I'm ready to go!

First things first, some of you will be happy to know that I will be continuing on as a Tennessee resident and will not be joining the "land of fruits and nuts" at this time. I myself was glad to hear it. I'll be getting in 3 hours later than original but when we are talking about just under 32 hours from the time I leave until I get home, what's 3 more hours, right?! OK, I'll just keep telling myself this and see if it works!

So now onto bigger and better things, well maybe. I must say that I'm really glad that my vacation dates overlapped with the Office Christmas Party dates this year, so not only did I hand over the planning to the marketing department (I did offer to stay involved and help, but they didn't seem to want me, so I bowed out), but I don't have to feel obligated to attend either. Last year I planned most of it with the girl in Marketing and I thought it was very nice and well attended. However, we did change some things from the year before and there were quite the number of complaints. They even started so early that they hindered the planning itself to some extent. We were all set to have it at one of the old plantations in the area in their barn and stables, which is set up for holding events. Well someone, found out about it and said they wouldn't attend then because it was a plantation and used to have slaves. I was floored, I couldn't believe that someone really had those feelings! I never did determine if that was the case or we just had people that didn't like the idea and were trying to cause trouble. So we moved it at the virual last minute and didn't have room for dancing even, because we were lucky just to find a place that was still available on our date.

Well then, this year I started on it very early and we had decided last year what we wanted to do and where we wanted to have it, so I reserved the date we made our donation and had the caterer reserved, etc. The only thing I was still working on when I realized I wouldn't be here was the music. Well, now it is at a completely different place (they said there wasn't going to be enough room at the originally chosen venue) and I think that means they had to cancel the caterer and go with the venue's own food service. I also heard through the vine that there will be comedy entertainment and CD's spinning for entertainment. Well, like I said I haven't paid too much attention since I know I can't go.

Until this afternoon when a concerned employee came to my office and told me who the entertainment was and that they are a "drag queen". Oh boy, now what do I do. I'm not really in on this and have no idea what's been going on. Since my boss (the CEO) will not be back in the office before I leave on my trip, I pondered what to do. Finally I asked the girl in marketing if we could chat. I told her that someone had come to me with concerns that maybe this had been misrepresented and they hadn't know the full scope of what they had approved. She assured me that she had told my boss the full story and left the decision with him. OK, then that's all I wanted to be sure. She was frustrated that people are complaining already especially since it isn't public knowledge. She said that it is a couple of people who do comedy and impersonations, and that some of the impersonations may be men dressing up as women, but that the person who arranged for the show has assured her that it is in good taste.

Again, all I have to say is, "I'm really glad I won't be there to have to worry about it." I'll be in a plane over the Pacific in my last three hours of the longest flight of my life into LAX. Oh well. I'm much more comfortable at small parties with friends or my Sunday School classmates. I'm hoping to catch those after I return. I know you can't please everyone, but where do you draw the line of what is "tasteful" or "appropriate"? It may seem like an easy question to answer, at least for yourself personally, but unless you can take the heat I wouldn't recommend large event planning!

OK, so the laundry and last-minute purchases have begun. The list has been made for over a week. I have work to organize, finish and delegate. I have a project to finish at home. I have to stop by to say good-bye to my nephews. If I had a place to put them I'd start putting things aside with the suitcases. Oh well, all in good time. 85 hours from now I will step off a plane to see my parents!!