SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The end of the semester - particularly the last week - is an almost hellish time with university deadlines crashing all around, innumerable term papers to grade, speeches to give and enough end-of-the-semester parties and 'receptions' to challenge even the most iron of iron stomachs.
Still, when Prosper Magazine invited the Admiral and I to an unveiling of their redesigned magazine - and at arguably one of the swankest joints in town - I decided it might be worth the effort, even if it meant suiting up in city clothes one more time.
Gawd, it was worth it.
The downtown restaurant is called Spataro's, one of several owned by local restaurateur Randy Paragary and the whole place was turned over to Prosper for the night. Trendy (and loud) music boomed, three bars kept the party goers from getting dehydrated, and the appetizers were so good I had to move closer to the kitchen to ensure getting a shot at them.
But the real fun of the evening was talking with some former newshounds, now given into new careers and also seeing who the new 'in crowd' in Sacramento is. The new editor of the magazine flitted around the room like a new father - a difficult task for a guy as big as Jeffrey Young. In the end, when the new magazine cover was flashed on the screen and thick copies handed out (thick with advertising and stories), the hype was justified. It's quite a magazine.
Prosper cover for June
My connection to the magazine goes back to practically its first issue, when I started writing short pieces for former editor Carol Chamberlain. I wrote about a fellow who built - and flies - a tiny airplane, people who gave up lucrative careers to open a B&B in the mountains, and a group of inventors who latched onto the IPod and created a new earphone system that was all the rage, at least for a few months.
According to my IRS 1099 form, I apparently wrote a lot more, too, but who the other stories were about escapes me for the minute. Too much stimulation, Zinfandel wine and perhaps those mushroom appetizers have dulled my brain.
That or the stack of term papers I just finished reading.
Thanks, Michael, for the kind words. We have assembled quite a team at Prosper Media, which I am very proud to be a part.
ReplyDeleteLeading the way, into uncharted territory, can be daunting at times. If I sense fear or insecurity all I have to do is reconnect with our team and I am reminded of where we are headed and what we are about. If you too sensed a bit of that at the Prosper Transformation party the we achieved our goal as the Prosper team.
Michael J. Teel
Partner
Prosper Media