As I mentioned yesterday, my office recently moved. We were operating out of 2 separate offices in the same city and now we are all under one roof. The office is beautiful and HUGE. Things are still being moved in and everyone is trying to unpack and get organized so that we can get back to business as usual. Things are hectic.
Along with an entirely new office- there are new faces everywhere! Everywhere I turn there’s someone I haven’t met. It’s like moving into your college dorm all over again! All of the sudden everything is different and so many new people are wandering around. Being the outgoing, straightforward, go getter that I am, I decided to introduce myself to as many people as possible. Why not say hello, right? Be friendly, put my face out there. I walk past the desk of a young-looking man I’d never met, he was dressed casually in a UCLA polo and jeans probably in his mid 30′s…
Catalysta: I don’t know you yet. Hi, I’m Meg. I’m in the Interactive group. (sticks hand out to show off my assertive handshaking skills that I practiced with Boyfriend- yes I’m pathetic- whatever.)
Man: (genuinely nice) Hello. I’m John… (pauses briefly) Fahlgren. (wow that just so happens to be the name of our company)
Catalysta: (overcompensating) OH! Hello! Nice to meet you!!
(Inner monologue: *slaps myself in the face* oohhhhh… shit.) 
Note to self: When trying to be more professional… try not to shove your hand in the face of the owner’s son. But hey- I was friendly and I certainly made a first impression.
Made any interesting first impressions lately?
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I don’t think what you did was so terrible. As long as you didn’t give the sucking-up vibe which you probably didn’t since you didn’t know him. Maybe he’s all impresses now!
By Alice on 07.01.08 12:29 pm | Permalink
Ha! I hope so! It wasn’t so much “terrible” as a bit embarrassing that I just walked right up to him and stuck my hand in his face. I probably took him completely off guard and I was a bit abrupt! Plus for another day I need to leave my first impression on our Senior VP. That was a good one.
By catalysta on 07.01.08 1:56 pm | Permalink
Not so much a first impression as much as a non-impression. When I first started working, I wanted to appear professional so I made sure everyone called me Jennifer. I discovered quickly that when you work with students and parents and such, it tends to be fairly casual, so I switched to Jenn. There was a woman pretty high up that heard me say “Jan” when I introduced myself to her. No matter how many times I tried to correct her or made sure I bolded my name at the end of an email, she called me Jan. For 5 years.
By thecoconutdiaries on 07.01.08 4:35 pm | Permalink
HA! This is a great story! I’m sure he prefers the handshake of a sincere friendly person over a potential suck-up, if that is any consolation!! AND, you are definitely not in the ignored-me-when-I-was-in-the-lobby-rude-dude category, so thumbs up.
By sheasy on 07.01.08 5:14 pm | Permalink
Hilarious. I still haven’t met any of the Fahlgrens yet myself! Maybe you could introduce me?
~
By Lara Kretler on 07.02.08 9:23 am | Permalink
Haha! oh sure, I’ll do that. We’re besties now.
By catalysta on 07.02.08 10:15 am | Permalink
Ha! I met him on Monday when I swung by the office. Greg introduced me and thankfully I choked back the “but I thought Mr. Fahlgren was old” that almost lept out of my mouth.
Then Greg quickly added “John is the son of the owner” and it all made sense.
By Jennifer on 07.02.08 2:44 pm | Permalink
Is John single?? Ha ha! Hey, it’s your desperate single friend back for her visit to your lovely site. The new looks, by the way….love it! Props to the designer, she did an awesome job! Ok, I have to get to the next posts…you may see me again.
By Miranda on 07.09.08 7:14 pm | Permalink
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