.....to go to work....sadly. Contrary to what RG thinks, I actually do work (quite a bit--he just doesn't pay attention, as he's too busy golfing and doing lunch) and this week is the bi-annual grandaddy of all work weeks: our National Sales Meeting piggy backed onto one of our academic meetings, the Academy of Management.
I left home at 3:30 am to catch my 6 am flight out of Logan. Arrived in Anaheim at 11:25 Pacific time and immediately went to set up the booth for four hours.
Today (yes, it is Sunday--I got over working on Sundays, and holidays, for that matter, a long time ago), I'll spend eight hours in a booth, talking to professors about textbooks, interspersed with four author meetings. Tonight, we'll host a cocktail reception for the new authors we acquired in our purchase of Houghton-Mifflin and then the "kids" want to go bowling after, with no customers and no authors.
Ironically, at this meeting, I'm the senior person, the big enchilada, the boss. I'm also the oldest of our group by about 8 years, thus the "kids". It's ironic, because I never feel like the boss. I don't feel one stitch different than I did 22 years ago, at my first sales meeting when I'd be tongue tied if someone at my current level talked to me. (ME? Why would they talk to me? Don't let them talk to me--if they know me, they can fire me. HELP.).
Tomorrow, more of the same, then I fly to San Francisco for the Sales Meeting, which is generally 18 hour days of work, work, work, adult beverages, hospitality suites, more adult beverages, bed times at all hours of the morning (and never before midnight--it's bad for one's career to bow out too early) to get up and do it again. Until next Sunday, when I fly home. So, two summer weekends, given over to the job that pays the mortgage...but it pays the mortgage, so that's a good thing.
Given that this week is a bit hectic and I'll have no Mainelife to report on, I'm going to post a daily photo from my favorite Maine pictures. Since I'm traveling on business and don't have my Powerbook, I'll be posting from my iPhone. It's kind of an experiment, ok? If you want new stuff, check back on 8/18....when normal life and posting will try to resume.
Bless your heart...I could never work in sales...
Have a good trip and come back soon!
Posted by: Lisa K. | August 10, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Good Lord. I'm old enough, mature enough, probably knowledgeable enough — to be the "boss", too, but I don't hanker for it. I admire those of you who have that calling. Me? With the incredible stress of my non-management job, I can't imagine taking on even more strss, so I'd rather focus on my upcoming weekends at Harstine.... (And retirement. Or better yet, winning the lottery. Right).
Posted by: Tonya | August 10, 2008 at 08:17 PM
I know your life well. Folks don't understand that travel, work then drinks w/ customers ain't all that glamorous. But it does pay the mortgage. Will be thinking of you.
Posted by: Marie | August 10, 2008 at 09:23 PM