Yesterday started with waking up at 0300 and not being able to get back to sleep. Not a good start to a day I fully expected would last until about 0100 Saturday morning. But I tried and failed and finally threw in the towel and got up, resigned to a long day.
Overall, last night was about what I expected it would be. Not entirely what I expected, but close.
Regarding the antlers that I was going to wear as my icebreaker, I was highly disappointed. After running through three stores and talking to two sales associates I wasn't able to procure my antlers. That was disappointing. Even the store that said online they had them didn't by the time I got there. Being disappointed and unwilling to walk away empty handed, I settled for blue and silver garland.
Have you ever tried to wear garland? Don't. It's itchy as hell. So I didn't wear it but am now the proud owner of twelve feet of (without the tag):
That should have been a clue to how the rest of the evening would go, because it didn't start the way I wanted it to. In any case, the party got set up, the tables looked beautiful with a bluish-greenish tulle as runners and square hurricane vases filled with Christmas bulbs - the stupid crafty things I worked on last week. When it was all over and we were cleaning up, I don't think more than a couple of people took one home with them judging by how many were left, but I digress (and that comes later).
I went upstairs with two of the other ladies - party animals both - and changed from work clothes to my evening wear. The same dress I wore for Daughter's wedding (which would have looked fabulous with the garland if the garland didn't itch so much).
Not wanting to carry a purse and not having pockets, I decided to wear my jeans under my (floorlength) skirt. Pockets for my car key, driver's license and credit card made it convenient and worthwhile. Most people had no clue until I hiked my skirt up to get at my credit card to pay for my after dinner drink. As a joke, I did share my "secret" with a few people beforehand - a few that I trust and know well enough to hike my skirt up in front of (only to knee level, I swear!). They thought it was funny, but I digress.
Downstairs again after dressing, the company meeting was held and we all gathered to listen. Afterward, free to go enjoy the party, we streamed from the room, heading for the bar. I had no cash and had heard that the drinks were wildly expensive (yes, they were - but that comes later, too) so I hung out along the wall. Just as I had expected. Everyone was moving and mingling, chatting and I stood there like some stupid potted plant. The people I know were speaking to other people I don't know and I'm not comfortable sidling up, hanging around on the fringe and feeling like an eavesdropping interloper. All of that same stuff I wrote about a while back.
So I stood there until I was uncomfortable enough that I went into the ballroom to see if there was something useful to do. There was and I helped with the final touches for the party, organizing the door prize bags into which the tickets would go. With that done, though, I was back to standing by the wall like some stupid potted plant.
Ten minutes too many of that, and I was done. "I'm outta here. I didn't come here to do this. I'm not going to stand here for another forty-five minutes until dinner. Blah, blah blah-de-blah blah." All the internal dialogue you might imagine. Up the stairs, muttering as I went because I had left my jacket in the hotel room where we had changed (everything else had already made it to the car - just the goddamned jacket kept me from wandering down the hall and out the side door to climb behind the wheel and head home. Stupid jacket...).
Halfway along the hall I met with the ladies whose room I had used to change, in which resided my jacket. It was a short conversation followed by a Bacardi shot. I haven't done shots in nearly twenty-five years, and then I only did one. Like last night. But the ladies are a force to be reckoned with and I capitulated. I did take my jacket out to the car because I still wasn't convinced I was going to stay, but did promise to try.
Downstairs again I tagged along - the perfect fifth wheel, a useless appendage. The good news came when someone asked, "Aren't you drinking?" (The tone of surprise when a normal adult is confronted by a teetotaler at a party.) "I didn't bring any cash." "Oh! But the wine is free." Well, hell! I'm up for that. At least it gives my hands something to do.
A glass of wine and wandering, still feeling like an old shoe covered in dog leavings because everyone was still talking with everyone else and I was still feeling like a useless appendage.
I made it through the reception, although leaving was still a front and present thought (I hate events like this, I really really truly do). Dinner was called and I do thank goodness for hand-holding buds! I was wandering again when one of the directors called me to her table, and our receptionist came along and invited me to the same table and I felt somewhat welcome again. Our EVP of Marketing and another director were there, people I work fairly closely with and who I know, so it was good.
Dinner was delicious and followed by service award announcements, a door prize giveaway (I brought home a new crock pot!), all the stuff that makes up events like these.
For dessert I decided to treat myself and went out to the bar where I bought a whiskey and soda (it was bourbon, not whiskey, but it was the best I could do given the selection). That was expensive - $10.50 for a shot of whiskey thinned with a lot of soda. I lucked out, though. The bartender was a little heavy-handed with the bottle and poured more than she intended. I know this because she said, "Oops! I got a little carried away." A flashed smile and, "But I'm sure you don't mind." No. I can't say that I did.
Back inside, the dancing was getting started and I let my hair down a little.
I haven't been on a dance floor since the 1980's. I've never had the opportunity or been in a place with a dance floor, and it was just like that four-year old dance recital I wrote about the other day. Our HR director organized a line dance and a bunch of us tried to follow along. Most people got it after the third iteration. I didn't. Most people went left when they were supposed to. I didn't. Ditto with right and back and front and... You get the picture. My drummer was working overtime sending me in my own way. But it was fun.
The crowd started thinning by about eight-thirty and was sparse by ten-thirty (THANK GOD!). We started clearing up and the party that was supposed to end at midnight was over by eleven o'clock - THANK GOD!!
The hurricane vases went back in their boxes. We gathered up all of the stupid crafty bulbs and, as mentioned, I think about 80% of them will show up at work on Monday morning. But that's okay. Scrape the glitter glue off, or rework the number from 2015 to 2016 and they can be used one more time. Loaded everything into our HR Assistant's car and I was free!
I was home at eleven thirty - not even slightly tipsy - and in bed before midnight. Then, this morning, the alarm woke me at six. That was too early after a long twenty-one hour day and night. But I had committed to myself and to Daughter to deliver the carload of furniture I've been trying to get to her for three weeks, so I hauled myself out of bed, out the door at seven and spent five hours on my mission.
Back at home and I collapsed into bed, just waking up at three o'clock to start this.
So the party is in the bag and, looking back, it was just okay. The company was good, but the noise level was much too high for conversation. Remarks and exchanges had to be shouted and were almost inevitably followed by "WHAT??" and a closer lean. Not my idea of an ideal.
Will I go again next year? Probably not. The wallflower / potted plant experience is what sticks out the most. I would have enjoyed myself more if the focus hadn't been so heavy on the noise and thunder. A few decibels (about twenty) lower to allow for easier conversation would have been nice because not everyone wanted to dance but couldn't converse. I would have been happier to have a mix of both, so it's an experience with a chalk mark (I'll chalk it up to...).
As of this afternoon, body and brain feel better connected than this morning. I'm grateful for not having a hangover - despite that Bacardi shot, two glasses of wine (before and during dinner) and my dessert whiskey. Today I got a two hour nap, so I don't feel so icky. I have a new crock pot that I can play with. I'm thinking stews and soups and maybe some other things if I can find good recipes.
All-in-all, it was okay. Not terrible, as I'd expected, but not fantastic either, but that's me.
Looking at the overall event, I think most other people had a great time, woke up with hangovers but memories of a good evening. And that's really what matters in the end. That was the point of it - to say 'thank you' to everyone for their hard work all year, to give people a chance to let down their hair and unwind in a venue other than work. So it was a success and we'll leave it at that.
I hope your holiday season is more enjoyable than my experience last evening - let your hair down and dance, baby, dance.
Best~
Philippa
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