Working On My Masonic Calendar

It is that time of year when the calendar seems to scream at me begging for mercy as I strap its legs to a wooden block. It is a process that repeats every fall as we emerge from the ease of summer. And while there are already enough events, projects, and other commitments on my personal and work calendars, it is the lodge calendar that seems to put things over the edge every year. This year has proven to be a particularly difficult one to balance.

Even something as basic as the stated meeting schedule is already met with at least one conflict in December. That was discovered even before I took a closer look at some of other blocks on the calendar. At this point, and this is by no means the end of events coming to the fore, there are certainly going to be some difficult decisions that have to be made moving forward.

Extra meetings shouldn’t be an issue as the schedule someone worked out preventing too many commitments from stacking up in a single week. However, the weekly fellowship will continue to take a hit as I need to limit the nights that I am out of the house while also juggling other events on the calendar… usually I don’t like to be out twice in one week more than once a month (if I can help it). But there are some other events to which I will bring my family such as Autumn Day, the Open House (if it comes together), and the Blood Drive (although there is a conflict that day in December as well).

While I would like to attend meetings at other lodges, be present for appendant body gatherings, and enjoy the fellowship at other communications, it doesn’t seem like that is going to be a possibility this year. I can’t remember a time when my calendar was so overloaded and I am hoping that proves to be an outlier rather than the new normal. Hopefully, the schedule next year will be a little lighter or, at the very least, I am better prepared for the onslaught of commitments.

For now, with so many other obligations I am also having to scale back on my time at the lodge even further this fall as I need to spend time with my family. In the end, family is what has and always will take precedence. Everything else is secondary. And this is something that every brother understands and all of them have supported me in making this decision. After all, our fraternity should make our family stronger.

Climbing The Desktop Mountain

It seems like the last meeting was only yesterday and as the time has continued to fly by, the projects have continued to pile high. The last couple of months have been trying in more ways than one and as the district visitation and numerous other deadlines approach, I am continuing to struggle to get things done. But sometimes this is what we have to do as the Secretary of the lodge… we have to prioritize the various wants of the lodge, complete the needs, and slowly start working down the list.

Unfortunately, there are more projects that need to get done now than at any other point during the year and so the hours of communication, processing, sorting, and filling out forms has been a bit more arduous than usual. It hasn’t helped that I have also been absent from the lodge for many of the meetings and other gatherings as well but, again, that is part of the personal prioritization that we must all find for ourselves. But it has been tough trying to balance everything.

It has not just been the many new things that have come up since the beginning of the year. There have also been a number of items that have carried over from 2015 and, undoubtedly, many things from the previous year that have had a significant impact on our ability to check things off the list over the past few months. And for each of those items it has been a constant stream of emails, phone calls, and conversations at the lodge. Those are the moments when I would like to have an answer for the brothers asking the questions but I have nothing to offer or very little to report. Some things, whether I like it or not, are simply out of my hands.

However, there are a few things that seem to be coming together albeit a little later in the year than we had planned. I can see the peak of the pile and soon hope to be gliding down the slope into the summer. Of course, that will also be the time when all the projects that have been moved to the bottom of the list should be competed so that maybe, just maybe, we can head into the fall and the final four stated meetings of the year with a clean slate… at least of the myriad of things on my desk. But, right now, I just have to make it through the next few months.

Unable To Commute To Lodge

While I usually am at the lodge on the Tuesday before a stated meeting, this month it was impossible to maintain that routine as I was in Atlanta for the first half of the week. However, unlike those nights of preparation in the past, it is a great feeling knowing that there really isn’t much that I have to concern myself with for Thursday night. The notice is out, the notes are typed, and all the documents, communications, petitions, etc. are neatly organized in my folder. The only thing that is lacking is the usual stack of bills that need to be read… this is an ongoing issue with the post office to which we are working on a solution.

This year, for the first time in a while, I have been consistently looking forward to being at the lodge. Of course, there are minor things here and there that still have to be worked out and the work load seems to be growing exponentially as of late but it is a different feeling at the meetings and there is a different overall demeanor to those in attendance. With many things smoothed out and petitions once again coming in, there is an optimism present that was hard to find at times in the past.

With next month being our official visitation, I am looking forward to welcoming the brethren from around the district to our lodge. We have made progress since the last substantial gathering and I am proud of the work that we have done to improve the lodge and the building. It really is a testament to those men that I am fortunate enough to call brother as there have been countless hours devoted to improving our small part of the fraternity. This is all due to the brothers who have taken on additional responsibilities and made the effort to thrive in their new roles.

Of course, this would not have been possible without those masons who have at time held the lodge together and in other periods, such as we are experiencing now, encouraged the growth of the lodge and the initiatives of motivated brothers. All of these brothers have made this a worry free business trip for me and I am thankful for this sense of freedom between meetings. I just hope that we can continue this growth and involvement not only this year but for years to come and but the looks of things that will be a reality, our new reality.

Catching Up On Correspondences

My lodge email has been rather active lately with correspondences not only from brothers from the lodge and the district but from Grand Lodge and potential candidates as well. This is in addition to what has become an abnormally busy beginning to the year more so than the previous two years. While I do my best to keep current with all inbound communications it has gotten to the point that there are moments when I find myself a few days behind and having to sit in front of the computer at night drafting email after email in the hope that I will be caught up by morning. Keep in mind that this is in addition to the calls and texts that I receive. 

However, given the nature of the letters and notes that I have received, I can’t really complain about the work that needs to be done on a regular basis. I wouldn’t be sifting through the digital pages were we not growing and increasing our activity. These are great signs for the future and speaks volumes of the present group of brothers that are active in the fraternity. With that in mind, keep the emails coming.

On the other hand, I know that many of the emails that I receive wouldn’t have even been sent if I were able to make it to the lodge every week so some of the clutter is completely on me. I simply can’t be two places at once and this is what I need to do to keep things going. Actually, come to think of it, I get more frustrated with the lack of communication from some people every now and again. This adds significantly to the work that I need to get done and the emails that need to be sent out as it is no longer a means of replying but reminding, starting, or restarting a conversation.

And the work continues to pile up on my virtual desk as there are a few other tasks that need to be completed this spring including various audits the biggest of which, for me, are going to be the membership and records audits ensuring that our numbers are accurate and all our information has been correctly migrated to the new site. This could possibly be the task that I am least looking forward to but I know that it has to be done by the spring. I expect many corrections, correspondences, and long nights to stem from this endeavor as well. But, right now, I am going to focus on projects that need to be taken care of before the meeting next week.

Some Letters

Today was one of those days, like too many others, when I wish I had a transporter like the one in Star Trek (or an improved version of the one in Spaceballs). While I was able to get out of the office a little earlier than my usual departure time, I was still rushing to get through the evening. After all, I had to take a detour to the lodge to make sure the mail was up to date for our stated meeting later in the week.

As we have so much going on and so many different things that are in the works for the remaining months this year, I have had to pay particular attention to the communications situation. Not only are we in the midst of the annual dues influx but there are also the usual monthly invoices, charity requests, and notes of thanks. Adding to all of this are the letters from brethren stating that they would like to hold an elected office next year. Needless to say, the post office box was quite full and required some effort to remove the mail jammed into the confined space.

When I got home, and after my wife and son went to bed, I finally sat down and sorted through the pile of paper that I had retrieved earlier in the evening. There were a couple of checks, a couple of bills, and a nice group of letters mixed in with the junk. I enjoyed reading the letters as a couple of them were thanking the lodge for some generous gifts and support and the others were those from the brethren asking to have their name on the ballot. It is indeed a pleasure reading the kind words of others and it is reassuring to see so many brothers wanting to hold a leadership position in the coming year.

These letters are really what give me hope about the future of the lodge and reassure me that, while we may have had a few issues here and there over the past year, we have the masons and motivation to really make our lodge the best in the district if not the entire commonwealth. And these letters are not just from ambitious young members but also from those who have held elected offices for years as well as those wanting to do so for the first time. It has been a great mix and I am excited to see what comes about in December. Next year should be a great!

Paint Chips And Poor Customer Service

I readily admit that I am frequently not the easiest person to deal with. This is especially true when it comes to customer service calls. I do my best and have even made a more concerted effort as of late to be as nice and understanding as possible when I have to participate in these calls but sometimes it is really hard to keep my cool. I have been dealing with such a situation for the past two weeks as our insurance company which has had a tremendous track record personally has completely mucked up just about everything that I have called about and/or requested over the past month.

Thankfully, I have been able to keep my temper under control throughout this whole process but my patience is running thinner than [insert your cliche or original thought here]. And it hasn’t really been a matter of incompetence… as time goes on it seems to be more and more about laziness. I have made numerous efforts to communicate through email as well as by phone and I have even coordinated a time to speak with someone. When it came time for them to call at the time they promised, my phone failed to ring and no attempt at following up or explaining what had happened was ever made.

It has been a rather frustrating time especially knowing what exceptional experiences I have had with this insurance company in the past. Up until a few weeks ago I have had nothing but good things to say about this company but lately I have had to measure my words a bit given the last few people with whom I have had the displeasure of communicating (or lack thereof). And just think, this is without me getting angry, abrasive, or even difficult. I have done everything I can, within reason, to accommodate the company but have, as of today, nothing to show for it.

I would consider changing my insurance company but I have yet to see any rates anywhere near what we are paying. And I have given just about every agent and company a chance whenever they have popped up. It used to be great service and great rates and now it seems as though I am left with just the latter of the two. What’s even worse is that the most recent conversations with the insurance company they have tried to hard sell me all of their other offering before allowing me to resume my day. They may want to get better at their current job, complete their existing task, before even thinking about trying to sell me anything. And yes, I remained calm.

Reconnecting In A New Way

It has been a bit crazy lately with everything that has been going on. If you look back at the most recent crop of posts you can easily figure out why. Adding to all of this is the fact that I am hearing from people on Facebook that I haven’t had conversations with in quite some time. If it happened at any other point it would seem odd but the simple fact of the matter is that as soon as you post the first picture of your new baby (which we keep to a minimum) people come out of the woodwork.

This influx of communications has been great. It has been the perfect excuse to restart conversations and see how people are doing. As many people, family and friends, can attest I am not the greatest when it comes to staying in touch. I am rather sporadic in reaching out to people as there is usually one thing or another that comes up and steals my attention. I am not nearly as bad as I used to be but I am by no means where I would like to be. This is proving to be a tremendous opportunity to fix that at least a little bit.

Social media has always been an issue for me as it is part of my daily work routine so by the time I get out of the office I am kind of done with it. As has been evident, much of my usage of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter has been largely one way rather than the dialogue that it is meant to be. This is why I included the screen shot at the top of this post. This is what social media is supposed to do… it is an alternative means of communication.

With that said, it is still difficult to combine the work and personal and social media is one of those places where I still see it as work. Maybe it is for this reason, or the fact that I am still a traditionalist, that I prefer talking to someone on the phone or writing a letter (an actual letter not email). Those are the places where I can disconnect from work even though I still use each of them during the course of the day.

Social media is where I still have the issue of being able to disconnect but the recent discussions I have had have gone a long way to alleviate that issue. In the end, don’t be surprised if I am not as responsive as most people on social media… I spend too much time on it getting work done for clients and by the end of the day I tend to ignore those sites. Plus, I have seen the good and bad sides of these social sites and I tend to limit much of what I put on there (believe it or not). This is now particularly true as it pertains to my son. However, if you want to catch up and/or talk about the baby feel free to give me a call, write a letter, or send an email.

A Few Interesting Developments At Lodge

First the first time this year I was finally able to get to the lodge at my usual time last night and stay relatively ahead of schedule for the entire evening. By the time the candidates arrived I had already sifted through the incoming correspondences and fielded a couple of calls from the brethren. Because of this I was able to focus more on what was going on around me and truly appreciate the hard work that was being done more so than I have been able to do in previous weeks.

However it was before I even left the office when I received an email from a candidate that took me back for a second. Some will read the contents in a negative way but I see the words as a very positive understanding of the importance of advancing to the next degree. This candidate, having postponed his third degree once before, reached out and requested that it be pushed back another month as he didn’t feel he was prepared to take the next step.

While he had missed a number of training nights due to other obligations since receiving his last degree, he was still far enough along that it wouldn’t have prevented him taking the next step. This was evident last night as he struggled a bit but was definitely retaining what he needed to know. However, I completely understood his desire to be properly prepared and arranged for his degree to take place in March.

The rest of the night revolved around the dreaded discussions of the politics of the lodge as well as the initiatives that many of us would like to see take place in the coming months. In my position I do my best to remove myself from the former but eagerly embrace the latter when it makes sense and will continue to help the lodge grow and increase participation. Spearheaded by a newly raised brother, the ideas for the lodge, especially those regarding the education of new masons, are impressive and can ensure our continued success. I guess we will have to see how quickly we can implement those programs.

For now I am going to do my best to keep up and stay on schedule with the projects that keep flowing in. With everything going on just doing this has become difficult leaving me scrambling before most meetings to make sure everything is in order for the evening. Well, it could happen.

No More Energy At the End of the Day

Lately our weekends have been full of check lists, errands, and generally trying to get caught up on all the things that have been pushed back during the week. This translates to Monday morning not being the easiest day to roll out of bed. Today that was particularly true as I was laying there a little longer than usual not looking forward to the day that was spread out before me.

This weekend was so full of activity from lodge and office work to gift registries and simply getting caught up on my email that the list of things that had to get done first thing this week kept growing from the time I walked out of the office on Friday evening. I know that the weekends aren’t always like this and lately they have been a bit crazier than usual but, right now, the beginning of the work week is something that brings a sense of dread to my tired mind as I close my eyes on Sunday night. Right now we push and soon things we even out. That has always been the case it just might take a little longer this time around.

So, right now I am sitting at my desk stealing a mere ten minutes from my chaotic day to write this brief blog. Following a morning commute that took twice as long as it should, I got to the office a little later than expected so I had no other choice than to put my head down and work until my eyes became too heavy to continue. After a quick break, usually to take a call or replenish my coffee, I continued the push to try and pull together all of the final points on projects that have been slowly developing. Now I am taking a few moments to write and relax before returning to the deluge of communications.

Of course, following my unusually full day at the office, there is a networking event which, fortunately, is located half way between the office and the apartment. These are the beginnings of the week that seem to run on for hours long past the time when I usually close up the computer and head home for the day. This week, this is the first of three such nights. That is the current schedule but, as has been the case lately, things could easily change between now and the end of the week because, right now, my energy is low, the nights are falling to fast, and the day is nothing but a brief glimmer during the waking hours.

Filling The Chairs

No, we did not have to turn to our plastic brethren.

When I left work yesterday, I did so with some trepidation. While I had a few brothers reach out to me letting me know that they would be at the meeting, I still had not heard from enough to fill the chairs. With everything that has been going on lately, I was concerned that the meeting got lost in the deluge of communications. However, I also held out hope and took solace in the fact that every time that I have asked the brethren for their assistance they have come through.

Pulling into the parking lot there were a few cars that I recognized and I could see that the windows were open and already circulating the autumnal air throughout the building. These were both welcomed sights which allowed me to take a deep breath, grab my bag and tux, and make my way to the front door. Walking into the foyer, I could see a small collection of brothers. A modest group that was sure to grow as the minutes passed and the meeting time approached.

Per my usual routine, I immediately turned around the corner and made my way to my office in the back of the basement. With everything else that had to be done leaving up to the evening, there were a few last minute items that needed to be taken care of before the meeting. So, while waiting for the computer to boot and, later, the web pages to load I filled out dues cards, inscribed the Bibles, and changed into my tux. It may seem hectic but it was actually pretty close to a normal night.

With the former secretary lending a hand with a couple of items, I was able to heading up the stairs and into the hall where I found enough brothers to ensure a successful evening. Knowing that the evening was to begin momentarily, I did my best to ensure that everyone was on the same page and that each brother knew what chair they would be sitting in, what role they would play that night. It was a long night with a few rough spots but we were successful.  

What has been a bit of a trying time for us has not stopped us from being successful in our endeavors. I have had my doubts at times and there were moments when I questioned whether things were going to happen but those concerns were proven to be unfounded. Once again, we pulled together as a lodge and by the end of the night we were rewarded by having the privilege to welcome two new Master Masons.

Looks Like It’s Going To Be A Full Fall

Over the past couple of weeks my schedule has gone from fairly open to being a cluster of conflicting meetings. When you factor in the whole vacation situation that man of us are facing at the office with just under a month to go until renewal along with the anticipated uptick in the work load, it really isn’t much of a surprise that the office calendar is filled with countless scribbles. However, my personal calendar is leaving me with few options and nearly no flexibility when it comes to finding time to partake in some of my more relaxing activities.

Today was a particularly interesting day as I was the only person on a couple of accounts that was actually in the office slamming away at the keyboard. While one project got cancelled a number of other items almost immediately filled my inbox. Albeit delayed since my email was acting up again. This, as many of you know, completely stuffs the rest of the week full of catching up and trying to make headway on projects that, for one reason or another, were not completed previously. Needless to say, I am going to be exhausted by the end of the week.

I don’t expect things to move any smoother as the days flip past as there are countless emails seemingly hanging in suspended animation just waiting to be returned to me with some unknown list of things that need to be done right away. Unfortunately, these personal correspondences requiring my attention will have to be written about in a future post as there are items in there not ready for dissemination.

On top of all this I am bouncing back and forth with lodge communications. Many of these I have fallen behind on but others are just the natural result of another stated meeting. This has actually been the fun stuff as of late since they are relatively easy to answer and require just a little effort to check another item off my list. Hopefully, they don’t stall on the other end or next month will simply be a repeat.

And finally we have the other fun things that I enjoy on a daily basis one of which you are reading now. This is the time when I can vent all of the aforementioned frustrations and also have a little fun in the process. By writing and researching without deadlines or expectations beyond those that I have personally set for myself, I am able to relax while remaining productive. Odd when you think about it but very gratifying at the end of the day. Unlike previous years, I always make the time to write. So, with a few things left to do and a list that it slowly getting paired down, I end this post knowing that tomorrow I will begin the process all over again.

Not In The Job Description

 

Most of the people we work with on a daily basis understand the parameters of our job. However, there are a few people that we come across that really have no idea what it is that we do. Every once in a while I check my email only to find request after request for things do be done that do not fall under my job description nor does it fall under the services that my company provides. This is an all too common (usually from the same people over and over again)... we are seen as he corporate catch all when there is a shift in the in house marketing staff. Usually, when there is a vacuum in the marketing and sometimes sales side, we are for some reason the ones that they turn to.

As is probably clear by some of the things that I have written over the past year, I am not one to shy away from work. Frankly, I enjoy working and I am always looking for something that is a bit of a challenge, something that I may have never worked on before. But those are the things that I do in my free time. When a client is paying us for the work that we do, it is not in anyone’s best interest for us to attempt to complete a project, taking away time from the things that we are paid to do, without assurance that we would do the best job at it.

We know what we are good at and we know what we have much less experience with. This seems to keep getting lost in the communication no matter how clearly or bluntly it is stated. It just goes to show that sometimes communication is only as good as how much someone listens. We are all guilty of not listening and letting assumptions dictate our perceptions. Let me put it a different way…

We have all made calls to customer service for one reason or another. But, let’s be honest, usually it is because we have a complaint. The majority of the time we begin losing a little reality and assign authority or jobs to the person on the other line. We don’t really stop to think if they will be able to rectify the problem. We decide what their job description is without asking what they are able to do.

However, there are times when we call, listen, and have a conversation knowing full well that they may not be able to answer all our question or find a solution on the spot. And you know what… when you don’t make assumptions you might be surprised at the results. Comcast did that last week when I called to clarify my bill. Basically, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to go up any more and, if need be, see if I could lock in the current rate. By the end of the call, after a nice conversation with Deb, I hung up with my bill reduced by about 40%.

So, before you call or email, be ready to listen to the response. Don’t assume the job description of the person on the other end. And even when someone us unable to get the project done, think about where there efforts will be focused and the results that will come from concentrating their efforts on what they are paid to do. When you work toward your strengths, maintaining within the prevue of your job description, your efforts will match the outcome.

Double Duty

Last night I experienced a case of masonic split personality as we struggled to fill all the positions to get the degree work done. Oddly, it wasn’t that we were short on men present at the lodge as we saw plenty on hand during the sandwich bar before the meeting but we had a number of brothers that had to accompany candidates, serve as guides, and a couple that needed to sit on the sidelines and observe. So during a night when my role is relatively limited as Secretary, I was also called into service to sit in the chair of the Senior Deacon. For many of you this all seems like a foreign language but my fellow brothers know that by moving over a chair, I was now right in the middle of the degree work.

However, there were a few things that I still had to do as Secretary throughout the night as there were still communication from the Grand Lodge, a few notes that had to be taken, attendance that had to be checked, and the ledger had to be prepared for the new brothers to sign. Basically, the times when the Senior Deacon would normally be resting, I was shifting back to my desk to take care of all these things to ensure that they were not forgotten. The last thing I want to do is forget any of my primary duties. After all, that is the job I am expected to do.

There were still a few things that had to get done after the conferrals came to an end around 10:30 so it was back down to the basement office to take care of the book keeping, correspondences, and updating of Masonic records. Many of these things I usually start while at my desk during the meeting but on a double duty night they were obviously pushed back making the night a little bit longer. Fortunately for me, my assistant was there to give me a hand and the Treasurer has always been a great brother to work with as we both do our best to be efficient with our time when work needs to be done.

So, after a full day at the car dealer and office and pulling double duty at the lodge it was finally time for me to head back home and get some rest. Usually I am up for some time but when I made it home it didn’t take long to get from the apartment door to the bed. Thankfully, today was a relatively light day. Well, at least as uneventful as I could have hoped for which just means that it was really busy but without any major surprises. Most importantly, no double duty beyond my split time between my regular occupation and my lodge duties.

Membership Audit

For the past two weeks I have going through the lodge membership line by line, name by name, birthday by birthday. My thought was that since we had just completed the financial audit of the lodge, why not put some effort into a membership audit. This is an important project that I have been meaning to start ever since I decided to take on the office of Secretary as there were too many instances, even a few since I took office, when it was discovered that a brother had either passed earlier within the year or, sometimes, even years ago.

This whole thing goes back to a blog I posted last week about the difficulties of keeping I touch but, in this instance, the job is ten if not one hundred times harder. We have so many brothers coming in and out and officers rotating around the lodge that sometimes we can lose sight of the people that are not around us every month. We also find that brothers move out of the area and nature gradually takes a toll on their bodies as well.

Unfortunately, we have not had a process in place for the families of individual brothers to inform the lodge of our passing. It has always been something that was conveyed by word of mouth with documentation rarely available. In recent years the communications have slowly deteriorated, Masonic funeral services becoming less and less frequent, and now here we stand trying to catch up and find all those brothers that have been called off from labor. This issue is particularly prevalent among those brothers who have been a member of the fraternity for over 50 years as they no longer pay dues and therefore our communication with them is limited even further.

However, this year we seem to have hit a turning point as we have put greater emphasis on keeping in touch with our distant and elderly brethren. While no system is perfect and I am sure that there will be the occasional oversight here and there, we are at least refocusing our efforts to ensure that those we may not see on a monthly basis are not forgotten. This may seem like an obvious thing to do but think about how many people you have lost touch with in your life and imagine having to do that for an entire lodge, even those people you have never personally met previously before.

So, with the conclusion of the audit the sad news stands that nine brothers were called off from labor in the last few years that were never reported to us. Even though the passing of these brothers was months and years ago, we will still be sure to remember them during lodge and make sure we reflect on the contributions they made to the fraternity. And every time, every month that we pause to remember, I am glad that I have my letter filled out already and ready for my wife to mail just in case anything should happen to me. You never know. I just don’t want to create more work for a future Secretary.

Keeping In Touch... Not Such A Simple Concept

A large part of my everyday job is very simple… it is basically to keep in touch with people, clients and reporters, and make sure that they know everything that is going on. Some call it pitching and for the sake of making it easy I do to but it really is a matter of keeping communication going and talking to people. After all, there is only so much selling that you can do before someone just tunes you out and starts thinking about how they can get you off the phone.

However, as I previously mentioned in my blog yesterday, while I am constantly talking and writing while at work, some of the other connections that I have most importantly friends, have suffered a bit in my desire to keep working and pushing myself harder and harder. While I have made a little bit of progress as of late in getting in touch with friends whenever I have a minute or two here or there, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. If only I had more hours in the day.

The way that I approach my job is not really a common practice for most people in the industry (at least most people that I have met over the years) but it has been working for me. I enjoy talking to people, getting to know them, and seeing if there are commonalities we share beyond the work that we do with a given company. I try to do the same thing with clients when given the opportunity as well. After all, success in this business is reliant upon the relationships that you form with people.

By approaching my job in such a way there are moments when I get a call or an email from reporters and editors and before we delve into business we see how the other is doing, any plans, and anything that may have happened since the last time we spoke. Without a doubt, talking to the media is my job but it is also the job of every other PR person out there. By treating the media as people and not publications or positions, there is a greater possibility of them actually talking to you and you looking forward to reaching out to them. Do that enough times and you have made a professional friend.

As has been a common thread in many of the posts since I began this blog, this is another instance where I need to keep seeking the middle ground. I can’t have work completely dominate my ability to keep in touch with people… there are many friends that I haven’t spoken to in some time. Actually, sitting and thinking for a few minutes, there are many that I can’t remember the last time that I actually heard their voice. Keeping in touch seems so simple until the day you come to the realization that you are only using ten percent of the numbers in your cell phone. Time to get that percentage up.

Thinking Back There Seems To Be Something Missing

Every week I am amazed at how fast time seems to be drifting by. Every once in a while I stop for a moment, look back, and think about all that I have been able to do, see, and accomplish. However, this time around, I noticed something missing from my memories.

Truth be told, I haven’t been able to attend a Rotary meeting since September or October and while I have done my best to keep up to date with everything going on (thanks in large part to the weekly phone messages from my club) there is still a gap in my memory. Obviously, there is a huge difference between experiencing something and simply hearing about it. And because I really only write about my thoughts and experiences, there has been a lack of Rotary related posts since the last time I was surrounded by my fellow Rotarians.

That is something else that I struggle with. While I am still an Honorary Rotarian, I am pretty far removed at this point from the goings on in my club and in my district. Personally, I don’t know if I should really be called a Rotarian. Don’t get me wrong, I take great pride in my affiliation, but I really can’t say that I am earning that honor at this point. That is how I honestly feel at this point. With that said, I still carry the Four Way Test with me as a reminder and I still have a plethora of pins that are used in a Rotary rotation but that has been about the limit of my connection over the past half year.

I’m not sure if my current situation is fair to my club and to all the great people that I have had the pleasure of getting to know since I originally became a member in August 2012. I consider them all great friends who have supported me during a difficult transition period in my career but, since getting things back on track, I have not been able to enjoy their company. However, that only accounts for the meetings. I have not kept in touch with the club as I should have been doing all along. For that, I really don’t have a reason or an excuse.

It just goes to show that for many of us if we are not present and active in a club, organization, or fraternity we gradually become a bit disconnected both from the entity and from the people. I saw everyone once a week for over a year and now I haven’t seen them for over 6 months. A group of people and organization that was once a large part of my recollection and reflection is not oddly absent. I think it is time to change that. At the very least, I should pick up the phone.

Short Month

Today was one of those days when I realized, “Crap! It’s a short month!” It is not about 30 days vs. 31 days, it is all about how the calendar is situated. As it turns out, the next stated meeting of my lodge falls on Thursday, May 1^st. What this means it that instead of having another week to pull the notice and minutes together, make calls, and coordinate a few other things, I have to get it all done this week. Translation, say goodbye to any breathing room during the work day and any chance of getting things done early.

In comparison, I am actually ahead of where I was last month but that early meeting day just threw everything off balance. Somehow, I think everything might come together just in time as a number of people got back to me today and a few of the other projects got checked off my to do list. But, at this point, it is still a matter of pulling those final things together and attempting to convey a sense of calm to the brethren as I jump from one thing to another. This is particularly challenging on stated meeting nights as there is, inevitably, someone who needs a document, card, signature, etc. at the last minute and it has to be done before the meeting.

Honestly, I can’t fault them. I have done the same thing in the past and, contrary to what some people might say, I knew exactly what I was getting into when I volunteered to become Secretary. And, really, it may be hectic and a bit stressful at times, but I enjoy knowing everything that is going on in the lodge (well, maybe not everything but almost everything). But, like the constant shuffle of the calendar, it is all about timing and how you manage that time. Lately, the management of that time has been a little off but I know that it will only get better from here as I learn more and figure out better ways of getting things done.

For now, I will continue scrambling knowing that there will be a slight respite this summer which should allow me to get caught up, step back, and figure a few more things out before heading into the final stretch in the fall. Until then I will continue trying to keep pace in this Masonic Marathon knowing that I can push through the wall. With that said, I am going to wrap this up and get back to work as a few things need to be wrapped up by the end of the day so that everything can stay on track despite the short month.

Celebrating My First Masonic Birthday

My Masonic birthday gift from the Worshipful Master (it is a small cooler).

To be honest, I was dreading getting up this morning as I knew that there was a stated meeting tonight and I had a lot of work that still needed to be done before the lodge opened. That seems to have been the pattern of the past month, if you couldn’t tell already. It has been one thing after another which has been a mad scramble. I woke up this morning with the minutes from the previous meeting pressing down on my neck. Somehow, in the minutes and moments between emails ad projects at the office, I was able to piece together all that I needed for the evening.

With the work day behind me, I walked through the lodge doors ready to pull a few things together (basically organizing everything I needed for the meeting) before changing and resurfacing upstairs for some dinner. That was the plan. In reality, it only took a few seconds before I had brothers following me down the stairs and into the office. More so than in previous months, it was a constant fraternal ebb and flow for about an hour and a half before I rushed up the stairs, back down (because I forgot to take care of something in the chaos), and back up to the top floor to take my seat at my desk.

Having heeded the advice of the Grand Lodge, my duties have been streamlined during the meeting. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of other things to keep me busy. In fact, the number of petitions, involvement, and initiative that have already crossed my desk this year is a great sign of things to come and I hope that things continue to progress in the months and years to come.

The meeting progressed at usual with petitions read, and excellent presentation on “The Golden Fleece”, and some encouraging words from the District Deputy Grand Master during another unofficial visit. Toward the end of the meeting, as is done every month, those celebrating their Masonic birthday this month were asked to stand in the middle of the lodge to be recognized. For the first time, I was one of those brothers standing in the middle of the lodge celebrating my first Masonic birthday.

Immediately following the recognition of Masonic birthdays one of the Past Masters of the lodge took a moment to stand and commend me for already taking on the ‘hardest job’ in the lodge and within my first year as a Mason. It was with these comments that the entire lodge gave me a round of applause. While I am fine with the casual recognition that comes with a Masonic birthday or like recognition that every brother experience there are some moments that I really don’t feel I have deserved. I appreciate the kind words and undeserved praise, there are many others who do much more for their fellow brothers who should be applauded.

After the meeting it was time for a little more work in the office and, finally, after that a few moments to breath. But, the relaxation doesn’t last long as the month starts over again and preparations are made for the next meeting. This time, I need to make sure I have everything prepped early so I don’t fall behind again. In other words, time to get back to work.  

Lack Of Communication

No matter how much you plan there are some days when the phone is just not your friend. Not only for what does and doesn’t happen over the phone but because of what happens while you are on the phone. Being connected to three phone lines during the work day, there are moments when I am working on something just waiting for one of them to ring like a communications form of Russian roulette.

It all began in the morning when my cell phone decided not to ring and sent someone directly to voice mail. Understand that I always answer my phone and when this happens it is highly annoying at the least and, when it is a call I am waiting for or generally a call I should take, it bugs the crap out of me. That was just the beginning. When the phone chimed to let me know I had a message (about ten minutes later) I picked up my office line and tried to return the call… voicemail. It would have been nice to have answered the phone as I was unable to get a hold of the publication for the rest of the day.

As the no ring scenario was playing out, I was also sending meeting requests and trying to fit all the pieced together to get another call scheduled for the early afternoon. Juggling three time zones is not as challenging as people want you to believe. With all times and the dial in confirmed it was stored away on my calendar until the reminder popped up to alert me of what I had done earlier in the day. I dialed in and found that one person was missing… can’t staff an interview when only half of the people show up. So back to the beginning. It turned out to be an email issue but I think the phone put it up to the task.

Two hours later, staffing a call to help out a double booked colleague, and this time the reporter was not on the line. At this point I was getting quit frustrated having had absolutely no success on the phone. Finally, toward the end of the day the rescheduled times were coming around and my colleague, for some reason, had me cover the call again despite no conflicts during the new time. We are all busy so I dialed in and everyone was on the line!

Thirty minutes later and the other interview, the one I scheduled, was about to begin. The problem was that the first conversation was running long. Time to multitask and get all forms of communication going at once. I got the second reporter on standby and as soon as the first call ended I brought in the next interviewer and pushed through the next thirty minutes. After over an hour on the phone and multiple follow ups (mostly sending promised files/documents) it was time to circle up with my colleague to make sure everyone was on the same page.

However, there was a slight problem as, while I was on the phone, they decided to duck out the back door and not let anyone know that they was leaving. I literally asked around and no one knew where they were or when they left. It’s one thing if you have to leave a little early, I understand that, but you have to let people know that you are heading out the door (emergency situations being the obvious exception). Well, as I found out later in a 45 minute delayed reply to my text, that they had to be somewhere at 6. No emergency, no client meeting, just somewhere, someplace where their phone is rendered useless and a lackadaisical mentality is acceptable.

On the verge of demolishing most of the phones in the office, my departure for the week was overdue. I packed my things, walked away from my desk, and assisted one of the younger people in the office as they cleaned out their desk, turned in their key, and headed out the door for the final time. I know that feeling and I really felt for them as they packed up their personalized space into a few small bags. I forgot about the phone issues and the long day as I tried to offer my limited wisdom and encouragement. Sometimes things aren’t so bad at the end of the day when you know that the next day has the potential to be much better.

How Many Emails Is Too Many?

I know many people that have numerous business cards. We all know people that have multiple cards that they shuffle around in their pocket, their briefcase, or their purse. And while some people may see this as an antiquated form of sharing your information, it seems to only be gaining in popularity. Here is the part where I admit that I am one of those people that still uses the traditional business card. In fact, all four of my cards have a specific purpose and, when you look back, it is interesting to see a glimpse of your personal history when you look back at all of your old cards.

However, the aspect that becomes a bit cumbersome is not the flipping between one card and another. It is on the technology side of things. Each card has an email address and not all my email addresses have business cards. Pretty much everyone I know has two email addresses these days. One for work and one personal. So far, I am up to six email addresses.

There are some days when I miss not having an email address. Remember the days when, if you wanted to talk to someone, you would either call, meet them somewhere, or write a letter? Now, in addition to the email addresses I am constantly shifting through throughout the day there is also all the social media channels that I try and manage. All told, I figure there is about 15-20 forms of communication that is constantly streaming correspondences, updates, notifications, and actual messages that I want to read and respond to. At this point it is a bit of a refreshing change when my phone rings and I am actually able to have a conversation with someone. And given the various duties, jobs, and responsibilities that I enjoy on a daily basis, I never really know what the call will be about.

In a sad little twist, have you ever noticed that too many calls these days, and I am guilty of this at times, are a means to confirm that an email was sent? Some days I would like people to embrace just a single thin strand of patience and wait for me to reply. It makes you wonder if, with all these communications streams deluging us with data whether it is too much. The fact that we have to use two forms of communication to relay a single message just isn’t right.

I honestly don’t know what needs to change. There is going to have to be either a slowdown in the adoption of new social media channels or we are going to have to learn how to filter out the unnecessary traffic and focus on the important tidbits scattered throughout our inboxes. For now, I will continue doing my best to keep everything up and running and keep the ebb and flow of communications going. And, of course, I will keep blogging about the random topics that come to mind.