PHOTO PROMPT © Yvette Prior
The best parts of the conference were the coffee breaks.
The rest of it? Deadening. Boredom that left one’s backside just as numb as one’s brain. The only one enjoying it was the speaker. He never acknowledged a raised hand or suspected anyone might have a question.
He was the expert. All questions would be answered if people would just listen!
At the last break, Lorie had filled a go-cup to the brim, figuring it was good for at least two trips to the facilities in the next hour or so.
It was the only escape she could think of.
Just Writing! 
The old sneaking out of class to go to the toilet excuse – never too old for it!
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After getting through my book title THEY GREW UP ON THE SAME BOROUGH, REDY TO SET ONLINE on amazon,SOME BODY STOLE MY PENDRIVE,IMAGINE HOW DEVASTATED i AM TODAY AFTER ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS OF POURING MY HEART BLOOD. on every sheet of paper. o.matt indie author.
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Ha… yes that’s the best of tricks. I do remember conferences and the great discussion you could have at the men’s room.
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🙂 I wouldn’t know about those, Bjorn!
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I’m so glad I don’t have to attend those things anymore. Aint retirement grand. 🙂
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I don’t know, Alice. I’m still working. Still need to get CEU’s. Sigh.
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Don’t know, Alice. I’m still working. Sigh.
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What a dull conference! When one has to find excuses to be excused… the speaker should start wondering why. Then again, he probably doesn’t give a fig.
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Exactly. I’ve been to more than one in which the speaker is totally enthralled with his own voice. Ugh.
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The classic get out! That and an urgent private phone call. God I hate conferences apart from lunch of course!
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Yeah, lunch is great 🙂
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Boy, haven’t we all been THERE!
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Yes indeed. Rarely to I go to a CEU seminar and come home saying how exciting it was 🙂
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“Best part of conference were the coffee breaks” exactly my thoughts. I would include lunch break too.
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All conferences are equally boring and pointless, the only thing one looks forward to is the break, for food, or for refreshments.
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A cunning plan! I remember conferences like this… 🙂
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Your description of the boredom of a poor conference is beautifully done – you nailed it!
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Hahaha. The typical conference room stuff. I love it. So real. I love what Lorie did, it’s a great strategy to escape the monotony of a conference.
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Thanks. I might have used that strategy now and then. . . . .
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I bet you have 😋😎😉 its a fun storynew 💕
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At least they had nice coffee at the breaks. You describe the drudgery of many a conference of sit and listen type so perfectly.
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Thanks, James.
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She might have been better filling the speaker’s go-cup to the brim, and giving everyone a break. Seems we went down the same path with the prompt.
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Yes, we did. And I love your idea of filling the speaker’s cup 🙂
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Dear Linda,
I felt Linda’s pain. Well described boredom. It was as if I was there. Good job.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you 🙂
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I’ve been in meetings like that. Sit near the door is the best advice.
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Lorie’s got the idea!
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attending a conference should be a good time to take a break not to break you. 🙂
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Oh dear, great description of a speaker too blind to pick up on audience reaction and adapt. Lorie is a woman with a plan. When she got that cup brim full I wondered if the speaker would rush up behind, and have it spilt all over him.
(There is a theory that more work often gets done in the coffee breaks at conferences, and events have therefore be designed around the breaks and informal sessions instead of having the formal sit down sessions – it’s called open space.)
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I’ve been at a couple of conferences that use that sort of format. So much more interesting.
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A great plan! I’ll think back to this next time I’m at a boring meeting!
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This is the reason why you must paint eyes on eyelids and get a shuteye without anyone noticing it.
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Ha! Maybe I’ll get Terry to do that for me when I go to my next CEU seminar 🙂
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I always found conferences fun.
But I was the speaker!
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If you were having fun as the speaker, I’ll wager your audience was also having fun.
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Love love love this! You’ve captured pretty much every conference I’ve ever been on. Wait, were you there? I think I saw you nipping to the loo 🙂
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That makes the vote pretty much unanimous so far 🙂
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Oh, I think I like Lorie very much. A brilliant ploy,
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She’s been pretty popular this week 🙂
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Very easy to relate to!
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My goodness, with so many boring conferences it is a wonder they still hold them. I thought I was the only one who hated them. I elect to get my CPE credits by any other means available. Your story certainly resonates with many of us. Nicely done.
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I like getting mine online when I can. That way, I can pause or mute, which really tickles my funny bone 🙂
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LOL I hear you on that one. 😊
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Oy vey! Sounds like one of those conferences that are: a. best left early or b. best experienced in the lobby with some friends … 😉
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Exactly.
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Oh those boring lectures and the lecturers who just go on and on. Good thinking Lori…the toilet excuse is as classic as the time itself!
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Like others here, I am glad I don’t have to attend those events any more. These days when I get sore ears from people totally focused on adoration of their own voices. I can just opt out.
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There were quite a few questions always left unanswered. didn’t they?
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Haha…funny story. So true t life.
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I think I’ve heard that speaker. The topic was “How NOT to do a Presentation.”
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Love the bum and brain comment. Hard to remember which is which at the end of some lectures. 😊
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Thanks. It’s a matter of the vagus nerve, I believe 🙂
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