BNI stands for Business Networking International.

Google it yourself for the full details.

I live in Sharjah (about 1 hour drive from Dubai – on a very good day).

My dilemma is not so much about the 3.55am wake up every Monday morning.

Nor is it about the problem based on leaving the house at 5.25am exactly in order to be at the Westin Hotel for 6.45am to start networking.

I’d like to add that ‘To have breakfast OR not’ is a small issue when I know that I am paying for a full one at 9.00am and any cheating I do will spoil my delicate seafood (and eat it) diet.

Similarly, waking up the Mrs by clunking around the house in a blind stupor whilst trying to find clean pants, socks, shirts, trousers and a BNI lapel badge knowing that although she respects your work ethic, she will have your nuts in an ashtray should her delicate 12 hour slumber get interrupted. Trip the wire? No shag for a month.

Down that road, let’s not include that horny ‘I love you honey and couldn’t possibly leave you without a brief bout of “Mr Wobbly Hides His Helmet” – PLEASE’ either.

Nor the chance to take an hour of deep thinking as the world wakes up and reliving the experience in the same way as I did doing a newspaper run when I was 11. Bin it too.

When I consider the options, breaking onto a neighbour’s house who may be an international spy, stealing vital documents and then embarking on a ‘24 -like’ Jack Bauer-esque amazing adventure, saving the president, freeing a third world country and dismantling an atomic bomb designed to plunge us into another world war? Nooooo. Not that too.

The problem is this.

I normally have a dump at 7.30am after a cup of herbal tea.

BNI drives it until a return at 2pm.

After 40, there are a limited amount of pleasures in life.

This is one.

Is BNI worth it?

Well it’s been 3 years of attendance for the Falcon Chapter so far.

That’s a lot of missed reading material.

The dilemma continues.

Oh, I didn’t even mention about getting the horn.

Sleep well now.

I’ll be driving.

Laters…