Professional Face
Posted May 12th 2009by Ebenezer
I’d forgotten how much I enjoy what I do. I work from home and teach a few classes online; I do a fair amount of consulting work via the internet and get my grown up time that way. Working a conference like this is different – I really get my “professional groove on” if you know what I mean. Selling our services and drawing people in to gain their interest…. I love it. I get a rush out of it.
I’m goofy by nature and I think it helps in a situation like this – people respond to goofy. Except when they don’t. Then it’s just embarrassing. But mostly I do okay engaging strangers.
I’m glad I don’t get too embarrassed too easily. For example, last night when I went to grab the elevator there were three men waiting as well. Dressed in suits, all professional and everything. They were gentlemen and stepped back so I could enter the elevator first and I was quite the lady by TRIPPING AND ALMOST EATING THE FLOOR! Seriously. I guess my shoe caught in the tiny space between the floor and the elevator and I almost ate it. it wasn’t a slight mis-step that could easily be overlooked with a smile. It was a big thunk and me catching myself on the wall. All three of the men immediately gasped (and I’m sure used all their self control to not laugh). I laughed. I looked at them and said something like, “well, guys, I just thought I’d entertain you a bit at the end of a long a day.” They smiled politely but didn’t laugh. Instead of shutting my mouth and letting it go, I continued with “Guess I shouldn’t have had that last drink.” (I hadn’t had even one). Still….nothing but polite smiles and looks of pity. Again, Cindy…. shut up and wait for your floor. But no. They weren’t laughing and I really needed them to laugh. One last attempt by saying, “you can tell I’m used to falling when it doesn’t even phase me anymore.” N.O.T.H.I.N.G. The more I talked the more I felt like an idiot. If only they would have laughed.
What a friggin’ idiot. I almost think my continuous (and feeble) attempts at getting them to laugh with me are funnier than the tripping. Why couldn’t I just leave it alone? Why was I obsessed with saying stupid things to get them to laugh, as if that would excuse the tripping in the first place.
Oh well, at least I didn’t split my pants.
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