Monthly Archives: January 2009

Work Can Be Fun!

Especially when you work at my office!

Today I got an email with a subject that read:

RE: MMM BOP …. Doooo OP!   ooooo OP!  OHHHHHHHHH!!!

That is from my trafficker Todd, who is probably the most awesomely nerdy guy I know.

Inside this email was one of the nicest, most helpful tools that anyone has ever given me in a work environment. After I gained an understanding of the formulas I wrote him back proposing marriage to him. He responded by saying:

Can Max be your maid of honor?

These ridiculous situations help the day go by.

Since all of our ad traffickers live in North Adams, MA, and I work with them on a daily basis, the other Client Service Managers and I are planning a trip there.

When Max got word that I would be visiting North Adams he replied:

JillFleisch (3:57:42 PM): MaxS wfm: emily genende?
MaxS wfm: holy crap were going to poop fun

Pretty standard office convo I guess.

All I knew when I graduated college, was that I wanted to do something communications related, and to work in a cool and fun environment with young people and fresh ideas. I guess after two job moves, I finally got what I wanted.


Ode to John

Oh John, how I love thee…

You make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me sweat, sometimes you annoy me a little… especially when you laugh at me when I am in pain… but John, what oh what would I be without you?

I am completely addicted to you.

I am your bitch.

I will wake up at 9 AM on a Saturday for you, just so you can kick my ass.

I would rearrange my work schedule, my class schedule, my entire life for you.

You have transformed me.

Your positivity and motivation remain a constant in my day-to-day life.

Your programs are perfect, catering to my needs entirely.

Our sessions together are uplifting, energetic, and stimulating.

Even intellectually… when you go into the technical details of every muscle movement. Yes, its a bit over my head and unnecessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

I know you speak from experience, because you have shown me pictures of when you were a fat financial adviser, but now you are a toned personal trainer, and that’s why I trust you.

Not only are you an amazing trainer, but you are also an amazing guy, who loves his nieces and would do anything for them (including canceling an appointment with me, but it’s okay, I’m over it)

Your humor is kind of dumb, but it’s cool, I fake laugh anyway.

Specifically when you joke around with the other trainers, I’m not sure anyone thinks you are funny, but you are so awesome at your job that no one really cares.

You are such a popular trainer, and I am so lucky to have been referred to you. I will never give up my time slots.

I hope one day you will cook one of your amazing Italian dinners for me, because every time you talk about them I salivate.

Good luck moving your instruments out of your rental band practice space this weekend, and I hope your back feels better…

Oh John, never leave me… I will become fat and worthless without you.

Awkward Encounters

That should probably be the name of this blog… but something happened this weekend that takes the cake as far as awkward encounters go.

This weekend was my friend Danielle’s boyfriend’s 30th birthday at Sidebar on 15th and Irving. He wanted it to be a “friends and family” event, so his family came in from all over the country, and it was at 4:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday. For most young city folk like myself, this is an extremely odd time to go to a bar. But my friend Steph and I played along and attended the event dressed to the nines.

Why this party was so sublimely awkward, was that the couple’s parents were meeting at this event for the very first time. I have known Danielle’s parents since I was about nine years old, so it was very unsettling to see The DiMichelo’s while I was getting my drink on on a Saturday afternoon. Nevertheless, Steph and I continued to play along as Danielle’s father Angelo DiMichelo offered to buy our drinks, and chatted casually about our jobs and living in the city.

The awkwardness intensified as Angelo made disapproving comments like, “So this is the kind of place where you guys hang out?”. We thought there was nothing wrong with this bar, but apparently Ang had a major problem.

“There are slim pickings here! I even went to the next room, there is no one here for you. You ladies need  to go to a nice bar, order one drink, nurse it, and then have some guys buy you the rest.”

He was basically giving us dating advise. He was trying to teach us how to have game.

I think neither of us really knew what to do with this advice. First off, we were trying to control our laughter and our darting looks at each other that read, “Is this really happening?”. Second of all, I think we started wondering, does this guy actually know what he is talking about? Because he seemed to know a thing or two about the dating scene.

Shortly thereafter, these two men approached us and started up a conversation. I don’t think they realized that beside us were two parents, but we made them quite aware of that very quickly, to avoid any further awkwardness. It was bad enough that I was getting drunk in front of The DiMichelo’s, but now men were hitting on me! This needed to stop.

Angelo got straight down to business. He started quizzically asking the standard questions, “Where do you work?”, “Where are you from?”, “How old are you?”.

He eventually whispered over to Danielle, “Not good on paper”. He was sizing them up!

I think the boys got sufficiently awkward and finally escaped the interrogating parents and eventually left the bar, probably scarred for life on approaching women at bars.

That was when the awkwardness reached an all time high. I was legitimately drunk, and Toni and Angelo DiMichelo needed to leave. They sensed this and immediately started gathering their things. “Are you going out tonight after this?” Angelo asked. “Yes” I replied. “Good, good. Enjoy yourselves, there is nothing like being young, and you are in your prime.”

They say youth is wasted on the young; but lets keep the young people naive,  and the older, wiser people, home and in bed on Saturday nights.

Jazzy Fest

jazz-fest

Well its booked! Let the debauchery begin!

My friend Allison and I booked our flights to New Orleans last night for the first weekend of Jazz Fest.

The line up includes:

Wynton Marsalis, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Earth Wind & Fire, Wilco, Spoon, Erykah Badu, Irma Thomas, Orishas, Third World, Robert Cray, Etta James & the Roots Band, Mavis Staples, Drive-By Truckers feat. Booker T. Jones, Johnny Winter, Pete Seeger, Hugh Masekela, Better Than Ezra, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Galactic, Roy Haynes, Pete Fountain, Avett Brothers, Kinky, Roy Rogers, Del McCoury Band, Terence Blanchard, Marc Broussard, DJ Jubilee with 5th Ward Weebie and Ms. Tee, Buckwheat Zydeco’s 30th Anniversary feat. The Hitchhikers, Tab Benoit, Locos por Juana, Trombone Shorty, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Yacub Addy and Odadaa of Ghana, Rebirth Brass Band Reunion with Kermit Ruffins, Ivan Neville & Dumpstaphunk, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys, Donald Harrison, The Anointed Jackson Sisters, Tribute to Mahalia Jackson featuring Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples, and Pamela Landrum, Chris Smither, Henry Butler, Papa Grows Funk, Robert Mirabal, Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, Sonny Landreth, Benjy Davis Project, The Vettes, Mem Shannon & the Membership, Stephanie Jordan, Warren Storm, Willie Tee and Cypress feat. Tommy McLain and T K Hulin, Astral Project, Ladysmith Redlions of South Africa, Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders, Amammereso Agofomma of Ghana, The Dixie Cups, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Germaine Bazzle, John Mooney & Bluesiana, Marlon Jordan, Tabby Thomas, Spencer Bohren, Savoy Music Center of Eunice Saturday Cajun Jam, Dew Drop Inn Revisited hosted by Deacon John feat. Wanda Rouzan, Eddie Bo, Allen Toussaint, Robert Parker, and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun, Leroy Jones presents the Fairview Brass Band Reunion Tribute to Danny Barker, Bruce Daigrepont, Vivaz!, Pfister Sisters’ 30th Anniversary, Gringo do Choro, Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band, Thais Clark, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, Henry Gray & the Cats, Joe Krown, Walter “Wolfman” Washington & Russell Batiste, Jr., Lil’ Buck Sinegal Blues Band, EOE, Pine Leaf Boys, Ebony Hillbillies, Crescent City Allstars feat. James Andrews, Hot 8 Brass Band, Schatzy, Jake Smith, 19th Street Red Blues Band, Brasilliance!, Mighty Chariots of Fire, Sharde Thomas & the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band, Chris Owens, Topsy Chapman, New Bumpers’ Revival Jazz Band of France, Zulu Male Ensemble, Jo “Cool” Davis, Leah Chase, Herlin Riley, Roderick Paulin, Mahogany Brass Band, Ingrid Lucia, MyNameisJohnMichael, Texas Johnny Brown & the Quality Blues Band, Rockie Charles & the Stax of Love, AsheSon, Jim McCormick, Lil’ Malcolm & the House Rockers, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Thomas “Big Hat” Fields & his Foot Stompin’ Zydeco Band, Guitar Slim, Jr., Storyville Stompers Brass Band, Willis Prudhomme & Zydeco Express, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Waterseed, Creole Wild West and Golden Blade Mardi Gras Indians, DJ Hektik & the New Orleans Society of Dance with Freedia and Nobi, Tipsy Chicks, Jonno Frishberg & Bayou DeVille, Christian Serpas & Ghost Town, Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective, NewBirth Brass Band, High Ground Drifters Bluegrass Band, New Orleans Night Crawlers Brass Band, Hadley Castille & the Sharecropper Band, Carrollton Hunters and Cherokee Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Big Steppers, Furious Five, and Untouchables SAPCs, Patrice Fisher & Arpa feat. special guests from Brazil, Clive Wilson’s New Orleans Serenaders feat. Butch Thompson, Young Tuxedo Brass Band, Betty Winn & One A-Chord, McDonogh #35 High School Gospel Choir, Sophisticated Ladies feat. Barbara Shorts, Leslie Smith, Cindy Scott, and Judy Spellman, Golden Comanche and Seminoles Mardi Gras Indians, N.O.C.C.A. Jazz Ensemble, Real Untouchables Brass Band, Olympia Aid, New Look & First Division SAPCs, New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Tommy Sancton, Society Brass Band, Connie Jones, St. Joseph the Worker Music Ministry, UNO Jazz Combo, June Gardner & the Fellas, New Orleans Spiritualettes, Smitty Dee’s Brass Band, Kid Simmons’ Local International Allstars, Semolian Warriors, Comanche Hunters, and Golden Star Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, Tyronne Foster & the Arc Singers, Loyola University Jazz Ensemble, Franklin Avenue B.C. Mass Choir, Small Souljas Brass Band, Val & the Love Alive Fellowship Choir, Single Ladies, Family Ties, Big Nine, and Keep N It Real SAPCs, Second Mount Carmel Gospel Choir, Xavier University Jazz Ensemble, Heritage School of Music Band, Gospel Soul Children, Nine Times Men, Single Men, Dumaine Gang, Divine Ladies, and Lady Jetsetters SAPCs, Red, White & Blue and Wild Mohican Mardi Gras Indians, Reverend Charles Jackson & the Jackson Travelers, Nineveh B.C. Mass Choir, Kid Simmon’s Local International Allstars, Voices of St. Peter Claver, David & Roselyn, Grayhawk, Washboard Leo, Red Hot Brass Band, Kayla Woodson & Louisiana Lightnin’….

to name a few.