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Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Par-Tay


I ran the pilot of Positive Teaching® for Lower Primary Parents yesterday. It was a bit of a mess but methinks it was a happy one. The first mess was when almost every one of the 15 participants brought food enough for 15 people. The pilot run was free so people brought food to share instead. There were assorted food boxes filled to the brim with curry puffs (that the lady had to GO EARLY to buy or risk having it get sold out)... there was a 2kg Cedele cake... chicken wings from Old Chang Kee... 2 HUMONGOUS pizzas... a WHOLE POT of curry... a mountain of char siew pau... TWO 3ft long strudels... ok, you get the drift. The food took up the generous kitchen countertop AND the table where I had meant to sit at to calmly and systematically collect money for Petunia's upcoming book.

The next mess was during the Seminar. See... what with food and drink and a bunch of Aunties (plus one serious looking Uncle), these Seminar participants were ANYTHING but quiet. There were questions and then there were people other than me who wanted to answer those questions... share their experiences. Which of course was fascinating for everyone including me... except that internally, I was starting to panic because I knew the Seminar would drag and bust the time. Normally, participants don't at all like it when the Seminar ends late. People wanna go home on time... or they have other stuff to attend to. Singaporeans are a plan-ful people. Everything must go according to plan. Well... the workshop timing WASN'T going according to plan. I was gonna end real late. Strangely, this lot didn't take it too well when I employed the couple of unobtrusive techniques I have for hurrying things along. They complained the Seminar was too short! If you don't believe me, see the photos below that I took of their feedback. This lot didn't wanna go home! Of course, I didn't mind because I was already at home. Kekekekekeke!

The 3rd and most glorious mess was when I ended the Seminar. Everyone sort of started talking all at once. It didn't look anything like a Seminar. It looked like a party (pronounced as part-ay). I had envisaged a systematic collection of book orders at a nice table to the side. Since there were 2 huge pizzas there, I had to manage the money amongst the food and plates and cups. Then people ordered different things - Potato Chinese of 2 sorts and Book. It was all very confusing. Some wanted mailing... others not... some wanted 4 books, 3 books, 2 books ... some wanted different combinations of Potato Chinese™. And my head at to be on 3 things at once... collect money, ensure the invoices given out were right... and record orders accurately... and I missed all that party chatter plus gossip. Hmmmmmmph!

I have a newfound respect for provision shop owners. Think of all the different things they have in their shop.








6 comments:

My Sinfonia said...

hey babe, you are really blazing along now! sounds like a great success and wishing you more to come!

Jedamum said...

Great party!
Half day seminar cum gathering next round? Maybe even so may not have enough time to share.
Hee hee.
Great job!
For the fee payable for seminar, u may want to explore with ChiefKiasu if he will co pay for councillor - yippee! - or members can redeem using kiasupoints.

Jdm

Petunia Lee said...

Sinfonia - You... my dear... are my inspiration! When ya gonna take pics of YOUR book.

Petunia Lee said...

Jedamum - Ohhhhh! Thank you so much for dropping by here. I was surprised that you're such a quiet soul in person!! And so pretty too! ***Envy*** ***Pout***

And yeah... I think half day Seminar also not enough. This is a topic that impassions people.

Jedamum said...

Lol. Thanks for your hospitality to this anti-social-awkward mum! :)

Petunia Lee said...

Jedamum - No lah... not anti-social. Just reserved. There's beauty in that too, you know.