Amazing

isn't it, what a weekend of beautiful weather, a brisk walk in the early morning cool, a bout of productive and fun work and a good meal out of town can do for one's psyche.

What also helps is coming around to the realization (for the millionth or so time in this life) that one cannot control certain events or the behavior of others.

Right now I'm watching The Iron Giant, a wonderful, witty movie from a story by Ted Hughes, written during the height of the 'Red Menace nuclear attack' hysteria. Funny that's it's still timely and on point all these years later.

Tomorrow it's back to that place with those people. Maybe I need to dig out my copy of this little gem and do some reading later.

Speaking of work, this year at our annual conference I'm responsible for the vendor hall. Filled with vendors. Who are, in theory, business people. Late Friday, my association president forwarded me an email from one vendor rep who related that she was promised setup/conference information on August 30 and that, quoting now from her email, "it is now 12 days before the conference and I DO NOT have any information."--capitalization hers, mind you.

I've sent the information out three times, once in a letter about a month ago and two mass emailings since then. I responded to her by letting her know the information has been sent three times, to the representative indicated on the registration form--which on this company's form, was someone else, not her.

I recognize this is something of a customer service situation. These vendors are paying us for space in the hall and we have a responsibility to ensure they get what they've paid for. But in this instance, it goes beyond that. They're paying for space in the vendor hall to get to school district representatives who have money to spend. And I'm one of them. Now I have a feeling that Miss Thing may have figured her little missive was probably going to get some clerk or secretary in trouble--because that's how some folks roll, you know, getting off on causing grief for some underling.

But what she's done is piss me off. I'm certain she will want me to come by her booth and listen to her spiel in the hopes I'll drop some green with her company so she makes a nice commission. I can't wait to tell her that she has blown her opportunity with me and the reasons for that.