Happy Holidating!

The Verdict

2007-12-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

When this idea first came to mind, I thought it was clever and unusual, and I loved that the concept allowed me to state exactly what I wanted and play by my own rules - in the most lighthearted, fun-spirited way. I am simply a girl who thought it might be fun to take a date to the holiday party...and yes, I am fully cognizant of the fact that I did not need to bring someone - I just preferred to! At the end of the day, my only motive was to find someone I felt I could have an entertaining evening with. Mission accomplished.

Without further adieu, I have selected "Winner" to be my date. "Winner" (name withheld out of respect for his privacy, though he disclosed this to me shortly after his bid) offered a home-cooked meal and a full-body massage. But what really set "Winner" apart was that he was the original bidder to focus on chivalry, and he made an explicit promise to not exploit our date. I had no idea that this would generate the magnitude of publicity that it has, and while I'm grateful for the attention, I cherish my privacy. "Winner" and I have many mutual friends, and his bid fulfills each component of my evaluation criteria, with the most important being potential compatibility. At the end of the day, we're all looking for someone we think we can have a great time with - and inarguably, the decisions we make regarding that are personal and deserve respect.

So with that in mind, I look forward to a great evening on Saturday, and I hope that each of you enjoys the holiday season for what it's worth - the best time of year to share happiness and laughter with those you care for the most...and maybe even those you think you can care for, given a few more office parties.

Thank you to everyone who picked up on this along the way: my family, the entire Fitzgerald+CO. family, personal friends, my self-appointed (but very talented) "publicists" who felt that this idea had some public merit - Anne Reeves and Rachel Hadley, Helena Oliviero and Joey Ivansco from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tracey and the Q100 Bert Show crew, Alex Van Winkle, and last but not least - Santa Claus and Hanukkah Harry, without whom this would have never been possible.

To bidders and supporters alike: thank you for opening your hearts, air freshener, Heisman trophies, wind-up toys, and whatever else based on the faith that a date with me might be a good thing. And kudos to those of you who don't know me from Adam and still put forth a valuable effort - I am humbled by all of the nice things you had to say. I think it's refreshing for all of us to be reassured of the fact that human beings are inherently optimistic and well-intentioned, and that you never know what kind of great offer is right around the corner. May you all find an office party date that fulfills your personal evaluation criteria...

I am closing the comments section on this site, as I feel it has served its purpose, and served it well. It's been fun, but it's time to move on (and besides, I've spent at least 14 minutes writing this, which means I have about 1 more minute before my fame is up, anyway).

Best wishes to all for a safe and happy holiday season!

Karen

The Testimonial

2007-12-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

So one of the questions I've received overwhelmingly within the last week (along with "Is anyone seriously bidding on you? Heh heh heh") is, "Why would someone want to go out with you?"

Well this, my friends, is a question I have grappled with since I was 15 and waiting to be asked to the Homecoming Dance. I don't know that I necessarily have the best answer. With that in mind, I deferred to an ex-boyfriend for a testimonial. It works in advertising, and I am advertising myself, therefore - uh, it'll work, right?

The following testimonial is from an ex-boyfriend who I dated in 2004. We went to high school together and bumped back into each other years later and gave it a go. Sadly, it didn't work out for us in the Love Department, but we remain great friends and he was kind enough to share his thoughts about me to "salt the tip jar", so to speak. So here you go:

"Karen I hope this is what you wanted.

Going on a date with Karen would be a great prize to win. As you can tell from her looks and personality alone one would get pretty excited. However, there is so much more to this hardworking single girl than just looks and personality. Karen is pretty independent and tells things how they are, so you will never have to worry about what she is thinking or have to baby her. For example, if you are not good at something she likes to do a lot and she herself is amazing at it, she will let you know. Perhaps not with harsh words, but in actions and words of possible improvement. There is no doubt who ever wins this prize will be a lucky person.

-Guy from Ohio"

If a date with me is looking slightly more appealing to you, feel free to continue to bid by posting a comment in the post below entitled, "The Offer" . All you have to do is look for the comments link beneath the post, click on it, put your name in, and submit your bid.

The Offer

2007-11-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

Whoever said that the only guarantees in life were death and taxes has never worked in Corporate America. "Working for the man" adds a few more guarantees to that list throughout the course of your career, like timesheets (oy vay), direct deposit (great), and holiday parties.

My agency's holiday party plans were announced a few months ago, and we were told to save the date for a nice, light brunch followed with the only kind of 'dis I actually enjoy - an early dismissal for the holiday. However, not all of my fellow colleagues were satisfied with this plan.

A few weeks ago, my direct boss, Mr. Dave Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald+CO., announced that due to a few complaints about the holiday plans, we would be having a holiday party on the evening of Saturday, December 15th (details forthcoming), and naturally, I was thrilled. I love parties!

But then I found out that dates and spouses were welcome, and that's where the wheels fell off the bus. As a single girl who has attended many a holiday party, I know from experience that the pressure is on to bring someone, and bring someone good. Now, also as a single girl, I will tell you that I am happy to bring someone, but I make no guarantees that he (in my case) or she (I respect other preferences) would be good, or even great. I can deliver quantity, but quality is the real challenge.

And thus the idea was born - in an homage to my profession (media) and my idea of good-natured fun (shameless self-promotion), I would auction myself off to the highest bidder - best offer wins. The prize? A date to the holiday party with yours truly. Overestimating my worth is so underestimated, don't you think?

Here's the catch(es): you must A) be a family member or friend of someone from my agency, Fitzgerald+CO. (media reps welcome, although this prize does not guarantee you any future business), and B) make the best non-monetary offer possible. Wait, what - no money? Yes, no money. Remember that guy who paid off his mortgage by trading in a single paper clip? Same concept. It's simple:

1. Think of the best non-money offer you can offer. Is it massage therapy services? Is it a collectible jersey? Is it Thanksgiving leftovers? Whatever you think you can bring to the table, bring it on.
2. Make your bid by posting a comment on this blog with your name, your relation to me, and your offer. Our in-house bidding panel will be reviewing offers daily, but be sure to read the Rules of Engagement before you bid.
3. Watch to win - the winner will be announced December 14th - and feel free to pass this link on to friends and family. Hooray for voyeurism!

And even if you don't want to bid, general commentary is not only welcome, but encouraged, unless it's something nasty, in which case we will expose you for the mean-spirited Grinch you are.

So thanks for taking the time to stop by, and happy bidding!

Karen

The Objectives

2007-11-27T14:35:00.001-08:00

Primary: To obtain a legitimate date to the Fitzgerald+CO. Holiday Party 2007
Secondary: To increase favorability and preference for the Karen Adler brand among eligible bachelors in the metro Atlanta area

Rules of Engagement

2007-11-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

Offer must be made by a homosapien.
If bidder is involved in any type of romantic relationship with another homosapien, bidder’s significant other must be aware of and sign consent form prior to engagement.
Karen has the right to refuse any offer at her discretion – but who are we kidding, most offers wouldn’t be refused. Tasteless and/or vulgar offers are strictly prohibited. “Clean” language is strongly recommended, as your boss will likely be reading this.
Offers must be in writing and posted on this blog between the time period of blog launch and December 14th, 2007 at 12 pm (noon) EST. Offers that do not meet this criteria will not be considered qualified.
If offer entails a “parity product” (i.e. not a service), parity product shipment and/or delivery costs are the responsibility of the bidder.
Best offer will be taken and Karen has the right to re-distribute as necessary – likely to a charitable foundation, depending on both nature and condition of offer.
Fulfillment of the offer is contingent upon bidder following standard rules and practices of bidding, and also contingent upon picking Karen up (or whatever pickup arrangements are made) in a timely fashion.
Fulfillment of the offer guarantees one (1) date to the Fitzgerald+CO. holiday party from the hours of 8 pm – 12 am on December 15th, 2007. Any activities prior to or after this time period are at Karen’s discretion.
Fulfillment of the offer does not guarantee physical contact in any manner.
Offer must be valid through December 31, 2007.

Evaluation Criteria

2007-11-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Potential compatibility
Unique value of offer
Monetary value of offer
Humorous value of offer
Value specifically to Karen, as determined by her own parameters