1. An unnecessary or wasteful project or activity.
2a. A braided leather cord worn as a decoration especially by Boy Scouts.
b. A cord of braided leather, fabric, or plastic strips made by a child as a project to keep busy.
I have to catch a 6:00 AM train to Baltimore tomorrow morning (well, this morning at this point...) to visit a client. I'll arrive at about 8:00 AM for a 9:30 AM meeting. Train station is only 10 minutes from the client's office in the Inner Harbor. There's nothing in the Baltimore train station.
The meeting was arranged by a fellow banker who doesn't know her clients, her industry, or the bank's inner workings. The meeting has no focus, no goal, almost no revenue opportunity (unless I pull something out of a hat). All that's defined are the attendees - the client, the banker, and me - the "subject matter expert." I'm excited to lend my expertise to an unknown topic for heaven knows what reason.
I'll do the trip because I get to chalk up another "in-person visit" on my account plans (by the way, I'm supposed to increase my live visits to 10 per month, while at the same time cutting travel expenses - another paradoxical Citi stroke of brilliance). I'll do the trip because I might just angle for this ditsy woman's job once her seniors figure out she doesn't know what she's doing. I'll do the trip because it's Friday and I just don't care. But most of all, I do it for the glory of the boondoggle, the lifeblood of white collar drones, the ever present drain on Corporate America's earnings, the birthright of all corporate credit card holders.
Stand tall, boondogglers! Meander with might!
2a. A braided leather cord worn as a decoration especially by Boy Scouts.
b. A cord of braided leather, fabric, or plastic strips made by a child as a project to keep busy.
I have to catch a 6:00 AM train to Baltimore tomorrow morning (well, this morning at this point...) to visit a client. I'll arrive at about 8:00 AM for a 9:30 AM meeting. Train station is only 10 minutes from the client's office in the Inner Harbor. There's nothing in the Baltimore train station.
The meeting was arranged by a fellow banker who doesn't know her clients, her industry, or the bank's inner workings. The meeting has no focus, no goal, almost no revenue opportunity (unless I pull something out of a hat). All that's defined are the attendees - the client, the banker, and me - the "subject matter expert." I'm excited to lend my expertise to an unknown topic for heaven knows what reason.
I'll do the trip because I get to chalk up another "in-person visit" on my account plans (by the way, I'm supposed to increase my live visits to 10 per month, while at the same time cutting travel expenses - another paradoxical Citi stroke of brilliance). I'll do the trip because I might just angle for this ditsy woman's job once her seniors figure out she doesn't know what she's doing. I'll do the trip because it's Friday and I just don't care. But most of all, I do it for the glory of the boondoggle, the lifeblood of white collar drones, the ever present drain on Corporate America's earnings, the birthright of all corporate credit card holders.
Stand tall, boondogglers! Meander with might!
4 comments:
Ah, the life of a road warrior. I managed to arrange a boondoggle in SF next week (all hands staff meeting, say what?) that will morph into a long weekend where J will join me!
I sort of feel that some church meetings (not the regular meetings, just the planning meetins) are like this. I hate meetings for just meetings sake. I'm sure some stroke of genius will strike you. Have fun!
The hoops we have to jump through often amaze me...
Go man go! I admire your courage to press on in the midst of such frustrating circumstances. I'm not sure I could or would do it myself.....so that makes me admire you all the more. Soon the weekend arrives and you'll have some well deserved play time......:)
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