VOL 19, NO 26, JANUARY 9, 2007

Surprise! No Meeting Place! | Web Fun

Surprise! No Meeting Place!

This week, upon arrival at Glendale, the entire BBRC had a big surprise — they were closed for repairs. President Jim made the command decision: we’d cancel our official meeting for the week and not inconvenience our guest speaker and any guests by scrambling for a back-up venue.

Impromptu Breakfast

What do a bunch of Rotarians do at 7:00 a.m. on a Friday morning with no place to go, empty stomachs, and the desire for their weekly fix of fellowship? At least one group headed for the Embassy Suites in Eastgate on the rumor that they had a reasonably priced buffet with lots of room for extra guests.

A few minutes later, 15 determined Rotarians had pushed several tables together and took over a section of the Embassy Suites buffet breakfast area.

Priceless Fellowship

Of course, we missed the normal trappings of our standard venue: nametags, greeters, the hubbub, and the shuffling through the line. We skipped the introductions, invocation and pledge — w e had no visitors, no prepared prayer, and no flag. We even missed the Sergeant At Arms — but not much.

However, we did experience something that we normally miss out on at our traditional breakfasts: the time to sit and enjoy each other's company with extended conversations.

In the Spirit of Paul Harris

Without a guest speaker, discussions turned to how we fared the recent power outages and how we passed the holidays. Eventually, the discussions turned to vocational topics. The turning point was talking about how we fared during the outage without the typical access to the internet, some phone services, and other luxuries to which we have become accustomed.

We pondered the changes we’ve seen in our working careers: the disappearance of the traditional secretary from the workplace, replaced by PCs and word processing. The photocopy machine replaced typing in triplicate on carbon paper, and it also caused extinction of the “Dirty Purple” — that horrible invention call the mimeograph machine that we all loved to hate.

But one theme ran through our little impromptu meeting, the same theme that dated back to the days of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary: Rotarians still love fellowship and the sharing of ideas about their vocations.

Give any group of Rotarians an excuse to meet and socialize, and there will be a fun and memorable exchange. Friday’s little impromptu meeting was no exception. [We heard that some did the same over at Little John’s Restaurant, but we haven’t had any feedback from them. We’d bet they’d report the same positive experience]. Those who couldn’t join us due to the cancellation missed a fun opportunity.

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Career Path
Courtesy of Jenny Andrews

My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned. I couldn't concentrate.

Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.

After that, I tried to be a tailor, but I just wasn't suited for it - mainly because it was a sew-sew job.

Next, I tried working in a muffler factory, but that was too exhausting.

Then, I tried to be a chef - figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn't have the thyme.

I attempted to be a deli worker, but any way I sliced it I couldn't cut the mustard.

My best job was a musician, but eventually I found I wasn't note-worthy.

I studied a long time to become a doctor, but didn't have any patience.

Next was a job in a shoe factory. I tried, but I just didn't fit in.

I became a professional fisherman, but discovered I couldn't live on my net income.

I managed to get a good job working for a pool maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.

So then I got a job in a workout center, but they said I wasn't fit for the job.

After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as historian - until I realized there was no future in it.

My last job was working in Starbucks, but I had to quit because it was always the same old grind.

SO, I TRIED RETIREMENT AND FOUND THAT I'M PERFECT FOR THE JOB!

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