Mocktail Party

So, last night James and I were invited to an MBA "mocktail" party at BYU. At first we thought the idea of a "mocktail" party was kind of weird. What, is BYU into the "appearance of evil" now, or what? But, once we got there, while talking to one of the 2nd year student mentors, he explained that alot of business is actually conducted at similar events out in the "real world" and that there is a need for BYU students to learn how to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. So, basically it's good practice for all of us to order non-alcoholic drinks (italian sodas, in this case...yum!) and socialize while sipping something, and not look like a dork doing it. It's a way to get all of us uptight Mormons to relax a little and be personable. Apparently James and I aren't the only ones who need practice with that. Admittedly, it was a lot of fun to get all dressed up and have an evening out with James.
Before we tightened our belts for good, James and I tried to fill in the holes in our wardrobe. Not that we have the be -all, end-all of wardrobes, but they're better than they were. It's funny because James needed casual clothes to wear to school, and I needed dressier clothes for functions like this one. And, since every girl needs a little black dress in her repertoire of clothing(or so I've heard), this is the one I found, on sale (a killer deal, really), at Macys: sorry, we didn't take pictures of ourselves, so you'll have to settle for the model. I look practically the same, anyways :) ahem...After our drinks, we had the awesome opportunity to listen to Sheri Dew. I have always loved listening to her speak. She is one of those people who just command your attention. We were sitting only five rows back (so what if I counted?) and at times I think we even made eye contact (really drives her point home even more). She talked mostly about influence. How everyone has influence, whether big or small, and that we should use our influence for good. (I say 'we' and 'us' even though I'm not the MBA, because she geared her talk to include the spouses, too.) She talked a lot about being a good leader and how we should always do the right thing, no matter how much courage that takes. She also pointed out that our greatest roles as leaders will be in our own homes, and that our greatest team efforts will be between husband and wife. It wasn't just a church talk, though. She talked a lot about the business world, and some of her experiences as CEO of Deseret Book. I found a lot that I could apply to my life, and I resolved to be an even better support for James. They say that behind every successful man is a good woman, and I intend to BE that kind of woman. What can I say, it was fun. I hope we have a lot more events like this because I like acting grown up.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention...at one point, Sheri Dew asked for comments on leadership, and James raised his hand and offered a brilliant one (no, I'm not biased). Look at him, coming out of his shell and everything!