This blog by Cindy Carroll
Meetings. What do they really accomplish? In the workplace they are one of my least favourite things. They take time away from my daily tasks that usually have a tight timeframe already. And with the new Agile method of testing we’re doing we have more meetings than ever. Well, it’s new to us but Agile isn’t new in the software development world. Which is another thing. We aren’t testing software in my department we’re testing the mainframe. But they say the Agile method will still work. We’ll see. So far I feel like I’m in meetings all the time with little time left over to actually do any testing. Add to that the team meetings, the town halls, the one on one meetings and when do we actually have time to work?
Even though I’ve never liked meetings as part of my day job I LOVE them outside of work. Writing meetings are my favourite of course. I will rarely pass up the opportunity to get together with other writers to talk shop. Oddly enough I don’t feel that those meetings take away from my writing time. It’s still all writing related. We talk about our stories, get help with plot problems, provide encouragement to each other, talk about craft. I often come away from those meetings eager to get to the writing, my head swimming with ideas. And every time I go to a writing meeting I have a length of time in mind that I’ll stay and I almost always end up staying longer. I could talk about writing for days except that doesn’t actually get the writing done.
Meeting new people also a good kind of meeting. New friends, 
new colleagues, new networking contacts. I’ve even joined a few groups in my area to help me get out more to meet new people. Having no girlfriends where I live, I still feel like I’m new to the area so I’m always eager to get out to events that will allow me to meet new people. And because of the groups I belong to I occasionally have the chance meeting of people I know now in my new city. Those meetings tell me this is home.
There are other kinds of meetings of course but I have to sign off and get some work done before my day job afternoon meeting. 🙂
What kind of meetings are in your life right now? Are they fun or work related?
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A road trip goes wrong for a group of friends trying to help one of them get over a break up. They find an inn where the mirrors are cursed and they realize they don’t know each other as well as they thought they did.
A road trip without a plan sounded like a good idea when Lena and her friends hit the road. A mini vacation and support for Steve, recently dumped, have the friends travelling through small towns and back roads. After hours of driving in the heat in a cramped car they’re all ready for something to eat and a good night’s rest. Reflections Inn looks perfect for the group of friends. A little run down, it hides a supernatural horror.
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Writing Wranglers and Warriors 
No meetings for me anymore, except for the occasional Henderson Writing Group (HWG) get-together — and like you, I don’t consider that a meeting. Back in the ’80s, I was a city editor for a while in a newspaper newsroom, and had to attend an afternoon critique meeting everyday. Boring… boring… boring. Hated it. Also, we had planning meetings… a morning meeting to decide to stories for the day’s newspaper, project meetings for supplements. Those I liked. But critiques where you evaluated every headline, etc. … no thanks.
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Meetings, the bane and maybe even the reason for our existence in the work world. Like you I love writing meetings,especially the improv writing meeting. I get more writing/work done there than anywhere. I live for those meeting.
Thanks for a reminder of what meetings can and can’t do Cindy. Doris
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I agree that writers’ group meetings are the best kind of meetings. Now that I’m writing full time, those are the only kind of meetings I attend.
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Since I’m no longer in the workplace I don’t do meetings, even Writer’s Meetings, as there are none close enough. When I was working I didn’t mind most meetings and actually enjoyed one in particular that took all the department heads, had them each do a personality workup, and get together in groups of opposite personalities. We then had to make an important decision amongst our group and come up with a solution. Our group was so much fun. We laughed so much and argued that I hated for it to end. By the way, we came up with the best solution!
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I had mixed feelings about meetings at work… Sometimes I liked having my time DEFINITELY filled for an hour, especially if it was a meeting where I could sit back and space out and THINK about writing, haha! But sometimes I had deadlines and a meeting just seemed like a MAJOR speed bump.
– Allison
http://www.allisonwrites.com
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Meeting Freinds and family is always been important agenda.. and I love meeting them ..
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I got very frustrated at ‘teacher ‘ meetings since my tnedency was to want to be back in class preparing work. Now as a grandma, my meetings are only fun ones with my grandkids. I haven’t time to go to writers meetings except those I indulge in online- which isn’t nearly the same as face to face. Squeeze in more and more in a day… is the mantra.
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I mostly have PTA meetings right now but I love teaching my art class so maybe I can call that a meeting. Great post.
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Grrr-This blog keeps eating my comments. I have good meetings usually. I only have meetings for work once every couple of years. Cher’ley
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I’ve spent plenty of time in meeting myself–some of them very useful and others just hours of my life I will never get back. I’m good with the former, not so much with the latter. 🙂
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Just yesterday I was at a meeting. It was a Gardeners Exchange Group meeting. I am new to this group and like you enjoy meeting new people. Interesting choice for the letter M, thanks for sharing.
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Oh, a life of meetings — seems most of us engage in that aspect of life! I have lots of meetings at work, too: staff meetings, event planning meetings, volunteer meetings… plus I “meet” with my husband to talk about our businesses and plan our finances for the month, and of course I have my Bible study “meetings” and writers group meetings … Alas, life is filled with meetings, including meeting friends for coffee, which I’ll be doing tomorrow morning! Some meetings are fun, some are just necessary, and some could be “toned down” or at least shortened! Great post, Cindy — a great use of the letter “M”.
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