CELEBRITY SPOTTING AND OTHER NEW YORK THINGS

First the important stuff.

I did end up seeing Julia Roberts.  She crossed right in front of me into her theater as I was walking back to my hotel after Thursday's meetings. How did I know it was her? I don't read every tabloid website and magazine for nothing. I spotted the paparazzi camoflauge immediately: baseball hat, hair in ponytail, dark glasses. Don't celebs know by now that the baseball hat routine ain't fooling anyone? She may as well have been wearing a huge sign that said, "I'M PRETTY WOMAN."  She is taller than I am.

Even more exciting for me, though, was seeing Sway (Calloway).  I spotted the dreads and the blazing red baggy sweats from 20 feet away. I wanted to go up to him and say something like, "I'm from San Francisco, too!" But that would have been stoopid.  I am taller than he is.

So, how to sum up the last 48 hours?  I'll do it brain dump-style.

Flop sweat
I don't know how people talk in front of cameras for a living.  I had four lines to say.  It took no longer than 30 seconds to say them. There are people standing all around you looking at you telling you to relax, which is im. possible. when there are people standing all around you looking at you telling you to relax. About 3,256 do-overs later, my video stint was done.  I sweated like a pig rabid wild boar through the whole thing.

I also perspired while talking to just about every higher-up I had to meet at a cocktail party. The moment I was asked something about me, it was like they were beaming a laser onto my face. I instantly turned into Nixon during the Kennedy debate. So not smooth. Fuck.

Cool jobs
Photographers have a cool job.  So do make-up artists. So does everyone who worked in the building where our meetings were held. Except the security guards.  They looked bored.

Being in your 20's in the corporate world
First, there's the 20-something clothes which are, fab.  I mean, only in your 20's do you go to work in a white cotton shirt jauntily-tied at the waist, a black skirt with large white polka-dots on it, bare legs, and sling-back pumps.

I can't help it.  Everytime I saw a two 20-something hipsters talking to each other in the halls, I thought, "They're totally picking up on each other."

Case in point, overheard in the elevator:

Hipster Girl: "What did you do before this?"
Hipster Boy: "I worked at a medical supply place."
HG: "Was it in New York?"
HB: "Um...Yonkers."
HG: "That is sooo cool!"

Being in your 30's (or older) in the corporate world
Rules.

Arm rest hogs
My whole flight home I had an armrest hog sitting next to me. (Remember, seating karma?) Now, the best part about flying Jet Blue is being able to watch about 30 channels of DirectTV starting from the moment you get on the plane until the plane is parked at the gate. The worst part is having to to nudge the guy next to you's arm off your controls everytime you wanted to change the channel. Asshole.

One thing I know
I do not like hearing my children's voice over the telephone. I especially do not like listening to Bunny read a bedtime story to Wallie when I am not there.  Usually I am the one holding the phone so that the girlie-q's can talk to J. during the day, or to family members who are far away.  Now I know how they feel.  I don't like being on the receiving end of those sound waves. That's one thing I know.

And that was my trip to New York.

Comments

[Dianne]

I know you must be thrilled to be home! New York is amazing, but being away from your children takes some of the luster away I would imagine.

[HolyMama!]

another thing about hearing your kids on the phone? they sound so much younger than they do in person! and that triggers mommy guilt. gah.

my mom was on the same flight as renee russo recently. yep. same 'i'm not a celebrity hat/glasses' thing.

[Wood]

Welcome home. I can't imagine you sweating; I'm sure you looked glamourous and gorgeous. And you got to have make-up artists work on you? I've always wanted to do that. was it fun? did they give you good tips?

[Jules]

You are so celeb~ And I would have loved every minute of the camera thing..."what's the point of doing anything if there's no one to see you do it?" That's the real me. Sad, but true. Welcome back! Happy Mom's Day, too. For real.

[Gerah]

So, I am still completely confused about what it is you are doing in New York... When do we get to find out details? You're killing me here!!!

And, the big question: Would you trade in the childless corporate hipster life for the one as mommy?

(I didn't think so.)

[Mom101]

Gerah: can't you have both a corporate hipster life AND be a mommy? If not, I'm screwed.

[CityMama]

So happy to be home, y'all.

Wood--I got no tips from the makeup artist but she did ask what color lipstick I was (already) wearing. I cringed ever so slightly when I told her it was Maybelline "Wet Shine Diamonds 'Glowing Glimmer.'"

Gerah--wouldn't trade it for anything, but I feel lucky to be able to work from home (let's put it that way). I really do love working.