Martha Does Business

I probably shouldn’t title things like that. I already have enough people who think my name is really Martha.

LORI. LORI DOES BUSINESS. The other title is just funnier.

I should probably stop with that, now that I think about that. It perhaps suggests something else altogether.

Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you to everyone who left supportive comments and tweets yesterday. I was secretly reading them during the day to keep myself psyched up, I was just exhausted by the time I got home and could not reply in my normal way.

Also, there is no purposeful intent to be secretive or enigmatic. Trust me, what I’m doing is not that interesting. I just don’t want a potential client to end up here to see my paint obsession, or heaven forbid, find the post on the Brain Absorbing Sponge, so I avoid certain words. But if you truly have a burning desire to know what the business is, drop me a line in the comments and I’ll email you the URL of the business website. See? Full disclosure. I am not selling inappropriate merchandise or marketing myself as a spy! So stop thinking that.

Lillith asked for pictures. I only managed two.

First, here is the non-suit.

I changed at work before driving to the city, and did a fashion show for my co-workers to decide if I would go with that sweater or wear the black blazer I brought with me. The consensus was the sweater.

But I felt naked without the blazer, it turned out.

A  bunch of men in dark suits, and me in my bright dress and sweater. I was okay with the dress.  But I missed my blazer.

And this was the view directly to my left:

I was on the 27th floor of a high-rise building, two blocks from the Trans-America Pyramid. I could have hit it with a rock if I’d thrown it. (A rock, not the pyramid.)

Did I mention I had to show my photo ID twice to get into the building and security searched my car? I think they searched every car, unless a dust-coated 96 Camry with empty happy-meal boxes in the back fits some sort of profile. (And those would be my happy-meal boxes. The  kids won’t go near a McDonalds. Where did I go wrong?)

The meeting itself….went brilliantly well!

I contributed meaningful observations.

I asked intelligent questions.

I had many many people come up to me to learn more about what I do.

The main speaker came up to me at the end to ask for my card because he liked my contribution so much.

I did not fall down with my skirt riding up (thank you Kris, for that image. I almost snorted a ke-bab.)

I did not spill red wine on my new dress.

I did accidentally call one of the speakers Jeff when his name is really Rick. But I think he forgave me.

I met a man whose wife used to do what I do (sort of). She actually wrote a book. I want that book now. It’s out of print, but the man said he had some extra copies and would send me one.

A dozen people asked me for my business card.

I learned lots about this new industry that I’m trying to work my way into. I can now spew at least half a dozen acronyms that I did not know before yesterday. I love when I can sling the lingo. It makes me feel savvy and important.

And the very, very best part….I made it home in an hour and fifteen minutes. Leaving San Francisco at 6:30, I thought I was going to get home some time on Sunday.

Which means I can work on Phase Two of the Dramatic Patio Reno this weekend.

Which is really good, as an appraiser is coming next week, and we would really like to repair the dry-rot on the deck before he shows up.

Dry rot + home appraisal = failed re-finance.

I have issues around failing at things.

You may have noticed.