into the old castle, which is now an art gallery and museum.  Some good paintings, a big military section, some ethnography. 

The afternoon went well, and we were finished by 4pm.

Thursday

Second day of the training course.  Because I knew where I was going I was able to park closer to the hotel.  HUGE daily parking fee, but I can reclaim it on expenses.

The training is quite interesting, but also bureaucratic nonsense. 

Another long lunchbreak and again there was nothing much to do except walk around the museum and sit in the sun.

We finished at 3pm.

Friday

I have become very lethagic recently, and it was difficult for me to get up again this morning - mainly because I know the training course is completely unimportant and even the trainers are not taking it seriously.

Last day of the course and it was mostly role-playing. 

Then we had to fill in evaluation forms - I didn't dare put what I truly thought (that it was all rubbish) but gave medium marks in all the tick boxes.

At the end we shook hands with the trainers and with each other.

"We shall miss your suppressed yawns" the female trainer said to me.