Paula, who does everything else!"
WHATTTTTTT??? Did I hear that correctly???
My boss and I were at one of our "Art Collectors" events-this is one of our "exclusive" benefits of membership at the art center (discounts on art classes is the other-although, this past week I was "dialing for dollars" as one of my staff members put it, as I arranged for other discounts at Art Supply and Framing stores…). My boss was welcoming the group of attendees to this event on Friday evening (love these events that go from 7-9 p.m. on Friday evenings!) I had spent part of the day running around to get the food, then set it up and bring it over to the house, unload, set-up and of course, look FAB and be charming to great all our members. Not so sure about the looking FAB part…probably, looking TIRED would be more like it! You know, it is rough to look good by Friday evening without a little time to "freshen up!" I managed to do the lipstick as blush thing as I was driving over. I found a concealer stick in my make-up bag and was working on the under eye area at a stoplight and looked over to see another woman giving me the HIGH FIVE sign!! A SISTER!!!!! I thought, thank goodness, I had that concealer! I could have used some hair goop to make my bangs straight, but had to sort of mush them to the side-thank goodness for the toussled look!! Sexy on some, hiding bad bangs on others!!!!!
Needless to say, by the time folks started to arrive, I was ready to go home!! But, always trying to be cheerful, I put my "party" face on and graciously poured beverages…of course, the Board President had arrived and started to ask MOI something and all of the sudden, the allergies went into gear and I started sneezing…Trying to avoid the food buffet, which I was standing behind, I just smiled and RAN out of the room. The collection was all on the first floor and no place to go…so I headed out the front door!! I stood outside sneezing and now coughing when my boss arrived. "Good God, Paula. What is WRONG with you??" I just looked at him and said "LEAVES!" Finished with my "FIT" and returned inside to apologize to the Board President for my rather hasty departure. Ended up serving everyone and making small talk encouraging everyone there to donate $10K each and then I would be in good shape for the rest of the year!!! IN MY DREAMS!! I was just hoping that everyone had paid their $25 donation for the evening. (the receptionists take the reservations)…I will have to check the list on Monday, since several were supposed to pay at the door and arrived empty handed, but we didn't have name tags, so not sure who paid and who didn't! Have to work on that system!
The program started and my boss came out with that INTRO! I guess, it doesn't get any better than this!
I can never decide if the Fall is busier than the Spring…it is always such a toss up! I did notice when I looked at the projected fall calendar, things would be a tad busy in the fall…but still HAD NO IDEA!! Just so many deadlines all over the place and of course, no control over all the pieces, so one has to work around EVERYONE else's schedules…but, hey, I am a MOM which is, as we all know, perfect training for working with EVERYONE else's schedules and at the same time, trying to fit in a Manicure/Hair Cut/Lunch with friends, if you can!
This past week was Arts Week across the state of Illinois, so we had special events going on at the Art Center all week. Thursday morning was meet your Legislators at a student run artist café located close to my high school. I thought it would be fun to go back to the old neighborhood!!!! It was an early morning affair, so put on the business suit, with beige fishnets and pointy-toed heels. Not so sure what to wear to a Legislator's Breakfast, but they had representatives from the Federal and State, so best to go with the "Corporate" attire. Arrived to see all the Artists were wearing their usual attire….and yours truly, the only one in a suit aside from the Legislators, who all wore suits and the women all had BAD SHOES!! One did her best to show her support of the arts by wearing a very pretty pin from an Illinois artist, but she also had on a necklace and earrings that did not go with that pin. I surmised that she just put that pin on THINKING she could fool this group, but AU CONTRAIRE…little did she know…I was on to her. I am sure she took that pin off the minute she left….You can't fool MOI!! And those SHOES….Maybe I should have given them a few fashion tips!
HELLO…people are looking at your shoes!!! Bad shoes can always be distracting! I guess they are used to speaking behind podiums, so maybe folks couldn't see their shoes-please don't ask MOI what they talked about…I was too busy staring at shoes! Since I live in a different legislative district, I couldn't vote for this folks, but since I try to get funding from all levels of government, I was very curious to hear what they had to say about any additional funding they might provide to the Arts!
They each had 10 minutes to talk, but the time the 4th person started….I was looking at my watch! By now it was 9:30 a.m. and you know how you get that feeling that things are not going well….like the times you are in the grocery store and you finally find everything you need and you rush to the check out line to see only ONE person checking folks out and the clock shows that you can only stand in line for 5 minutes, check out, BAG your groceries, rush to your car, unload the groceries into the car and then rush to pick up your kids. You are torn between LEAVING your FULL cart and doing this all over again WITH YOUR CHILDREN, or risking the wrath of your children yelling at you because you are late picking them up. It was that feeling! AND isn't it funny, even though your kids are grown….you still remember that feeling!!!! So when the 5th person started chatting about supporting the arts and her kids were taking dance lessons and drum lessons and how she might have to buy a "real" set of drums….I don't know what possessed MOI, but I said, in a rather loud voice, that I had that set of drums and that we could work out some sort of deal!!! The room erupted into laughter.
As soon as it was over, I rushed out to see 5 messages on my cell phone…. ARE YOU KIDDING MOI?? It was only 10:20 a.m.?? Jumped in the car and started listening to them. The first was from the Board President who said that he wanted to redo a letter that was going out to the Board and he would be at the Art Center at 10:30 a.m. This was followed by messages from other co-workers saying that my Ikebana sensei couldn't be there today, since her husband was sick. Of course, this was the day that we were having an Open House for the public, as part of arts week, and the Ikebana class was the featured class……AND….I also had two deadlines, one for our newsletter and the other for our winter expo event. Oh, did I also mention the call from my boss wondering why we didn't have an article in a publication about our current exhibition. I seriously thought about just driving home and going to back to bed! I had already spent the morning with people of power and influence and done my best to distinguish myself, or at best make a statement. But then, as you all know…I just THRIVE on this kind of thing! Always up to a challenge, however, still felt terrible from my allergies, so not quite 100%, but I had on those shoes and enough coffee for a lifetime..so GOOD TO GO!
Arrived to greet the Board President, and ready to tackle that letter. Called a local florist (thank goodness I spend a fortune with them-I know Jeff would also agree!!!!), and told them I needed WHATEVER they had to make 15 sets for the Ikebana class-AND COULD THEY DELIVER IT?? THANK GOODNESS FOR VISA! Met with the graphic artist who was not pleased that I didn't have all the copy for the newsletter finished, but told her that I would treat her to lunch next week! Met with winter expo coordinator and tried to smooth that one over….Flowers arrived and then to set up for the Ikebana lesson and demo….Folks arrived and the room filled up! GO IKEBANA!!! Finished the course, graphic artist gave me until tomorrow to finish the copy (will have to buy her a NICE LUNCH) and then…miracles upon miracles….at 5 p.m. I went to check my email and there was a message from the editor of the publication I have been trying to get an article in!!! He apologized for being so late in responding, but was sending his best reporter out in the next week and then signed it… "All the best," ALL THE BEST…editors never respond this way…well, I shouldn't say never, but most of the time, I spend so much time BEGGING them to write something…and there it is…ALL THE BEST…
It is so funny…..when things seem at their darkest…the light always shines!
GO immediately to TARJAY!! Or to www.target.com
Oh MY!
Go to the Go International section. Very cute clothes by Jonathan Saunders…they are Junior sized, so you probably need to order up a size or two, but very cute jackets and sweaters…maybe buy the Mini dresses for your daughter, but the tops are FAB!!!
Then…move on over to the ANYA HINDMARCH line. Just buy all the handbags! Here stuff is SO FAB and SO CHIC!!!!!! Love the entire line…Then over to shoes….and lo and behold…SIGERSON MORRISON…it is like Christmas! Her ballet flats are fab!! But at these prices just buy it all! I have ballet flats I bought 5 years ago and they are still FAB!!!!!! And last buy not least…jewelry-the line by Dean Harris may not be your thing, but check out it out! I love the earrings and bracelets! The necklaces are great for layering….many great pieces that look like they cost $$$$!
And once again, you heard it here first! A Victor line (the one from Carson's) sweater was featured in this Sunday Trib's fashion section! I know you already own it!!!!
Have a great week!!!!
Lots of love,
P
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