Day 1 - Convention Begins

Note: I started this last night, but didn't get to finish. I have an excuse. Really. Just read ahead. You'll see.

Yawn. Stretch. Comfy bed. I slowly start to wake up... I feel so relaxed... which means: OH SHIT, I'M LATE! I frantically grab my watch and realize that I overslept. Only by 30 minutes, but why the hell didn't my alarm go off? Oh. I set it for pm instead of am. Not a great start to the first real day. I fly around the room and out the door. I make it in time to pick up my daily credentials. Thompson happens to be in the area and comes with me as I attempt to pick up my box lunch... except that the lunch trucks aren't there. They're still stuck in traffic somewhere, like every other person in Denver. I don't have time for this. Between nursing a bruised knee (I apparently banged it on something yesterday) and needing to hem my suit pants that are too long to be worn with my Pumas, I'm already crunched for time. I get ready and fly out the door again. Off to the Pepsi Center to start work for the day...


Security is taking longer than expected, but at least they have more metal detectors today. As I reach our back room operations, my colleague barely looks up and says, "Grab a walkie-talkie -- I need you on the floor." We divide the entire floor and arena into sections and clarify the reporting order. Everyone heads to his/her station. The beginning of Convention is quiet, as the delegates trickle in. People don't really show up until the evening prime-time speakers. The next six hours are a blur. Initially, we're introducing ourselves to our delegations. I'm assigned to a state in which I worked in 2004, so I actually recognize some of the people. We work with the delegations to enter their attendance votes into their kiosks. I walk onto the floor. Someone taps me on the arm and says, "HEY! I know you! I recognize the hair!" I have to laugh. It's a former co-worker. Everyone's excited. One of the delegates sums it up, "I just wanted to be here and be part of history. This is incredible."

Around 5:30 pm, I get hungry. I've been walking back and forth to the office to find out something or other, and run into one of the other guys. We're trying to figure out what to do about food. We're supposed to get dinner or something, but no one knows exactly how, so we agree to txt each other if/when we hear something. A little later, I see his txt to come meet him because he's found a solution. I leave my post temporarily and go to meet him. He grins and hands me a ticket to the big, fancy room upstairs. I don't even bother to ask how he got it. Doesn't matter. He rocks. I run up and enjoy the decadent meal for a whopping 15 minutes. It was the first time I had sat down in almost 8 hours.

Returning to my "station," I watch as the crowd slowly but surely fills up. The aisles start getting jammed with hoards of people. Time to switch into crowd control mode. "Keep moving, folks! No standing here please. Keep moving! Thank you!" turns into my standard spiel. We radio back and forth to help clear jams and troubleshoot. Someone passed out, call the EMT. The disabled folks need help getting to their seats -- where do we take them? The campaign can't get signs out to the delegates fast enough, help out. There's a jam in front of the California delegation; I head to the floor there. "Ok, folks, keep moving please." "But look!" I get in response. I peer ahead to see what's causing the holdup. Susan Sarrandon and Matthew McConaughey. "Yes, I understand, but we need to keep the aisles clear!" I respond. I walk up to escort the celebs into the stairwell, so we clear the aisle. Just doing my job. And then, of course, I ask for a picture. Susan stopped, Matthew ran up the stairs (maybe to get away from all the star-struck crowds fawning over them).



Back to my station. The fire marshall is closing the floor. Too many people - no one's allowed down the stairs. We work with the security guards to usher as many people off the floor as possible, but of course, no one wants to leave. It's like herding cats. Another jam at the top of the stairs by the Georgia delegation. Now what? I run up to find out. President Carter is coming down, Secret Service is blocking off the top of the stairwell. I run farther up to tell the volunteers to close the entrance. I radio back down to the rest of my team. Divert the traffic, President Carter is up here. I watch from a 3-foot distance, amused, as people try to get close to Pres. Carter and nearly get taken out by Secret Service.


The rest of the night goes the same way. Michelle Obama finally take the stage to thunderous applause. The energy was electrifying. She was electrifying. What a great speech! As soon as it's over, my blackberry starts blowing up with txt's from a ton of friends. I'd love to respond, but now everyone's trying to get out. One of my disabled delegates is trying to get up the stairs, so I run down to help her out. "We really need to get more help for these guys," I think to myself, "but there's nothing I can do about that right now." I get her to to the top, and find a wheelchair for her to sit down. She has congestive heart failure, she tells me, but she had to come. I don't know where the Guest Mobility Service person is, so I wheel her out myself, using my "outside voice," to clear the path in front of me. I get her down to the front and hear through my walkie-talkie that we're recongregating on the floor. As soon as I get her into more capable hands, I run back to the floor. 9:10 pm. Time to debrief. Today was a good test run. We discuss the problem spots of the day and how we can improve going forward. Someone looks at my shoes. "Pumas. Smart. I'm wearing sneakers tomorrow."



Tired and weary, but happy with the day, we all head out. So, where's the party? One of my colleagues and I walk out together in search of a party. We head to one but the lines are literally down the street and around the corner. Apparently, 2000 people rsvp'd for 450 spots. We weren't getting in and we really, really just wanted to sit down. We decide to avoid the crowds and find Rock Bottom Brewery. I called one of my friends to see what she was doing. One of her friends decided not to go to their party, she tells me, so she has two extra credentials. Do I want them, she asks? Umm, YEAH. But we need to go quickly, because her friend is about to fall asleep. We chug the beers, run to get the cred's and meet my friend at the party. Open bar, great desserts, and the Goo Goo Dolls. Love it!

The event closes and I head home for the night... see the person I'm staying with and stay up until 4 am talking about politics, college and god knows what else. I walk into my room and turn on my computer. Time to blog. I write the first paragraph and shake my head. I can't. That last rum & diet coke did me in. And it's 4 am. I should stretch my legs, but I don't have the energy. I have to close my eyes.

So that's why I'm posting this today...