There are meetings, and there are meetings

Went to a meeting. Some of the information was good, but it was nothing I hadn't seen before. Except the bread.
Want my attention? Feed me at a meeting. Thanks!
Of all the paperwork I got, I was delighted to score a recipe.

Jesse Evans Smith's 90 Minute Bread

4 C warm ater
4T yeast
3t salt
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C melted shortening
7-8 C flour as needed

1. Dissolve yeast in 1 C warm water.
2. Mix in the rest of ingredients. Mix into soft not sticky dough.
3. Cut into 4 pieces and let stand 15 minutes to let gluten develop.
4. With handle of butcher knife, mallet, or other heavy object, pound each piece of dough for one minute.
5. Shape into four loaves and put into greased bread pans. Let stand 30 minutes.
6. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown and it sounds hollow when rapped with a knuckle.


Notice there is no time wasted kneading the bread. You smack it around for a minute. I cut mine into four pieces and call three children to the kitchen for a minute of therapy. They make a lot of noise sometimes, sometimes chat, and sometimes are silent in their concentration. Yep we have already made it a bunch. Works best with 100% white flour. Feel free to bake it on a stone if you wish.

I love the gimmick. It makes it fun and I identify a bit with Jesse Evans Smith who had several children to keep occupied and feed.

You have to take what you can get from meetings.

I got a bingo card recently from a communications expert regarding ways to make meetings more effective. It included mind-bending ideas like, Could this meeting have been accomplished as well in an email? Was everyone's presence necessary? I really don't mind most of the meetings I attend but some... send me the email. If you really must tell me about something with visuals, send me the video or take pictures and send those email. I keep wondering how many businessmen cry in their hotel rooms, missing family events because of a meeting that could have taken place through videoconferencing just as well, if not through an email.

Having a clear definition of what is to be accomplished at the meeting is helpful to all concerned. Staying on the cutting edge of ideas is also helpful, especially if you are all at the expert level. Passing out information THEN READING IT TO ME is NOT helpful. The reason you are passing it out to me is to save YOU time, I will read it later if you have persuaded me to do so. If not, just use it as notes and tell me. I'll write out the bullets. And I'll doodle in the margins too. :)