New gig - sort of

I've only been unemployed two days and I already have a new gig.

For those who haven't been following my blog, I took a buyout from my newspaper on Wednesday. I've been a reporter for 11 years and spent the last five at The Star-Ledger. 

I met a friend for coffee this morning, who happens to be the Highland Park council president. She was talking about how she wants to throw an inauguration ball in New Jersey for people who don't want to travel to D.C. I told her that my husband and I tossed around this idea a couple of months ago when we were trying to decide my next career move.

I love to plan events. I took an event- and wedding-planning course in the spring and have been toying with the idea of starting an event-planning business. My husband thought the local inauguration ball could kick-off to my new career, but I didn't think we could pull it off because so many of my friends are journalists and are not allowed to endorse a candidate by attending a ball, and of our friends who aren't reporters, only a handful would probably be willing to pay upwards of $75 to attend an event. So, I tucked away the idea and we started making plans to go to D.C. next month.

But when my friend, who has connections, paying connections, all over the state, mentioned the idea this morning, my wheels started turning.

We pulled out pen and paper and started brainstorming. She had already talked with a friend who works at a Holiday Inn who promised her the "recession price" on a ballroom. She called him to let him know she was considering his offer and later in the day we were touring the space, which holds 1,000 standing. 

There are a million things to do between now and Jan. 20 and things happened so fast today, but it just feels right. I'm not sure where this gig will take me - more event planning, clients for freelance work, who knows. But I thought it was too good not to have my name on it. I never want to miss out on an opportunity.