Tonight, Matthew, I'm Going to be...............

Thank you so much for your comments on my previous post.

Today's post is another one about my life as a

Promotions Co-ordinator.

I'll do some more Agony Aunt problems soon.

If you're a regular reader of my blog - you will know that when I worked for our local newspaper, the Lincolnshire Echo, I wore many different costumes and outfits.

(I was even "Erica the Echo Clown" in a centre page spread. Such a shame I don't still have the pic!)

You've already heard about my Victorian prostitute's tale, when I fell off the truck at the Mayor's Carnival...............

And in my previous post - you saw me as a pirate.

We didn't wear these costumes just for the kids. We also wore them when we did our Pub Fun Nights.

The Echo Pub Fun Nights were organised around the county. We did them to raise the Echo's profile as a follow up to door canvassers and telephone marketing.

The night consisted of us three Echo Girls entertaining the pub customers. Many of the pub customers would get into the swing of things and wear a costume too!

(I've never seen so many men wearing suspenders as when we had a Rocky Horror Picture Show Theme to the night!)

The evenings kinda went along like this..............

As we were about to start, as an introduction, we would play the most cheesy, over the top, piece of electric organ music.

On the top of this, an entertainer we knew did us a huge taped voice over. It ended...............

HEEEEEEERE......... THEY........... ARRRRRRRRRRRRE

THE............LINCOLNSHIRRRRRRRRRRE.................ECHO...................

PUB...............FUN............NIGHT..................GIRRRRRRRRLS!!!!!!!

It was loud, raucous, with loads of fake applause and whooping.

We'd tell a few jokes, talk about something topical, and sing them a song. (This usually raised a laugh as we were all tone-deaf! We looked very comical with Tanya at 6 foot, me at 5 foot 5, and Tina at 4 foot 11 and three quarters, pretending that we only had one microphone with us.)

Tanya and Tina????

We'd then do a Quiz, a very quick game of Prize Bingo, Spot Prizes, and Pass the Parcel (with some hilarious forfeits!)

Towards the end of the evening we'd get the customers doing a bit of Karaoke, and end the evening on a rousing singsong of New York, New York; Daydream Believer; or You'll Never Walk Alone.

We wrote all our own stuff and absolutely loved it! We did them for seven years.

Tanya, Me and Tina on my very last Pub Fun Night 1996

Between the three of us and the Pub Landlord we would choose a theme...............

French Theme

School's Out Theme

or just....................................

Fancy Dress.

The Clown with the blue hair is the Pub's Landlady.

The 'clown' with the microphone is me!

We also did a Spanish Theme, with a few obligatory naughty jokes about maraca's.

It's such a shame there's no pics of the Spanish Nights. I do have a funny story though, but that will have to wait 'til next time!!!!!!!!!!!

Two Blogposts for the 'Price' of One...............

Before I start my blogpost 'proper'.......................a little family announcement,...........

My niece Laura and her partner Iain have been blessed with the arrival of Toby James. All is well!

Toby will be another welcome grandson for my sister, Mandy.

We are all awaiting another visit from the stork. My son and his wife are also expecting a happy event, due 10th October.

With all this Family business going on .........don't be surprised if I'm not around as much over the next few weeks.

**********

A smile is such a powerful tool.............it can even break the ice!

I wanted to share the following story with you..............I hope it makes you smile.

Throughout the 1990's I worked for our local newspaper, the Lincolnshire Echo.

My first, (and most favourite) job there was working as a Promotions Co-ordinator.

I had many different tasks, no two days were the same, and it was very busy!

It was not unusual to get home at 1am from a Pub Fun Night, only to get up again a few hours later to drive across the county to organise a Trolley Dash competition in one of the supermarkets in a nearby town.

Sometimes, I would be sooooooo tired - I would get home from work, pour myself a cup of coffee and sit and cry with exhaustion.

And yet.............I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

One day, (around 1993?) my diary went like this...........

MORNING

8.30am Office, taking telephone calls from competition hotline and general admin.

Telephone call to the Town Crier to go over last minute details for that evening's Press Call taking place at the new Lincoln University.

Organise Hospitality Champagne reception for the Uni's Press Call

Yes! Of course this is me - how could you doubt it?

AFTERNOON

1pm Load up Echo van and head out to run a Shop Party at a local newsagent's. This was for the kids. We had Games, Face Painting etc. These always had a theme, so................

Change into Pirate Costume............

I'm the one with the longest plait - it was my REAL hair!

5.30pm Back to the Office, unload van. Shower and change. (This is my third outfit of the day!)

Put on fresh makeup and 'grown up' shoes.

6.15pm Walk over the road to the University - set out 200 chairs in front of the stage and help put out glasses, plates etc in the hospitality area.

At 6.30pm people were beginning to arrive.

There were.....................

Local and National Press, and....................

Local Radio, and..................

Regional Television.

There was also an assortment of council officials, the Mayoral party, and representatives from local big businesses.

There was also to be a special V.I.P. who would give a speech.

I walked into Hospitality. I greeted the guests.

After making sure they all had a glass of champagne and a sausage on a stick, I sat down.

My feet were killing me!

I was also really hungry. Apart from two gallons of coffee, the only things that had passed my lips that day was.....................

a Curly Wurly at the newsagent's shop, and from the back of the office store cupboard, from a previous Promotion..................

a packet of soggy, very out of date crisps, and...................

a bottle of old, flat Tizer!

I looked around the room. I recognised almost all the faces.

Most of us attended loads of similar "Do's."

We all "sort of" knew each other.

It wasn't unusual to see a familiar face and then spend five minutes of small talk, trying to remember their name or who EXACTLY they were!

(I was lucky - I always wore a name badge!)

There was a man watching me rub my sore tootsies. I knew his face, couldn't think who he was, but he had a lovely friendly smile, so I waved.

He waved back and I shouted to him,

"Aye up, Mate. Pass me summat for me hunger pangs. I'm droppin' through me drawers!"

He came over and handed me a HUGE sausage roll and a glass of Champagne.

I said, "Thanks, errrr?"..........

"Richard," said the smiley man.

"Thank you, Richard," I said.

"No problem, Sue," he replied.

"Sorry about that," I said. "I'm dreadful with names."

"Is that why you wear a name badge? In case you forget who you are?" he teased.

I smiled and finished the sausage roll. The other guests were going out to their seats to join the rest of the audience in the main hall.

"Oh well! No rest for the wicked. I'd better go and see if I can find this V.I.P. I'm supposed to be looking after"

"Anyone interesting?" he asked

"I've not found out who it is yet, no doubt some faceless rich entrepreneur type......................."

"I'd better go do some clapping and woo-hooing, these things usually end up putting the audience to sleep!" I said.

The smiley man shook my hand and said,

"I'd better go too. I enjoyed our chat."

I followed him out of Hospitality, he walked to the front of the huge Conference Hall full of people.

I was still wondering where the hell he was going, when he went up on stage, and spoke into the microphone.....................

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen."

Everyone clapped and whooped,

"Welcome to the new University."

Clapping and whooping again...............

"My name is..............

"Richard Branson and I'm so glad you're all still awake."

He looked across at me and winked!

Click here to see a previous post about another one of my embarrassing moments

It's swings and Roundabouts.....................

THIS IS A TRUE STORY

Those of you who know me personally are aware of the fact that I absolutely detest driving.

Even so, I'm not a nervous driver - I just don't like all that "looking and thinking" that's required.

It's so much easier to be a passenger. You have the luxury of peering into people's houses and other sociology related pastimes!

No matter how much I try to explain to Mumsie - she is still under the illusion that I'm scared.

A few years ago, I had a job interview in Sheffield, about 50 odd miles from where I live............

MUMSIE: Oh, you poor thing! Will you have to drive on the motorway?

ME: Yes, I will. Don't worry Mum, I'll be fine. I have been driving over 20 years.

MUMSIE: Even so........... I'd better come with you. We could do some clothes shopping at Meadowhall Shopping Centre.

(I don't know why she used this argument - I hate shopping almost as much as I hate driving!)

Nevertheless, I knew she would only worry herself sick if I didn't take her along to "navigate."

So, we arrived in Sheffied in plenty of time. Mumsie went for a coffee - I went for the interview.

After dragging me round several shops, she finally agreed to head back when I mentioned that it was getting near school leaving time. I hinted that there could be a traffic jam in the City Centre.

On the drive back along the M1 Motorway, Mumsie was so enthusing about her new purchases, I missed my turn off.

I didn't panic as I have a good knowledge of the geography around the East Midlands.

For some reason, Lincoln is never signposted 'til reaching the outskirts of the City. Newark is the nearest town and is always marked on roadsigns.

Even if it was to take longer to reach home, I knew we weren't truly lost.

It was quite some time before we saw a Newark turn off. By now we were in Derbyshire!

Still following the directions for Newark we ended up driving through the delightful village of.........

wait for it.............................

CLOWNE!

(You couldn't make up stuff like this!)

I spotted a roadsign for a mini-roundabout.

(For any non-drivers or non-Brits, this is negotiated like a larger road roundabout - giving way to the left to any traffic.)

All of the mini roundabouts I'm used to are the flat variety.

If no other cars are about, drivers do tend to drive over them, myself included.

Not quite as bad as this though!

Unfortunately, the one in Clowne is raised like this.......................

Poor old Mumsie!

I'd really shaken her up.

Forty minutes later we arrived back in Lincoln.

Not only did I get stuck with an unexpected bill from my Mum.................

I didn't even get the job I'd interviewed for!

Sometimes, Life's so 'Dam' Spooky!

I know you all like my humorous posts, but I hope you'll indulge me and read this post with interest.

Throughout our lives, we each experience strange coincidences that are completely inexplicable, if not downright spooky.

This is a true story, and it really happened to me.................

During World War Two, the county of Lincolnshire was known as "Bomber County" due to the large number of RAF airfields here.

"Operation Chastise", subsequently known as The Dambusters' raid was launched from RAF Scampton Lincoln and carried out by No. 617 Squadron.

On the 50th anniversary of the raid, 1993, I was working as a Promotions Co-ordinator for the Lincolnshire Echo.

All sorts of events were set to take place, and our department had a very busy year indeed.

Pete Reynolds, one of the Echo's sub-editors, produced an award winning publication, called "Dambusters". It was extremely well researched and written.

It was reprinted several times to keep up demand, and I personally, posted out more than 3,000 copies all over the world!

One of the commemorative events was a huge evening concert at the Lincoln Ritz Theatre.

Royal Air Force Senior Officers were invited along with the Mayor and Sheriff of Lincoln and other "chain wearing officials."

There were also members of the original 617 Squadron there too.

As well as the actor Richard Todd who had starred as Guy Gibson in the 1955 Dambusters movie.

As was usual at such events, our department was on hand to serve champagne and canapes to the VIPs during the interval.

We were also selling relevant merchandise in the foyer. This consisted of a documentary video, some "Bomber County" pewter tankards and the afore mentioned Dambusters publication.

It was a fantastic success, and I'm so pleased that I was there. I cannot possibly describe the atmosphere that night!

After encores of both "There'll Always be an England" and "Rule Brittannia", the concert over-ran, so our Boss told us to leave our merchandise secure and return the following morning to collect it. We put the cash we had we taken in the theatre's safe.

The Boss and I returned the next day. I handed the money to him.

BOSS: How much of this money is for publications?

ME: Oh no! In all the rush and confusion, I forgot to take note on which sales were tankards and videos and which was for the publications.

BOSS: You silly girl! (That's not quite what he said!)You should know by now that promotional sales and publication sales go into different accounts.

ME: Hang on, I've got an idea......................

BOSS: Well I hope it's a better idea than the one you had that ended up with the Echo's Santa losing the kids' presents off his sleigh on the A1!

(Oh, dear bloggeroos, that's a post in itself that I must write for you another time!)

ME: No, this one is a good idea! Right, I brought 1000 copies with me last night, so all I have to do is count the copies I have left, take that figure from a thousand, then I'll have the number sold!

BOSS: Big head! Go on then, count 'em.

(He whistled tunelessly whilst I counted.) How many then?

ME: Let's see that's 1000, take away 383, that's...........Oh my God - I don't believe it!

I sold 617 copies.

The Boss stared in disbelief!

Do you remember which squadron flew the Dambusters Raid?

Yes, that's right - Squadron 617.

fade to the tune of the Twilight Zone............doo doo, do do, doo doo, do do................

Have any of you had strange coincidences happen?