New thing #1

Nothing quite like starting a new blog and taking a week off. That's how I roll these days, I guess..

This week marked my first attempt at a new activity -- my friend Lauren talked me into going to the inagural meeting of a young professionals' philanthropy group in Ann Arbor. It sounded like a great idea two months ago when I RSVPd, but Wednesday morning, when I looked at my calendar and realized that the event was in less than ten hours, I panicked. First, since there was no real definition of "young" on the website, I started to wonder if the room would be teeming with 23-year-olds and I'd be too matronly for this thing. And second? I elected sleep over makeup that morning, and I'd just spent the entire weekend teaching myself how to do the Soulja Boy. Professional? Not so much.

The event started at 5:30, but since I work an hour away and had a meeting until 4:30, I told Lauren I'd be there by 6. I had the address written down very clearly: 501 Main Street.

At 6:05, I parked in a parking garage near what appeared to be 501 Main Street. After six years in this city, it was a fantastic opportunity to learn that Main Street indeed has a NORTH and a SOUTH. Who knew?

So...back in the car. Finding a parking space near the correct 501 Main Street? Not so easy in my town. I ended up parking several blocks away in a lot perpendicular to the place I needed to go. At this point, it was pitch-black and about 28 degrees outside. I was in a desolate area of town, and probably shouldn't have been walking around alone. By 6:30, when the event was just about over, I finally found the damn building. I knew it was too late to make any kind of entrance, but I just wanted to get out of the cold and scrounge for leftover triscuits and crackers. I tried the door...LOCKED.

I figured I must have the wrong building, but at this point, all I wanted to do was get back in my car and out of the cold -- and declare my first attempt at a hobby a complete failure. Unfortunately, the theatrics didn't quite end there. I couldn't remember where I'd parked! I thought I'd parked in a certain lot, but when I got there, I realized that I hadn't actually parked in that lot, or maybe I had, but I had entered from a different side. I walked a few more blocks, realized I had no idea where I was, and called my husband in tears.

"Hello?"

"(Sob) I can't find my car. And I'm cold. And hungry. And a homeless guy is staring at me. I'm going to kill Lauren. Help!"

There wasn't much he could do in terms of helping me, so I don't know why I called him in the first place. I started wailing about how I should have gotten OnStar, even though I don't know what OnStar is and if it could really help me, and also, if they put it in Korean-made cars. But in the commercials, they save people from dying. Right?

Just before the frostbite set in, I found my poor little Hyundai just where I'd left him. At this point it was almost 7, I'd missed the entire event, and I felt not only not young and non-professional, but like an idiot. (I talked to Lauren later, and it turns out I was at the right building; they must have locked the doors after 6.)

So, "new thing" #1? Not such a success. But it probably wasn't for me, anyway...I guess most of the people who showed up worked in real estate and were all wearing suits. Nothing wrong with that -- just not really my crowd.

The good news is I think I've picked up a pretty sweet freelance opportunity that will keep me busy in my free time. I'll have more to report next week.