Thursday, November 5, 2009

Working for El Queso Grande


I now know that I officially work for El Queso Grande. You could say I work for El Queso Grande Grande.

I suppose I worked for El Queso Grande at my previous job, so the title of this post is not meant to insult anyone or anything from my past. I love you all and cannot thank you enough for the skills with which you have provided me to move onto "next".

That being said, I have now been employed by my new organization for about a month and a week. And I must say that at the beginning, I was miserable. Utterly and completely miserable.

This is where you ask me, "But WHY? You were so bored just staying at home all day!"

Well, my dear friends, it's like this: I used to work for an organization that I understand. Completely and utterly understand. In my bones understand. I worked for one of my passions and in a lot of ways, it was easy. Easy because I understood.

Now I work for an entirely new industry. Granted, I'm still working for a non-profit and that part is familiar, but I am now working in the convention and tourism industry. No art. No music. No ballet. Just tourists and people coming to the city to learn something about his or her profession in addition to living it up for a couple of days in the Big Easy. Except I don't meet any of these people unless Kev and I happen to be out on the town one evening and run into one of these individuals.

I will say my initial misery was due to being the "new kid". And not knowing what the hell I was doing. I still pretty much don't know what I'm doing. But I am starting to love my job. I love my boss - she's amazing and talented and smart and hard. As a boss should be. Right?

I think the biggest thing that stands out in my head about my new career is that I am actually making a difference in the city of New Orleans. I know I'm not the one that is on the forefront, convincing these individuals to bring his or her convention to my new home, but I am contributing. Because I work for El Queso Grande Grande.

At the end of every report I run for El Queso Grande Grande, there is a little (actually Grande Grande) number showing the economic impact of each convention that comes to New Orleans. This number is usually always in the millions.

And that right there is why I wanted to move to New Orleans in the first place. To make a difference. To help a place I love renew and rebuild. You can't rebuild and make things better without cheese. (You know, like "Big pimpin' spending cheese...")

The Universe answered my prayers and provided me with a way to make a difference. I just have to keep on doing my best and eventually, I might just figure out what I'm doing.

Tap...Tap...Tap...


Is this thing on?

Are you all still there?

Just letting you all know that I'm back and ready to write again. I took a bit of a sabbatical from the old blog, as I'm sure you have noticed.

So, to my loyal followers (all 14 of you!), don't despair! I'm back!

Funny things have happened since I last blogged and I need to catch you all up on life in NOLA.

We still love it, but we miss you all dearly!

xoxo,
Kel