Sociallizing responsibly

I am thanking my lucky stars! I had 2 days away from the office attending a conference which has 4 coffee breaks and a buffet lunch. Best kan..it’s not even a workshop where I’ll be like menggelupur if I’ve to go to the front and make presentations to strangers or do role plays which will then be videotaped and shown over and over again.. *cringe*..just a conference where I can sit back, relax and listen to the speakers...

The Conference=Corporate Social Responsibility International Conference for Directors and Managers.

So yeah.. I am learning to be a socially responsible corporate citizen. Good topic with some really good speakers who are passionate about CSR.

But as always the thing that I don’t like about attending conferences would be the networking sessions.. we had like 2-3 networking sessions in a day.. I know..I know.. I do PR so networking is part of the job function... I can do it lah.. making some lame conversations for 10 minutes or so per person max..exchange business cards and then disappear. It’s just that it’s not something I enjoy. Especially when I am in the room full of PR people who already have 20 different lame conversations formulated in their heads with 40 different American/British slangs...

Why la you all have to be like that... can’t talk like normal people aaaa if want to do PR? Okay what if we use Manglish..I’m sure that’s how you talk in your sleep or to the mamak when you order your teh tarik... malu2 kucing lak kalau cakap takde slang...

And the best is when they ask : Which company are you from? .. and me clad in my baju kurung sebab pagi tadi tak sempat nak go for power dressing and pakai suit answers: Ohh..I’m from B*N..*smile*... then almost in an instant I’ll get this condescending look... sometimes a smirk even... Lu apahal beb? (in my head,not out loud) .. I’m doing national service to the country you know. I’m sure your parents, grandparents, monyang, monyet etc all have had accounts with B*N.I'm proud to be where I am tau!

Conversations over lunch were just as animated..

On both days I was 'fortunate' to be in the company of a fairly good looking old man during lunch.. but at first impression .. to me he seemed somewhat cranky..not angry-cranky..but more like crazy-cranky..

Let me just share with you snippets of the conversations...

Old man: Adik (he calls me Adik.. he said I look like his sister).. I am 98 years old.. u believe me?

Me (just wanting to attack the buffet spread): Yup I do.. you really look that old... (actually he does'nt..saje je did'nt want to give him an ego boost)

Guy 1: Would that be in the context of earth years or cats years?

hahahahahahahahaha..laughter at the table

Old man: This ginseng soup is really nice.. only my wife can cook like this..but I haven't had one for many years already.

Lady 1: Why don't you ask your wife to cook the soup?

Old man: My wife passed away many years ago..so I'm looking for a candidate who can cook equally good..What about you..are you married?

Me: Yup.. married with 2 kids and I can't cook.

Old man:I am from Pahang you know.. Pahang people's really good.

Lady 1: My mother is from Pahang

Me: My husband is from Pahang

Old Man: Haaaa.. husband orang Pahang..let me tell you about Pahang men... people say... orang Pahang ni semuanya beso...negeri beso..badan beso...kepala beso... yang lain2 tu pon beso jugak ler..

Guy1: Okay, I think from this conversation hereon I should just keep quiet..

Old Man: Adik, if a man says that "Yang, malam ni Abang balik lambat...dalam pukul 12..." and then at 12 he calls and says "Yang sorry..banyak lagi belum settle..lagi sejam dua abang balik"... then that means there is something wrong..he's doing some hanky panky stuff out there..

Me: Hmm.. okay kot.. Husband saya tak panggil saya Yang..

hahahahahahaha..laughter at the table..

Trust me there were many many more ridiculous conversations that we had during lunch with the old man...Little did I know that the old man is actually a well-respected Tan Sri who sits on the boards of many big organizations,used to be an Exco member and Speaker of the State Assembly in Pahang and a Senator in the Dewan Negara..patutla dia cakap dia pernah berdiri cakap kat Parlimen 3 jam.. ingatkan dia buat lawak... My knowledge of Malaysian politicians is really bad..ntah apa2 ntah aku cakap kat dia...

So much for sociallizing and networking eh.. :)