a can't win situation

Certain times I wonder why I even bother to tell my father things. He has an amazing way of telling me I've done wrong/could've done better or make me feel inadequate.

Today I've spent the day together with my boss planning a two day course for our employees. We've worked really hard for these two days and whilst talking to my dad I told him I was very proud of the days' scheduale.

I've worked extremely hard on a team building exercise which will be kind of a "Mission impossible" where each team will have to solve ten tasks around Stockholm town.

"Ten?!" my dad cried out. "That's far too many!"
I asked him how he knew that without knowing what the tasks were? Some tasks will take about a minute to solve.. Well, too many for sure, he was adimant about it.

Then I said I've booked a conference room in a museum for the course, where I've arranged to have breakfast served on their arrival, lunch in a lovely restaurant and then afternoon coffee served in the conference room.

I've even bought bus tickets for all members of staff so that noone has to worry how to get there. "That's not nice" my fater said "that is a necessity as a boss"!

I disagreed. In all my jobs I have NEVER had a bus ticket to a conference or a course unless the course has been in a different part of the country. I said that it is the same as paying staff the fare to and from work on a regular day - and what employer does that? Not many as far as I know.

He got angry. "And of course you should serve food, by the way" he said. I answered I knew food should be served, but that I really have been working hard to find nice, unusual locations rather than sitting in a boring conference room and eat a tacky salmon and mashed potatoes for lunch.

Oh well. Guess I can't win. But I have to say I am quite proud of what I've managed to pull together and hopefully the staff group might apreciate it a little more than my father. If nothing else I know I will enjoy playing Mission impossible around town - and I might even use the idea for private use for my next birthday. You have been warned....