Jousting with the Public

What I Saw in the Paper This Morning

I opened the paper this morning and was greeted by a photo of myself!  A somewhat huge surprise because the local paper is usually not that interested in local transportation except when labor strife is involved.  It was a report on a public hearing.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to engage with the public once more on the upcoming changes.  Once again the usual suspects from Voices of Inappropriate Worth gathered to contend. 

I was also reminded of the importance of changing the clock in your office after daylight savings time.  The meeting was scheduled for 3:30pm so when the chairman of the board stopped by my office at what I thought was 2pm to say he would meet me down there I thought that was weird since we had another whole hour to go (it was in reality 3pm).  I was blissfully ignorant for next few minutes until my computer calendar reminder popped up (Thank God!) reminding me I had only fifteen minutes to get to the other side of Worcester for the meeting.  There followed a fairly energetic driving experience to reach the meeting site.  A collective gasp of relief arose from the other presenters there when I walked in and they realized they would not have to make the presentation in my absence.

I made the presentation and then “entertained” questions from the crowd.  There was the usual indignant self-interest in full display.  My favorite critic rose with her usual muttering zingers accusing us of outrageous and idiotic planning.  I found it interesting that she was now attacking the maps I brought with me to explain the new routing when last week she was complaining I didn’t have a copy of the same maps for her. 

The high point of the meeting was when a late arriving businessman said he heard we were doing something that would immediately impact his business.  Since the point he was making was completely inaccurate I asked where he had come by that information.  He of course pointed to my favorite critic.  I then started to opine on the importance of considering the source when the critic piped up and said, “Don’t worry, he knows me well”.  I looked at the businessman and said -  “Well then you know the value of that information.”  It surprises me that she is so self-aware and still persists in her behavior (first – know yourself). 

The incredible melting continues apace.  I can actually see patches of the lawn peeking through the snow cover which was so deep just a couple days ago.  Anybody entering my driveway is now greeted by Buddy’s defecatory contribution which the melting snow has uncovered.  It’s his signature move.

I continued my basement project last night.  I’m going to need more paint.  Since I’ve started I will have to finish, damn it.  I also continued my stroll through the first season of the original Star Trek.  Jim Kirk defeated the Gorn again.  I’m amazed that I thought this was so realistic back in the 1960’s but it is still so much fun to watch. 

A Better Copy from the Newspaper Web Site
Still Got it With the Laser Pointer - PowerPoint Ranger Indeed!

After The Meeting