A few weeks ago I got to help prepare for our company's board meeting. It was quite an experience. So much preparation goes into an event that lasts about two hours. Nonetheless, it was an incredible experience. There's been a lot going on. We got a new chairman, who seems to be taking the organization in a very new and exciting direction. It was absolutely fascinating to see the inner-trappings of such a complex place. Luckily, I got to sit in on the whole thing and observe how it all goes down. It was a very humbling experience. There were so many important people in one place, but very few who didn't know how to rein in the egos. Every one of them has a whole lot of sway in a number of areas, but most were a lot more down to earth than I expected.
I've since been doing a lot of administrative work for our president and CEO. INCREDIBLE. Just getting to connect with a lot of the people he knows is something that very few get to do, and not something that I've taken lightly. Each day my palms sweat a little less, but its still usually pretty nerve-racking. I don't really know how he does all that he does. Back to back meetings and trips, he pretty much never seems to stop. It can be overwhelming just planning the schedule. I can't even fathom living it. It's given me a great chance to get to know a lot of the people that lead the company. Once again, its very humbling. They're all quite accomplished, and all very bright, but, for the most part, very down to earth. My desk is located in an area that a couple of people call "the fish bowl." Pretty much like a giant high rise where like ten different highways connect. It can be rather overwhelming, but I get to see almost everything that goes down behind the scenes at the very top. I've established somewhat of a rivalry with our unnecessarily complicated printer/copier/scanner/bane of my existence. Its a machine that should make everyone's life easier, but really accomplished the opposite. It can be rather embarrassing. It's very centrally located (right near the water cooler and in between like 50 offices. Most of its kind have no trouble letting you know when you've made a mistake. This one, however, takes it to a whole new level. Instead of a simple error message. It combines a gauntlet of air-raid siren-like beeps that let the whole office know you've messed up. IMPRESSIVE. Luckily, it seems to be mastered by few and thwarts the masses. I hope I don't take a jack-hammer to it at some point.
A couple weeks a go I ventured to the big apple for the first time to visit my friend Toni, whose dad is the third base coach for the Mets. It was, to say the least, overwhelming, but also insanely cool at the same time. I took a train up there (a method of transportation I now much prefer to planes). She lives in Flushing, the place where Fran Drescher hails from. (You can only imagine) But it's just a subway ride away from manhattan. The first night I was there, that is where we explored. There was a small gathering of OU people, most of whom I'd never met, celebrating a girl's birthday. All were very sweet and fun to be around, but we, unfortunately, got caught up with a socialite friend one of them had and that kind of spoiled it. The latter tried to take us to this absurd night club where the line was like 10 miles long. I guess I don't understand what it means to be trendy because I'd rather hit the bar and get to the booze before the doors close. We ended up going to this dive of a tavern to start the night, then headed to the east village. I wish I would have paid more attention to where we went. People keep asking me, but I was just too caught up in the masses to really pay attention. The next night me and Toni went out in queens for an early birthday celebration for her. It was a rather upscale pool hall that brought out queens fines, and really wasn't that bad. I spent too much at the bar, but birthdays are def a legit justification for that. In addition to galavanting through the strange mix of night life, I got to go to two Mets games. We got the VIP treatment, slipping in and out of underground tunnels as Toni and her mom flashed their special ID badges. I've def never experienced anything like that before. New Yorkers are an interesting breed, especially mets fans. It doesn't take much for them to turn on their own players, but, despite the booing when a play went bad, they're loyal as hell. The team didn't win either game, but it was still fun to be there.
Coming back was amazing. I, again, loved the train ride, but it was the strange sense of being at home that I got when I arrived at union station that really made me realize how much I love it here. DC can be nuts, but to a much lesser extent than NYC.
I've been continuing on with my classes that I'm doing through Gaylord. Perhaps the most fascinating experience was a trip to the RNC. Much to my shock, no alarms went off went I entered the building, and I actually learned a lot. We spoke with a deputy finance director. She was one of the most lively people I've met and, despite being a staunch republican, was very respectful. I got a tote bag full of RNC paraphernalia that was given out to major donors at an '08 winter retreat. I'm thinking about sewing an Obama patch over the logo and making it a permanent toy. All of the crap inside must have cost at least $200. I got everything from a crystal wine cork, to a leather bound notebook and cheap plastic pens. I imagine my grandparents will appreciate the re-gifting that lies ahead.
Last weekend was the fourth, and the fireworks were incredible. I climbed up onto a rooftop and got to see a 360 view of about 4 different shows. None were terribly close, but being surrounded was pretty sweet.
I've yet to do much more sight-seeing, but I imagine a trip from my grandparents in a few weeks and another from my mom/brother will take care of a lot of that. Otherwise, an addiction to frozen stouffer's lasagna's has pretty much consumed my life. Also, I've finally started to master the public transportation system (or at least the busses to and from work). The stigma is pretty much gone. The characters never cease to amaze me, but knowing that I'm going where I'm supposed to be headed is a good feeling, especially when I don't have to trek on foot. I hope to get more of a chance to use the metro, but, unfortunately, it doesn't really come near where I live. Or at least not anywhere efficient enough for where I want to do. All in due time, though. All in due time.
I'm sure there's much more I could inform the few people who actually read this about, but my mind's slightly zapped from combing receipts at work, so I'm going to give it a break.
