i originally planned to do some work and blog on the train ride back from boston to nyc--but i got on, did a couple of work emails--and got tired and decided to nap it up a little. now--2 hours after the fitful naps you get when you're cold and uncomfortable--i am up, feeling none the fresher, and blogging.
(the following is to be read/heard in your head by cate blanchett's character's voice from the lord of the rings--galadriel)
expo east kicked my ass. hard. it threw dirt at my face too (in the form of the new capital city of zitopia and her suburbs on my chin and right cheek. it kicked my ankles and singed my soles. all my preparations were futile. dansko--that capital city of heavenly shoes was the first to fall. i should have banked on my nothinz. they have never let me down. my sanity--clearly still being audited--never had a chance. however, with great hope and expectations--comes great success.
(stop hearing cate blanchett's voice now)
1. i definitely made a nice impact on order goals and i am hoping--that i won both contests. i know i won the volume contest. i had to have. i had to. i would be EXTREMELY surprised if i didn't. i am hoping--that i also won the amount of orders. i am too tired to cross my fingers and will kindly ask galadriel to do so. i am sure that when i next come to peruse this post--i will die laughing of embarassment at myself. for the time being--i'm too tired and numb to realize it fast enough to stop the train wreck that is occurring. thus--it will continue.
2. we had an order goal of 75--and i'm pretty sure we at least got to 80--so the entire cast of our crew got double call credits--which is awesome, and especially lovely for me--since i happen to be the only one that hasn't taken any vacation yet and now--can ensure that it won't negatively impact me too much.
3. every single time i've ever bowled in my life i have gotten the EXACT SAME SCORE. mind you it hasn't been much--but it's been 6 times. i only remember this--because for some reason--i could never cross that hump. but. for the first time in my life--i surpassed it--twice. for the 6 times i went bowling--my score every single time--was a 56. (i'm a little worried that one of the team leader's seems to think it should have been a 66--afterall, add one more 6 and you get...yeah).
the score that is about to be written isn't anything to boast about--but considering the low number of what occurred 6 times previous--it's a freakin miracle.
game 1--68.
game 2--96.
i feel like i would have broken that 100 barrier if it hadn't been for the newbie recruit ruining my last 2 attempts (more about that newbie soon).
anyhow, it's been a very long and exhausting 5 days. and the days leading up to it have been ultra busy as well. but i'm happy. really happy with life overall. things are going well and they seem to be getting better and better. i haven't felt so settled and at peace in awhile. actually, to be honest, i'm not sure i have ever felt this good in my life. the constant battle to just survive takes its toll when you have to do it every single day of your life since birth from immigrant parents. i'm not complaining--just reflecting.
it's nice to feel like now i can go past the survive mode--and thrive a little. no need to explain to friends why i'm different and have to be. no explanations for how come my parents aren't around for events and no need to lie about who i am and what i believe.
freedom feels nice.
it is now 14 hours after everything i wrote just above this line and i have decided against reading what i wrote prior because i would probably delete everything. and that might be abit of a shame. even incoherent feelings based on immediate reactions are important, right?
but--to sum up my week in boston:
1. tiring as hell. i can't remember being this tired--since my summer in alaska.
2. i was up by 6:30am everyday and up until 2am everyday as well. 4 hours of sleep for a busy week is very little. in fact, i woke up earlier than i wanted to today because i was famished and couldn't ignore the pains in my stomach.
3. the new dc/maryland/delaware/philly rep is hilarious. i think he'll fit right in. and i think he'll do really well. very personable, engaging, observant, and considerate--which are great qualities overall--but necessary for this industry.
on thursday night we hosted a dinner event for some of the key players in our major accounts. the restaurant we booked was about a 10 minute walk from the sheraton hotel where we stayed at. i was part of the last group to depart the hotel--waiting for one of the new accounts i just acquired to meet me and a few other reps in the lobby (i met her earlier in the day and invited her last minute to the dinner event). anyhow, she was slightly overweight (to put it mildly) and we were running late. so most of the reps were booking it pretty fast to the restaurant--and as much as i wanted to, i, of course, took my time, pretending it was me that wanted to wander the streets (in the cold with no jacket on), rather than her pace/speed. i was really impressed and touched that the newbie recognized that enough to join the two of us--helping me make light conversation with someone i barely knew...because as anyone knows--making conversation that is both genuine and politic with a virtual stranger is straining and when you can tag team it--so much the better!
anyhow, i just think it shows alot of insight, consideration, observation, and character. and i totally appreciate that sort of thing when veterans couldn't be bothered to show the same. so unless he balks it up major--he's got my support!
4. the boston rep took me to south station to catch my train back to nyc and we got to talking. it made me feel rather bad. i mean--i believe her when she said she was totally happy for me that i did so well this past week--but that she just felt really bad that perhaps it made her look really bad since it was in boston--and she didn't perform as well. i tried to reassure her that couldn't possibly be the case. i mean--if i was a team leader i wouldn't leap to that conclusion. she's a great rep and does a tremendous job. not taking away anything from my own accomplishments--but i feel like i had a little bit of luck as well. and there's no way that i could possibly duplicate this performance next year.
5. i loved every tiring minute of it. i would totally do this again. i came away with some awesome goodies--and the best part--i didn't have to wander around to get it at all! some of my key accounts went and grabbed stuff for me! i love the fairway folks. they're just way too sweet and good to me. i do think that next year, i should spend a bit more time wandering like everyone else did.
6. i managed to finagle a deal with the director of our sales team--due to my performance--that he, and all the team leaders, had to sing karaoke for us--the next time we were all together. :) now that, should be hella funny!
No comments:
Post a Comment