Midnight at the Hotel Gansevoort

I just came back from a business trip in the NYC. It was a three day educational affair for our clients (and us), with experts speaking on everything from high level trends to new technologies, case studies...the works. And at night there are dinners, socializing, etc. So, Wednesday night, we had dinner, and then I went with the pack of clients and my colleagues to have a drink at the Hotel Gansevoort in the meatpacking district.

So, I'm talking to one of my coworkers and one of our clients, both of whom I'd just met, and...okay, here's the thing at these events. I'm new, first of all, so I don't know anyone. Secondly, we're mixing offices--people across the country--so no one knows who is who. Thirdly, we're there with clients, and you don't know who they are, either.

Anyway, I'm standing there, and this guy comes up to talk to the three of us. He's this Indian guy, dressed in a suit--which we all were--dressed up, not Indian--and he stands there and says hello. So, we all smile politely, and say hello. And then he just stands there. And it is AWKward. You have to understand that 90% of the people in this area were, in fact, some sort of business associate...though there was a couple making out next to us against a window like the ship was going down...and I'm not entirely sure they weren't with our group...but, I digress. So, me being the charming, lovely and beautiful human being that I am, ask if he is having a good time.

The young man said yes, then he took a sip of his drink, and then he says, "I'm here to pick up business."

Okay, that is odd...because it's late night and we're basically in a bar...a fancy clubby Manhattany hotel bar, but a bar nonetheless.

So I ask, "What kind of business are you in?"

Meaning, "Are you a drug dealer? What kind of business could you possibly be picking up at the bar at the Hotel Gansevoort after midnight on a Wednesday night?"

He says, "Wall street." Then, he gets a funny look on his face and he frowns and says, "Not business."

And I ask, "What?"

He says, "Not business. Bitches."

And I say, "Excuse me?"

"I'm here to pick up bitches."

Okay.

When I finally stopped laughing, he was still standing there. I wiped my eyes, and nodded. "Well. I gotta say that's honest. Good for you! That is quite an original approach you've got there."

He stared, and did not crack a smile at any point... but he also didn't leave. So then I calmly explained that I am not the type of bitch he was looking for.

And he says, "Why? Are you married?" (Yes. That's the reason.)

"Yes, I'm a married bitch."

"Oh."

"Yes, thank you, though. I appreciate the thought." Move along, psycho.

But you know the worst part? If I'm being honest? I am secretly thrilled. That crazy high-or- whatever-he-was fool tried to pick me up. Still got it. Raaar!

Later, bitches.

The biziness

So, as most of you know, I started a new job at a much larger company. An agency, actually, and, I'll admit, it was a big adjustment for me. I really like it, but at first, I was a bit unsure of myself. Maybe I'm getting on in years. I'd been at the same company, a great company, for seven years, and I loved it. But, the culture here is so different, and the company is so much bigger than my last place, that I suppose I didn't trust what I was hearing at first.

That I have autonomy. That people want to help each other succeed. That ambition in corporate america doesn't have to be cutthroat, or a dirty word. There's support, there's encouragement, and there are resources along the ladder.

But, I felt a lot of pressure right away--from myself, in the end--to prove that I was worthy of the trust they had put in me. And then....there's the calendar scheduling system. Our old system, at my past company, was pretty easy. If I needed to schedule a meeting, I went to the offices of the people that I needed to schedule, and stuck my head in, and if they were there I said, "Hey, we should set some time aside." And then, we did. That was it.

But, I'm new. So, first you need to figure out who you need to talk to, and then figure out where they are, and then how to use conference calling...and then this scheduling thingy...which takes skills. Skills, I tell you. Skills I don't (apparently) possess.

Let me give you an example. I needed to schedule a meeting of managers to determine the direction of a project I'm working on. Sounds pretty normal, right? I agree. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

So, I had scheduled a couple of minor meetings on the system...and I was feeling pretty confident. And, I set the time, set the place, did my research--and then I went for it. I scheduled it. And managed to get 90% of the attendees to respond positively--that they could make it. Only to realize I'd doubled everyone up against a mandatory HR meeting. So...I re-scheduled. Found a room, scheduled that. Found a good time. Ordered lunch--okay, I found the person who orders lunch, but Jesus, I was sadly proud of that...and then they ordered it. All good.

And, then the meeting.

I showed up. They showed up. And then lunch showed up. And lunch can be a real hardass. I was totally embarrassed. Because, as it turned out, someone else had booked my space. For a client (the nerve!) What happened? I had so diligently researched and set aside. I thought I'd done it correctly. But, as life so often tells you...you are not as good as you think you are. So...we had to relocate. Everyone was really good natured about it, but I still felt like a moron. (I am.)

So, we all squatted in the hallway over soggy sandwiches and made bets on how long I'll last. I have the under.

No, it was fine. There was a room a door down that was wide open because who schedules a meeting over lunch? No one cool.

So.

Things are getting better. I no longer feel like a gibbering idiot. At least on a daily basis. Mostly that happens around once a week now...which, even outside of work, is a marked improvement.