How to make an impression on a panel
So I just got back from the children’s book panel at Changing Hands. There was a nice crowd, good questions, and fun people on the panel with me. Afterward as I sat chatting with people and signing books I felt like such a professional. A real author. And then one of my friends told me that my fly had been open the whole time.
Yeah, I’ll never run out of embarrassing stories.
Speaking of which I should be updating my website next week (translation–my daughter’s coming home from college) and I’ll put up the stories from my embarrassing moments contest.
Stay tuned!
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I dont wannnttt to come home yet! How about you all move here?
I attended a panel discussion and one of the panelists was late in arriving. When she rushed in and sat down at the long table in the front of the room you could see that her blouse had been buttoned so quickly (and obliously without the aid of a mirror)that it was crooked with an extra buttonhole at the top. It was a good 10 minutes before someone informed her. At least you were seated behind a table. It could have been worse!
Unfortunately, there was no table . . .
And we wonder why our mothers always told us to wear clean underwear. =)
I’ve just discovered that I’ve gone the whole day with my “button-down collar” unbuttoned! Only one conclusion can be drawn from this; my wife left the house before I did!
Where was your wife last night when I needed her?
Ha! Well, without all the embarrassing stories, where would you get your manuscript inspirations? Hmm? 🙂
Janette, if I haven’t known you for so long, I’d begin to suspect that you plan these things to mine them for comic material. As it is, I think you became a writer to let the rest of the world laugh with you. We’re not laughing at you. Promise.
*sigh* at least it wasn’t high school
Janette, I had a terrible embarrassing moment and thought of you yesterday. So glad to know I wasn’t alone in feeling wretched silly!
Yeah…so you read about the Great Pink Highlighter Incident of San Francisco on my blog, so you know I feel your pain. I so, so, so feel your pain. My last year of teaching I spent about twenty minutes after a potty visit wandering around campus with my skirt tucked into my underwear before one of the campus supervisors gave me a head’s up. If tragedy + time= comedy…
I still need more time.
WOW. I went to my play practice and did the choriagraphy perfect(I HAVE THE MAIN PART!) And at the very end of the dance the director was like, only the front row is supposed to be on there knees. n I had finally go the part right! ANd not only that I did countless blond things after ward. It was sooo embassesing. And then today I accidently said oxes instead of oxen! I was so embarressed. Inm front of my whole englis class. Which a bunch of preps are in.Im right there with you janette
Do the moments get less embarrassing the more you have? Probably not I guess, my mouth doesn’t seem to get bigger no matter how many times I stick my foot in it. 🙂
I have an infamous picture of myself at 15, posing against my boyfriends red sports car with my fly wide open to show my green underwear. I thought he was smiling while taking the picture cause I was cute and he thought he was the luckiest guy in the world. Now I’m married to the guy and even after 15 years I can’t convince him to get rid of the photo.
Oh . . . I feel so much better now. (And your stories will be among the embarrassing stories on my site . . . you know, just to imortalize them forever.)
Janette–I just have to let you know about a GREAT new and safe LDS website for sisters only, called “Our Ladies Room” at http://www.ourladiesroom.com/
Lots of super ladies on there already, and plenty of groups and forums to join and discuss a ton of issues.
Hope to see you there!
Guess what happened TODAY at play practice. I was trying to remeber which way to charlston and then they added hands, and then they added singing. ANd I got so lost. Everyone was cracking up watching me try to cordinate myself. THen I decided so I’de remember which foot to put forward I wrote a big permanent marker ‘r’ on my foot. Of course, I put the ‘r’ for right, on my left foot.
Is it too late for me to post my embarrassing story? Well, here goes…
Back when I was in grad school, a director from the theater department cast me in an original children’s play. I was so proud — the part was Coyote, the Native American trickster figure, and I didn’t even have to audition because one of the actors had recommended me for the part after seeing me perform in other plays.
For weeks, I spent every practice session being the perfect actor. I memorized the entire script (not just my lines mind you — the entire SCRIPT) and helped out with set construction. I even went to costuming sessions where students custom-built a Coyote-mask for my face with incredibly big ears and a really long nose. I was positive I was going to be a star.
Opening night, things go great — for the first act. Then midway through the second act, my character has to fight a demon snake. Unfortunately the guy playing the snake got a little too aggressive and whacked my extra-long nose so the eyeholes on my mask shifted, blocking my vision. I felt myself tumble into unfamiliar territory, the lights went out, and I pulled my mask off to get my bearings — only to see a bunch of confused audience members staring at me.
I’d fallen off the stage! Weeks of preparing to be the perfect actor, and I’d made a total fool of myself in front of everyone.
Naturally this was also the day that the theater department decided to videotape our performance, so you can now see my infamous fall over and over again if you visit the theater library.
And somewhere out there, the real Coyote is laughing…
Too funny! I love dropping by your blog ~ I never know what I’ll find. Take care. See you Thursday night at the Book Fair at school.
Blessings,
Stephanie
Oh my! And she didn’t signal you or anything? Ugh! You didn’t have bright green panties on like Josi, did you?
The only thing good about embarrassing moments, is sharing them with others and then laughing about their stories as well. Just think of all the people who can relate to you now!
That’s hilarious! It’s funny when you think you look cool, and then something like this happens.