#ThatAwkwardMomentWhen: You meet a guy on a plane and end up staying out with him until 2 am

NSFL

Feb 10

Yep. That happened.

At least it wasn't like my last 4 Vegas trips that all involved hookers. Seriously, FOUR Vegas trips in 6 months all with ladies of the evening.::smh::

Anywho ... earlier this week I was speaking at the fabulous #SMSsummit in Vegas which was produced by a very dear friend of mine Ms. Amanda Vanderpool.

The conference itself was GREAT! I had such a fun time getting to meet so many people and hearing so much about their lives and their trials and errors in social media.

The primary attendees were all from different big brands so it was super cool to get to see the other side of the coin and how these people were using new media in general. Here in LA, we eat.sleep.and.breathe. it. Sometimes though, when you're THAT ensconced in something you're too close to it. I love it when I get to take a step back and ask others what they use and find helpful in marketing. (This helps in predicting trends, FYI. You HAVE to keep an ear to the ground ... ALWAYS.)

Either way, once everything from the first day was wrapped I decided to tweet out to see what everyone was up to ...

That tweet then became a hit at the conference as a bunch of people then @replied me and a handful even DMed.

One of the peeps was a dude by the name of LaMonte. He then came over to the area where I was working and we struck up a conversation.

You're from LA? he asked.

Yep! I said back.

Do you know Jason Okuma? he asked. He's a very smart guy and also a speaker that's from your neck of the woods.

No, I said, but I'd love to meet him if you can point him out!

Not a problem, he said.

The sessions then ended and everyone met up at a sponsored mixer.

LaMonte walks back over to me as I am getting a drink.

Jen, he said, this is Jason.

Hello!! I said shaking his hand. I've heard a lot about you!!!

That's great, he said back. Where are you from?

LA, I replied.

Awesome! So you know so and so and so and so?

Yep, yep, and yep, I replied.

You must be in the Silicon Beach scene then.

Absolutely, I admitted. I can't get enough of how awesome the LA tech community is. I've lived in LA for 9 years and to watch everything explode in just the last few years has been quite beautiful. This is the greatest time to be alive, I said.

I totally agree, he said.

We then swapped stories talking about what we've each done and where we both want to go.

This is great, he said. I really like you.

ME TOO!! I said back. You've got great energy.

Here let's take a picture, he said. I want to tweet it out.

Never one to shy away from a camera I immediately struck a pose in my super schmexy MessageMe tee ...

After Jason and I kicked it, I then manifested an adventure for the evening putzing around on the strip solo.

I struck up two awesome conversations with guys in town for a concrete convention, but both of them couldn't stop staring at my sponsored MessageMe tee.

What's MessageMe about asked one of the guys?

Fancy you should ask, I replied. It enhances the messaging experience. You can send music clips, draw doodles - it's a fun way to chat with friends. I'm totally obsessed.

Here let me see your smartphone, I asked.

Ah, I don't have one, said the guy.

REALLY?!?! I asked excited. How do you not have a smartphone?

I deal in coating, he admitted.

Coating? like coding? How is it spelled?

C-o-a-t-i-n-g.

AHH, I said.

I'm not in the techie world but I admire what you guys are doing.

Thanks, I said.

At that point I realized we wouldn't have that much to talk about so I peaced in the middle east calling it a night. Sure it was only midnight, but I was there to speak and had to put my big girl pants on and be bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.

I then woke up and a few hours later presented on blog strategy, narrative advertising, and non-traditional revenue streams regarding new media.

It was GREAT!!! Everyone really loved my presentation, and Amanda said it was the most attended of all of the sessions.

Considering I mostly speak to colleges and younger kids in general, it was SUPER cool to get to open up to all these business brand managers and fancy pants corporate people. To be able to share my passion with them and have them all respond in such a positive manner was SO inspiring.

I spent the rest of the day networking, and tweeting everyone back that had @replied me.

Around 5 though, I wanted to head to the airport to see if I could catch an earlier flight back.

Because of the big blizzard hitting the northeast, a bunch of flights kept getting either cancelled or delayed and after traveling for almost two weeks at that point the only thing I was looking forward to was my bed.

After going through security I walked up to the airport counter and asked if I could swap to an earlier flight. I explained the situation about the blizzard and my uncertainty in general if the flight was even going to take off. Since there are a few flights an hour going in and out of Vegas to LA I figured it would be no big deal. Also having done this 100 times before, I knew it was fine.

I'm sorry, said the attendant. A company paid for your ticket (even my flight was sponsored) and the way it is structured I can't change it.

NOOOO!!! I said. There's really NOTHING you can do?

I'm sorry, she said kindly.

Having my laptop on me, and a ton of work, I figured it was nbd. I'd just have to find an outlet and a place to cop a squat.

Thanks for checking, I said. Really appreciate it.

Vegas in general doesn't have a lot of open wifi, but fortunately their airport does. If I was going to be stranded somewhere it was totally kosher to at least be stuck with wifi and power.

Also, having slept and worked in so many crazy places, I am a freaking MACHINE at still pumping out shiznat and working from literally anywhere.

I sat on the floor of the airport next to an outlet for two hours before my flight was ready to board.

As I was walking over to the gate I spotted a familiar face ...

El senor Okuma!!!

DUDE!!! I say walking up high fiving him. What's kicking chicken?

We then struck up another conversation talking about our thoughts on the conference and new media in general.

Come to find out both Jason and I have been entrepreneurs from the womb.

When did you decide this is what you wanted to do with your life? he asked.

I've always been in tech, I admitted. But it wasn't until social media came around that I could merge the creative and entertainment side of my personality into it as well. I started typing when I was 2, and had my first little computer consulting company before I was 10.

He laughed.

You're such a slacker! What did you do in-between 2 and 10?

I laughed.

Jason has this energy to him that you can't describe; all "successful" people have it. They glow, and vibrate at this peaceful and beautiful wavelength. The second you're around them you feel differently but the feeling can't be articulated - you just know.

<tangent> Success btw, is a very personal thing. You can be successful financially and not personally. All of your houses have to be in order for one to attain true "success." Jason has definitely found that balance and it shows. </tangent>

Since were in the same boarding group, our conversation continued as the boarding process began.

When we reached the tarmac though, we were interrupted.

I want to talk to you both, said the guy in line behind us.

Awesome! I said stretching out my hand. Hi, I'm Jen.

Hi, I'm so and so.

Jason then introduced himself, and come to find out our new friend was also in the tech space.

I don't know whatever it is you're about, but I just wanted to say you're hired! You both seem very efficient, and I like that.

I started laughing. Thanks dude!!! We're both just super passionate about what we do.

It's great, he said.

I have an idea I want to run past you both.

Great, said Jason. Why don't we all sit together!

Sounds good to me, I said finding three available seats together.

For the next 45 minutes (the duration of the flight) our new friend told us all about his experience as an entrepreneur, (he's worked primarily in real estate but has also sold a company for 25 million) and his next idea that was actually pretty cool.

What are you guys doing after this? he asked as the plane touched down.

I have to go to a friend's birthday party, but happy to continue the chat there, I said. We can find a quiet spot and talk, I just can't be rude and not show up after committing.

Great! He said.

We all got off the plane as Jason then picked up his luggage and got picked up by his family.

I just have to do family time for about an hour, but let's meet up at your friends birthday party and we can go from there.

Great! The new friend and I said.

How are you getting out of here? he asked.

Uber gave me a bunch of credits, so I was just going to grab a car. (Thanks Uber for the sponsorship!!)

Come with me, he said. I just have to go get a rental car and drop this suit off at my brothers but I can take you.

Knowing that this guy had great energy, and there are no coincidences in meeting someone and clicking so quickly (especially after wanting so desperately to get on an earlier flight and being denied) I figured it was going to be fine.

Learn to trust, I kept reminding myself. Float on like the feather!

ALSO, if the shiznat hit the fan, I had just a single backpack and was in flats. Worst case scenario I could just bolt as fast as I could and call Uber for a ride literally anywhere.

We then pulled up to the car rental place and got his vehicle. As he checked in I heard his full name so I immediately popped on google as I sat in the back waiting area and made sure his name didn't come up with "serial killer" or "wanted."

He had also given his brother's first name at that point and told me the name of the super fancy pants company he was Vice President of.

Low and behold absolutely EVERYTHING checked out.

Awesome, I thought. Like energy really is attracting. For all I know this dude might think I'M the serial killer. Anything is possible!!

We then head over to his brother's place as I am invited inside.

I tweeted out laughing at the situation ...

I then met his fancy pants brother and was shown an app that he created for his company.

My new friend had told him who I was so he naturally asked for my opinion.

I stared at the device, and inquired about the features on the app. Question after question, he had an answer. Even the UI was super clean, and I gotta admit, it was SUPER cool what he came up with. To have someone who isn't even in tech come up with something like that was EXTREMELY impressive.

I didn't start using a computer until well after college, he admitted.

Wow, I said. I can't even imagine catching on to technology that late in life. It's strange how having access to tech as a baby shaped so much of my youth. We grew up playing with tech and viewed it as just that .... "playing." The way that we all process it in this generation is SO different.

Oh I agree, he said.

I continued, the problem though is the fact that we're the ones that also learned to troubleshoot. These next generation of kids have only had an iphone and working internet. We dealt with dial up, and Juno. It's a new playing field.

He agreed.

I then bid adieu to my other new friend, and got back in the car with my original new friend and drove all the way to West Hollywood to meet up with Jason again.

See, my buddy Wynter was having a birthday party over at Parlor that evening so again, not wanting to be a douche and just bailing we decided to host the meeting there.

Everything went super smooth, except I didn't know that Parlor closed at midnight, and we didn't get there until 11:30. I had not only missed my friend's party but we were a few minutes away from closing.

No big deal, said the new friend. Let's go over to Canters deli! It's just around the corner.

We all then piled into Jason's car and drove over to Canters. It was incredible to see how present Jason was. The dude doesn't miss a trick.

We then go inside and continue to talk about his project.

It was AMAZING what this guy has already accomplished with it, and really cool to hear where he was going.

I have a feeling we are all going to work together, said the new friend.

Jason and I laughed as we both agreed that the circumstances in which we met was certainly strange, but also that there are never "coincidences" in life.

Again, I could tell the moment I met Jason we were going to be solid friends, (especially since we run in the same circle) but we were also both in agreement that this guy had a cool idea.

By 2am my eye lids were absolutely closing. After having traveled for almost two weeks straight, AND having just spent the last 48 hours networking my fanny off and speaking, it was overwhelming. My body reached a new level of exhaustion.

Knowing when I get to "that level" I have only about a half an hour before I COMPLETELY collapse I pulled up Uber on my phone and requested a car.

I then excused myself from the table profusely thanking both of the guys.

I'd love to be involved in anyway. I apologize though, I am beyond exhausted.

Not a problem, they both said thanking me for my time.

Dudes, thank YOU both!! Such talent at this table it's REDIC!!!

I then climbed into the big black Escalade Uber sent over and collapsed in the backseat. I smiled as I looked back on the evening and on the randomness of life in general.

Your only job is to just accept and allow. We're never in control of anything. Like energy is always attracting so it's your job to understand what you are putting out there, but the rest is up to the wind. I am actually living the feather mentality, I thought. This is GREAT!!!!

ANNNNDDD there you have it. Not only did I potentially get a new project, but I got to kick it with some super cool and talented people all because I allowed it. It would have been so easy for Jason and I to turn around to the guy when he started talking to us and yell at him for interrupting our conversation. Since we both have such INCREDIBLY open personalities though, that experience was allowed to grow and I didn't get chopped up into a million pieces which was BEYOND awesome!!!

Yay life and yay adventure!!

Up next I'm taking el Senor Ben Parr to my buddy's birthday this evening. I introduced him to my boyfriend Walter, and he was pretty impressed!!