Yesterday I attended a sort of roundtable for local industry members and teachers of the counties High School and college IT classes. The invitation was sent out as a lets all get together and the teachers will talk about what we’re teaching the kids and the industry members can tell us if we’re on target or need to shift focus and pick up some different classes type thing. I went because we’ve actually interned a lot of the high school kids and hired some straight out of the college programs and I see some things that they could perhaps integrate into their classes to give the kids a little bit more of a head start before coming in to the field as a professional.

The roundtable was organized by a guy I’ve met on several occasions thru the years. I always thought he was kind of a tool in general personally but after yesterdays events I’m leaning away from tool and more towards the thought that he’s just an asshole. This guy is a big fan of my dad, and not that there’s anything really wrong with that people are also fan’s of Palin and McCain so everyone is entitled to their own opinions right? In fact my dad was scheduled to be at said roundtable but I suppose he had better things to do so he didn’t show up.

So early in the meeting we’re all going around the table introducing ourselves and giving the mini speech on who we are and what we do. I am the only woman in the room who’s not a teacher and one of the few industry people oh yeah and the only one who’s actually hired any kids out of their schools. So I run thru my introduction and then Mr Gigantic Tool comes up behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders and says “but her real claim to fame is that she’s x’s Daughter”.

Yeah that’s my real claim to fame. That I’m someones daugher. Not at all that I’m a manager in a decent size IT company. Not at all that I run mail servers for tens of thousands of domains. Not at all that I started as a receptionist at a tech firm and worked my way from there to here where I am now. Definetly not at all that I did it as a woman in a field and a town where there aren’t a ton of women doing what I do.

His son, who is now a teacher was actually in the room as well, however when he introduced himself no one stood behind him and said oh and his claim to fame is that he’s my son. I doubt too that were I the son of my father that he would take the time to point this out to a whole bunch of people at what is supposed to be a professional meeting. I think my favorite part though was that since my dad didn’t show up and Mr Jackass asked if I would be able to bring everyone else up to speed on what it is that his program does. NO No I can’t. I’m not here as my dad’s secretary or assistant. I actually have no idea what exactly his program does but I would be more than happy to talk to you about what my company does or how my company interns your students. Jackass

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