We're back from Imaging USA and ready to dish! Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes on awards night? Tune in for a little peek behind the curtain and post convention wrap up from our perspective.
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
We're back from Imaging USA and ready to dish! Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes on awards night? Tune in for a little peek behind the curtain and post convention wrap up from our perspective.
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
This week's episode is brought to you by our friends at RetouchUp. Retouchup works smarter, not harder. Welcome to Get your Shoot Together. The photographer's podcast where we discuss studio business life and keeping it all in line. I'm Cari Dairyberry and I'm Mary Fisthaler.
Speaker 2:At long last. At long last. It's been seven and a half years since we got home from imaging to a site. I feel like I just got home yesterday. Oh my gosh Guys, if you were there, I mean I know you're just clapping and excited and I hope everybody loved Louisville because, god knows, we hyped it up. The funny thing was the minute we landed in Louisville they announced the lineup for the next, for this year's Bourbon and Beyond, which I know you guys have heard Kira and I talk about how we went last year and who is playing this year. Who's playing this year? Kira, dave Matthews Band, dave Matthews Band and a little guy named Neal Young, but Dave Matthews Band. When my flight landed I turned my phone on and I must have had 77 text messages. Oh, guest Mary's coming to Louisville in September. Anyway, it was really cool that it was. That was how it started and it just went. It just went. You know gangbusters from there.
Speaker 1:So how are you feeling? I'm feeling fantastic. I mean, honestly, I've had, I've had fun at a lot of shows, like a lot of imaging USA's let's say that but I, even with all the presidential things to do, I mean it was a joy Really. I mean I think people were being kind and not bringing any sort of negativity my way, but it was. It wasn't here any. I mean.
Speaker 2:I'm trying to think. Like you know, I I really feel like I heard. I mean, I'm sure I heard something, but for the life of me I can't even think of it. So that's how insignificant it was. Like you know what I mean. Like I didn't hear people complaining about not being able to get food, or the legitimate complaints guys, legitimate things that logistics that are hard to negotiate and gosh. No staff does the best job they can, I mean. But I just felt like overall it was so stinking positive, like really truly, the food was good oh my gosh, shockingly good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Usually the food is kind of meh. You know, convention food is not bad but just meh yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I know the year before like that was one of the complaints is like not enough food and not the food wasn't great and you know. But that's kind of out of our control. A lot of times it kind of is we think it's going to be great, we're told it's going to be great, but we're not cooks. No, we're not back there. Ppa staff is in back there frying up. God knows they would be if they could. I mean they absolutely would be.
Speaker 2:Ray is sunshine, and I felt like even this year, like at towards, even like the last day or whatever. Usually you start seeing the joy, not the joy level go down, but this, the pure exhaustion set in. But even on the last day, at the party, I mean staff was dancing, smiling, everybody was there, I mean Steve Metz, which, by the way, he's the DJ that plays, you know, with registration, every morning, and then you know he played the party like it was off the charts.
Speaker 1:It was just off the charts. Janet Dodd was out there.
Speaker 2:Well, Janet Dodd was everywhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she really. Let's be honest, she was. She was a great time.
Speaker 2:You know what it was Janet Dodd's show. Let's be honest it really was.
Speaker 1:It was the Janet.
Speaker 2:Dodd show and we appreciate it. We loved it and I spent an enormous amount of time with John Dodd you did. He was more my speed. Janet Dodd was too much for me. Janet Dodd didn't want to go home, I had way more energy. Yeah, janet Dodd, I was more John Dodd's speed. I was like you know I'm going to hang out with John because him and I are, we're at the same pace right now.
Speaker 1:You're at the same pace. You'd like to be at the party, but you don't watch. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you quietly sit in the corner. I did help him keep an eye on Janet Dodd, though that was part of my job. He's like could you just help me not lose her? And I'm like I got it, john, I got it wrong at all times and then I lost her and I thought damn it.
Speaker 1:I had one job. She was with me because you know we're two peas in a pod, me and Janet Dodd.
Speaker 2:One job and I lost Janet Dodd. I was like I didn't tell John Dodd. I was like, no, I see her, I didn't see her.
Speaker 1:Me and mom are out there meeting strangers and dancing. Yeah, we were having a good time. We were having a good time. You were dressed for it.
Speaker 2:I was still dressed from my 8 am program. Oh right, oh my God, I had on tights and like a suede dress and a blazer. I looked like I was going to like get a job at like an accounting firm and you looked great. And your slippers Well, but I did have on my slippers. It looked cuter with the brown leather boots, but I lost those right after my program. But I still look like I was about to present a program out there, like you know, dancing. You know two babies got back or what is that, and I'm like, huh, this isn't the look I was going for, but this is the look we're going to go with.
Speaker 1:That's the one we're moving with, well, okay, so I've been saving. I've been saving a behind the scenes story for you the whole time and I'm sure you've heard parts of it, but I wanted to tell you in the book.
Speaker 2:Oh boy, this is always fun when she springs this on me. So this is like the time she told me she didn't like me.
Speaker 1:Oh, no, well, who got you Me, me at the party, mary.
Speaker 2:I had. I had made sure that you had me, oh me and I had all the me. Oh me, I could drink.
Speaker 1:Yes, so other people got box wine, but not you Not me.
Speaker 2:No, ma'am, I had mine too. As soon as I got out of the cabinet not in my room here's who was like. This will be my cabinet. This is.
Speaker 1:Mary's cabinet for.
Speaker 1:Mary's Me yeah, no, so it was okay. So I mean, obviously, I mean we IBC was a smashing success. We had so much fun, so so much fun, so much fun. I'm still writing like for one for me. You know, I got, you know, I got to judge Saturday morning and that was a blast. I and I sat in on the Sunday afternoon judging on Saturday, but the event, the actual event on Monday night, I got to be back there, you being one of the category winners, which is amazing. It was. I'm still, I'm still so.
Speaker 2:So I, I, I, I, yeah. So I didn't get to go to anything on Saturday because I had 3,000 other things I was doing and my family was there and my friends were there and I'd committed to that. So I didn't even know I'd made it past the first round, right?
Speaker 1:So I had no idea.
Speaker 2:I had two going in to Saturday, whatever night it was. I had two top 10. Two top four, two top fours right.
Speaker 1:Two top fours.
Speaker 2:Two, and so did Jamie Hicks Right, which was phenomenal.
Speaker 1:And then. So I'm backstage for this and, as they're lining you guys up all the category, the tops and all the categories so that we could find out which one of you, because you're all going head to head now Each category is going head to head. Now we're gonna see who the final number one winner is. The good news is, all of you were winners. Everyone that was standing back there and I've never seen such a supportive like people didn't get to see it, except for me and the staff back there. But I was watching you guys hug each other as you go head to head and you would look at each other and you'd go me and you, and then one person would win. One person wouldn't, but you'd still hug, you'd still high five, everyone was still happy for each other, 100%. And then when Gary Jones' image wins everyone I mean when we're on stage, I mean everybody is just losing their minds, crying Like everyone's. I could cry thinking about it now.
Speaker 1:I mean too, Like he cries. He's crying. Everyone's happy for him.
Speaker 2:He was absolutely stunned. So, kinsey, I know Kinsey for several years she studied with me if you anyway, I love her and Kinsey was the one who had the hippo, not a hippo, the rhino image, yes, and our images went up against each other and she's standing there and she goes, it's she, you know. She kind of mouthed you and me and I was like, and we're both doing like heart hands and she goes, you got it and I'm like, you got it and I did, I did win that round and she was, she literally like started crying, not cause she, but she was like, so happy, like, and for her and I to go against each, not against each other, for those images to go against each other, but we, I would have been thrilled either way. But let me tell you, when I first, when everything got picked and the top 32 came in out of every category, I looked at all the galleries. I picked Gary's image. That day I said that's the winner.
Speaker 2:And I'm in as much as I would have loved to have it would have been so cool. If that image hadn't a one, I would have felt like it was robbed it. It 100% deserved, in my opinion, to win it off.
Speaker 1:Well, honestly, I remember you. You may not remember this, but backstage, like once, you had leveled up to the next level and it was yours up against his. You know what I? Mean, and you were like well, you were like nope, it's you know, nope, it's him, and it was and it was, and you couldn't have been happier for him Through it.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:You could have already accepted your fate before the before it came out. Kira Deerbury.
Speaker 2:I've never gone diamond anything in my life, I mean, except like I will buy diamonds and I wear diamonds, but I've never been at that level.
Speaker 2:I mean, I just haven't it's not. You know, I do well, but not that well, you know what I'm saying To have that diamond first of all, sitting in the back. So when, what happened, guys, at that night? If you were in the top, you had to go sit in this little section in the way back. Now this is kind of funny and I'm going to tell and I'm not going to say who, but Jamie and I started walking over that way and I was like, oh, is this the section? And somebody goes, this is for the top, this is for the top four. And I went believe it or not, I'm in here, like I belong here.
Speaker 2:And they Dan McClain again, he's like sure she does and Kim Smith a couple of people were sitting there and the funny thing is Kimberly Smith had helped me work, helped me, had helped me. She had helped me work on my brain fart image and she was squeezing me so tight and when I went to the diamond round, she I was cradling her like a tiny little baby Cause. She was more excited for me than anything.
Speaker 2:And I will give Richard Sturdivin as well, because Kenzie was like he was like he was there and at one point I was standing there with Michael Timmons and Kimberly Smith, both who have been image competition mentors for me. They've helped me tremendously with image competition and they both were there with me. For the first time I got a diamond and that alone was worth it. Like that was worth millions of dollars, like it just the whole moment for me was emotional. Plus, for me, that image was very emotional. Guys, it's a, it's a child who had had six open heart surgeries by the time they were five and a half months old. It's a very sad.
Speaker 2:This is a long time client and it was a commissioned P. Anyway, long story. It just it was a lot, you know, and I just loved it. I loved the energy. Rich was a wreck and yours it was just. It was just amazing to be a part of it. And because I was on the board of directors when this whole I you know I'm one of the people that marched into David's office and we came up with like to be a part of that and then to see it happen, I don't know. It was a very full circle moment for me very much, I'm sure it was.
Speaker 1:I mean, well, I I couldn't have been happier and I just couldn't have been happier with the way, with the way the competitors were with each other. I, you know, rich Sturtervent was like a proud dad out there.
Speaker 2:He's thrilled, obviously, oh God.
Speaker 1:He was so excited. I mean, even at the end of it he was like my people here is great. Yeah, you know, he's not wrong, he's not wrong, that's true. I mean, as a teacher, you you've got to be proud of people that you've brought forward. So I just, and then, and then Gary's mother was in the audience.
Speaker 2:Mrs Jones. Mrs Jones, I ran into Mrs Jones when I was, you know, walking back to find my family after we did whatever the pictures, whatever and I said I said congratulations, that image is so beautiful, I'm sure you're so proud of your son. I said you better make him split that money with you. And she said don't worry, I will. And I thought you know what.
Speaker 1:She was so funny.
Speaker 2:She weighed about six pounds and she's a tiny little thing but I wouldn't mess with her.
Speaker 1:We, we could, we could blow her over with a stiff breeze. I mean, she was the tiniest little, sweetest lady and she, her name badge didn't have a first name Mrs Jones, just Mrs Jones, that's all it says.
Speaker 2:And she was. I think Gary is still like when it happened. He still was kind of looking around like oh wait a minute. Like I don't think he still believed it. You know what I mean. Like I just think it was so shocking and to me and I think to a lot of people, by the way it was so obvious that it was the winner.
Speaker 1:And I think everybody was rooting for it. I mean honestly, and to have a pure, pure, pure photograph.
Speaker 2:Natural portrait, I mean natural portrait.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it should send a message out there and you know that. You know you, you can compete in this. You don't have to be a master artist. Now, all of those are art art images that had a lot of heavy Photoshop and retouching, or they're beautiful, stunning and deserve to be there 100%, but you don't have to have it Right.
Speaker 2:It didn't have the imp and I'm not saying who knows what will happen next year, but even the major hitting artists I mean I had Judy Reinfurt, k&mt, obviously, richard Kimberly they were like hands down, it was the winner and they're amazing artists, like they create, sandra Pierce, they create that stuff that I'm like where, what are they smoking? That they are thinking of these things, because it's so outside of my, my brain I can't think that way. But every one of them said it was the best piece of art up there. I just think it says a lot and I think for our first one out, for the first one and everything, for it to be such a natural, beautiful portrait, so storytelling, the impact, the social awareness, I mean all of it, just I mean well, and the people and the person who went and the people who were up there.
Speaker 1:like you said, you've never gotten so far with an image and this was a whole new playing field of people and it shows that it's not the same, even though all the people who've always up there, they always deserve to be there 100%. It just shows that anybody could be up there. You know what I mean, because it's just. You know, it's not just. You have to make images that look like Dan McClain hands. You have to make images that look like Richard Stortovans. You can learn and be inspired from those people and still do your own thing and be up there and just as deserving.
Speaker 1:And it's anyway. It was, it was such a moving moment. So let me tell you something. I'm going to. I think I got to tell you the story, this behind the scenes story, but I'm going to. I think we should pause for the cause. Oh gosh, yes, my gosh, and we'll come back with our, our behind the scenes story.
Speaker 2:All right, can't wait for this one.
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Speaker 1:Alright, and we are back. Alright, mary. So we agree that IPC massive success, massive, massive success Went off without just a few technical glitches, which we knew would happen. All good, let's talk about a warden degree. Let's talk about a warden degree. I just I was there, were you there?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was so fun, so fun. I've been saving this conversation. I literally have written down everything that happened. Now let me start by saying our staff is amazing, amazing and they did a phenomenal job.
Speaker 2:Amazing.
Speaker 1:Every time. People may not know this, so this is a little good insight for everybody. When we do this, we travel to all these different cities. We don't bring our own AV team. We hire, like, the AV team that's connected with the convention center or the hotel that we're working with. It's usually part of the contract.
Speaker 1:You have to do it Part of the contract, right. Well, this year our AV company was super duper special and they are in not a great way. There was a lot of things and these are things that we're. There's no way we could have predicted that we would have this sort of these sort of issues with them, but there had been issues with them multiple times in different classrooms. I mean, we know about a couple of classes that had major audio.
Speaker 2:I was getting text messages. I'm like why are you texting me, Julian?
Speaker 1:cost is having like major malfunction and there's no one there to help her. People texted me that morning. I'm like Greg texted me too.
Speaker 2:I was like I'm on and I'm like, but I'm like why? I said, guys, would I pay? I'm just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So it wasn't just in A&D, but I think the pinnacle, like the peak of the dumpster fire that was the AV company, happened during that award and degree. Now I take responsibility for my role in some of it, but I'll tell you what happened from start to finish. Okay, you ready, you buckled in.
Speaker 2:I know what you saw. I know you saw. I want to start with the fact that Kira, at this point she has led a Well. She has been part of a council meeting since 8 am. She went into hair and makeup. She's been in a full gown since about 1130 am. It's, at this point, 5 pm and she still has about four more hours to go. So this is where we're at in the day.
Speaker 1:This is where we're at in the day. Mentally I'm feeling good, but feeling I'm feeling. The breathing is hard because of the dress I poured myself into, but you look beautiful. Thank you, it was worth it. I don't regret it.
Speaker 1:But anyway. So, okay, let's rewind a little bit to rehearsal. Okay, that was the day before. So at rehearsal the AV company kind of scheduled 30 minutes for us for the board, because they needed to practice for IBC. So all we really got to practice running through was the board coming on to stage, my dad being up there with me, and then my dad giving me a way to Jeff yeah, which was weird, but yeah so. And then the part where Jeff gives me my honorary medallion, master. And then we had practiced three times me going to the podium at that point. Right, that was the practice. We leave practice.
Speaker 1:And then they're like, oh wait, we forgot to figure out where Warren comes in with the Pledge of Allegiance. And I said, okay, I'm feeling not ready, could I sit with you guys? And so it was me and Jeff and two of our staff members. We sat down together and I was like, could you guys just go through it with me one more time, like that transition? And they said okay. So they began to tell me and it and whatever they told me. I remember going. I can't process anything that they're telling me right now and I go okay, but it'll be okay because the day of you, guys will tell me.
Speaker 1:You'll direct me, you'll direct me, and she goes oh yeah, we're gonna have stage direction, you'll have the teleprompter, it'll Everything will be fine. So I'm fine. So by the time this comes around the next day, I'm ready to go. I've had a great day. Council was great.
Speaker 1:Everything's cute, looking cute, feeling great. So get out to the. We're about to go up on stage and we get out there, we line up, we do the whole thing that we rehearsed and then, as rehearsed, I go to the podium. Now the teleprompter is not moving, and so I remember something about somebody telling me to add lib. So I had lib for a minute, thinking that the teleprompter was not, you know. But I kept thinking, if I'm not supposed to be here, someone will tell me. They'll say thank you, kira, and now let's welcome. Whatever Right, somebody's gonna pipe in.
Speaker 2:Somebody's gonna jump in here. Our hook is gonna come out and get me off the stage. Shirk your ass right off that stage.
Speaker 1:But because nobody was doing that.
Speaker 1:I really thought that there was a problem with the teleprompter, so I'm standing there just sort of like smiling like a maniac right, and in this moment this is like when, so, a nun walks into a bar. So this is my chance to do my stand-up, right and so. But I look and I finally look back and I see some flailing around and so I just sort of go, okay, and then I just exit the stage and then they go please welcome Warren Monson. So Warren Monson comes out and does the Pledge of Allegiance and I sit down with the AB Guy, I go, I need to know exactly what's happening next, and he doesn't know where we're at. He's back there, he's thumbing through the pages and he's like um, um, um. So here's what happened. Our staff gave the company the script like for the teleprompter, with breaks and stage direction. Yeah, so, like you would, right, Like you would say.
Speaker 2:Kira exits and you know. Welcome to the stage. Chair of the board, jeff Tachelski.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you see, jeff, and all that had been stripped out and all the line breaks for the sections had been stripped out, right? So the teleprompter moves with your voice, yeah, and so there, but there are no breaks. So I'll finish a section and it looks like it flies right into the next section. So I'm just reading, like because I'm a good reader, mary.
Speaker 2:You can read? Yeah, you can.
Speaker 1:I read, I have a nice stage voice and so I'm reading, and I'm reading and I get to the end of it and I was like that's weird that we did the charge now, Okay, and and so I so I read the whole charge the whole.
Speaker 1:No for those of for those who don't know how this works when somebody's getting their degree, after everybody gets their degrees, they stand up and they're kind of sworn in right, and we read this chart. Okay, so I didn't even really realize that I'd read the charge, because I thought I was just reading everything.
Speaker 1:And so I go off to my mark on the side of the stage and I'm standing there and as I'm waiting and people are coming across and everything's going okay, I also see this panel on the floor and it's rattling. Every time somebody walks on it. It's rattling is right before they hit the exit right, and then the more people walk on it, the more it starts to warp up, and so now there is a full like tripping hazard that's popped up on the corner of one of the stages designed in squares. So I see it, I kind of walk over to it while people are doing their thing and I see there's this bolt just rattling around in the hole like it's not screwed in, and so I stand on it to hold it down, so nobody's going to trip on it, right? So I'm standing on it. But now I'm standing in the middle of the walkway for people who are trying to exit the stage and they don't know what to do with me, and so I'm I'm doing that right now one.
Speaker 1:So, oh my god. Now, this is after I had already gone up with our annual award winners and they had decided to read their entire bios with me standing in the middle of the stage.
Speaker 2:I don't even understand what happened. How did that?
Speaker 1:I just remember that they held, like Chris Duncan, for example. Right, so he's the first one up and he's, you know, standing there, and he starts to walk out and an arm goes across him and it's like no, no, no, wait.
Speaker 1:So I'm standing there with his word in the middle of the stage, just like this smiling like a maniac and then waving at Chris and he's off stage and I'm like hi, you know just making faces trying to be pleasant, and his thing goes on for so long like it's not his fault, it's everybody. He's got a lot of accomplishment right and we want to celebrate them. And then he comes out. He's up there for three seconds while we take this picture.
Speaker 1:And then three seconds and then I have to scoot off stage because they're already talking about the next person, right? So this happens for half of the award, when I just stay there smiling.
Speaker 2:I couldn't figure that out. It was like. It was like you won all the awards. I was so uncomfortable.
Speaker 1:I was so uncomfortable I was just smiling. It was weird. And then finally, I think they sent Jamie out, or Jamie came out the whole time and evidently Jamie's like let's wrap it up. Jamie came out and did the whole thing with me and he goes. You're just standing out here by her. That's what we were talking about like you know how you always was spring to the person next to you.
Speaker 2:What are they?
Speaker 1:saying and Jamie's like why are you just standing out here by yourself?
Speaker 2:Of course, Anyway, so this had already happened.
Speaker 1:This had already happened and several times when stuff had happened, I'd made a joke when I had to go back to the podium or whatever, and like you do, because you just got to roll with the punches. But now I'm at the edge of the stage and the degree recipients are coming across and I'm saving their lives, every single one of them. I'm standing on this corner. I'm also blocking their exit, so they don't know how to do some high fiving and fist bumping. I'm hugging some people, I'm elbowing, I'm whatever. And some people are confused because of, like, where I'm standing. It's a weird place, but again saving their lives. So then I turn around to hope that I could tell somebody that there's something wrong with the stage right here, because they're not going to stop the show. But I feel like somebody should now.
Speaker 1:And so I turn around to tell one of our staff members. She goes Kara, you've read the charge already. And I said I did, and she goes you're going to read it again. I went no, and she goes yeah, you're going to read it again. And I went okay. So now I'm just sitting here, going okay. What do I say when I go back up to this podium? Because everyone knows, I read the charge, except for me at this point, and also I can't move and so I'm just trying to think of a joke. I was like, okay, all right, save and live, save and lies. Who's a famous person that's messed up a lot? Who's a famous? Okay, who's a president that's?
Speaker 2:messed up a lot. Who's a?
Speaker 1:famous president. That's messed up a lot. Okay, joe Biden. No, that's too soon.
Speaker 2:No that's too soon, no, that's too soon, george Joby Bush.
Speaker 1:No Too polarizing.
Speaker 2:No, can't be like too polarizing. Can't be a living person. No, he's got to be a dead person, he's got to be a dead person.
Speaker 1:Okay, famous president who screws up a lot Gerald Ford. Okay, this is kind of an older crowd. They'll know who Gerald Ford is. They'll remember that he was made fun of a lot for falling down, probably Right. And so I'm just sitting there going, I'm high-fiving, I'm hugging, I'm fist bumping, I'm whatever. Gerald Ford, gerald Ford. I'm not going to get it out of my head. I can't get it out of my head and I finally go back up to the front of the stage. I heard you, the ghost of Gerald Ford, called.
Speaker 2:It makes me so uncomfortable to hear you say it again. And he said that I messed something else up and the whole crowd's like huh, huh. When you said it, I went huh, don't y'all get it.
Speaker 1:You're trying to help me out. You see it's funny, because Gerald Ford is famously very clumsy, very famous, very famous, for that.
Speaker 2:I got it and I tried to laugh really hard but I couldn't laugh enough, I couldn't laugh enough. And somebody said who's Gerald Ford, are they a member? And I went huh yeah, just saying it?
Speaker 1:No, yeah, I'm telling you that I was just like high five, high five, high five, high five Gerald. Ford, gerald Ford, gerald Ford, and it's like the only thing I could think of Food. It's got to be a dead person. It's got to be a funny dead person. It's got to be a presidential dead person.
Speaker 2:I don't think. I guess most people don't think Gerald Ford was funny.
Speaker 1:No, no, I'm not defending the joke. What I'm telling you is that, after the myriad of things that were going on behind the scenes where I was just like, keep it together, keep it to be funny, not too funny, not too funny. Don't not be honoring the people who are getting their stuff, don't make it so funny that you're not taking it seriously. So I'm walking this line, which is very hard, I also. I go back up to the stage.
Speaker 2:Okay, after the Gerald Ford thing which, I mean, this is all I had. I literally was like has she been drinking?
Speaker 1:No, this happened again. I wish I did after that, but no, I hadn't. So anyway, Jeff's behind me, I guess as planned, because again, I've never gone through this.
Speaker 2:No you can do it one time. That's the hard part.
Speaker 1:You do it one time, and so Jeff sneaks up on you. He goes did I scare you? Yes, so I have to read the charge again. Right, just gonna stand there with me? Well, thank God. So I'm reading church. But I guess, because Jeff was there, they changed the way they're lighting the podium and so now they've blinded the whole right side of me, where I can't see the. It's shining through the right side of teleprompter, so I can't. All of the people who are receiving the charge are on my right and the light is shining through it, so all I can see is the teleprompter on my left. And you'd think I'd have it memorized, since I already read it once. But, believe it or not, I didn't. That's fair.
Speaker 2:It's a loan charge.
Speaker 1:So I have to read this two and a half minute charge again, completely looking to my left, where there is no one.
Speaker 2:Well, it felt like they had it too high or something. Because when I saw you I was like you were just, do you know, like when people take a picture of someone and they're just kind of just looking lovingly out like into nothing, and you're just like don't cry for me, argentina. And you're just staring out into the abyss and I'm like why is she looking?
Speaker 2:so high and then I'm like, oh my God, that teleprompter is. So it was just, yeah, you know what, though? We're not going to forget this one. I mean, come on, you know, greg didn't have one. It's true, I had COVID one, right, jeff? You know, jeff, but I was so uncomfortable sitting in my seat, I mean, there was just. I just was only uncomfortable because it was AV. I mean, they forgot people, and when that happened I just wanted to literally belly crawl out.
Speaker 2:I just was like no, they did not just forget a human being, you know, but it wasn't stuff. You're just at their mercy and these people are doing their job and they don't know us. And hey, the good news is is that we get it. We know most people did it. You know what I mean. Maybe you know you know, because you're someone's going to go. Why didn't they read this Charge?
Speaker 1:twice. Isn't that what you do? Where were the jokes? But, but, but, ok, so the final, oh, wow it's not over yet.
Speaker 2:I don't screw up?
Speaker 1:No, it's not. So Jeff's up there. I'm reading the charge in the wrong direction, as everyone's looking at me and I know it's the wrong direction. I saw a clip of this too and I was like, yep, it looks as bad as I thought it did, and so and but. So, jeff, I'm supposed to give Jeff his like crystal gavel you know, like I'm sending.
Speaker 1:So I turn, I read the teleprompter and I go Jeff, please accept this award. And I, the whole time everyone, some person in black has been up there handing me awards to give. Well, they were not nowhere to be found and so I turned to be handed the award so I can hand it off to Jeff. And it is a full 40 feet across the stage, sitting on a table, just lying on the far end of the table and Jeff goes would you like me to go get my award?
Speaker 2:And I said, yeah, you wouldn't mind. Please don't tell me he tripped on the bolt and died. Sorry, jeff, you know I didn't mean that. Oh my.
Speaker 1:God. So so that was the. That was the end of it. And I, honestly, I came off the stage and I was a little. I had been holding it together because I'm just like, ok, we're not going to show. I do think it helps when everybody can see that something is going on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for you to just say it's going on, like you know, for you to, so I just sort of took the bullet and made jokes of my own, you know was self deprecating as much as I could to be funny and you know. But when I got off the stage so many people kind of like rushed me to tell me that I was going to be a good person, tell me how great I did off thinking of my toes and what, which was so sweet. But all of a sudden it was like I got this in my head. I was like, oh God, I hope there aren't any degree recipients that are felt disrespected Like I was so. But I just got really, of course, worried and then I had to go have a little minute.
Speaker 2:I had to go. This is what. So. This is what. So Carol, dachowski, jeff's wife and I, we see what's happening, so this is what we do. And Alexandra, baby Alex, so, baby Alex, carol and I immediately run back to the Marriott and immediately go to the pantry in the Marriott and I'm like, ok, alex, go to the bar, put old fashions in coffee cups. Carol, go, get my odds. I bought pop tarts, corn nuts, some gum, gummy bears, a frozen lasagna. Because she's been standing there for 16 hours. All I could do is like just give her food and alcohol. And it's because she still had a whole another presentation to give. We still had IPC and World Cup to go. And I literally I'm like, hey, go. And I've got like some strawberry pop tarts, some gummy bears, like a popsicle, like I don't know.
Speaker 1:Well, did Alex tell you what happened with the old fashioned? No, oh, so she gives me the old fashioned in a coffee cup, right, and I bet you do. I'm hiding in the corner because I'm getting a little I'm having to.
Speaker 1:kind of you know, calm, calm my nerves down and I'm, I'm, I sit, people are talking to me and people are saying such kind things, nice to me, and Lucy's there and I'm hugging her and everything's fine, and I set the coffee cup down on this. No, that have been sitting there for hours, like it's been there literally for three days. I've. Every time I'm in this backstage area it's. This card is right here, right, oh no, I've got my old fashioned on the car. And then I'm talking to someone that I think she won. She gives me a great big hug. I turn around, I go to reach for the cup and they've taken the whole cart. The whole cart is gone, the old fashioned is gone. And I look at Alex. I go. Alex, what happened to my old fashion? Because she was still staying here. She goes, she goes, oh no.
Speaker 2:Oh, I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:Oh no, and then she went and got Japs and gave me Japs.
Speaker 2:Jeff, you don't need this. Somebody needs it more than you. I know, that's all I could do. I was like I'm just going to get food and alcohol. That's all I can do at this point. I there's nothing else I can do.
Speaker 1:But oh wow, you know what I'm going to be honest, I was. I was rattled at the end and it took me a little while to like Recover you know from it. Well, you never would have known by the way, I didn't see. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I mean, but you know I'm a human being, you know that is doesn't want to, you know mess up like everyone.
Speaker 2:No, I mean of course.
Speaker 1:And so but honestly, like the next day, as I started like kind of reliving it a little bit, like I was, like I feel kind of like if I could do that, if I could handle myself under pressure in that situation like everything was falling apart and I still kept it together and I still kept the show going and made fun of myself and I kind of feel like I could do anything.
Speaker 2:I think, if you can do what you did, I mean, and I felt the same way when I got. I mean, and it wasn't like that I was, but it was, it was. You know, it was just a different time, it was we were wearing masks and it was just such a but when I finished that day, when I finished that Monday at Image in USA, I thought I could literally walk on the moon, like you know, because it felt that huge, because there's so many people and everybody's so excited to take their picture with you and hug you and see you and, yes, every single person thinks you're there for them, which you are. But you know what I mean. It's just, it's overwhelming. But when you sit down that night and you go, damn, I did that. And because there's always mistakes, you know what I mean there just always are. It's just too many moving pieces for there not to be things forgotten or whatever, but to be able to laugh through it, to be able just to work through it.
Speaker 2:It's huge and I think it was great, great. I'm just going to tell your friend, jeff went and got himself a snack and that's all. That's how Jeff comes out eating like a whole thing jar of peanuts and I'm like, did you get Kira anything? She's like emaciated in the back and they're just, it was fun. It was a fun event. Um, I, I thought it was great my first year working the trade show, which, oh my God, I've I. I respect our vendors more than anything, but I respect our vendors enormously. Now, that was one of the heart. Besides being president, that's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.
Speaker 1:I bet I mean on your feet, the amount you guys were on your feet and did you have a padded floor in your booth?
Speaker 2:Or no? No, ma'am, I didn't know that. Didn't know that I will never not have a padded floor again. I mean, we had a piece of carpet, but who knew that was just? You know I'm out of. You know your feet always hurt. Imaging is rough. We always complain about our feet hurting. Didn't hold a candle to working in that trade show and that was. That was rough, but it was great. I thought Louisville was great. I loved all the extra little things and the signage. I think you know marketing and staff did such a great job. I couldn't have been prouder.
Speaker 1:They hit it out of the park. I mean it was like thanks for making me look good guys. I mean like this has been, it's been, it's phenomenal. I mean everybody, everything came through the way we wanted it to come through.
Speaker 2:Nobody really cares about any.
Speaker 1:They didn't see most of the stuff that happened in that one screw up. You know, I agree. And then, honestly, I've never had, I've never I was so overwhelmed with how many kind things were said to me over the course of several days. It was just absolutely overwhelming, you know so.
Speaker 2:And then it's loved it.
Speaker 1:Well, you did a great job.
Speaker 2:So this is obviously our blind down from IUSA. Guys, I hope you paid attention. There's a couple of things cool things going on at PPA. I know, kira, you posted today the benchmark 20 to 20 24 surveys happening. Go to the level up page, get that information. I know PPA wants to hear back the benchmark survey so important. I'm excited that they're doing that again and also I love that the EDU department is doing the kind of unpacking from imaging. I know Ronan has one coming up. I've got one. I've got one coming up. I'm forgetting names. Maybe I can't remember.
Speaker 2:Several speakers several amazing people Check those out. It's just kind of fun. I love that they're doing that, because, isn't it so true? We go to these things and we get all this information. It's like, you know, fire, like a water, is coming at you. I think it's cool that there's going to be some follow up. So, yeah, check those out. And yeah, yeah, I hope you guys loved it and if you didn't get to attend, I'm sorry you missed. You missed it. You really missed out on Kira's Gerald Ford joke, which we don't ever.
Speaker 1:Well, now, they've heard it, You've heard it, and yeah, you've heard it and it was.
Speaker 2:It was awesome. But yeah, it was great. I thought it was great, I had a great time. I had a key to your suite, I just and I got to spend a lot of time with Lucy. It was really cute. I was trying to run backstage because I was I was very honored to present a few degrees, like a lot of us get to do at this point, and I couldn't get my shoes buckled. So I'm like kind of clopping along and I'm trying to get it buckled and Lucy's like she's waving and she wanted me to come sit with her and I'm like I can't, but she looked like a million bucks when she's so pretty, so pretty, but I can't tell you.
Speaker 2:I had at least three people ask me when you were and I'm like she's right there, that's her right there. But because of the way you wore your hair, three different people didn't realize it was you. So she had her bangs like a real, real hard swoop. So she wasn't banging the banks, were not. We were going Hollywood glam. It was beautiful. But I'm like, hold on a minute, oh, that's her. And I'm like, yeah, everything else is the same when I don't have the bangs.
Speaker 2:Very people were upset. It was like well, they tell me, they felt cheated.
Speaker 1:They tell me that you know, oh, I just love your bangs. Oh, OK, yeah, but I'm allowed to. It's like different hair.
Speaker 2:So it's like if you wear your hair curly all the time and you straighten it. It's just. It's just a different look and it looked beautiful, by the way, but I'm thinking they weren't upset. It was oh. Oh, I see now and I'm like, yeah, because her face is exactly the same, same face the same one.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, whenever Kevin has shaved his beard but just so rare they always say oh, I love your beard and so he's like. So you don't like my face.
Speaker 2:Right Right, you know right. It was kind of like when Greg grew a beard. Remember how lonely we were by that. I'll never forget it. I was like what happened?
Speaker 1:What happened to your face, but now. But I'm used to it now.
Speaker 2:But now if he shaved it, I would not, it would be strange. It'd be very strange.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I forget that he didn't have the beard and I see an old photo with us and I'm like oh, we used to be clean, shaven Very clean shaven yeah, very clean shaven yeah. So I thought it was fantastic Times change.
Speaker 2:That things change. And yeah, you, you did it, girl. You got through it. It was amazing, I loved it, I loved being in Louisville, and now we get to rest up for next year.
Speaker 1:For now, To start it all over again, to start resting now.
Speaker 2:Right, resting now. All right, we're going to wrap it up.
Speaker 1:We's going to wrap it up, okay, you guys can follow us on Instagram I get your shoot together. You can follow us on Facebook I get your shoot together. You can email us at girl at getyourshootegethercom and subscribe to us everywhere where podcasts are played. We will see you guys next time. Thanks y'all, bye.