There were a few things during the meeting that made me laugh and realize I will, most likely, never be in this sort of environment again. Before the meeting started I ran across the street about 30 min. before to get a morning latte. There were about five people from my office in front of me, obviously with the same idea. Must stay awake for meeting.
At the meeting, with about 50 people, I would guestimate 3/4 of the attendees had their morning lattes in hand and the remaining 1/4 had their mugs of black coffee. It reminded me how dependent we Seattleites are when it comes to our coffee.
I have heard repeated times how people who never drank coffee before only started drinking it after they moved to Seattle. Blame it on the rainy weather, peer pressure, or the fact that it's dark all the time, but there is nothing better than a warm, smooth latte on a gray and rainy day. It's like popsicles and sun, hot cocoa and snow, a journalist and hot black coffee, they fit.
Getting back to the meeting, before the presentation started the host announced that he wanted this meeting to be an information session, that questions should be asked right when they're thought of and that it should be more a conversation. This, to a room full of reporters.
It took the poor guy only five minutes to realize what he had said before he announced that questions should be held until the end of the meeting. This came about after one of our best investigative reporters asked a question that went something like, 'I have two questions, the first question is...and the second question is...how would you respond?' and then another reporter raised her hand and said, '...and I would have a follow up that second question.'
I was prideful in my coworkers and their ability to constantly be doing their job, so much so that their job is their identity, it's who they are and there is no off switch.
The final journalism humor about the meeting came when the host asked, 'what's the number one worst thing you can do while on unemployment?'
To which one reporter announced, 'drink.'
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