long, boring speeches and meetings

i hate it when someone says a meeting is scheduled to end at 3pm and by 3.45pm they are still going on and on about the same mute point. enough already! don't they know that after 20 minutes they've already lost most of everyone's concentration and attention? by that time i'm probably noticing that you need to get your roots done, or else give up dyeing your hair. or that the tight, stretchy top you're wearing really does nothing for you. yes, i'm turning into a bitch right about then. but that's because you misled me by promising to end the meeting in 10 minutes but you know you won't.

i wonder why people do that. do they enjoy hearing themselves? or are they afraid of the anti-climax which inadvertently sets in once they bring a halt to their tirade. sometimes i wonder if they're afraid of not having an (obligated) audience who have no choice but to hear them out, as if it's their only chance of being heard. maybe it makes them feel more important.

but really, i have no patience at all with people like that. if they have salient points to make, i'm more than ready to listen. but to go on for 2 hours on a single point. either they're lonely people who rarely have the chance to be heard or they think we're stupid. that we cannot digest that single point in the 10 minutes it would normally take for a reasonably intelligent specimen to understand. sigh...

and the rest of the audience... they still listen rapturously although they must be bored out of their minds. if it's someone 'important' who's speaking, they'll pretend to nod in understanding and attempt to radiate a semblence of intelligence while thinking what's for lunch. i really can't be bothered. i'm one of those rude people who will purposely let my feelings show by presenting the most bored look i can muster. i let my eyes glaze over. if i'm being really mean, i take out my handy mobile to play bubbles. but i try not to let it show cos i do understand it's really unnerving to have someone do that when you're speaking up there. but please, give us a break. time your speeches. we are busy people.