First event of my season

It has begun...

My events season has kicked off and my, what a start it has been. The final week before an event is always the most stressful but this time, everything seemed to go wrong. Every day where was a new challenge and mostly stuff that I couldn't have predicted.

These were interspersed with a dinner at my boss's house, failed trip to the cinema and a Paddy's day celebration in work. We had finally got around to having our department 'Christmas/60th birthday/leaving do' dinner. Myself and Mel spent almost an hour in Cath Kitson trying to find the perfect present for our co-worker. I think we did well (no photos, I'm afraid).

The day before my big event, we had decided to put on a Paddy's day celebration. Myself and Liz picked up some snacks while we were at home and decorations. Our 'in-house' baker, decided to do a Guinness cake this time (see their blog for details). I put on a slide-show of songs that reminded me of home mixed in with funny carlsberg and Irish tourism adverts. Please see the playlist below.

Then it was time for the event. Myself and Mel went up the day before to go through final checks with our Event manager in the venue. Then we went back to the hotel to have a wonderful 4 course meal with 50 other people. I stayed up late to meet the team from the Ireland office and make sure they got settled in ok. Then it was time to rest before the big day. The fun began when I discovered that the pillows were labelled depending on their level of comfort. "See see, this pillow is firm, and this pillow is soft but this pillow is normal".

"Tea and coffee making facilities"

Then it was time for the big day. Got up at 6am to head over to the venue. I got given my walkie talkie (which is why I got in to events in the first place), to contact the venue manager. Then, the day began. It was a blur of: unloading equipment and moving it from room to room, making sure everyone else knew where they are meant to be and doing, running up and down stairs, briefing stewards, fetching things, passing on messages, preparing for my own seminar and then packing up everything once again. Over 400 people coming together to learn more about our organisation, it was very encouraging. I managed to catch up with a few people during the day, especially the ones I had worked with in the past.

Afterwards, a few of us who were staying over, went out to dinner in the hotel restaurant. We had a guest who did not speak much English so we had a race to find the best translation app on our phones. We stayed up until 10.30pm chatting about the Irish rugby victory against England, my road trip around Ireland coming up, among other things. Then it was time to crash.

The next day, me and Mel missed our exist on the motorway so decided to keep on going and make a stop over at Ikea! I picked up a few bits including a vase. Luckily I did because the next day I got given flowers and chocolates as a thank you for helping to organise the event. I love my job!

Then it was time to catch up on the rest of my events and plan for the summer.

So, what next? Well, my tickets for the Dylan Moran gig came in the post, drama rehearsals are coming together (only 16 more until opening night), Ireland road trip plans are nearly finalised, I have an important dentist appointment on Friday and I have to live silently with the bitter irony of the twist of fate that means no one knows I'm really a spy! (love Dylan Moran)


*tear*