Day One
Sunday
10:30pm Forego late night "club" to get a decent night sleep.
10:45pm Lay awake wondering what friends are doing at "club"
Monday
7:30am Rise and shine! Trip over large round pillow that fell on floor at night
7:35am Check schedule. First meeting on show floor is at 10am. No problem. Check email. Figure out what I should wear. Realize it doesn't match. Curse bad taste.
7:50am. Cut myself shaving. Blood everywhere. Apply pressure.
8:15am. Had to get dressed one handed. Upset I chose a white shirt. Still bleeding.
8:45am Still bleeding. Weigh embarrassment of having toilet paper on face against being late. Toilet paper wins.
9:05am. Blood flow reduces from arterial rate. Use Kleenex to dab as I head to the bus.
9:20am Can't find bus. I thought there was a bus. Taxi line is so long the end of it is near NV/CA border. Dab chin. Still bleeding. Get in line.
9:45am Grab a ride in a limo with four hungover Brits. Most of the talk involves ladies of the night and lack of sleep. I look out window to make sure we are actually going to NAB and not Crazy Horse 3.
9:55am Made it to show. Registration line is so long I think it merges with the taxi line from hotel. I begin to think this might be NAB registration for next year.
9:56am I realize I have press credentials! I ask a very helpful staff member who proceeds to point out that press registration is at the other end of the convention center. (note that this convention is so big that the "other end" is a half a mile away).
10:10am Find press room. No line. Sweet.
10:15am I find the right hall and note that the booth I'm looking for is around aisle 6000. Sign above me says I'm at aisle 100. I start walking.
10:30am Make it to the booth. Lost feeling in my legs. Luckily they have a nice chair and cold water for me.
11:00am Good meeting. I look around and my head explodes with all the awesome vendors around me. Can't wait to explore!
Lesson learned: NAB is about the journey, as well as the destination. And be more careful shaving.