Cheers.

I'll admit, there are times when I feel really out of place here. I was at an event tonight where everyone in advertising in the Northwest (let's be honest, just Seattle) got together to essentially mingle (and consume large amounts of free alcohol). It was at a hotel a block from my office and as the elevator doors opened and I walked into the room full of people, I remembered that I'm the worst mingler ever. EVER. I can't shoot the breeze to save my life. Reason #1 why I felt out of place.

After we made our way through the line at the bar we headed out to the balcony - beers in hand for my co-workers and Diet Coke in hand for me. As I walked through the doors and onto the balcony full of people, I realized that I don't know how to do this. This whole scene is foreign to me. I haven't spent any significant amount of time in bars or clubs. Not only do I not know what to say to the people when we're actually having a conversation, I have no idea how to act in the meantime. Reason #2 why I felt out of place.  And I don't know if it was out of place as much as it was overwhelmed.

So there I was.  One giant khaki pants wearing ball of awkward for the next two hours. I'm sure I was even making the drunk people, slurred speech stories about Ikea and all, uncomfortable with how awkward I was.

I guess practice makes perfect. And the way things are going, I'll be getting a lot of practice.