Wrapup

So, Thursday was the big day.  It was interesting -- lines started forming early. We took a bus over to Invesco around 1 -- 10 minutes in line, 20 minutes on the bus, and it dropped us off about as far from the stadium as where we had started, but in a different direction. Walked for 15 minutes. Then we got shuffled into a line -- the wrong line, a general rabble line, and 15 minutes into that NYAB rebelled and insisted on going back to the media tent for work.  As we were retracing our steps, I heard someone say "Media" and watched as they turned off the line into a little driveway, which was sort of funny because the woman we'd been with before who had decided to stay had suggested cutting under the tape at that exact spot and cutting through the parking lot and we thought that was a bad idea. Well, this time we did it. Got to the stadium and wandered around, took some photos and bought some gewgaws. Another 15 minutes. NYAB got a hotdog -- better at Invesco than Coor's.  Still no Dr. Pepper. Harumph.

(It's not as nice to be there as it is to see it on TV, as I hope this picture indicates.)

Then we walked back to the Pepsi Center. It took 20 minutes. The line going the other direction was  looong -- all the way back to the Pepsi Center itself.

Then we worked from the tent while we watched the Grammys -- I mean, the nomination.  There were only about 5 of us in our corner, so snark abounded.

Friday, we got in the car at 9, got to the airport around 9:30, and got to our gate at 11. The security line was crazy long, but they were on their game, because it moved really quickly.

Got home and visited with my dad and with college friends who were down to go with us Saturday to the USC game.

All in all, I am not sure I like going to conventions. They are interesting, but they bring out the absolute worst in me and everyone around me, and they remind me of everything it is that I hate about politics. The extremists, who make me extremely nervous. The sheep, who don't think and just vote a certain way so that they can spout the talking points allowing them to tout sanctimony as the new black. The game-players and the cynical. Or maybe I'm just a misanthrope in general.

I would be interested in going to both conventions at some point. To see if the general attitudes are the same at both. To see if the coverage is the same. To see if the behind-the-scenes behavior is the same. I would also like to take the YP and see what he thinks of it. But not til he's 13 or 17.  Nine is far too young for him to see his mother in quite that black a mood regarding anything other than chocolate sauce smeared on her white curtains.

It was also really nice to get home. Even though it was kind of funny to find how my father cleaned by stashing things in various corners and cubbies -- I found my iPod in the toybox and I found several board game pieces stashed in the cabinet under the TV.  Still, much better than stepping on them. A few things are still missing, but I'm sure they'll turn up. Heh.

Comments

[lane]

Glad you're home. Yay!

[Lori]

How about you take me to the next one too?

[Matt]

Yeeesh. Those security lines look crazy!