Boys Will Be Boys

So, I'm early to my all day workshop.  It's a workshop where most of the people do not work together in person, but they do over the phone...so, I found it very interesting to see the following:


1. All the boys sat together. (Okay, MEN).

2. There were only 3 men for 10 women in the IT planning meeting.  I point this out because I find it absolutely fascinating that women have infiltrated all EXCEPT the top two positions on the project.  Uhm, glass ceiling?

3. All of the native Minnesotans were obese or morbidly obese.  I found this sad because, for the Europeans in the room, it could only confirm the US stereotype that 80% of Americans are obese. (which was the case here).

4. All of the Europeans were fit.  I'm not saying fat or thin- they were fit.  They obviously participated in physical activity.  That I thought went a long way of confirming, for me, the European stereotype that Europeans are more healthy than Americans...since 100% of them were here.

5. It is amazing how much I HATE in-person meetings...and it's not just the stupid things about having to sit in the same room together.  It's the side conversations.  Everyone trying to get your attention on to them instead of the topic at hand.  When it's over the phone, there ISN'T room for that nonsense.

6. Because everyone works via WebEx, no one really looked at each other.  Hey, it's training, right?

I definitely prefer the virtual meetings- more productive and more on-topic AND you don't have to smell the BO of the obese person sitting next to you trying to tell jokes while you're taking notes.