[Glastonbury] tomorrow's -- now today's -- meeting

[tim hall]

On Wednesday 07 December 2005 12:57, Martin Wheeler was like a bear with a 
sore head:
> > I must emphasise that politeness is the key here as Martin's last attempt
> > to *only* speak to the Head upset the office staff.
>
> Steve, I will emphatically NOT tolerate this sort of comment, with all its
> snide implications, on a public list.  Nor will I start an argy-bargy with
> you as to the school and *one member* of its staff's manner of interfacing
> with the public on this list either -- particularly over conversations you
> have no direct knowledge of.

Martin, I think it would be more useful if you would just accept that you do 
not have the grasp of the kind of delicate diplomacy necessary for 
interfacing with the state education system. All schools and colleges are 
like this. I don't believe Steve would have made a point such as this without 
_very_ good reason to do so, I read it as a criticism of the approach not you 
as an individual. In many situations your passion and directness is 
appropriate and well appreciated, it just didn't work in this situation.

It would be much simpler to handle this exception with an 'Oops' rather than 
to try and get a change in functionality accepted into the schools 
'kernel'. ;)

> You have made the situation very clear -- either the group puts up with
> constantly fluctuating and unpredictable meeting times dependent on the
> whims and activities of one single member; or we forgo the extremely
> favourable conditions offered by the school (which themselves are likely
> to be withdrawn at the drop of a hat, as we have seen in the past).

Personally, it actually suits me to fit in with the school timetable and 
frankly, I think we would have the same problems interfacing with any other 
potential venue in Glastonbury. I don't really have the time to dash over the 
school and try to organise a meeting for tonight, when we could simply 
convene on the 14th. This would be my preference also. I would be happy to 
talk to Mike Lee as a point of contact for the group to discuss future 
arrangements if that feels appropriate to the group. This sounds like one of 
those situations where my style of negotiation /could/ be effective. At the 
very least I may be able to gain some insight into the reasons Martin found 
the process puzzling and frustrating, and suggest some solutions.
-- 
cheers,

tim hall
http://glastonburymusic.org.uk/tim