“Huge” Jackman

When Hugh Jackman was the Emcee for the Walmart Shareholder meeting a few years ago, I was home and green with envy that Aaron was partaking in a feast of entertainment. I mean come on! It’s Jean Valjean! 

Late on Friday night, Aaron said casually (as he does), “You should go see your Greatest Showman at the Saturday morning meeting tomorrow.” 

What?! 

Yes! 

So Kristi Aase was up for joining me at the Walmart home office way too early in the morning (early enough to get pretty excellent seats only 6 rows back and center. 

Hugh was great! 

He didn’t sing, which I found to be “Hugh-ly” disappointing. But he was wonderfully entertaining and we enjoyed his anecdotes about rehearsals and making of the film. 

Another great bonus was Patricia Heaton. Now this is a funny woman. She might be my bff if she lived in Arkansas, I think. Haha. Really though, she interviews with ease and you can tell she’s just a naturally fun person. Listening to her describe The Middle really makes me want to start watching it.  It sounds like I might relate to her character. 


David Glass in the House! 

I don’t pretend to follow the retail merchandising industry as much as I probably should, considering it is my livelihood. David Glass was really a highlight of the morning and full of wisdom.  Good answers to questions from the crowd. My favorites being advice about continuing to change and evolve, but keeping core values as a constant, and the other about how making small improvements and changes will only ever give you the result of a small improvement and changes. Small improvements are great, but if you want a big result, you need to set a bigger goal, and then work backwards to figure out how you’re going to get there. Well I’d eat that right out of his hands because that song is the chorus of my idealist heart. 

I loved the energy in the room. It was a good glimpse into Corporate Aaron’s world and reminded me why he loves working for Walmart. 

Add a free breakfast and I’m just delighted as can beto be there! 

Aaron teased that he couldn’t believe it’s taken me 12 years to entice me to a Saturday morning meeting. Uhhh correction! Our oldest child JUST reached babysitting age. I would have loved seeing Oprah or Rachel Ray or Tom Cruise or Paula Deen or Shaq or Sabra Bullock or President George W Bush or Justin Timberlake, and so on but I willingly stayed home with toddlers so he could attend meetings with these and many more interesting people. That said, he retracted his comment (that was mostly made in jest anyway) and I had a lovely morning with Hugh Jackman and my new bff from afar, Patricia Heaton. I also have to say I think Doug McMillon looks and sounds a lot like the character David Wallace from the office. Aaron doesn’t think that observation is complimentary to Mr McMillon, but my thought is there, anyway. Do you see it? 

I finished up the day on a date with Reese while the little ones napped. She still had not seen the Greatest Showman, and after my morning seeing “Huge” Jackman, as Reese called him, I needed another viewing on the big screen.