Yesterday was a work day, I had to setup for the course I was teaching.
First thing I did was try and find the McDonalds. I didn’t want to spend $30 on breakfast, and I needed something simple my guts would tolerate. So I wandered all over trying to find how to get down Las Vegas Blvd. Like an idiot, I figured it was on the other side of the road. So I found a pedestrian bridge, went across and down where I thought I needed to go. You see, the road is cut in half for the F1 race. After a half mile or so, I realized I was on the wrong side. I could turn back, or gut it out and move forward.
So, a long ways down, I finally could cross and double back.
Man, that’s a seedy side of town.
But soon enough, I was in a shitty McD’s and eating a big breakfast.
I wandered back, hit the coffee shop near the elevators, got more caffeine and headed to the conference center to size things up.
I was one of the first. The only ones there that early were my German colleagues whose body clocks were hours ahead. Soon enough the rest showed up and I got to meet everyone I’ve only seen on Teams for the last five years or so. Pretty cool. Ordinarily I’d say, so what if you work virtual? Do your work, then do your thing. But I have to admit, it’s important to meet people on your team face to face. It’s also a really good thing to meet people that you have to work with, even peripherally.
After a brief meeting, we all headed out to setup. My room was easy. Since it’s a cloud product, there’s no software to install. All I had to do is setup a folder and a few shortcuts, make sure things are working, then out I go.
By the afternoon, the casino was ass and elbows full. Lot of peacocks. Apparently the thing all the cool millennial and Gen Z kids are doing is smoking cigars. Even some of the women I saw. Lovely. It took a few days to learn how to navigate where I needed to go by the canal shops, instead of through the Casino.
The next few days were extremely long. The end of each day found me back in the room with my joints locking up from being on my feet all day. My throat was aching from talking all day in the dry environment. I have to say, by the end of each day I had my fill of people, crowds, noise, smoke. And that’s when they had team dinners. I behaved myself.
I saw a bit of the convention key notes, but gave up on the second day. It’s all scripted. I grew to hate the hotel convention staff. They routed traffic like imbeciles, and fought tenaciously when there was rebellion.
Couple funny observations:
A lot of the guys were dressed stupidly. High water, tapered pants, with a blue sportscoat or an actual suit, either with dumb shoes. A few months ago I bought some Bruno Marks “Business Formal Derby Sneakers.
I really didn’t like the way they looked. So I put them back and packed a pair of black Rebok high-tops. And after seeing all the dorks wearing similar, I’m done. I’ll probably donate them. It’s a dumb look.
After the keynote, the CEO had a chat with a special guest – The View style – with Venus Williams. So what? Didn’t really add anything, far as I could tell. But the women I talked with said one thought she had resonated with them. She talked about adversity being a privilege. This was in the context of overcoming challenges as a woman. Didn’t think much at the time. But the next day it hit me. It didn’t resonate because adversity (and conflict) just is to men. Like the sun coming up, the rain being wet, it’s part of our world.
I hoped to bail out early. The cost of the flight change would probably be less than the dog sitter. But, when I checked, I found I couldn’t do it through the app. That caused a dim memory to surface of a no cancel, no change ticket.
So I’m here on a Wednesday night, debating dinner and readying to pack in order to flee early in the morning. We have one event in a few hours, a disco skating thing. Yeah. No. I don’t care who on my team texts, I’m bailing hard our of that one. Get on skates, I’ll break a hip.
Besides, I’m a done tom turkey. I’ve had enough people interaction for the week. I’m off to a quiet (as possible) dinner, then readying to flee.
Inspected By Pat 