I had my first 'big girl' conference experience. . . here's a little bit of the fun I had:
The NMSDC (National Minority Suppliers Diversity Council) conference in Vegas. It was awesome, but I have to tell you the story about it.. because it's hilarious. Ok, for reference, I'm flying in (leaving Reno) at 6am. I'm wearing heels, which I never EVER do.. and I'm meeting my boss and the IT guy (Anastacia and Todd) in Vegas.
Jace is driving me to the airport around 5am. Just to be safe. We get half-way there (like a 15 minute drive) and I realize that my phone is on the toilet. SO we go BACK to the house, I run in and get my phone, and we drive to the airport, where he drops me off. I go inside and check the board to see what's up with my gate number... and it says that my plane is BOARDING already.
Picture me in a cute grey business/secretary-looking skirt and black top, black heels, two carry-ons, RUNNING through the airport.
I get to the security gate, out of breath (Because I'm old lol), take OFF the shoes, put everything in the little tubs, all but SHOVE them through the x-ray machine and dart through the metal detector. Nothing beeps 'cause I've got no pockets to carry anything, so I should be good, right? No. They see my battery-thing for my laptop in my suitcase and want to check it out. I promptly tell them in my best "Angry Rabbit" voice that they will not be checking my luggage, and that my plane is boarding and I AM going to make that flight.
They were scared enough to let me through... which is awesome. SO I get on the plane, and land in Vegas an hour and fifteen minutes later. I call Josh to come get me. He picks me up, we stop at 7-11 to get my second energy drink of the morning and he drops me off at the Hilton. Or rather, at what he (the local!) thought was the Hilton. More on that later.
I check my rolling carry-on with the bell desk and hike (I'm going to say... 1/3 - 1/2 a mile) to the convention center because I don't want to pay for a taxi and I'm too poor to wait for reimbursement. Mind you, I'm still in my heels.
The first day of this conference is a trade show. We have a booth. I've missed breakfast now, so I just get all checked in with the conference people, get my badge, etc... and go flop in the booth. No biggie. Todd and Anastacia show up and everything is happy until we start talking about 'the walk' from the Hilton to the convention center, and they mention it should have only taken me like 5 minutes...not 15. And I realize that I've checked my bag at the Hilton Grand Vacation hotel stupid-ness. NOT the Hilton Casino and hotel.
I've been in my heels for 13 hours now... I walk the 1/3-1/2 mile BACK to the Hilton Grand hotel because they won't bring my luggage over FOR me... barefoot. Because I am DONE and CRIPPLED. I get my bag, and walk back in my flip flops which were stupidly in my bag and not in my tote. I call Josh to come get me and take me to Wally World so that I can buy flats, because I was dumb enough not to bring any. And then I pass out.
The second day is all classes and taking notes. Boring. Food was awful, btw... what the heck would possess a chef to cut noodles into a pile of triangular, overcooked crap?! Also, I thought the chicken leg they gave us was off a game hen because it was so freakn' small!
But my friend, wants to take me out to dinner. It's a fancy-pants place, so I've got to wear heels (UGH!!)
Also, his car is broken. He's demanded that I take only my ID and my room key, so I can't pay for anything. So we're walking toward the Artisan (got to be at least a mile, mile and a half) and my heel SNAPS before we even get to LV boulevard. so we get a cab (he's a sweet guy lol) and go to dinner.. except that I have to walk on my toes on one foot so I don't scratch up the beautiful marble floor at the restaurant. I look like a retard, wobbling all around and my feet are KILLING me... I've got blisters the size of my own head at this point.
After dinner, we had to get home. The restaurant is sort of tucked away, off the strip etc.. so cabs don't usually go there. It's sort of a locals hangout, apparently. So we have to WALK back to the Hilton (Because I don't have my debit card and the ATM is out of money!!!). Again, I take the shoes OFF and walk through the streets of Las Vegas barefoot. We get onto Paradise Dr. which is the road the Hilton is on...and I step on a piece of glass.
Sooooo.... at this point I'm ready to cry lol. I've broken my favorite heels, I'm injured ALL over my feet and I've got to put my shoes BACK on to get into the hotel.
At any rate, I get back up to my room, wash my feet... and I get a call from Jace. "I think I broke my ankle"
I about lost it... but it turns out, he only sprained it.. but, like any and every male ever in existence, he's being a big baby about it. "Should I go to the ER?" .. he can move it, rotate it, but it hurts. I tell him to get it checked out in the morning, it's probably just sprained. How? He was playing Disc Golf......I'll leave it at that.
