Dinners, Luncheons and Dancing, Oh My

So when the laid news came, the flood gates opened for great events.

After some birthday parties, happy hours, and the Wendy show, Tuesday I went to a luncheon at the Paley Center with 50 AMAZING women, to discuss ways the media can help mobilize women and girls around the globe.

And when I say amazing, I mean leaders of top outlets like Lifetime (who is on a serious come up!! LOVE Sherri), and my buddy Courtney from Feministing sitting next to Donna Karan at the table ahead of me. Aside from making great clothes and scents, she had some innovative ideas on healthcare.

And just as I felt myself shrinking in my seat from being around such powerful women, Gayle King waltzes in.

After a great pow wow luncheon, there is mingling. I try to get to Gayle to say hello but she keeps getting stopped and I keep mingling so Im not hovering - no one likes a helicopter. I see her grab her bag and begin to head out. I sigh at the missed moment when she whips around and taps me and waves like we're old friends. Wow, I think. (OWN is also on my lists of businesses Im watching closely). She says how pretty my skin is. I compliment her on her pretty purple dress and she jets out.

I floated back home and worked on my personal website, inspired to make moves.

The next night I went to a dinner Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism hosted, honoring an amazing newspaper reporter who saved lives in Chicago by exposing the great errors of capital punishment cases there. Walking on the campus, it took me back days on the Yard, running around campus covering events for the school paper and researching papers (Im a nerd and was lucky to do papers on issues I wanted to know more about).

Just because Im laid, doesnt seem like the social calendar is cooling off . . . with ten days home in Atlanta next week!

And it just has been a reminder on the importance on building real relationships versus a contact or grabbing a card. Staying in touch with great people has doors opening.

-CJ

(Thats me partying at my friend's surprise birthday party the night after being laid . . . thought it was my coming out party . . .and no, thankfully there is no name for that awful dance:)

How you doin?

Not so good.

I wrote this whole post on going to the Wendy Williams show and it somehow has disappeared. Ah well, the post must go on.

Thats me, my work buddy Jocelyn, left and her buddy. Minutes after we learned most of our team had been axed, she asked me to come along to the show, as she celebrated her BIG 3-0!

Bright colors, sequins, animal print and long hair were everywhere! And the set made me smile.

I actually interviewed Wendy over the summer while she was on the treadmill, to talk about her new show:)

And as her swole husband/fellow producer walked around, he gave her no nod when she thought of belting the football jersey for a show promo for Charlotte. A fellow sinched waist fan I see:) Her stylist opted for a clip in the back to tighten the look.

Late Night Laugh

I heart Gabby Sidibie. Seeing her on Conan's couch makes me smile. She's plus, sized, chocolate, and you totally fall in love with her.

She was also the last interview I conducted at my old gig. I was laid off the day before it was to be turned in, so technically I didnt have to write it up as many of my coworkers shut down right after getting the news.

But of course I did because Precious is a story of many nameless and faceless girls around the country, and Gabby was an enigma I wanted to share, as she was just like and nothing like Precious at the same time. We laughed at her purple obsession and her living with two HOTTIES, including the guy from Precious's fantasy scenes. She giggles with Conan on her N'Sync obsession. For girls like Precious, it's great to see the glow of Gabby. Oscars better recognize . . .

With Free Time Comes Thoughts on Infidelity

So being laid, has given me a chance to not only wallow in my bed, but also my thoughts as I get off of cruise control.

This morning me and the bf had the best heart to heart on church, religion and spirituality (three totally different things) that we have had in months.

Now I'm sitting in my apartment alone, working on my own website. And I feel a tightness in my chest, as A Keys belts out.

Alicia Keys's "Nothing Even Matters" is my jam. But with this new feeling me, I consciously feel what my subconscious has long felt: Not you too Alicia!!

I'm not extra old fashioned when it comes to matters of the heart and open to the many ways love can come knocking.

But a married man is married until he's not.

I didn't rush to judgement on the Alicia Keys/Swiss Beatz love triangle rumors, hoping she would say, miss girl power respects women enough not to go after another woman's man. But the pictures and a personal note from his ex-wife, have made it harder to ignore, especially as Alicia makes the rounds to sell the new album on love, mute on her own love life. I was flipping through People on the train yesterday and there she was being recognized for the great work she does for children with AIDS. That's the Alicia I am happy to have as my little sister's idol. Not the one rumored of home-wrecking.

I don't think celebrities should be held to a higher moral code or the sole role models of kids, but dating someone who is single isn't too much ask.

And if you brand yourself as the superwoman shero, it's not a stretch that married men not be a part of your dating pool.

At least let the ink dry before you swoop in. This goes to Gabby too. Your lack of discretion does a national nod to it being ok to mess with another woman's man.

I was a volunteer for an organization doing amazing things and building a charter school for orphans. So learning the founder was dating and had a child by a prominent and married business man who I admired was offputting. I think she is amazing and her child a doll, but any way you slice it, it is stll messy and having a relationship with another woman's husband.

Of course you can say the relationship was over before you got there and that he's not emotionally involved with her, but if you have to have that many excuses for your love is it really that right?

You didnt take those vows, but he did and is still technically someone's husband. A married man can't cheat if their aren't women who join the party. We all deserve more.

Date Night

Let's be real . . . the laid life still costs money.

Severance is nice and having side projects helps, but you still gotta save for a rainy day, and in the laid life the umbrella is your expense.

So that means we are all about the fun freebies!!

I went to my first opera at Carnegie Hall Saturday night - free!

So, I may have watched too many movies getting all black tie glam when some dress pants and a top would do, I saw from the crowd . . . :)

And last night me and the bf checked out a staged reading of Illmatic by our friend Shaun Neblett, coordinated by his girlfriend and fab publicist Thysha Shabazz, my plus one for the opera who was fab in sequin tights!

The play is inspired by Nas's classic album. We had a blast listening to Shaun's amazing writing and drinking wine . . . at no cost. Thysha has had me inspired to get on my indepedent consultant grind, as she runs her own PR firm from her sexy Harlem studio. It's not easy, having how much you eat depend on how hard you hustle, but it's definitely fulfilling!

After the show, we headed to the meatpacking district to grab dinner at the diner. My old editor put me on to their veggie burgers and Ive been hooked since. Unfortunately, they were so good, I went right to sleep when we got in, ending the part two of the night which was scary movie time. Tomorrow is another day.

We're not sacrificing date night because of our laid status. Just being smart and staying connected (as I type, just got a text for free mani/pedis on Lower East Side:)

Send those freebies our way!!

I Got Laid

tis true, I got laid, and Im loving it!

I got laid off from my first job . . .

I was ready and am embracing the opportunity to go full throttle with the things that make me happy and fulfilled.

And as it seems to be with the story of my life, their is a juicy story.

The coworkers and I read the day before all the news of company wide layoffs, and after a streamline of the work of the department, we knew our department would somehow be cut.

Well, after the majority of our team was sliced and popping bottles and eating sweet potato, i headed to Saks with a coworker for a special event with Maya Angelo.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Jackson" she said, with her warm hand around mine.

Her quotes were pinned in my cube, on my mirror and the bottom of my emails. Her life has touched MILLIONS. I was spellbound and grinning at such a day for me.

Laid off for the first time from my first job out of college. Excited for the rest of my life.

And I have been settling into my new life (watching some daytime TV . . .How you doin Wendy:), making plans for the future and enjoying a moment to have the summer I skipped to go to work.

Me and the bf have even started a new blog to share our laid off life stories as we pursue our passions and live life to the fullest.

see the latest posts and please email your stories to post: http://www.gotlaidco.com/

Change We Can Believe In

Change came to America on November 4, 2008.

And on the one year anniversary of president obama's election, change came for me and the majority of the web team I worked for, when we all got laid.

Was I ready for being told This Is It. Yes.

Was I ready for the way it happened? Not even.

I got up that morning and dressed in my fly girl best, in case my name was called. I knew I was making a contribution to the team, but I also read gawker, the New York Times and other outlets to know company wide, they were slicing hundreds of heads.

And in my department, things had recently been streamlined, so less workers could get things done.

We usually had a morning meeting, but were told it would start late because the number two was running behind. Walking to my cube it clicked that the "spring cleaning" of a senior person of her entire office may have been preparing for this day - and not just a routine clean.

She confirmed the news as her and her protege backed their offices and shut down, after officially being told they were laid.

I sat at my desk. An aim window popped up from one of my best work buddies.

"They let me go."

What?? How? I didnt even see her get up OR come back??

My heart pumped with a mixture of emotions. Sadness for seeing her go, peace for her bright future ahead and wonder if I would be called soon. "Don't leave me!" I wanted to type

We aimed and I talked with another coworker. Then I tried to start working.

Another window popped up.

"I'm outta here" messaged the other work homie I just was talking to.

Again, I didnt even see him get up or sit down, and in ten minutes he had gotten the news.

What is going on??

The two get up thinking they are the cut two of our crew and head off to chat. Im bummmmedd. I was prepared to be laid off, but not for the reality of working without two of my favorite people there.

I run into the office of my big sis of the office. We started at the same time and were the longest ones there of our small team.

I tell her I cant believe what is happening.

She sighs and says "Yep, today is my last day"

I reel back. "What?? I came to tell you about the other two! I didnt know you were laid off too. what is going on?" We talk. Just as I say "I better get called too." my phone rings. I run over and know its THE call. I smile and grab my notepad and pen for the green mile.

The chat is pleasent and my former boss and a company exec exclaim at how calm and bubbly I seem. Guess my peace shined through (which they could appreciated as ?I heard later everyone's chat wasnt as peacful . . .)

Back at my desk I look around and we all realize we had all been laid off. 14 out of 18 people.

And then the party begins! Everyone is packing up, as sweet potato pie and cheesecake are served. Bottles are popped and someone even breaks out their bottle of Hennessey Black for the special occassion.

I call the boyfriend, who had been laid exactly three weeks prior, that I was joining the team!

pic: That's me two years ago at the beginning of my first job journey.