...As an aside, when I was with her at her Sorority...I would wonder why no Sorority...other than the Music one...had invited me to join. I mean, I really wasn't too bad looking...was the Principal Cellist...got good grades...had won a University Level Election...and was on several University Committees. I must have PISSED OFF some girl early in my career. *Stamps Foot* That could have been interesting, living with 30 or 40 other young women, all from important families...who knows where I would have ended up...I would have brushed off the guy who was chasing me...who I married. (But, we did have a lot of good years, I should focus on those memories)
...When the girl I supported won the Presidency, she was VERY grateful, she knew that I had pulled in a lot of votes for her, and I had sat with her and her best friend at night and helped plan her campaign, and kept her spirits up. I wanted to become the Student Academic Director...I would attend meetings of the University Faculty Meetings...and would have access to the University President. I had had access to Him as President of the Conservatory, and enjoyed sitting with Him and speaking of Student matters. But, she knew better...she appointed her best friend as the Academic Director...and...I was appointed...
...STUDENT SOCIAL DIRECTOR!!!!
...Me, who had NEVER attended a dance or many University wide social events...would now have a $35K budget...(That was a LOT of money back then)...and would have the responsibility of planning dances, and other social events.
I WAS NOT VERY HAPPY about the appointment, and ACTUALLY GAVE SERIOUS THOUGHT to declining the position. I mean, I still felt like the 'nerdy girl', although I had campaigned and won a University level position. But, I accepted it...and spent that summer at the Campus, and sat in MY NEW OFFICE...(It was just a desk with an old chair, and a poster of the SF Symphony I tacked on the wall and a two drawer file cabinet)...and figured out how I was going to spend $35K in a way that the Student Body would appreciate. A dance would only cost $200 to $400, and I planned two dances a month...so...I had some money left over. I planned some concerts with professionals who would come on the campus, and still had money left over. My first event was a 'pizza party', and I spent the late afternoon driving back and forth to Shakeys Pizza, and hauling back boxes of pizza...eating a couple slices...and driving back to the Parlor. So, I looked at what past Directors had done...and decided to put on two PUBLIC ROCK CONCERTS at the Civic Auditorium.
...I looked at the files of the past Social Directors, of Rock Concerts that they had produced, and saw that they had lost around $5K and $7K per concert...and they had booked a popular act!!!!
The President told me to be careful, he didn't want me to cause a 'problem' at the University, and reminded me that I had to stay in my budget. I looked closely at the Contracts...and laughed. The 'side benefits' that the Promoters had wanted for the performance were outrageous!!! Potted Plants...a buffet for the band...alchohol...you name it...it was in it...in addition to the cost of the band. So, I shook my head...I was a performer of classical music...and ALL THAT I NEEDED was a green room, that had lemonaide, to rest in during the Intermission.
...I booked the Civic Auditorium for two concerts, and planned my first concert. I won't tell the name of the Band, they were very popular, and had a lot of recordings. Their Road Manager sent me a contract, and I carefully read it, and shook my head when I finished...they had loaded it with ALL SORTS of goodies. I called the manger, and said that we couldn't do the concert, that I was NOT going to pay for lodging of 'assistants' and such. He argued with me, and I said, "I will modify the contract, to show what I will pay for." I hung up, and carefully went through it, keeping in mind a 'REALISTIC' view of the proceeds, and sent it back...with comments. The Manager called me, later, arguing with me, saying that I should be paying for the extras, and I said "No, I am on a budget...but...tell you what...I will pay for what I indicated, which will get the Concert advertised and ready, and I will just take 20% of the profit...rather than 80%...since I am producing it." He yelled at me, and I hung up. I ignored his calls for several days...I was studying...and felt that my grades were more important than the DAMN CONCERT...and then I got a call from the PERSONAL MANAGER of the Band. He was a bit exasperated, he said that the Band REALLY wanted to do the concert...I gathered that it fit their schedule, and a little extra money was good. I said that the other manager wanted me to pay for stuff that I wasn't going to pay for, and that I really DIDN'T NEED TO PUT ON THE CONCERT!!! He just told me that he would talk to the Road Manager.
...The Road Manager called me a day later...and HE WAS FURIOUS!!! He declared that I had broken ALL KINDS OF RULES by talking directly to the Personal Manager, I just said, "Oh, OK." He then said, "Sign the last Contract I sent you, or you ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE YOUR CONCERT...WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!" I just calmly replied, "OK, I am just a Student Social Director, I am not doing this for a living, I will just put on more dances or hire "T.........o..........P" to do the Concert." He hung up on me!!!!
...I later got a call from B----- G---- who said, "I looked into this, and modified the contract the way you wanted, will you produce the concert?" I said yes, and after I carefully read it, I assured the Hall that the Concert was on, arranged for radio and newspaper advertising, hired security and the PD to oversee safety, and then the Concert went on. I sat with the BG Manager after the concert, and he wrote me a check for about $2,500, my share of the profit. (After the band costs, and a separate check to me for my costs.) The University President was impressed when I reported to him...I had budgeted that I was going to LOSE $2,000 in my approved budget.
...*Sighs* I was astounded after that experience. I mean, those popular, bearded long haired pot smoking 'Social Directors' got their asses handed to them, and me, this mousy, glasses wearing, frumpy clothed girl, (Although I also had long hair), somewhat beat the other side down. Actually, I should have gotten the 80%, since I was paying and promoting...but I just wanted to assure that I would get my costs back, if the concert failed, and was happy to be the first Student Social Director to make money on a concert. That experience taught me a lot about promoting concerts...so...at the next one...after paying all of the expenses...I walked out of the auditorium with a Police "Escort"...They were holding my arms, making it look like I was being arrested...while I was holding ALL OF THE PROCEEDS... $30K in a SHOEBOX...I have always had a sense of the 'Dramatic' and went along with it. I kept my head high, and my eyes narrowed, telling everyone with my expression..."Hey, it took TWO OF THEM to subdue this Bitch!!!")...
I made money on that one, too.
