I have a BA in history which meant I had few career choices when exiting college. I don't really like children all that much, so teaching never appealed to me. Managing paperwork details triggers some form of ADD. My dad calls it L.A.Z.Y. but I think he is wrong, its ADD triggered by computer forms. Obviously, administrative work was out. So that left sales. One of my favorite jobs was selling mathematical and statistical libraries to programmers. There was an international sales department in this company and I was really jealous of the trips they took to work 10 day 10 hour trade shows in places like Paris or Madrid. Given that I was endlessly in Las egas, it made me sick. I vowed one day to go on an international business trip!
So while waiting to board the flight from Chicago to Frankfurt with Deb Campbell of Wallartistry it dawned on me that I had finally reached personal goal set almost 2 decades ago. Whether Deb cared or not, we were Sophisticated International Business Women. Click on link at left for video. And yes, only one trip allowed us that title.
Deb Campbell and I are the only two certified instructors for Safra Colors of Villafranca di Verona. Luigi, the owner of Safra Plasters, generously brought us over to bring us up to date on the latest trends and finishes and work on sales strategies as we both now sell products for Safra.
Well Deb was fortunate that her luggage arrived with her so she had a different Sophisticated International Business Woman outfit to change into every day. I did not. My luggage didn't make it until the day before we left. I had shopped for several Sophisticated International Business Woman outfits which I did not wear. I wore the same pair of jeans and a Romeo and Juliet t-shirt I picked up in Verona. I dressed worse than I do when I am working at my studio in Solana Beach, Ca. That, though, did not deter me from Sophisticated International Business Women activities such as negotiating terms while at the same time falling asleep (due to jet lag and eating a whole pizza for lunch) drinking Proseco, eating a single plate of food that would feed my family, taking pictures of walls and letting anybody who would talk to us know that we were in Italy on business. We had plenty of opportunity to let those who would speak to us know that we were in Italy on business while we toured (as professionals of course) Verona, Venice, Lake Garda and Mantua.
Italy is one of the most lovely places on earth and all should go often. San Diego is amazing so there are only a few places in which departing causes personal suffering. Italy is on the list with London and Hawaii. Italy is also mind blowing to those of us in the industry of decorative arts and finishes. There is something about the medium of lime, whether its in the form of a fresco, marbleizng, a high polished plaster or a rough hewn exterior stucco that sets themselves apart from anything else. The way light reflects, they way in which it exfoliates, the way in which pigments display color all play apart of its unbeatable magic along with of course the Italian's sense of style.
So not only is it exciting to finally become a Sophisticated International Business Woman, being one in an industry I actually have passion for is a real blessing.
