Alumni Events: Fun Time Charlie or Big Drag?

How can I be a "people person" when I hate people, you ask? I really don't know. I'm a good faker, I suppose, and I have a gift for conversation. I'm a good "Blah blah blah-er" and I like asking people about themselves. Being a "people person" is how I managed a career in sales for many years, as it certainly had nothing to do with my "closing prowess" or love of the "art of the deal" or numbers, that's for sure. I'm actually quite terrible at sales, especially if I don't believe in the product. "Hey, you want to buy this? Yeah, me neither. I wouldn't buy it. Thanks for your time. You have a really nice office. Bye."

My distaste for people and my own insecurities are why I generally avoid reunions and such with all the posturing and posing: "I'm a Senior Partner in Litigation at Cravath, Swaine and Moore. So, (pause to look at name tag) Anne, what do you do?"--"Well, I have this toilet trained cat named Doodle, and I write about her and other crap on this little blog I started last year, and...Oh, you know what? Fuck off...", but tonight I decided to brave the elements and attend an event hosted by my alma mater. Most often these events are about banking and lawyering and other fields I never pursued because I'm an idiot, but tonight's reception at the McGraw Hill Building featured alumni who are successful in the field of writing and publishing:

• 
  Tom Meehan ’51, Tony Award Winning Playwright (Annie, Hairspray)
• Jo Pitkin K’78, Poet and Writer
• Philip Ruppel ’80, VP and Group Publisher of McGraw Hill Professional
• Damian Slattery ’80, Screenwriter, Harry and the Butler
• Hannah McCouch ’88, Novelist, Girl Cook and Mountain Betty

The panel discussion was moderated by Ellen Archer '84, Publisher of Hyperion Books, and I'm glad I went, as it did turn out to be interesting evening. I met a nice alumnus in the elevator on the way up to the thing. There was wine and a really nice spread of food. There were also name tags, chairs, and a question and answer portion at the end. That was where the frustration with people began, as of course, there's always some moron asking stupid insider questions about his own personal deal that make you want to turn around and punch him in the face. I would have lingered longer to ask Tom Meehan what was the small podunk New York town in which he was born (he referred to it was such in one of his answers) and of Damian Slattery, how the fuck do I write a piece for a screenplay I've been asked to contribute to?, but I had to leave because I recognized an alumnus I went on a date with years ago and wasn't interested in "catching up." Especially since I don't remember his name and basically didn't want to deal. All in all, I didn't end up feeling too bad about myself. I'd give it a rating of: "Medium Time Charlie."