"Lucy, you got some splainin' to do!" - September 2008

Okay, it's been a good two weeks since my last real post, so I suppose a little splainin' is due.

I have three letters N.S.M.

After literally MONTHS of preparation our National Sales Meeting rolled into town the week before last and camped out. It occupied the greater part of my waking, and should be sleeping hours. This was also the case for many others that I work with until it concluded late Thursday evening.

All of Friday was used for recovery. Not only did I sleep like a rock all Thursday night, I think I took a grand total of three naps throughout the day on Friday. Needless to say, when Saturday rolled around I was well rested and ready to hit the town with my favorite person on Earth… My husband! I also had the chance to reflect on the week. While there were a lot of interesting stories to tell, there is one that stands out as completely blog worthy!

With 1,200 of our highest performing employees brought in from the far corners of the United States, each evening played host to an event designed for team building and to celebrate the accomplishments of the year. Although each evening was an absolute blast, Wednesday is the night I will tell you a little bit about.

So there I was making my way from our parking Garage to the local NBA Basketball arena dressed in a Mossimo tee, my most comfy blue jeans, and my favorite and most tattered pair of flip flops, a simple pair of black J. Crews I bought on the fly before spring break my sophomore year in college.

All is well until I hit the steps and feel a tugging on the back of my shoe, a snap and then the cold tile of the Forum floor on the bottom of my right foot. I turned to find my good friend Rodney red faced and holding the afore mentioned 8 year old flip flop in his hand.

"You broke my shoe" I said to him.

"I did" he replied, face even more red now than before.

“You broke my shoe!" I repeated with a slight tinge of panic in my voice. I had the rest of the evening in front of me, the gift shop was not open, and there were NO extra shoes anywhere within arm reach.

"I know!" his voice adapting the same frantic tinge. His eyes brightened “you can have mine!” for a moment, we both stared down at his black lace up boots and I am almost sure we both imagined his size 4000’s on my size 5 feet. I shook my head slowly from side to side.

"I’m sorry." he said and I could tell he really was.

Long story short, as a result of the events of Wednesday before last, I am the proud owner of a brand new pair of black and white Puma flip flops that I paid a whapping $16.97 at the foot locker in the practically empty shopping mall down town.

I hear the question you are thinking right now. "Lili, how on earth did you make it to the mall?" Well ... I was carried. No I'm serious!!! Rodney felt so bad about breaking my shoe and making me stand on the nasty floor of the forum that he carried me the four city blocks between the arena and the footlocker to procure a new pair of shoes. All I can say is… I guess we are even.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!