Monday, April 02, 2007

PBL State Spring Leadership Conference


It was a LONG weekend! Thursday I got to M about 6:15 pm (after driving in really bad fog and heavy downpours). I got my work done that needed to be finished prior to the PBL Conference and went to bed at 11 pm after taking a (maximum strength) sleeping pill at 10:30. Well, the sleeping pill did not work, AGAIN. I only slept about 3 hours that night which meant I laid in bed awake for the other 5 hours! The Conference on Friday went really well. That night we had our Hawaiian Social at the hotel and could play mini golf or enjoy the pool and hot tub. I had lots of work to do after the social which was supposed to last until midnight but they shut the lights off on us at 11 pm, which was fine with me; the sooner I could get started on my work. Plus I had to help one of the new officers do all her secretary minutes because she knew nothing about parliamentary procedure. For some reason, she was in NO hurry to get done and go to bed. Finally, at 11:45 I told her she better get that fire lit under her bed because I was going to go to bed no later than 1:00 am being I had to get up at 5:30 am the next day to get ready for the second day of the conference plus I didn't sleep the night before. At 1:00 am she was not even half way done with her stuff but I was done with mine. So I kicked her out of my room (I know, I'm a meanie) and told her she was going to have to figure it out on her own and somebody would find time to proof them the following day. She was in no hurry and wanted to talk about other things. This is NOT the time to socialize!!!

So I was in bed by 1:30 and at 2:15 I WAS STILL AWAKE!!! And I woke up before my alarm went off at 5:30!!! Needless to say I was VERY tired after only 6 hours of sleep in two days!!! Well, I got ready and then had to haul stuff out of my hotel room. When I got to the door of the back entrance, I realized it was POURING outside! And my umbrella and jacket were in my vehicle which was parked quite aways from the door. There was nothing I could do but make a run for it. I had three trips to make from my room to my vehicle. Needless to say, I looked like a drowned rat. I was WET!!! What was the point in doing my hair?! Had I known it was raining I wouldn't have wasted the time! And now I had to go to the conference looking like crap!! It was a very bad hair day! Oh, and then after I made my first trip to my vehicle and went to go back inside, I couldn't find my hotel keycard and the door was locked! So while it's pouring I am now looking for this card.....in my pockets, the parking lot, all over in my vehicle......I finally found it in the backseat of my vehicle stuck to my business suit bag because of the water. If I wouldn't have found it, I would have had to run around the building all the way to the front because I was in the back of the hotel. I am so glad I did not have to do that! I probably would have started crying!

Then I had to stop at the front desk and checkout and pay for all of our rooms. Well, they gave us the state rate but then added tax on!! Isn't the point of the state rate because you're a state organization?! So the guy had to take it all off as I already had the check preprinted. It takes much longer to take off tax than it does to put it on! Then I had to stop and get gas so I could turn in my gas receipt for reimbursement and then drive all the way across town to the Conference. So anyways, I finally made it to the conference, and on time I might add which is a miracle being my first trip out to my vehicle was at 6:30 and a lot happened between then and 7:00. I am done with state PBL, however, my official term doesn't end until the close of the National Leadership Conference on June 26 in Chicago.

I received the following awards: 1st - Human Resource Management, 1st - Accounting Analysis & Decision Making, 1st - Financial Analysis & Decision Making, 1st - Who's Who in PBL, and 3rd - Management Analysis & Decision Making. I will most likely be competing in two of these events at the NLC if I should decide to go. I've gone to the NLC the last 3 years and placed the last 2 years at the national level so that's why I'll probably go this year.

It was a LONG 2 hr 15 min drive home! Raining and downpouring the whole way home. And about 5 or 10 miles north of SF, I ran into a quarter mile of snow and slush!!! CRAZY! The traffic often dropped down to 45-50 mph. I was so glad to get home; I ached all over. Plus I was very tired and had to really fight to stay focused.

Saturday night I caught up on some of my sleep, took a sleeping pill (hoping it would actually work) and went to bed at 9:20 and I literally was out ASAP and didn't wake up until 7:45! Last night was another story, took a sleeping pill, went to bed at 9:30 and was still awake at 10:45.

So that was my busy weekend. Yesterday I just recuperated, did laundry, and some homework.

3 Visitors:

Just Mom said...

Congratulations on all your awards. Dan was very proud of all of you guys.

Do you get to rest now?

Andrea said...

Thanks! He was very surprised by his award. :)

Nope, no rest! I'm cramming for a Bio test I have at 8 am tomorrow. Then I'll be working on a group paper that needs to be finished real soon so we can start working on our presentation part of it!

Is it May 12th yet?

Tracy said...

Congrats on your awards. Too bad I have NO IDEA what your conference was even about. Sounds like you had lots of work and NO sleep! UGH! I hope you catch up!!