Present: 4th Dwarf, Agatha, Conch Shell, Chair, Coyote, Independent Observer, Woodsy
Guests: Audrey, Harmony, Painted Stick
Absent with lame-O excuse: Nobody
Late: Nobody
4D is assigned responsibility for minutes. He uses this to imperiously rearrange the seating so he can hear people speak and Audrey and Painted Stick are not forced to participate in agenda items that will bore them and consequently cause them to sidetrack us from our important deliberations.
European Office Report:
IO passes around photos detailing the latest advances in furnishing of the Western-Europe office. All present make the appropriate noises and comments. 4D refrains from asking why IO has no images of cuties from RNDP fieldwork.
Our Old Friend:
Aggie asks about our feelings on recent developments.
How Can We Support Aggie?IO: Damn his [redacted] loins!
Aggie: Who is anti-condom these days?
Male Chorus: {uncomfortable silence}
Woodsy: Everybody?
Chair: I like condoms. I also like showering with my socks on.
Coyote: Will this be front channel?
Woodsy: Did you say there's going to be French?
4D: Front channel, Woodsy, not French channel.
Woodsy: So what about the date request?
IO: We never got a thank you for the marriage.
{Woodsy is filled in on old ESI history.}
Chair: Bring back the dude.
C.S.: It's time for a come back.
Chair: We've run out of anything interesting we can do.
4D: Hey!
Aggie: There, there, 4D, you and Coyote are carrying the blog.
Coyote: She needs new rules of engagement.
IO: Number One - Avoid engagement.
Chair: The lower-case poet!
Some honourable member: Absolutely not!
Aggie: Anyone else ruled out?
Coyote: The Dude.
Chair: M?
Aggie: No M.
Coyote: And there is no Fifth Rule of Engagement.
Aggie introduces her problem: People say to me, '"Hey, Boss."
IO and Chair request a report on Aggie's sabbatical.
Aggie: I can do that.
IO: We meant right now.
A: No, I can blog it.
IO: How about a 10 to 25 word synopsis?
A: In a poem?
IO: No, not a haiku.
All stare at Aggie for an uncomfortably long period.
4D: Um...
A: I need some time.
4D: So, Aggie, you need support. What is falling? What is sagging?
Woodsy: Even before he said that, I was about to suggest new underwear.
Aggie: I like good concrete advice. Especially management advice from people who've managed.
Some honourable member: Listen more than you talk.
Harmony: You can't be their friend.
Woodsy: But you can be friendly... No high heels or fancy nails.
CS: It's like parenting.
A: How?
Coyote: You can't let them smell your fear.
4D: We're tossing out all this management advice you can read anywhere. Let's talk about what you specifically need. You can't be their friend. Does this mean you don't have anyone to have lunch with?
Some honourable female member: Or yoga?
Chair: We could show up in power suits and snake skin boots.
Woodsy: Always with a kiss, kiss.
A brief interruption from Painted Stick and Audrey's end of the meeting table.
Painted Stick: We're discussing weight.
Audrey: I have to keep the same weight for the next 60 years.
Chair: Put on a pound a month and he'll never notice.
Audrey: As long as it's in the breasts!
Aggie points to herself and raises her eyebrows to bring us back to the agenda.
We are still on the power suit visits.
Woodsy: You're welcome to give me a little pat on the ass as we leave.
Aggie: That's good because we have a lesbian friendly office.
Chair: Corset Fridays!
Harmony: Let it be noted that Woodsy was eager to help purchase corsets.
The meeting is informally adjourned as conversation drifts to Aggie's crush on Milan and issues involving carbon dating.
