Snakes & Ladders

Boo effin yea.

It took a whole year to collect a budget worth reimbursing all the mfking expenses affiliated with this event. Then again, it only required a simple suggestion at a meeting last year to plant an idea that would later develop into what we call the largest KCUTSA party of the decade.

It’s kinda funny how when I first brought up the idea, no one at the meeting agreed, ahaha… After coaxing a friend in LA to speak with DFD as well as corresponding with his manager, they were finally convinced that it could possibly happen. I then disclosed the idea to a few others outside of our team and some half-heartedly agreed it would work out. Blank words of encouragement, empty compliments – the usual you’d expect.

Then there’s that shitload of drama and terrible management in [That Which Must Not Be Named] last year. Being one of the youngest on their team was an aggravating experience. Though I learned a few wise lessons in humility, it infuriated me to see that some of the most IDIOTIC people on the face of this continent were leading the rest of us into an impending disaster of poor planning, shitty execution and a severe lack of accountability.

Now with this event, I can happily say that Ben and I are running things exactly the way we want it at the pace that we believe is appropriate. In fact, the timing’s been nearly impeccable and we’ve always been on-point in communication. Looking back in the beginning of November when Ben and I informed the team of what we wanted to accomplish, it’s almost surreal to think of how much and quickly we both HUSTLED to process this event.

I had to formulate the contract for DFD and Zo, maintain constant feedback with his management, establish various sponsorship packages, plan the entire itinerary for the night, and then correspond with the owners of Screen Lounge to sign our rental agreement as well as negotiate prices for their bar quota and drinks. Immediately afterwards, I booked DFD and Zo’s plane tickets and hotel accommodation, and ensured that they avoid any issues at the border (hopefully). On a regular basis, I’ve been delegating tasks to the team members while checking their progress, and posting up long-ass documents to update them consistently. By allocating our funds to every aspect of the event, I also had to search and acquire the suitable pro-audio equipment for DFD and Zo of which will end up costing us a CRAPload (sigh). In the meantime, I’ve reached out to Terry (KRNFX) to open for DFD and Zo and wrote out the Facebook event…

It’s been a BITCH to deliver, but well worth the stress. It also taught me that I will NEVER take event-planning lightly EVER again. I may be efficient at it, but doing PR-related work is seriously a burden that I wouldn’t even pick over something like research. At least this has been an eye-opening of an experience for me.

Last year, I was secretly full of skepticism about myself. The ideas I had, the goals I wanted and the people I lost were weighing my faith with colossal doubt. But with this event as solid proof in addition to the abundance of prayer, I won’t let myself become bogged down by all the people and things that would be better off rolling into a pile of feces.

Otherwise, I’m actually a little excited to start studying in January for the second half of the semester. Since this first term produced quite satisfactory marks, I feel more encouraged to finish this year with an acceptable GPA and take the year off to prep for my grad/law school apps. Turns out these LSAT questions are pretty reminiscent of the problems I had to solve in Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright, bwahaha. What an irony… Can’t believe they’ve actually helped me out despite losing so much sleep and health over the summer; not to mention I cried my eyes out at each of the game’s endings, augh. It’s because of these games that I became a recluse at home and played them for 32 hours over the span of four days…