*This post was originally published in Mid December and due to my own ineptness in all things technical it now looks as though I just wrote it....please forgive me- and enjoy it again if you'd like!
I'm back from the bend over week- and believe it or not, it actually was a great meeting. I come back refreshed and reinvigorated to do my job. (Most of the bending over took place before in preparation of said meeting...) That's not to say that they didn't work us like dogs, but they did provide a lot of fun along the way. Now here's the good part...something so totally unexpected took place while I was in Atlanta.
Before I tell you, I must digress a bit and explain a little something about myself and this blog. If you look to the immediate right under "blogs I follow" you will see links. Now, I follow quite a few blogs, I just haven't taken the time to link them all- (remember I have a procrastination problem.) However, one of the first and most faithful of all blogs I follow is The Pioneer Woman. (www.thepioneerwoman.com.) I have been with her from almost the beginning. As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for her, I'm not sure I'd be occupying this little slice of cyber-blog heaven. See, she inspired me to not only let this be an outlet for my pent up creative juices, but she gave me personal directions on how to start it. (Mind you, this was way before she became the Rockstar of Blogosphere and soon to be all media outlets.) We exchanged a few emails way back when and here I am today. (Not even close to where PW is or where I want to be...but hey, baby steps, right.....?)
All this being said, the Pioneer Woman recently published a cook book. (It is quite beautiful!)
I actually planned on writing a post lamenting the fact that PW's book tour came nowhere near my home base. (But again, due to that procrastinating problem, never got around to it...)
Skip ahead to my bend over week. I'm doing some last minute work before I leave for Atlanta and out of habit I check in on a few of my favorites before leaving, knowing I will have no reading for pleasure time in the upcoming week. Low and behold, I find out PW is going to be in Atlanta doing a book signing at the Border's practically across the street from my hotel! Not only that, but it is going to be on Monday evening, practically the only semi-free night of the entire week. (I know, I could hardly believe it myself!) I momentarily get quite excited and start mentally planning how I could attend this event'. Reality sets in and I realize there is no way I can scrape this together. Her book signings have been having hundreds and hundreds show up and wait for hours and hours. I know I just don't have that kind of time, plus the Border's was handing out wrist bands starting in the morning and I wouldn't have time to negotiate this at all. Next moment, sadness, because I'm so close, so close, but yet so far away. (I love that song!)
Next stop- amazing- my friend Joyce, from my old team calls me to tell me she's already in Atlanta for the weekend with her husband and proceeds to tell me all about the area we'll be staying. I mention the book signing to her and she says- Oh, Deb that's only a couple of block from here, let me check into it and I'll get back to you. Next thing I know, Joyce calls to say she's got the books and the wristbands and we're in the first color block for signing. (What?!!) Ka-ching! Is this meant to be or what?
The next hurdle is negotiating the how and the when. We arrive for start of meeting and then after a few hours in general session, they send us out into the streets of Atlanta on a pictorial scavenger hunt. OMG...how long will this take and then we have to attend a reception/buffet/cocktail party. I'm feeling like this just isn't going to happen. Around 8:30ish, Joyce and I decide we can safely make our getaway and have the hotel shuttle take us over to the Border's bookstore. (Have I mentioned yet that my dear friend, Joyce has a broken foot and is wearing a walking boot?) I mean, what a friend!
We arrive to hoards of people winding their way around the aisles of the store. Due to our color of wristband, we are given directions to meet up with some guy who then shows us our place in line- which I might add is a lot closer than the throngs of people we are passing. We begin our wait. Due to Joyce's efficiency earlier in the day- we only have about an hour wait time. Nirvana!! While waiting, we decide to make good use of our time. Since we will be tested on our product knowledge and sales presentations, we start practicing right in line. Almost immediately, the woman in front of us turns around and says to us- "Are you Drug Reps?" Why- yes we are!
Now here comes the next best part of this evening. The gal and her friend in front of us- then strike up a conversation with Joyce and I. Turns out, Elizabeth was a drug rep for many years in another life. We start discussing the joys of drug world and then come to find out that she has done about a million things in her life and currently she is living her best life ever- as she as met and married her soul mate and moved to the English countryside. You can read all about it http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com. Her daily life consists of reading, writing, taking photos and walking along the moors with her man. Check out her site, it's quite beautiful and inspiring. Her friend Patrice, would be my new best friend if only she didn't live in Atlanta. These gals were so much fun and made the waiting unforgettable. As a matter of fact, we decided that there are only a few people in life that can be on your list of souls to call when you need help "cleaning up the blood and hiding the evidence" and the women in my company met the list criteria.
(Side note I: B just remember that you're on the top of that list- so don't be thinking you're off the hook!)
(Patrice and Elizabeth- don't they even look like fun!)
Now for the piece de resistance- YES- I met my Blogstar Mentor- it was a moment my friend- like no other....
(Please don't look at my facial expression- I look a little rode hard and put away wet- I've been up since 4:00 am traveling all day, scavenging around Atlanta and waiting in a sweaty line...)
Ree Drummond couldn't have been any more warm and personable. She's exactly like she is on her blog...real and you can't help but fall in love (all over again...) I only wish I had a ranch near hers! The book is a beauty in both photography, but the writing and recipes are a true delight. Two thumbs up!
I even got to meet two of her cast of characters- her sister, Betsy and friend, Hyacinth-
It was a night I truly won't forget for a long time- for a number of reasons- but mostly because it was never supposed to happen - and sometimes the stars align and magic happens in the most unexpected ways. Thanks to Joyce, Patrice, Elizabeth and PW for making the magic on this night!
(Side note II- Thanks to Elizabeth Harper http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com for sending the great photographs since I only had my cell phone camera!!) Check out her post on the book signing here- http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/im-no-pioneer-woman/.
