Today really threw me

my favourite mugs. I have 4 like these out and even bought some spare in case these break :)

I made that printable for a client late last year and thought, "actually that's something I should also have on my desk"

Today I went on a workshop.

I was a last-minute addition as in early this week I got the invite.

I tried to see if there was another like this scheduled for later this year but there wasn't. And since I really believed it would be valuable, I declined two other meetings (one a strat) to attend.

Well, I had the most awful time.

When I arrived I was shown to a table for "observers" which I thought was weird and then I twigged - because I was last minute they'd squeezed me in, but not properly, so I was getting the benefit of the training but couldn't participate.

Right off the bat the trainer said something like "we'll pretend you're not here" to me and the two other girls. Those two other girls were from the area organising the workshop so it made sense for them to be observers but not me.

My back was to the front because of the angled desks and after about 5 minutes I moved to the back of the room so I could see the screen properly without twisting my neck.

The training then officially started.

The trainer again did some introductory remarks and said to ignore the observers because we were not there.

But I was.

Gosh, I felt so invisible and uncomfortable, I can't even explain it properly.

And then there was a remark from one delegate.

I can't even remember the words (see? I did my famous blocking out thing) but I do remember saying, "now J, that was just ugly" and some people laughed.

But I really felt excluded.

At that point if I'd have been dressed in work clothes I'd have packed up and gone to my meetings but I was in cutoff jeans and flip flops (we dress casual for training, and it's 33 degrees celsius).

I do believe it's better to make no impression than a bad one so there's no way I would have pitched up to an important meeting with lots of senior management looking like that.

Anyway, at one point I forgot about being an observer and blurted out an answer which was right and she said, "that's right but we can't hear you" so I nearly DIED.

But then I shut up and ignored the room rules and actually took out my iPad to do some work and read blogs. Amidst the training, of course.

I really had a horrible day - I can't believe how much it affected me not to talk or interact or be heard or acknowledged.

It's incredible.

Yes, I'm an extrovert but I also have a lot to add.

Trainers often say to me how they enjoy when I'm in sessions because I add a lot of value because I participate, I encourage, I joke, I talk!

Can anyone relate?

Has something like this happened to any of you?

Of course I was in quite the foul mood by the time 4 pm rolled around and when I got home, I organised my entire pantry, the kids' toys (apparently I'm the only one who cares that sets of things are stored together), baked some cookies and took gorgeous fuzzy background pics of them (a la food bloggers :))

So at least there's that.

How was your Thursday?
PS I had a call from a tv producer today seeing if I'm interested in doing some organising segments for them - some to be shot live and some pre-recorded. These things don't always pan out so I'm not even getting remotely excited. Of course I was still super grumpy so had to bring my A game and get "on" within seconds. My personal rule is when the media contact you, you say yes. Always. No matter how you feel :)