Where do the days go?

Sometimes it's like the world speeds up ... and "poof" it's like two days vanished in the space of one. It's that kind of speeding up that has me regretting getting older. When I was younger I was certain that time must get slower for old folks (you know those in their "thirties" !! ) because heck they were slower, took their time doing things, dawdled ...

While pondering time ... I seem to remember (was it Einstein?) ... reading that time is not an absolute linear constant. Never having been the most scientific of minds, does that mean time is not uniform? Is it possible that on days that speed by, time ... seconds actually were passing faster? And consequently, on those loooong days that never seem to end ... are the seconds actually longer ... say two seconds in length?

We'd never really be able to know it, would we? Because we all experience time in the same way ... hmmm or do we? Can time for me slow down while you're experiencing a surge? Or fast-forward two days ahead while your days have been just as they should be?

That's what my brain is playing with this morning (any wonder I have a slight head-ache?)

So ... I'd not have minded the days flying by I guess if I'd been doing something fabulous ... but my last two days were simply filled getting reports ready for my Friday lunch meeting with BFA (who is not as much a BFA as I thought) ... and yesterday just disappeared into the haze with the above noted meeting, getting lured into watching the Ryder Cup and chatting with my sister-in-law Carol for six hours or so on the back deck.

Try as I might to be organized and follow the Seven Principles of Highly Effective People or whatever that "must read" from the 90's was ... (you know, touch every piece of paper only once ... translated into 2000-techno-world ... probably means ... write your notes immediately into the computer) ... I still scribble everything on notepads (ahhh ... how I love big yellow legal pads of paper ... fresh ... never been written upon ... but I've also taken a liking to smaller ringed notebooks ... 6 X 9 but I digress) ... so when I had to prepare reports for BFA three weeks earlier than expected ... I had to round up all those notepads and notebooks (yup there's more than one) and type everything into some kind of business appropriate form.

Now if that wasnt' bad enough ... I tend to write briefly and concisely ... but BFA loves "consultant speak" ... big four-syllabled words that confuse the reader and say thirteen things at once. Guess it's how consultants can ensure that they've said something that agrees with everyone at the board room table ... I haven't perfected that art yet ...

I think it was 3 AM when I finally tore myself away from the computer and dragged myself to bed ... to awaken at 7 AM to finish what was left unfinished ... and head to my luncheon meeting. I was a tad surprised when BFA greeted me wearing jeans, a baseball cap and a velvet (yup velvet) multi-toned grey jacket. I guess that's when my gut said "holy crapola you were right!"

Right about what? ... well for a short time now I've been wondering how long the organization was going to pretend that they actually wanted the change that was being planned and additionally whether they could handle having that change rammed down their throats by a gum-chewing, hard ass, pin-stripe suited tall bald guy with no personality to speak of ...

To make a long story short ... over lunch a few hours later ... he opened up and told me that he was "possibly" stepping down to "help" the organization in its financial crisis ... his CEOs salary would be better served paying other things ... (hey I've used that one) ... and the requisite explanations, justifications and ramblings that usually follow such a chat ...

I'll help from the sidelines he stated ... as he handed a good half of the "agent of change" mantle to my shoulders ...

Will I succeed where he failed? Stay tuned until October 17 when I have to face the huddled masses and gauge their reactions ...

All that to say, that during lunch ... he allowed the person he is to be glimpsed every now and then ... and what a sense of humour, he's actually a nice guy ...

Why do people hide behide corporate armour when they get titles? Don't they realize they are still leading people and if you don't deal with people as people ... you don't have a chance in hell of succeeding (unless of course you stay hidden in your office and delegate) ...

But I'm rambling, aren't I? ...