OK.

I BLAME TRUDY!

Just got back from 1/2 day staff retreat. In my eyes, the biggest waste of time EVER. Spent the morning talking about the different styles of conflict resolution and determining what your style is in a stupid ass 30 question quiz. Then doing a couple excercises, that were blah. And then a half hour discussion presentation on the rec center on campus, and how it would be a great idea to join it. For $24/mo. Then they asked "what do you want to do for next years staff retreat?" Um. What? I have no clue what these things are for. The introvert in me says they are a collasol waste of time. and now you want me to give you ideas? No Clue. What do folks do on staff retreats? Are any of them practical?

t /whining child

eta:

Although, I did win the ice breaker game. Which was everyone had a sticker on their back with a person (real or fictional) and you had to ask folks yes or no questions to determine who it was. I figured out quickly that it was a politician, male. It took me a couple cycles to figure out it wasn't an American politician! Once I honed in on that data, it wasn't long before I guessed Winston Churchill, and won the Starbucks gift card (no demonination listed). Do they serve non coffee things? You can see how often I go in there. I may just re-gift it.

Mom got here yesterday for her week long visit. I'm so excited. Today started with me finally getting bloodwork and I saw my shrink. He's going to increase my Klonopin to .75 mg for 2 weeks and if I need it then increase to 1. He's very conservative with med changes.

Mom and I went to the Champlain Islands, stopped at a snack stand, went to some antique stores, then back tracked to 2 apple orchards. We got fresh cider, dried apple rings, and Vermont Gold apples at one and cider doughnuts and vanilla ice cream (locally made) at the other. Then did more sight seeing.

It was oddly tiring. Tomorrow is stay at home and kinda organize, go to the yarn shop, and my therapy appointment.

I spent today grading quizzes and going to meetings, none of which was even remotely fun. And now my ear hurts. So I'm whiny.

I'm not really Snoop. Though I do spend a lot of time wondering how my hair looks and plotting to kill folks...honest mistake.

That sounds great, askye. Good for you.

Whine away, Hil. That's not a fun day.

I made it to the grocery and the post office and then I got panhandled while I was waiting for the other panhandler to meet me at the McDonalds. But I was in a good mood because I came in under budget at the grocery, so they both got what they asked for (lunch & a bus pass). I need to go back and buy more bus passes, because I used to carry them for this purpose, but I ran out and never refilled them.

I missed my own lunch, though, and came home and snacked, but I really should eat something real.

Besides blackberries, I mean. I can never have berries. I bring them home from the grocery store and eat them immediately. I love berries.

What do folks do on staff retreats? Are any of them practical?

Our local city council uses staff retreats for actual long term planning. In general staff retreats are a good place to do actual work stuff that you normally can't do at work because of having to put out fires. And the relaxed atmosphere contributes in theory to creativity.

What do folks do on staff retreats? Are any of them practical?

What Typo said. It's good to be able to get away and focus on how the department is doing and what it can do better. And, of course, play games and eat good food and drink wine and whatnot. There have definitely been parts of retreats that have felt like wastes of time, though, mostly the touchy-feely HR stuff.

Vicodin has gotten my ear pain down to manageable levels, but it's also made me want potato chips.

I have been on many staff retreats, and they've all been excruciating wastes of time.