My job is becoming increasingly centered around food.
Not that I'm complaining. Far from it. My "working meals" this week have resulted in an invitation, a nail polish recommendation, and I came close to topping it all off with a Razorbacks Snuggie.
On Tuesday, my editor Gwen arranged a lunch for us with a "little black dress" PR maven named Andrea. She works for one of the biggest law firms in Little Rock, knows everyone, and was one of AB's "20 in their 20's" last year. Over soup, salad and homemade moon-pies at the Capital Grill, Andrea charmed me with her half-Chicago/half-Southern accent, her trendy clothes, and her penchant for calling every female in five-foot radius "lady." Example sentence, Andrea to Gwen: "Oh, lady, I am definitely looking for a man again." Example sentence, Andrea to me: "Oh, lady, if you ever need anything, just give me a call."
Besides the moon-pie, our lunch also ended with Andrea inviting me to the Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America's awards ceremony On Thursday evening. She promised to walk me around the room, introduce me to everyone worth knowing in the business whose names I would never remember, and then help me get out the door before the actual awards ceremony started, so I wouldn't have to sit through it.
So, last night I put on a party dress and a cocktail ring, and headed out. Apparently Andrea had instructed the event's bouncers to alert her the second I showed up, which they did by delivering me to her side. We hugged, complimented each other's dresses, made a quick stop at the bar for a glass of red wine, and then started out. After an hour with her, I now know what it means to work a room. As promised, I met many people whose names I won't remember. I also smiled a lot, shook a lot of hands, and ate my first chicken waffle (fried chicken nugget on top of a mini waffle, dressed with just a touch of maple syrup). Plus, after receiving a compliment on her manicure, Andrea revealed that it was OPI's new line of gel nail polish, and gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up. Good to know.
Then, today at work we had a tailgate party, so as to get amped up for tomorrow's all-important Arkansas/Alabama game. We were encouraged to wear Razorbacks gear, with a prize going to the best-dressed Hogs Fan. While I was only wearing a Razorbacks t-shirt, I got points for being new to the city and already showing signs of fandom. Still, nothing could compare to one of my AB colleagues, who came wearing a Razorback jersey, a blazer in Razorback red with pom-poms spilling out of the pockets, a Razorback helmet topped with a stuffed animal Razorback that he taped on top, and finished off with Razorback clogs. A clear winner.
Anyway, around noon we all convened in the kitchen for a catered lunch of burgers, chips, veggies, and Oreos in the shape of footballs. After the costume contest, cornhole (or bag-o as several people have been calling it…maybe it's one of those things that's called something different depending on where you are, like Edy's) was set up in the hallway, and though lunch ended several hours ago, on my last trip to the bathroom, it was still there. For the most part people have seemed to stop playing, although I can occasionally hear the flop of a bean bag from my desk.
Besides watching the Arkansas game this weekend, which I am now sufficiently pumped up for, the boy and I have plans to cheer for other favorite team, the Saints, on Sunday. We also hope to do other non-football related things this weekend. We'll see.
Happy Friday! Go Hogs, Geaux Saints!
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