Wednesday, September 3, 2008

And I was at the Nutters' table...

I went to a Public meeting last night. It was related to my work.

The newly amalgamated Regional Council are preparing a Planning Scheme. This will rule my life for the next half-dozen years. It is in my best interests to be there to have some input in these early stages.

Being a reasonably friendly person, when Dad (who gave me a lift down) took the last seat at one table, I went off and sat with some people I didn't know, introduced myself and spent some minutes in idle chatter before the thing started.

Mistake.

Before the meeting started I realised I was amongst agitators (and what's worse agitators with the opposite agenda to me - which of course makes them wrong).

Within the first group working session I realised I was with the Nutters.

By the second group working session I was amusing myself by listening to their input. The highlight being when an elderly gentleman sat down and explained in words of one syllable (with the aid of diagrams) how a system of zoning works - have I ever mentioned I'm a qualified, certified Town Planner?

By the third I'd had enough of the whinging, un-focussed discussion that wasn't really getting anywhere or going to achieve anything. I wanted out.

Then I looked around and saw a sprinkling of the town's other Nutters at other tables. I wasn't the only person at a table with Nutters. Then I realised, I'm the sort of Nutter that goes to public meetings.

How much does this do for my self-image?

...Approximately Nothing.

3 comments:

Allegro ma non troppo said...

May you have a calming, good-nut-like influence on the bad nuts.

Givinya De Elba said...

Aw, that sounds ghastly. Nutters always seem to think they are right everyone else are imbeciles. Funny to watch, annoying if their input has influence into how the next half-a-dozen years might work for you.

Swift Jan said...

Ick!! How aweful for you... I hope he next 6 years pan out ok for you...