the CEO and the Pioneer woman

So I was getting ready for work yesterday and thought to myself "hmmmm, I wonder when the Pioneer woman is going to be here". I knew she was coming because I had read it on her blog recently. So I run to the computer fearing I had missed her and much to my surprise she was scheduled to be here that day!! I told myself that I would definitely find a way to be there and that I wasn't going to call 8 million people and tell them because then that would add to the crowd that I would already have to fight to see her.

Then, my phone rang.

me: Hello?

Hi Julie, It's Rebecca (my boss)

me: Hey Rebecca, what's up?

I have you scheduled to work alone today until 2.

me: oooookay? (rolling my eyes and wondering why she felt the need to call me and tell me this...I work alone all the time)

Well, rumor has it that Renato Cataldo is in town so I just wanted to give you a heads up. There's a chance he may stop by our studio (with excitement and a little nervousness in her voice).

me: alllright, who's Renato Cataldo? And why is he coming to see me?

UHHH, the CEO of the company!! And he's making surprise visits to some studios in the valley. (then she gives me the whole talk about what I should do if someone walks up to the counter and how I should be friendly and recognize them immediately...you know, because I'm so unfriendly and never do that ANYWAYS!!)

So we hang up and I go to work. Then the phone rings at work and it's a manager from another studio...Hi Julie, It's Chris...has Renato shown up there? (all the while hyperventilating and sounding very nervous)

me: no but I'll call you if he does

okay. Thanks Julie...I'm so nervous.

me: no prob...bye!!

Once I hung up I wondered why everyone was so flustered by this? I mean, he's the CEO. He's a normal person like you and me. It's not like the president was stopping by. The way I feel about it is as so: If you're doing your job and you're doing it right, then you have nothing to worry about. Right?

So about an hour later, I'm on the phone with Rebecca again and who walks up to my counter but the CEO. He was actually quite nice and didn't have a negative thing to say. He asked me a few personal questions..how many kids?, all from the same marriage?, what I did before I worked there?, etc. Of course, I had to brag about my freshman who's on the varsity football team!! Then I had to argue with him when he said if it was Soccer then he would care. But since it's just football, he just can't get that excited. All in all it was a great experience and I was thrilled to have met him. Not many associates get that opportunity.

I was off by 2 and decided I would go meet the pioneer woman. I went by myself and met lots of really nice people. A little later in the evening I called Diane who lives just 2 miles from there and she came and spent the evening with me just hanging out and chit chatting. I'd never been to a book signing before and I've always wanted to meet the pioneer woman!! And yes, I did get her cookbook! Good times, good times!!