Saving the Board Meeting, one pixel at a time

This past week part of my job description was to have dinner with the new employees and their branch managers before attending the BOT (Board of Trustees) meeting, where we would introduce ourselves to the board. I left the library at 5:30pm with my manager, Jessica, and we proceeded to Eggspectations where we met with a few girls I had seen before at orientation and the Deputy Director, John Huddy. I ordered a coffee, which he made fun of me for, and immediately regretted my decision. Normally I can stand coffee in the summer, but it was just too hot. Between the LOTR banter from one end of the table and John having a beverage fight with the woman in front of me (Branch Manager of the Sterling Library) it was a very enjoyable dinner. I hadn't expected my superiors to act upper-crust and professional, but it was a delight to hear my branch manager admonishing the table, "The Director's visit is next week! Remember, no swearing!"

The Board Meeting was everything I expected it to be:  informative, professional, and by the book. There was a recently appointed head of the board who was adjusting to all the procedures involved and wanting to make sure she had every procedure correct. In between the microphones and recorder breaking this was a harried but enjoyable experience. Unexpectedly I was called to step in during a momentous occasion as the head of the Board and representatives from the Middleburg Advisory Board were signing a document ensuing the expansion of the Middleburg Library. "This is a photo op!" someone hailed and then there was a scramble  to find a camera in the room. When the first few people turned out their smart phones I volunteered, "I have an actual camera!" "Who on earth carries a camera with them?" John Huddy asked. "The same type of person who has a dinosaur phone," I rebutted good-naturedly. This alludes to a previous comment John made earlier in the night where he saw me look at my phone for the time and he said comically, "1995 called, they want their phone back." After tripping over microphone wire I managed to get pictures of both parties signing the document on my little digital camera.

This is why I never leave my house without my camera. You never know when it will help make a good impression in front of your superiors.