Professional Duty

I was signed up for a conference last Friday and Saturday. It was paid for by an outside agency and it was for a class that I would not be teaching. My motivation to drive to an airport hotel, not just any airport but LAX, on a Friday and then a Saturday was waning to say the least. I was looking for just about any reason I should not attend however my professional duty kicked in and I went.

The conference was not half bad. The presenter knew her stuff and her audience and did not waste our time. I was not displeased to hear what was said about career/life planning for 9th grade students. I think that there are some really good things to use in the classroom setting. I think this is something, that even though it is the middle of the summer, that is getting me excited about going to school. It is time to go, early in fact and ahead of traffic, and then the conference starts to grind.

As I get out to my car I realize that the parking was not picked up by the conference. Usually this is something that I do not have to worry about. In 15 years of this kind of thing I have never had to pay for parking. Not only do I have to pay but I have to pay $16 to get out of a lot that I was lucky to find a space in to begin with. I remembered that I can write off the parking, it was a good conference, and that tomorrow I'll be there at 8:30 and not have to worry about parking.

On Saturday I got to the venue on time (early as always) and found even more problems in the lot. Not only was I going to have to pay for the spot, again (bringing the total to $32 so my car can sit idle), but now the attendant has told me to go to a neighboring hotel because this venue is full. I'm beginning to get my hackels up a bit at this point. But I signed up so off I go. I go to the next hotel and their lot has a clearance of 5' 11" (I drive a Nissan Titan that sits well above that mark), as well as the fact that they are not expecting any overflow AND they do not have the capacity. My conference started 15 minutes ago. I'm starting to get upset. I press on to the next lot. Private. Between the two hotels. No attendant. A pay in the lobby place with no posted prices. I'm gone. It is 9:00 I've missed 30 minutes and will miss at least another 20 before I even get in the building.

I've never signed up for a conference to not attend. Never. But I've never encountered difficultly gaining access either. It was bizarre. Usually every thing you can imagine is done to make sure you can be there. Extra copies no problem. Email any questions no worries. Extra bag or pen or widget, take what you want. Not this time. I called my wife, a teacher as well (who has never missed a conference either) and asked if I was being a schmo. No way. How many lots? 3? Take off.

I went home and then to the rink to watch my girl skate in competition. It took me awhile to drop the guilt/anger that I felt. I got over it when I saw her smile and she told me how happy she was that I was going to see all of her routines. It was the most important conference that I've ever been to. No parking issues the rest of the day.