1. Childrearing.
2. Education.
3. Briefly stood on the sidelines of politics.
4. Accounting.
5. Sports.
Started, respectively, by:
1. “So tell me about your baby.” (I was looking for: “He’s this big, and likes to play with squeaky toys . . .” something like that.)
2. “And what are you doing, work-wise, these days?” (I had no idea she was an elementary school guidance counselor. Wow. That’s a job.)
3. I was just trying to get a drink.
4. “What have you guys been up to this year?” (My wearing the Festive Accountant look I think helped prompt the conversation in this direction. Festive Housewife doesn’t generate the same reaction.)
5. Right place right time. I had forgotten there were sports I knew something about.
And look, each one of those was with a different person. Mingling.
Or at least, “Politely letting people escape when you realize maybe you’ve gotten carried away in your enthusiasm for babies* / phonics / [not enthusiastic about 2012] / costing systems & internal controls & cash & debt & the IRS & . . . / fencing.
Great event. Yay.
****
*Here’s what the baby conversation was really about:
Nervous new mom: “My neighbor says that at night I need to _________________”
Jen: Are you getting enough sleep? Is your baby getting enough sleep? Is your husband getting enough sleep? Are you happy?
Nervous new mom: Yes. We sleep through the night. We prefer our method, it was what my mother did, and I like it.
Jen: If it’s working, don’t change.
Nervous new mom: My neighbor says . . .
Jen: Your neighbor is not the one raising your baby. You’re the mom. You’re in charge.
Nervous new mom: You’re such a good mother. I wish I were a good mother.
Jen: No. I am a confident mother. You are a good mother. I can tell by what you told me.
Nervous new mom: Maybe.
(She is. Super nice lady. Good mom.)
Did you have a good time? It’s great you went prepared for conversation. That’s hard. What did you all say about the IRS thing? Any advice?
~Hilda
I did have a nice time – thanks for asking! I mostly listened. Actually neither of us had any complaint with the IRS itself. My acquaintance was frustrated by a) it is apparently now difficult to get a straight answer about whether his business is in compliance for a certain branch of government contracting that is new to him, and b) the law about taxation on excess cash. [Which of course is enforced by the IRS, but the IRS doesn’t make the law.]
Tax law is not my specialty by a long shot, so it was a great conversation. I understood his accounting frustrations (which he had a hard time understanding why things were how they are), but I learned new things about the particulars of his industry. Very cool.
You’re welcome, so glad you had fun! 🙂 I hear you, learning new things is very interesting. 😀
~Hilda