Hmmmmmm.......... Some Good Stuff.......And Stuff......

So like I wake up this morning and stuff. Truth be told, I wasn't really in a very good mood. I have a big new prospect meeting, and I'm not really into it. I tried to get a meeting with these people for awhile, finally got one, and worked up a customized presentation over the last couple of days.
Yay. Woop-de-doo.
I'll be presenting to 9 people, including all the decision makers. A 1 time only, make or break meeting.
I'm running slow, so I don't stop and get my diet Pepsi. Oh man, not a good omen. I NEEDS my diet Pepsi!
So anyway traffic is not too bad, and I get to my appt. in the city about 15 minutes early. (I always try to be a 1/2 hour early for any scheduled appointment - yeah I know. I'm anal retentive........) I go in, check in with security, and get my badge. Man, I really don't want to be here.

"Mr Lombozo?"

"Yes Miss."

"I'm Charlene. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine Miss."

Now this is a funny moment. When a woman holds out her hand for a handshake, you have less than a second to decide how to shake it. Take her hand like a gentleman in a 'half' hand shake or take her hand as you would with another man. Body language, and eye contact are the clues.
She stood erect and self confident. Her eyes never left mine. OK a man handshake me thinks.
Good call. She actually had a good firm handshake.

"Please, call me Charlene. We'll be meeting in the conference room."

"Lead the way."

So we do the small talk thing as we board the elevator.

"Lombozo, Mr. So&So is going to join us as well."

Having researched the company, I knew that Mr. So&So was EVP Marketing. How cool is that?!

"Lombozo, why don't you make yourself comfortable. We'll join you in a couple of minutes. Would you like some coffee, juice, or water?"

"No thank you Charlene, but thank you for the offer."

Man! You should see this conference room. Warm polished wood adorn the walls. A Mahogany conference table. Man! I wish my chairs at home were this comfortable. An amazing video display. Pretty cool stuff.
So I pull out my laptop and get ready.
Oh come on.
It's not loading.
'The file you are trying to access cannot be opened.'
Just as I'm getting ready to use my laptop as a frisbee, the door opens and everyone comes in. Oh boy - gotta do this one on the fly now.

Charlene says:
"Lombozo this is.........." and we go around the room introducing ourselves. No one acted as though this was an imposition to be meeting with me.

OK take it in, what am I dealing with here? Business casual for the most part. Alot of Rolexes, most wearing wedding bands. No facial hair to be seen. Well groomed, and all very comfortable in each others company. Most had notepads. No one had a drink of any kind.

Ok. Got it. I'm ready.

So I do my thing. I start out by joking about my computer.
I always speak to the room as a whole. Continually making eye contact with each individual around the table throughout the meeting. They all kept my gaze. I like these people.
After about an hour we wrap it up. It was a good meeting. They have needs, and I had solutions. Good stuff.
As I'm walking out I hear "Yo lombozo!"

"Tony?" In my last profession Tony was my biggest client. A good friend as well.

"What are you doing here lombozo?"

"I just met with the So&So group. Tony it's great to see you, man. What are you doing here?"

"I'm the new Director of Communications. I'm still sad you left the printing industry. So far I haven't found anyone who makes my life as easy as you did."

What a compliment!

"So what kind of a print spend do you do annually Tony?"

My knees buckled when he said the amount.

Now, most of you don't know it, but I HATE my current job. It's interesting, and keeps my mind going, but I really don't like it. 20 some-odd years at my previous profession, I can say that I miss it alot. Now as luck would have it, Doug, a friend from my previous profession has been chasing me to come back for a little while now.

"Tony, let me tell you. I'm thinking about going back to the Graphic Arts."

"Lombozo. I want you to call me here less than a minute into your first day back in the business." And he winked at me.

"Will do."

"Give me your new cell number lombozo."

"It's still the same."

He pulled out his cell and read off the number he had for me.

"Yep, that's it."

"I hope I see your number pop up on my screen real soon. Every purchase order going for print is decided by me."

My knees buckled again.

Hmmmmmmmmmm....................... Nice weekend coming up, and I need to make a decision..........

Hmmmmmmmm................. I like decisions like this one!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Just follow your heart..cause it will lead you to where it's all good.

Your a damn good writer Lombozo.
Just do what you enjoy doing,
or enjoy doing what you do.
Those are the only two ways about it really, otherwise you'll be living in misery.