What I won't miss about... No. 1

I have a really active imagination. That's why I became a writer.

Not slaying dragons and saving princesses-active. But, always fantasizing about what I'd like my world to be like-active.

Some of my thoughts are straight fantasy.

Like, when New Edition was the shiggity, I always fantasized about being B-Brown's girl.

Don't hate! Yes, I loved me some Bobby Brown, back in the day.

I was thirteen and his bad boy antics were primarily humping the stage and overshadowing his bandmates by extending his Mr. Telephone Man solo to like twenty minuts.

Other thoughts of mine are more mundane. Not so much dreams as they are silent goals that I will into existence by thinking over and over, what it will be like when I reach them.

Freelancing and writing features on music artists was one. Did that as Entertainment Editor of Liquidsoulradio.com for about two years.

Writing a book, is one. Check!

Getting the book published is another. Checking on it, now!

My latest silent rumination? Life when I can turn in my resig letter.

Ahhh....no more 9-to-5.

Lovely thought.

Some of my writing colleagues, who are full-time authors, say they miss the comraderie of a full-time job. The water cooler talk, three-martini lunches and birthday, anniversary, retirement, Admin Assistant day, celebrations.

Yeah, well, I'm a social person. I looovvvveee people.

But I hate being told what to do. Following a strict code of arriving at XX time and leaving at blah-blah time, is also on the top of my un-fave list. And as much as I enjoy shooting the bo-bo with co-workers, I'm an only-child. Being a solitary creature is something I crave.

Just ask my family.

I'll stay up late-night (supposedly writing) just to get some Me time. I NEED Me time. I am a complete loon without it!

The whole work-social circle is something I can take or leave.

So, in honor of my latest obsession, err...goal, I'll be visiting some of the things I won't miss about working in an office.

First thing? Staff meeetings!

When I worked at a PR agency, staff meetings were kind of cool. The office was contempo and hip. We'd sit out in our common area on big, comfy couches sipping lattes and eating Krispy Kreme.

I swear to you, this is exactly what it was like.

It was less a staff meeting than a sharing of information and brainstorming of new ways to keep our clients happy.

Our clients were pretty demanding. Staff meetings were one way to commiserate. You left feeling you weren't alone.

Somehow the burden of meeting with or talking to the client, later that day, felt lighter.

But now?

Not so much.

I won't go into gory details about why I abhor staff meetings.

But I'll invite you inside my head, so you'll understand why the general definition of a traditional staff meeting goes against my very being.

See, I'm a creative creature. At my best when my mind can wander.

Visualize, if you will, me frolicking in a meadow - then spreading out a blanket and tossing my head to the skies so the sun's rays warm my face.

Now and then I'll roll over and pluck at a few wildflowers nearby before returning to my private thoughts.

That is what working alone in my home-office is like.

When you're on a "team," frolicking is out of the question and staff meetings are part of the gear.

I mean, what team doesn't gather to talk strategy and share best practices?

Now, don't get it twisted. It's not being on a team, I dislike.

It's the bureaucracy of meeting so everyone can drone on about what they're doing, that I reject. The inane practice of talking at one another for a minimum of an hour. The cheeky strategy that assumes just because we're in the same room together, talking, we're being productive.

And rarely are you discussing anything a detailed email wouldn't cover.

Nope, I won't miss it. And I won't miss being a part of an office community, either.

No offense to my current colleagues. But they know how I am!

I'm the chick who you can have an entire conversation over my head and I won't have heard a word because I'm honed in on the project at hand. Myopic doesn't begin to cover how I am when I'm trying to get something done.

And save your, "Oh you'll miss something. Just wait."

I freelanced from Septemer '02 to September '03. Never once missed the nattering banter of colleagues, the brain-gnawing fluorescent lighting, the traffic of people stopping by my desk asking for my input or for some report. Not once!

I email enough people to feel like I'm in the middle of a conversation, constantly. My office has two windows, so all of my lighting is natural. And the house is empty, freeing me up from interruptions.

I'm looking forward to returning to my solitary writing world where the only hustle is a fury of pitches to mags, novel revs to my eddy and feature deadlines. Interrupted only by a stream of emails inviting me to speak or promote my books.

To satisfy the social side of me, I'll turn to coaching and my very full circle of family and friends.

To satisfy professional networking - discussion boards, writing organizations, conferences and maybe joining my local Chamber.

I won't be hurting for profesional interaction.

But, no surprise, it will be done the way I like doing most things - on my terms.