Enjoy. Not that warm here. But then I’m too warm or too cold most of the time at the moment. At least I have plenty of tea.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What’s on your mind?
- Thread starter Gutwrench
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Am enjoying the weather and looking forward to my massage.
Commiserations.
Likewise.
Enjoy.
I hope there were a few breaks, because I can hardly imagine anyone being able to stay focused / engaged for this long.
Actually, it was quite horrible.
Worse was the fact that the senior political analyst showed up with facial fungus (this was an important nationwide meeting, and he couldn't be bothered to look professional) and a dopey demeanour, having also stated that he had not read (still less made the time to read) the detailed reports (including some very detailed political analysis) those of us in the regions had sent him - and the rest of senior management - late yesterday afternoon.
For what it is worth, I spent much of yesterday - and some of the previous evening - writing the report from my region.
In other words, he was unprofessional and unprepared, personally and professionally, which, needless to say, led to much time-wasting as he proceeded to ask questions that made it abundantly clear he had not read our weekly reports (which, of course, answered several of his questions).
Very tiresome.
Last edited:
One brief break of ten minutes.
However, I ensured that I was amply supplied with espresso and sparkling water.
OUCH!! I've had to sit through many of those, myself. Not fun at all. In fact, there was a period during the pandemic when I had a weekly Zoom meeting that lasted between 3 and 5 hours. I was basically responsible for managing all the ensemble director's video editing needs. (Why I was responsible for solving his problems, I have no idea...) Truly an awful experience, and something I will NEVER, EVER do again! Said person would also text me at 3 AM, demanding that I send him revised backing tracks, etc. that I had already worked for an entire evening on previously.
EDIT: Should note that he also had absolutely no regard for me as a person, and couldn't care less how abundantly stressed I was dealing with his projects (which were enough work for at least three separate people), and the fact that I had final exams at the same time. At one point, I actually started crying because I couldn't take it anymore. That's when I said no more.
Last edited:
Sounds Devine. Here I've just had dinner. Most upright I've been all day. Heading back to bed now though.
It was.
I shall treat myself to at least one per week (she described my shoulders as "very tense") until my departure; my interpreter arranged it for me.
Commiserations.
Plenty of tea and bedrest and hope you recover soon.
Doubtless.
However, it really irked me that the senior political analyst couldn't be bothered to shave, or to even read the material he had been sent in advance of the meeting.
Discourteous and disrespectful, but also unprofessional because it meant he wasted time asking unnecessary questions, and clearly had not planned how he intended to approach the meeting (he took up almost an hour of proceedings).
Good god!!
A senior political analyst had not read the stuff beforehand?? A SENIOR ANALYST?! Students here at my university are better-prepared than that...
If he had been a student of mine, he would have earned a fail grade for his sheer unprofessionalism, and lack of preparation.
I was a teacher for far too long not to be able to recognise when a student has not done the (set) reading prior to attending class; at the very least, a quick skim would have acquainted him with this material, would have given him some idea of what had been written in our (short, and succinct) reports and would have informed the questions he subsequently asked.
And, turning up rumpled and unshaven, ugh; we are an international organisation - and have been sent out here by our respective foreign ministries; thus, we are - in a way - representing both our own countries and the international organisation - the international community, as that is what is observing the election in the host country - to which we have been deployed.
Turning up looking as though the cat dragged you backwards through a cat-flap is not cool, and is not professional, to my mind.
Last edited:
No absolutely! I would wear a nice button-down shirt at the very least, making sure to have also combed my hair. Still shocking to me that someone of such seniority would show up to an important meeting like that.
Agreed.
For such meetings (including today, notwithstanding the fact that the temperature was approaching 28C - that is, 82F), I usually wear a smart jacket, a lightweight wool and cashmere jacket that I had made to measure - with a black t-shirt underneath - in other words, I looked elegant and professional, without being too formal, which is the least I can do, and shows some respect for myself, my colleagues - local and international - and my position.
Turning up with scruff on your face, and clearly unprepared, is inexcusable.
Merely, unprofessional, or a deliberate attempt to sabotage the proceedings?
He struck me as the sort of chap who has been indulged (professionally and personally) and excused throughout his life, and hasn't been held to account.
No, he said he had a flu, but - to be candid - looked as though he had been partying until dawn.
Now, as anyone who reads these threads knows, I am no teetotaller; but, when one attends a scheduled, lengthy, formal (mid-term) meeting - comprising the entire senior management plus all of us who have been deployed to the regions, - and, even if one is under the weather - one looks the part, does one's preparation, behaves - or, conducts oneself - in a professional manner; one can always fall into bed on - after - the conclusion of the meeting.
If he had answered to me, I'd have had words with him, and - today - I had to restrain myself from firing off an irked message (by text, or email) about his staggering lack of professionalism.
We are well paid in this work - and are treated with respect by the local interlocutors in whose country we have appeared (by invitation, granted) - and meet with mayors, political leaders, police chiefs, media directors and editors, NGOs, etc - the least you can do is behave as though this matters.
Last edited:
And - perhaps this is better said in another thread - but this individual (who does not have the excuse of not being a native speaker - he is from the US) - used the weird term "contestation" - (several times).
Obviously, "contest" (verb and noun) was what he may have intended.
My colleague - in the region where I am deployed, essentially, southern Bosnia - is an American lawyer, who has passed the Bar in four States - (in other words, an accomplished, competent, qualified and professional individual) - was as nonplussed as I at this arrant nonsense.
Just submitted my proof for the EDU discount on Dorico Pro. Can get a STEEP discount because they offer an EDU + crossgrade option (since I own Sibelius Ultimate) so I can get Dorico for an even further discount than what they usually offer. Steinberg's ongoing sale does not apply to this, unfortunately. But $200 for the Pro version is great, in my opinion!
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Cubase; there is no EDU discount plus a crossgrade discount on top of it like there is for Dorico. But I'm fine with Cubase Elements for now—I hardly ever use it anyway.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Cubase; there is no EDU discount plus a crossgrade discount on top of it like there is for Dorico. But I'm fine with Cubase Elements for now—I hardly ever use it anyway.
That's most annoying .....and it reminds me of someone who was a repeat client of mine for many years......fortunately he paid my invoices very promptly and never questioned the amounts
Went for a drive yesterday. Wanted to see the new Sea Cliff Bridge.
Some years ago, the afore-mentioned cliff fell onto the old road that wound its way around the base of the cliff. (You can still see the remnants of that road)
In a fit of something or other, possibly resembling competence, the PTB* decided that rather than rebuilding the road (again!!!) they would build a bridge out from the base of the cliff.
I just realised what it reminded me of. There is a story by Cordwainer Smith, called Alpha Ralpha Boulevard.
This is our Alpha Ralpha Boulevard.
*Powers That Be
Some years ago, the afore-mentioned cliff fell onto the old road that wound its way around the base of the cliff. (You can still see the remnants of that road)
In a fit of something or other, possibly resembling competence, the PTB* decided that rather than rebuilding the road (again!!!) they would build a bridge out from the base of the cliff.
I just realised what it reminded me of. There is a story by Cordwainer Smith, called Alpha Ralpha Boulevard.
This is our Alpha Ralpha Boulevard.
*Powers That Be
Didn't think they would respond on a Saturday evening, but they did. So I got it running tonight, and screwed around for a bit. I find some aspects to be really annoying—see screenshots with annotations. As you can see, the Layout tab is very confusing, and it takes significant menu-diving to find the correct settings. Main preferences a bit less so, but this Layout tab is just...
One thing I didn't note with the chord input tool, is that I can't use a triangle for major and a dash for minor, which makes it abundantly clear what the chord type is (because there's a symbol!). Soooo...
Would I recommend buying it? Dunno, honestly. I haven't played around with it quite enough.
Attachments
Last edited:
There is sushi to be had (and not bad at all) in corners of southern Europe.