Last Night's PNY Event
Last night, Luis and I trooped out to the new Blackthorn restaurant, which calls itself an Irish pub/restaurant, but it is just American food. (Hey, if you are going to serve another country's food, then do so!) The place looked nice and not so different from the Bennigan's that had occupied that space for so many years.
The music was good, a little on the loud side but good. AC/DC - always fun to hear!
It took me a few minutes to find the PNY group. No one had put in an official table request, but others had come in asking for the same group. We must have circled the restaurant three or four times, until suddenly I heard my name. And there was Luis, Bob, his son, Christa, Lois and Michelle. I felt a little awkward - I knew all the faces (except Bob's son) but I've gone on to so many other HR jobs that I'd forgotten most of the names. (Every place I've been has had 200 - 250 employees that I worked directly with and with so many names, my brain has overwrote the old ones to make room for the new. It's that way with a lot of us.
We were there at 1830 and had a fun time talking to everyone. I haven't seen any of them since I left in 2001. It was a lot of fun. Others came, some left and finally Mike showed up - he'd driven up from Texas and we'd gotten together for him. (Usually PNY get-togethers are done in Carlstadt or Moonachie, back from 1999 before the company moved to Parsippany. I never want to drive that far, so I haven't made it to one yet. But this was perfect. Just two and a half, maybe three miles from the house!
We were still there at 2000 when a live band began playing. Up until then, the music had been loud, but with a little force, one could be heard. Once the band began playing, forget it. My tinnitus went crazy, I couldn't hear a scrap of conversation, and my head began to pound. I usually have earplugs with me, but not this time. The band was much, much, much too loud.
By 2145 neither of us could take it any more. Most of the others had gone. I was ready to go before that, but Luis thought he had an order of sliders on the way. The staff had never put it in, though, so we left.
I got home and Pat Thai (my heroes) were still open, so I grabbed a meal there. Luis made himself some of his Nutrisystem meals. By then it was about 2230 - a long night.
I'd forgotten my camera, so when Luis downloads his, I'll have the images to post.
The music was good, a little on the loud side but good. AC/DC - always fun to hear!
It took me a few minutes to find the PNY group. No one had put in an official table request, but others had come in asking for the same group. We must have circled the restaurant three or four times, until suddenly I heard my name. And there was Luis, Bob, his son, Christa, Lois and Michelle. I felt a little awkward - I knew all the faces (except Bob's son) but I've gone on to so many other HR jobs that I'd forgotten most of the names. (Every place I've been has had 200 - 250 employees that I worked directly with and with so many names, my brain has overwrote the old ones to make room for the new. It's that way with a lot of us.
We were there at 1830 and had a fun time talking to everyone. I haven't seen any of them since I left in 2001. It was a lot of fun. Others came, some left and finally Mike showed up - he'd driven up from Texas and we'd gotten together for him. (Usually PNY get-togethers are done in Carlstadt or Moonachie, back from 1999 before the company moved to Parsippany. I never want to drive that far, so I haven't made it to one yet. But this was perfect. Just two and a half, maybe three miles from the house!
We were still there at 2000 when a live band began playing. Up until then, the music had been loud, but with a little force, one could be heard. Once the band began playing, forget it. My tinnitus went crazy, I couldn't hear a scrap of conversation, and my head began to pound. I usually have earplugs with me, but not this time. The band was much, much, much too loud.
By 2145 neither of us could take it any more. Most of the others had gone. I was ready to go before that, but Luis thought he had an order of sliders on the way. The staff had never put it in, though, so we left.
I got home and Pat Thai (my heroes) were still open, so I grabbed a meal there. Luis made himself some of his Nutrisystem meals. By then it was about 2230 - a long night.
I'd forgotten my camera, so when Luis downloads his, I'll have the images to post.
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