Summarizing the Past Year

I won't attempt to tell you the entire story of my past year, as the Reader's Digest condensed version will likely suffice.

A year ago, my department held our first annual department-wide meeting. It was a big deal. Our department is primarily a regionally based one, so getting all 300+ of us together was huge in more ways than one. On a fateful evening in August 2004, on a bus headed to a private party, I was asked to chair the planning of the 2005 meeting. Thus, my journey began!

By October 2004, a committee was somewhat formed, and my chairing duties began. We met weekly to review feedback from the previous meeting, plan for the upcoming meeting, and attempt to stay within budget. We had to decide what training courses to offer, find presenters, and help write presentations. We needed to find a venue that would be suitable for all 400+ attendees (including 16 international attendees), and we had to find a "fun" activity which everyone would enjoy. There were also bits and pieces (huge bits and pieces) to complete. Whatever happened with this meeting, good or bad, everyone would know that Donna was in charge. How's that for pressure? I'd say that the last month has been my busiest, but my family may disagree.

I left on Wednesday to go to the meeting and got back Sunday. We had some unexpected things come up, most of them outside our control, but I guess expecting the unexpected and reacting appropriately is really a test of one's abilities. After all, that's why I agreed to plan this meeting in the first place. I wanted the exposure (as in letting the big wigs know who I am) and I wanted to test myself. I think I passed. I found within myself strengths and talents that I did not know I had. It was an amazing feeling. It appears that most everyone enjoyed the meeting. My boss's boss gave me a lot of compliments on how things went, and she's not one to give compliments lightly. They mean more coming from her than they would from anyone else.

So now, life returns to normal for me, or at least to whatever normal is supposed to be for me. Husband said not to fear, as they'll give me another big project soon. I'm sure he's right.