When I first heard about the flap over “excessive” spending on events by the U.S. General Services Administration, I was worried, concerned we’d suffer through another event drought à la the bad old days of the “AIG effect.”

But no longer.

And that’s because the more I learned about the alleged antics of the GSA exec at the center of the storm—a fellow named Jeff Neely—the more I concluded that he isn’t on the same planet as the event professionals I have known for more than a decade.

Giving phony “awards” to justify an F&B spend? Taking the Fifth so you don’t have to describe your event? Then failing to show up even to take the Fifth?

The event pros I know can explain their event choices, outline their objectives and strategies, and document their results. They are proud of what they do and confident their work serves a legitimate business purpose. Because it does.

Of course, probably the most ironic feature of the GSA brouhaha is that Mr. Neely seems to have been under the impression he had access to an unlimited budget. When was the last time you felt that way?

Subsequent news coverage is raising questions about Mr. Neely taking fancy trips and about missing award prizes, including 115 iPods. This story isn’t about special events; it’s about the difficulty some people have managing greed.

I hate making mistakes. I know I’m not the sharpest knife in the silver chest, but I see myself as someone who cares so much and works so hard that errors don’t have a chance to slip by me.

Until they do.

I had a slip-up/snafu/should-have-caught-that-darn-it issue arise this morning. And after I finished kicking myself, I remembered what a colleague said to me many years ago.

As he and I waited for the elevator to head home, he took one look at my sad face (I am a lousy poker player) and asked me what was troubling me. I told him I was angry at myself for a mistake I’d made that day.

He replied, “The only people who don’t make mistakes are people who never do anything.”

I’m still not brave enough or mature enough or evolved enough to see failures as paths to growth. But I am proud that I’m out there swinging.

I’ve never been to the Academy Awards Governors Ball itself, but I have been to the next-best thing—the annual press preview that event producer Sequoia Productions hosts for the media.

The Oscar ceremony is Sunday night, but last week I and a host of other lucky reporters got a glimpse of what the glitterati will enjoy. Think innovative open seating. Picture a 24-foot dessert bar from Wolfgang Puck Catering. Imagine an “Oscar in 3D” dessert—honest—from pastry chef Sherry Yard.

You can see our recap of the preview here.

It’s exciting—and a bit unnerving–to be in the room with all the big-boy reporters, such as CNN, “Good Morning America” and the like. If you happen to be standing someplace they want to be standing, they will just move you out of the way. And fast.

And it’s amazing to see reporters from all over the world there. I have heard reporters and their camera crews speaking German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian. This year, a gorgeous reporter from a Korean news outlet was prepping one of the Wolfgang Puck catering chefs—who looked to be a second-generation Korean-American—for his on-camera interview. “And can you say a few words in Korean?” she asked him earnestly. He looked a little doubtful. “Just a couple?” she asked.

The whole world comes to see what the special event professionals will create for the Governors Ball. It’s always our industry’s time to shine.

I wish you all the best in 2012. And just to brighten your day, I want to share my favorite holiday message, which came from Gala Award Nominee Luminous in Hong Kong—enjoy by clicking here.

It was wonderful to be part of the ISES Indiana Education Conference last week.

Every session I sat in on was thought-provoking (Ryan Hanson has got me thinking still about “designing” versus “decorating”).

But one comment from Todd Lloyd has really stuck with me.

In his presentation on success, he explained that before he founded Chair Covers & Linens, he had a job selling financial products. On his desk, he kept a cup holding 100 pennies. Every day, he would dump the pennies out, putting one back in the cup each time he made a sales call. He didn’t stop making calls until all the pennies were back in the cup.

He did well selling financial products.

So often, people complain that work is too hard, the competition has an unfair edge, the business climate is too tough. We forget that there is just no substitute for sticking with it until you win.

Reading all the tributes to the late Steve Jobs got me thinking …

I work on both PCs and Macs. I like some features of each and dislike some features. But no tool has been praised as much by Special Events readers as Apple’s iPad.

Was it invented for special events? Read here and you just might think so; see more here.

We took our children to see the Tim Burton exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art over the weekend. If you’re in town, treat yourself and see it.

Special event professionals, with their unique appreciation of striking visuals, will get a bigger kick out of the hundreds of drawings, paintings, photographs, storyboards, concept artworks and costumes.

You have till Oct. 31—Halloween. Fitting, no?

The first batch of Gala Award entries is in our offices. (And you can still get more in if you’re here in 4 minutes!)

The baseball bar mitzvah, the Alice in Wonderland wedding and that stunner “diamond” dinner …

If you want to impress me—and the Gala judges—there is still time. “Late-bird” entries aren’t due till Sept. 23—see all the info here.

And you can follow us on Facebook.

I can’t wait to see your work!