The Corporate Life

(But I have that Sheila E. song running through my head, The Glamorous Life ... and they are so not the same thing ...)

It was a glamorous affair, the annual family day for the husband's office. It's designed to kick off a week of participation in OTC - the Offshore Technology Conference, for the uninitiated - which is, in essence, a big trade show. It's a big deal if you're in the industry (which for Houston means the oil or petroleum business).

My husband's company is a big player. So it is a big deal - folks are here from all over the world. And the best way to kick off this big business opportunity would be a day of golfing. Followed by an afternoon of revelry - which includes, but is not limited to, jump-ups for the kids, a petting zoo, gift bags, music, and an open bar.

If they hadn't had the bar, I might have been tempted to stay home.

Two of our daughters have deigned themselves too old for such events (would that I were so lucky). So Sylvia and I did our duty and joined in. Sylvia had great enthusiasm - she was jazzed about the goody bags, which, I must admit, were not too shabby. OK, sure, everything was emblazoned with the corporate logo. But it was fun stuff - deck of cards, pedometer, football, small toys, a very cute teddy bear (Sylvia is in love), stickers, and a bunch of other brick-a-brack. She loved the petting zoo - they had a kangaroo! No kidding - and she loved the jump-ups. She especially loved when the ice cream truck showed up.

The only downside for her? That the clown who did balloon animals last year did not make an appearance. Apparently we traded him for a kangaroo.

Gary played golf. His group didn't win (it was a best ball/scramble type of affair), but they did place fourth. Last year his group won, and they've upped the ante - he got the same prizes for fourth that he got for first last year. The winners got putters, and second place got golf bags.

I'm secretly wondering what the budget is for this little soirée.

Food was good - catered by a local Mexican restaurant that is excellent - and the bar was open. It was OK. But I don't especially enjoy these events. It all feels very corporate - I didn't want to stand around and yak about golf (didn't play yesterday - not much of an opening for me) and I don't have much to add on OTC. So after the "Hi" and "How are you?" there's not a lot left to say to people I see three times a year, people with whom we don't really socialize.

But I go. It's sort of akin to being a political spouse - you provide support and show up when needed. You dress right - not too dressy, not too casual - you smile, you make small talk with your spouse's boss. You have one or two drinks and follow the kids around while your spouse talks shop. You smile some more, have another drink, and make sure you grab an illicit extra goody bag for your kids who didn't come. You greet others warmly, chat about life in all the foreign offices, pretending you're thrilled to see them.

Then you breathe a huge sigh of relief when it's time to leave, go home, and be glad it's over. Til next time.