Thursday 3 March 2011

...And then I masquereded as a successful young professional.

Yesterday I found myself amongst the bustling crowds of the Earls Court exhibition. My purpose?
To be honest I was just being nosy

I applied for tickets, they came. I pulled on my smartest clothes at some stupid o'clock hour of the morning and journeyed to London.
I wore a conference badge. My name and my company - a very successful, internationally renowned cosmetics company. However, when walking around an Events Management conference everyone, and quite rightly so, assumes that you work in or around Events. I don't.
I went to suss out the big players, the who's who of the world, what they all do and where... just for personal interest of course, but the other delegates weren't to know that!

I spent most of my day trying to avoid friendly (but not without added purpose) eye contact from representatives on stands. I knew that these very posh hotels and conference centers were going to encourage me, Little Miss Event Planner, to engage in some business deal. However I have no control or input into my company's event budget or how it is spent.

I was unable to avoid the friendly accosting by one such representative from the name of a hotel I cannot remember, but the photographs were impressive. I panicked. Lots.
I spouted a lot of BS about meetings and training days, and only being here on behalf of my manager. I think she saw through it.
I'm glad she didn't expose me as the fraud  I felt like and have me escorted from the premises.

She did however let me have a free cup of coffee and I left quickly. I nursed my pain at the realisation that a £20,000 DRAMA degree hadn't taught me to act better. But I did have a very nice double espresso.
After this encounter, I kept my head down.

I left 6 hours later, with a bag full of goodies. Magazines full of beautiful hotels that I will never be able to visit. And very sore feet.
As good as they look, do not be tempted to wear heels to a conference. Your feet will punish you.

N.B I should like to apologise to the events teams that I was representing by wearing my badge. Any reports of terrible imitator will undoubtedly be linked to me. But don't worry; you won't be receiving any invoices.



On another, entirely unrelated note, I decided to give my fitness regime another go this evening.
I have a Pilates DVD, and a pretty much brand new yoga mat. And a long day at the office needs to be unwound somehow. What better way than to stretch out your body and sculpt a beautiful beach-worthy body at the same time. A perfect combination.

It lasted 20 minutes. Lara Hudson, you perfect Pilates guru, I hate you. I ache in places that I shouldn't.

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