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July 15, 2006

I'm a Failed Event Planner

There are a lot of human beings that are gifted in some areas and not so gifted in others. Likewise, there are many human beings that are not particularly good at anything - most of the time these unfortunate people are aware of this. And then there are those who are good at many things (One might call these people "Jacks of all trades, masters of none."). 

I'm typically pretty modest, but I'll admit, I'm pretty fortunate to be gifted in several areas. The problem is that most of my giftings tend to be in the same category (the arts - music, writing, performing, etc.), and the very things that most ordinary people are somewhat gifted in, I have absolutely none at all. For instance, I am a horrible - repeat, horrible! - publicist, but once someone else who is more gifted in that area (and believe me, it doesn't take much) actually gets the people there, I can entertain them (at least on some level).

One of the areas I have discovered I am increasingly bad in is the area of event planning. Although I have never been particularly good at organizing events, I find that this is one of the areas I become progressively worse in the more I try to do it. For one thing, I have virtually no common sense! Yes, my wife finds this extremely frustrating and I can't say I blame her. But it's true.

To give you an example, we've recently discovered that our fourteen-month-old daughter seems to inherit her mother's gift of common sense and street smarts. The other day, she had tried to get into our pantry (an everyday occurance), and when she could not reach the shelf she wanted, she walked away. I was amazed to discover moments later that she had returned with the dog bed, which she proceeded to turn upside down so that the solid end was facing "up." She then - knowing immediately what she had been planning - climbed up onto upside-down the dog bed and reached for the item on the shelf that she wanted. My wife smiled and said it sounded like something she would do. I looked bewildered and thought, "That's BRILLIANT! I NEVER would have thought of that!!" 

(Now, keep in mind I can tell you every actor's name from "Stripes" but outside the performing arts category, there's not much else I can do.)

One lesson I have learned the hard way: when a laser tag venue tells you it shouldn't be necessary to reserve the venue on a Friday night, and you are preparing to bring in twenty teens to play laser tag, never take the worker's word for it. ALWAYS reserve it anyway, just in case. You Type-A's out there already know this - it comes natural for you - but believe me, the Type-B's of the world don't catch the drift so easily and we often suffer for it. 

Also, when a particularly popular restaurant tells you that as long as you show up early, you should be fine (especially when they don't take reservations, but the food is very good), DON'T listen to them. Instead, run - not walk - as far away from the establishment as possible and reserve your table at Olive Garden! Again, Type-A's know this, Type-B's? Not so lucky.

So, in review, when you're looking to have dinner in a popular restaurant or enjoy a good game of laser tag, don't ask me to plan such an event (and please stay away from weddings, Christenings, and bar-mitzvahs around me). If, however, you would be interested in having rain, sleet, snow, or virtually any other kind of stormy condition at every outdoor event you would want to plan, give me a call. I'm thinking of making a regular business out of it.

23:23 Posted in General | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this

Comments

Eh, you can't be good at everything, Bryan. It would not be fair for us mortals. :)

Posted by: kairos | July 17, 2006