OK, so we need to set the scene for this one. Paul declares that under no circumstances is he going to the international client reception. We try (and fail) to find the "special client leaders" reception. We stood in the foyer at the alloted time but the payphone didn't ring with the next clue for the actual location...so we set off to get something to eat and walking past the international reception, Paul says, "OK, let's go in there for a bit but we are out by 7" (which was about 10 minutes), finally dragged him away about 8-ish. Anyone else know that was going to happen?
Soooo, international (certainly more people than the horror Helen and I experienced in Baltimore) lots of Bb people, some new UK faces and some old UK faces - you know who I mean. Good to get the chance to catch up with Demetra (who says hi everyone), Aaron Goldstein (still laughing and looking confused) and Paul Grist (one of my fave Bb people ever who I haven't seen since his Edinburgh humilification, it was great to catch up). Carl O'Keefe, Joe Mitchell and Paul Helm set up some kind of scousers-by-the-bar special interest group and various US-Bb people kept asking me really difficult questions. The nice lady from Reading tried to get me to explain our entire portal strategy in 5 minutes, Juan Luca (Head of International) tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a payrise for me with Paul. Aaron and Carl had clearly got the "try to weave the word 'outcomes' into every client conversation" corporate memo, Demetra had not (thank goodness). UofLeeds people made quite an impression on Paul and Mary for very different reasons. I got an invite to Amsterdam to run some staff development sessions for the sales team, to tell them "fully and frankly" what it is like from the client end...hmmmm...I think I could do that.
But the big news of the event was that there was pineapple on the buffet so Paul was happy and Mary and I were spared the anticipated pineapunt (trekking from restaurant to restaurant trying to find one that sells pineapple). Dinner later was interesting (Paul's turn to choose) not too bad but we did all wimped out of trying the "cheeseburger pizza". So you see, Boston, not just portmanteau words but also portmanteau food :0)
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7 comments:
Surely you have cheeseburger pizza in England too? Nothing like hamburger, cheddar cheese, and ketchup on a pizza...
No, Brian...we really, really don't.
no we don't, but i was made to try a pork pie sandwich by a friend from leicester last christmas so we're not entirely blameless in the UK.
naanza - a pizza style dish made from a naan bread, with a curry sauce in place of tomato sauce, and toppings such as chicken. can be found in the frozen aisles of the less high-class supermarkets in the uk, unfortunately, though you're unlikely to find it on a restaurant menu :)
porpiwich: pork pie + sandwich = a comedy dish invented by leicestershiremen and inflicted on unsuspecting 'foreigners' as revenge for them living in a more interesting county (eg, yorkshire) :)
What about shame-dropping (as in shameless name dropping)...do I get a point or a P45 for that one?
Obviously it could have an alternative meaning after several gins...
oooh - a few more points - 2 for Liz and 1 for Abbi (welcome to the party Abbi). I really like the shameless name-dropping - although aren't people supposed to be "names" for that to work (?), rather than just part of our extended humilified family...every person mentioned so far has a humilification story - it is like an entrance fee :-)
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