Well, not quite, but the title got your attention! LOL!

Today and tomorrow will find me suited and booted while representing my professional association at a major national meeting in Washington, DC. A strange feeling has come over me about this meeting.

It will be held at the headquarters of my first and longest employer, and the topic of discussion will be about exactly what I did while I worked there. It will be very interesting indeed to be “just a participant” and not have a leadership or management role. I hope beyond hope that they don’t repeat errors of the past, which I taught them about and led them to heights of achievement and which won international respect. Unfortunately, I fear that those who remain are newbies, and do not have the “corporate history” that I have earned with 30 years in the profession.

I’ll be a good professional. My worry is that my tongue will swell with damage caused by biting it too much.

This is a problem when one moves on … but he can’t really leave it behind. I continue to work in this profession, but serve other masters.

And yeah, a suit no less. I seldom wore a suit while working there, so I thought I’d scare ’em. (giggle.) I hate dressing up, but I’ll do what I have to do.

And ride my Harley to the Metro to commute to the city. That’ll be interesting — chaps over suit pants and biker jacket, then put the chaps and biker jacket in the Tourpak, put on a blazer, tighten the noose (i.e., tie), and I’ll be all set. Thank goodness for my enormous TourPak (it’s like a trunk). When I arrive at my local Metro station, I can store the biker gear on the bike, dress up, attend the meeting, and return to “normal biker guy” for my ride home by ditching the jacket and tie in the TourPak. (Knowing me, I’ll ditch the jacket and tie the moment I leave the building. I will *not* be among those sad, hot, overdressed yuppies who wear suits when it is over 90°F (32°C). That’s insane.)

What boots will I wear? I will have to do a lot of walking, both to the venue from the closest Metro station and then afterwords to escort a national leader and friend to dinner. Probably just plain old, shined up black harness boots. Those boots will look good with dress clothes, be comfortable for walking, and provide both protection and traction for my ride.

Wish me luck.

Life is short: what goes around comes around. (I sure am glad I didn’t burn bridges!)