I guess you could take comfort in the fact that you were the only one prepared. It can give you time to prepare even more now. Be smug about it. :)

Chrome, ultimately you are correct about this situation. I was more prepared than anyone else. Thanks for the levelheadedness.

I guess the other issue is that the person who called the meeting assumed that everyone would read his/her email after 8PM. Is this a realistic expectation?

I've tried really hard to make a sharp division (under normal circumstances) between HOME and WORK. If my time at home is owned by my present employer, I'm out.

Anybody's workplace have some email etiquette expectations?

It's not realistic to expect you to read an email after you have left work, full stop.

I expect to be told before 5pm the day before in non-emergency situations.

No. Are you looking for material you can take back to the group or supervisor to support your position that there should have been more lead time?

Yes. I want to put a nice thick dark line in the sand.

Communication is so easy these days, hardly anybody does it anymore.

That would sound like something from Yogi Berra if it wasn't true.

I get the feeling this may be easier and harder than you want. Easier in that you will not necessarily need supporting documents and harder in that you can just ask for what you want.

From what you've shared, it sounds like this is kind of normal for your department and you're feeling fed up and frustrated. I imagine it's harder when your boss is the one leading the way to un-GTD-like behavior.

I think a new policy isn't going to help you. For an unfocused boss, a new set of rules isn't, I think, going to solve the root problem. What's the root problem? I'm unsure. Is your boss terrified of being "mean" and requiring your co-workers be responsible? Is your boss completely unorganized and sees no problem with being that way? Is your boss simply unaware of how her/his way of doing things is affecting the lives of the employees?

What would happen if you simply had a few words with your supervisor, noting how cancelling late in the evening affected your evening? As well as pointing out how a pattern of letting others off the hook for being unprepared [I'm assuming as much, because your co-workers were unprepared for the meeting and your supervisor cancelled instead of calling them out over being unprepared] is only encouraging more of the same?

You are right, Noodle. Frustrated and disappointed at the same time.

And you are also correct in assuming that "one more rule" won't solve the problem.

I should have been more "mind like water" and seen the situation as an opportunity to do something else I like better during the now-free time. But, I saw the situation as a chance to be angry instead.

Better communication, as you and others have said, is ultimately the best course of action.

Thanks everyone!