Leaving LA after 5 days of working out of a windowless room for a 500 person conference. Fun times. Sooooo ready to see my kids!!!!!!! And hubby!

To all my meeting planner and hotel/DMC partner friends.

I'm baaacckkkkk!!!!!!!!

So I am back from maternity leave! Actually back 1 week early because our largest incentive conference of the year in Maui was this week and I was NOT missing that! And of course.....if you actually thought I turned off my blackberry and lived in a world of new baby bliss these past 11 weeks you are wrong. I am a meeting planner.....you never turn off. It is impossible!! That or I am a control freak! I didn't want to abandon my team 100% with so much they had going on so I secretly "kept in touch". Shhhh...dont tell Human Resources..... Soo.....a little recap. Had my baby girl Taylor Elizabeth Putman. March 7. 6 lbs 13 oz. 19.5 inches. She is a beautiful baby and such an easy baby as well!! We are blessed.

First week back to work I am on a plane to Maui for our largest incentive of the year. 400 of my closest and dearest friends. Check out this view. Not a bad first week back to work eh????  There is me and my team after a fabulous successful Conference!!  They did such a great job and I am so lucky to have them! 

Amazing right? Well I packed a bathing suit and never got to even put it on. Life of a meeting planner. Typical story of my life as a meeting planner so if you guys actually think I go on these trips and get to enjoy the pool and beach you are wrong!  Spent most time in a windowless office working the behind the scenes magic! With 2 kids now I also have to be in and out as quick as possible. So no pre or post extensions for me in the near future as we used to enjoy with no kids. Sacrifices but you do anything for your kids!!  And I am enjoying every minute of it with them. I also celebrated my 10 year wedding anniversary while in Maui. Bittersweet since he could not be there with me and we honeymooned in Maui!!  I mean really?? What are the odds?? But he had to stay home and be Mr. Mom. But he did send me a giant cheese wine and fruit basket followed by an amazing chocolate covered strawberry tray surrounded by petals in a heart. Awww. So sweet. I am a lucky gal!

So as I depart this amazing destination back to my family, my meeting team proceeds to extend their stays at other islands in Hawaii. I wish I could join them but know any beach can't beat returning home to this...........my loves.  

When they are older we are going to really enjoy taking a vacation after Conference and they can really enjoy the beach and fun!!!  Now I have 1 more week of maternity and then back full time next week!  I am looking forward to diving back into it all!   Aloha everyone!  

Meeting Planner on Maternity

Well I am officially on maternity leave as of Monday. Scheduled to go to the hospital tuesday to start induction. Yes folks. I gave myself a whole day off work to relax before life takes a big fat reality check dump on me. 2 kids under the age of 2. This will be fun! I scheduled a relaxing pre-natal massage and mani pedi at my favorite spa in Houston, Trellis at the Houstonian Hotel and Spa! Seriously the best in town!!! However the morning pretty much kept me on my blackberry answering the 100 emails I had received. We just launched our biggest program registration of the year last week to Maui, I had tried to get it launched earlier so I had time NOT on maternity to get it half way wrapped up but "upper management" took forever to approve the communication. Now my team is covering the biggest registration of the year and I am out. Fun. The overall fact that it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to let go put the blackberry down and just relax I believe is some sort of addiction. Yes, I am addicted to the crackberry and even pushing a baby out is not going to stop me from asking my husband in the hospital after birth to please hand me my blackberry so I can check messages. Yes, its true. It happened with my first kid and it will happen with my second. One of my planners says she cant believe an hour after I had Brady I was emailing. But I guess as a meeting planner, the constant rush of multi-tasking multiple projects at once you are always "ON" and being off is just not in the job description. Well, we will see how this maternity leave goes and if I can try to turn it "OFF" at least a little.....next post I will be Meeting Planner mother of 2. Wish me luck!

Best quote this week

"I dont know how to use a mouse!!! I am in sales, I am not an administrative assistant!!!"

ok, then ma'am.....let me just walk you how to register for your meeting. click on the mouse on the right to open the link.....

days this job really sucks.......

Moving and Meeting Planning dont mix

So, moving sounded like a great idea. New baby on the way, bigger house, more room space place for little Brady to play!!! Well, not when you have my job. Moving day comes a week before a large CEO Meeting which today, YES DURING MY MOVE, they decided to completely change the agenda on me. Ok so now I am anticipating about 20 room reservation changes and attendance changes and updates that I am going to need to make to ALL OF MY VENDORS for a meeting that is in 5 days. Great. This in addition to a 250 person conference in San Diego I need to finalize pack up for that I fly to next week. And I can basically sit here as people pack boxes around me and type away at emails to make all these changes occur. This all in addition to my mother getting sick today who was going to watch our 18 month old son so we could tend to the move which stressed the day more since as I type and make calls, and run after a toddler, all amongst the packing of boxes and furniture delivery appointments.....I may die!!!!!

To top it off... Audit for the company regarding all meetings and events NOW is calling me because they need to review all of the documentation they just spent collecting from me over the past 2 months. Today???? Really??????????? I think the end of the world may be here.

Happy Holidays for the Meeting Planner!!!

MEETING PLANNER 2011 HOLIDAY POEM

Wow, 2011 was an absolute blur
Added responsibilities, doing more with less
But I continue to "raise the bar"
And in the process, elevate my stress

It's not easy to think about next year

I am on overload with business solutions
Which gives me the perfect excuse
To ignore those unrealistic New Year resolutions

I am planning my 2012 meeting agenda

Achieving team goals and objectives a must
Collaborating with all meeting stakeholders
Growing partnerships, building confidence and trust

Evaluating and selecting the perfect hotel is critical
The key to success, as everyone knows
And the best solution is to get on the phone
And call the Incentives & Promotions Department pros

There must be good weather
And lots of fun, you know
And if there's not championship golf
Our chairman won't show

I love managing a meeting with big ROI
It is fulfilling and really gives me a thrill
But I always get a big time headache
Thinking about reconciling the hotel's massive bill

I am consumed with hotel contract negotiation details
Reducing my company's risk is what will appeal
Always hammering out fair & balanced performance clauses
Let's just call it "The Art of the Deal"

My managers expect more meeting value and ROI
I guess post-recession, this is the trend
So I'm implementing my SMM action plan
Which will drive meeting consolidation & leverage spend

I must rework my meeting budgets
And find innovative ways to save
And my big picture goal
Is to make our company CEO rave

I can't succeed without my wonderful industry partners
A team oriented focus is where we all stand
Our collaboration delivers high impact outcomes
And I continue to grow my own personal "Brand"

Senior management's expectations are off the chart
And being a "Super Star" planner takes a lot of work
So, a few extra days off during the holidays
Is a well-deserved perk

Oh, my gosh, it's time to go shopping
Yes, gotta get ready for Christmas Day
So, need to catch-up on all my meeting projects
And start putting all my meeting planning notes away

It's time to focus on family & friends
And enjoy holiday cheer
And I will defer my thoughts of meetings
Until early next year

It's time to enjoy the gift of life and count our blessings
Let's give thanks, reflect and have a grateful point of view
And on behalf of our entire Incentives & Promotions Team
"Good Health, Happiness and Merry Christmas" to you!

Meeting Planner emerges from the rubble...

So I took a little hiatus from blogging because of an enormous load of work, travel and just overall stress!!!

Since August work has taken me to....

Honolulu-nice view

Key West-not a bad view again.....wish I could sit outside and enjoy it.

Chicago-wearing boas in light of the evening dinner theme.

Baltimore

Maui- how cute are we in our leis....


and San Antonio-yup thats me on a longhorn...

Its not all fun and games folks. Day starts off typically with an early morning flight and you hit the ground running either running an event or conducting a site inspection in which you are in back to back meetings with hotel, vendors etc to finalize plans or make some decisions on where you plan to negotiate the final contracts for your meetings and events. Your feet typically end up blistered and bleeding by the end. Sounds so glamorous folks I know.

Since August I have also lost a planner hired a new one and am now searching for another planner for another one I am losing again. Am I working these people too hard??? No....one had to move to kansas and the other is going to be a full time mom. So....its back to the drawing board to get another team member hired and trained in superman time before I leave on maternity.

Yes folks.....I am expecting a little girl in March and I think we are crazy!!!!! But we are excited and looking forward to her arrival in March.

In a nutshell.......thats whats been going on since August and if I really went into detail this blog would be a book so I promise not to be gone so long again as I share more of my stories from my life as a meeting planner and mom as I know it.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!

Quebec City Day 1 and 2

In Quebec for a meeting for our top sales performers. So the trip started non eventful....left sunday afternoon and arrived at almost midnight in order to get to the hotel before most of my attendees and set up, meet with vendors and verify all the events for the upcoming week. Set up Hospitality Desk. Aren't I hospitable looking???

Anyway, my desk was literally at the base of the stairwell where the Fairmont Chateaux Frontenac ends all of their historical hotel tours. Yeah for me. I had to fight off small children, non english speaking europeans and crazy tourists who would make a B-line to my bottled waters and cookies for my attendees as if they thought for sure that sign that reads "this break is only for this company attendees" doesnt apply to me. Stay away from my bottled water you people!!!! Those are expensive and I have a budget I have to answer to!!! One guy actually ran up to the desk took a cookie and ran off. Really people???? Really??????

The first night went well with a nice casual buffet dinner overlooking the St Lawrence River from the hotel. Pretty Room.

I had this horrible dream that night that my CEO's driver that was picking him up at 4:15 the next morning in order to fly to New York for a board meeting forgot him. Well....at 4:17...my nightmare became a reality and got a call that the driver never showed and he was taking a cab!!! Ugh I almost died. I called the company to find out that some guy came downstairs at 4 am and when my driver asked if he was my CEO the guy said yes and STOLE my CEO's ride to the airport!!!!! When we called the driver to ask where the hell he was he said he had the CEO in the car and was on the way to the airport...the "theif" started to laugh......I just have to say that I hope that guy suffers some major injury soon. Who does that?????

Then I show up to the breakfast for my group in the reserved section we had prearranged the day before. All the waiters looked at me like I was crazy and they had no idea about the section we had reserved. Honestly...when I come down the day before and do a walk through with the restaurant manager I kind of expect your employees to have the information provided. lord....

That morning was a bit scary because of a major storm that blew threw. Apparently it hasnt rained in the area like this all summer. Grand.......my luck

But it cleared up pretty nice for our group tour around the area. We started at the falls.

then wine tasting at a local cave a vin....spectacular views!!

a little shopping at a local gallery and then tasting some locally produced mustards ciders and jams from the region. yum!!!!! maple mustard!!!!

We ended the night at a nice restaurant in the area. Some of my more....lets say "meat and potatoes" type attendees didnt quite appreciate the food but hey....cant please everyone all the time.

Lets hope Day 3 goes better. I am ready to get home to my little Brady who just turned ONE YEAR old on Friday!!!!! I cant believe it!!!! Travelling has definately become harder as he gets older!

I need a drink!!!

52 executives/ceos in one board meeting tomorrow and Friday...... 15 presentations and 52 sets stuffed and restuffed again because people keep sending changes (sorry trees).......power strips laid out and taped down to floors so each attendee can use laptops during meetings.........table tents placed and political standing for each of the 52 people taken into consideration as not to "offend" such 52 executives/ceos......changed rooming list 5 times in one day because of "changes".......... booked canceled rebooked and cancelled again sidebar meeting room for exec who wanted to have a breakout meeting.......tested Audio Visual in room....reconfirmed dinner counts.... reconfirmed transportation again.......took calls from executive admins asking questions all day long.......security badges secured from security team...... I NEED A DRINK........................

MOVING DAY!!!!!

For the past 11.5 years at my job, I have had to move department/office locations probably every 2 or so years. We just completed moving again this past week. What a nightmare. I know our department is small on paper 5 total people, but if they only knew how much space we all took up.... I mean......the shipping/receiving area alone is HUGE!!! and dont even get me started on our promotional merchandise closet. I have my suspicions that these moves are just a random source of income for the property managment people....but hey.....who am I to say anything.......

Here are some pics of the pack up. Yes......this is only a fraction of what we had to move....



here is our brand new shipping and receiving/packet stuffing area.


And....the all famous promotional merchandise closet. This one is under lock and key.....we have alot of people who like to come and shop for their clients and meetings here.... : ) coffee mug anyone?


And of course.......ta da......my brand new office. Or as I like to call it "organized chaos".

Well now that we are somewhat settled in.....on to the next meeting.....

Site Inspections Oh My!!!!

Now I have mentioned many times that my job is far from glamorous and fun as most people tend to imagine, but one of the perks I must say are site inspections. This is where you get to travel to a future meeting destination you are going to book for your group. This is done after you have conducted a thorough RFP (Request for Proposal) and reviewed the hotels and venues you would like to see prior to making a final decision and contracting those hotels/venues that are the best fit for your attendees. Now these site inspections are work, the agenda is usually jam packed so you can see all you need to see and your feet probably are bleeding or throbbing when it is all done. The good thing is you do not have 100 needy attendees in tow with you nor do you have to be up at 5 am and down at midnight. You get to see some really spectacular things in the different city destinations you visit, experience some of the culture and great restaurants in the area. This week I did a site in Key West.

First I flew in on a connecting flight on this!!!! Tell me about having a sense of mortality now that I have a baby!!! wow!!!

Now not all sites are going to be the "perfect" scenario....it rained pretty much the entire time I was there. Which meant I really had to "envision" the sun with my group enjoying the different venues. Hyatt in Key West is where I stayed. Pretty gloomy outside...but nice hotel.

We checked out the Hemingway house which I think had about 50 cats living on property...weird.

and the Truman White House. Great history. Kennedy stayed there during the bay of pigs.

We checked out a catamaran which can be used for a snorkel trip or a sunset reception. Because booze cruises are ALWAYS a good time. Check!

And of course the seafood restaurants were great as well.

There are a TON of bars on Duval. It is just hopping with all different types of people. It is kind of like a 6th street in Austin with all the live music and drinkeries. With a beach feel....

By this time I have stopped by the local CVS to pick up bandaids because I have gotten my typical site inspection foot blister. Fun times. Patch myself up and continue on...I am a viking!!!!

I tried keylime pie on a stick.....blah...dont think I am a keylime fan. Oh well. Too bad everything here revolves around key lime something.

Still it continues to rain.......and I look like a wet dog...and my foot hurts.

After all was said and done and I am at the airport getting my power point presentation ready for my executive team in order to make my recommendations.....my flight is delayed.......oh the travelling life of a meeting planner. Delays are never good and if you have a connetion.....boy....even worse!!! So almost 4 hours later I am finally on the tiny plane back to make my connection to houston and luckily there is a later plane back home (since I clearly missed my original flight) which I am able to get a seat on. Thank god!!! I just wanted to be home!!!! 4 hours late and I missed putting my son to bed after being gone 3 days. It really bites but it is what we deal with alot in this industry. Sigh. Now on to make some final decisions for my upcoming program. Cracking the knuckles now!!! Hemingway or Truman...hmmmm???

The Wonderful City of Nashville

Now out of my 11 years in the meetings business I have never been to Nashville for a program. And I just have to say....wow! What a great city!! The food, service, people, museums, nightlife are just awesome!!! I hope to be back there again for more programs soon! I also got to go see my best friend Aimee (Brady's godmother) while I was there visiting. An added bonus!!!

My group had dinner one evening at the amazing Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. Check it out http://countrymusichalloffame.org/ Pretty darn cool museum.
We then head out to tootsies where I had sweet talked the owner into a VIP table right up front! We felt like kings!!!! Check it out. I am a VIP!!!!!

Here is the whole group ready to party on Broadway!!!

Here is the Regional Vice President Todd and probably one of the COOLEST guys on the planet!

The next night we had a section of the Wildhorse Saloon reserved for my group. Great music and a great band!!!

And we had country western dance lessons for the group!!! It was pretty darn funny!!! Everyone had their country western attire on!!! And look at those hot boots!!!!

Yes we had all day business meetings going on in conjunction with this but that is not necessarily the fun part! : )

When I finally got home from being away for 4 days, my son I could tell was not happy with me. He cried when Damon tried to hand him to me. I guess this means I need to cut back on my travel!!! The guilt factor of a travelling meeting planner mom has begun to KICK IN. Took him a couple hours but he was happy I was home again!! I missed him terribly!!!

Get it together people...

All I have to post about today is just before you decide to have a meeting with some major logistical facets such as a 9 week "intensive" training program for a new initiative, attendees from all over the globe, room block and evening events over the course of the 9 week program for the group.....perhaps you should have a nailed down agenda and some realistic meeting parameters you want to follow before having my team contract hotel, build a website and launch registration for this training extravaganza...just saying...what a day...I think I spent 80% of my day fielding questions and emails from people who A: have no clue what the heck is going on B: have even more no clue since they are booking for their boss and C: should just give up because clearly they are not fit to function in everyday society. Now the program is a moving target at this point which is interesting to me......so it is not necessarily their fault but man......Glad this is not my program or budget. What a mess. Now why did I agree to help on this again and send my meeting planners screaming in horror from their cubicles??? Oh yes.....we are the only competent people who can......damn.

Just my soap box for today. Lets get a plan together before doing this fire drill folks.......please???

Happy Father's Day

Being a meeting planner means lots and lots of travel....so there are many times I miss out on many special occasions with my family like birthday's, valentine's day, mother's day etc. Yes all the crazy hallmark moments!!!! But this year I was lucky enough to catch a plane home from California just in time for Damon's very first Father's Day with Brady!!! You give up alot in my insane world of planning and logisitcal craziness and Damon is certainly a hands on dad with as much as I am gone for work. I am so happy to be home with my family once again!!! Thank you Damon for being the most wonderful husband and father in the world!!! Happy Father's Day!!!

Meeting Planner and Home Cooking

In the industry I am in....we learn to eat leftovers off of banquet carts in the hotel "back of the house", cold hors d'oeuvres from the reception earlier that night, buffets, restaurants, and good ole in room dining menu. $20 dollar "not so fabulous" hamburgers are not unheard of with the plus plus added on for room service. Needless to say, "Home Cooked" meals are not very often in my family's repertoire. Even when I am home and not travelling I am just too exhausted many nights to cook a really nice home cooked meal. Yes.....poor unfortunate husband and son but ....they love me anyway!!!!

So the other day my friend posted a recipe on her cooking blog about ground turkey enchiladas!!! Check out her post below. It is AWESOME!!!!!! She always cooks the most delish recipes!!! She has a full time job and a 6 month old!!! I dont know how she does it but she has some major cooking talent....something I lack BIG TIME. http://stickstoyourribs.blogspot.com/

So the recipe my amiga cooked was from scratch enchilada sauce and...her final product looked...well...alot better than mine...(I am new at this can you tell?). But as a meeting planner we have to be resourceful in this industry and do what we can "logistically" to make it work! AND I WAS DETERMINED!!!!

First I limped through the grocery store (still in a cast) to collect all my items in under 10 minutes! I had to get home to the nanny to get Brady!!!! Corn tortillas, enchilada sauce (tex mex), cheese-cheddar and monterey jack, rotel, black beans, taco seasoning, black olives and green onion (I think this was the only "fresh" product on my cart...sigh..).

Got home and immediately cooked the jennie o turkey while shredding cheese! (Hey at least I shredded it and didn't buy the shredded bag!) added taco seasoning and rotel to the turkey meat to give it FLA-VA!!!

Now it was time to feed Brady.....luckily he can do this pretty much by himself now!!! Thank god!!!!! Check him out!

I then layered the baking dish with Pam spray and then enchilada sauce rolled the turkey and cheddar into the corn tortillas and got the "canned" beans (our side dish) ready for MICRO-WAVE!! I know really bad.....Brady got some left over shredded cheese as a snack before his dinner. Rice Cereal and Fruit. Yum! added monterey jack to the enchiladas with sauce on top and baked for 30 minutes.

All and all....it actually came out a yummy delish meal and Damon was impressed with my inspiration to cook! sprinkled green onion and black olives after removing from oven.

Now Damon has leftovers since I head to San Diego this week for a Conference for 3 nights at the fabulous magnificent Grand Del Mar!!!!! This hotel makes me drool!!! Can't wait!!!
http://www.thegranddelmar.com/

Hope you all get some inspiration from sticks to your ribs site!! I know it inspires me!! Wish me luck at the Conference this week.....I actually am on a panel....gulp.....hope I do well!

Expense Reports Oh My!!!!!

Now everyone thinks my job is soooo glamourous and wonderful and I get to travel to fun cities and stay at nice hotels etc. but no one ever thinks about everything else that comes along with the employment responsibilites of a meeting planner. Yes I do admit.. I do get to travel to nice cities and stay at nice hotels but that is just a small percentage of what goes into my day to day routine. I must say that every job, be it a doctor, lawyer, waiter, garbage collector....while they all may have "perks"...(well perhaps not the garbage guy) but they all have the "hate to do" segment of their positions. Mine are expense reports!!! Yes ladies and gentlemen....after every conference/meeting we are tasked with the wonderful job of collecting, auditing, logging and copying each and every expense report associated with that meeting. Here is my stack just for TODAY!!!! I already have writers cramp thinking about signing off on all of these......cant wait to see the stack tomorrow.....sigh.......