My very first business trip, day 6
Sep. 23rd, 2011 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eveglassThe short version: Another long day at the reg desk, followed by room service and (finally!) a dip in the hot tub.
It was hard getting up this morning after my unexpectedly late night yesterday! Yes, in theory I got a full six hours of sleep, but "in theory" are the operative words there. When I went down to the boardroom for breakfast, I was halfway to zombie and make sure to brew my tea extra-strong.
The workday was more or less like yesterday: mostly slow, and acting more as an information desk than a registration desk. We got mistaken for the Chinese Miner's Convention quite a bit, so I eventually learned where their room was (down the hall and around the corner) so that I could direct their delegates. Aren't I helpful?
The going concerns today (other than "Where's my room?") seemed to be teardown of the exhibitors' room, how to get CME (continuing medical education) credits and certificates of attendance, and whether there were any places left for the President's Dinner. My initial answer ("no, and we've got a 30-person waiting list") wound up shifting towards the late afternoon as we started getting people cancelling their attendance, generally because they weren't feeling well. Though there was one memorable case of a man who had accidentally not gotten a ticket for his wife, and since we had no more tickets available, he turned in his. "If I go and she doesn't," he said, "I'm in trouble!"
I also discovered that there have been more segments about us: an article about a heated discussion in one of yesterday's sessions on egg donation, and a video interview with the doctor who's taking the "con" side in tomorrow's debate, "Should Female BMI Determine Access to Fertility Treatment?" Both of those are from CTV. I heard that CBC is doing a segment on us tonight. If I see it, I'll post it.
Things picked up a bit around 3:30, as I sent Shruti and Randy the Volunteers to take down banners from the exhibit hall (lest they get thrown out by the hotel with the rest of the stuff left behind in the hall) and started packing away the reg desk. We'll be open tomorrow, but only in the most minimal capacity, and probably only for a few hours. There's only a half-day of conference tomorrow, so pretty much everyone who's attending already has their badge.
Though I was planning on closing the reg desk at 4:00, Christian the Event Planning Coworker asked me to stay open until 4:30, when our Annual General Meeting started. There was a bit of craziness around this time, not worth going into, but the end result was that we were closed by 4:45 and I was back up in my room for around 5:00.
I took a nap. Dear God, did I need that nap!
Then I ordered room service and had a cheeseburger with bacon. I tell you, after a week of chicken and fish, that first bite of beef was absolutely divine. I suspect I've been mildly anemic the last few days, and was feeling worlds better after I finished that burger. Best decision I made all day.
By this point it was about 7:30, and I decided I might not get another chance to go to the hot tub, so off I went. I was kind of nervous going into the health club area (where the pool is), but the attendant was really friendly and upbeat, and in mere moments I was in the pool area. Right when you walk in the doors, there's a little kiddie-size pool area and the larger pool beyond it. The kid-size pool has some waterfall-type-things coming from about knee height, and a sign declared it to be the "whirlpool." I put my foot in: the water was pleasant, but certainly not what I'd expect from a hot tub. I put my foot in the big pool: the temperature was about the same. I was beginning to get worried. Had the website lied? Was there, in fact, no hot tub?
Then I turned a corner and saw the hot tub nestled in an L-shaped part of the room, and all was right in the world again. I dipped in for a little bit, luxuriated, and realized I needed to cool down. So I went into the pool (oh, my God, cold after the hot tub!), did two laps, and realized how horribly out of shape I am. No one make me do laps for a while. Let's just leave it at that.
Then it was back in the hot tub, where I made small talk with a British journalist named Matt who's in Canada on vacation. Y'know, it wasn't so long ago that I could stay in a hot tub for a really long time. A really, really long time. Those days are apparently behind me. I was in there... I don't know, I couldn't see the clock. Call it 15 minutes. And that was enough for me. I wasn't feeling faint, not yet, but I could feel that if I stayed longer, I would be. So I got out, said good night to Matt, and left.
I discovered in the changing room that the white shirt I'd worn under my "I'm going to be the lady in red" jacket is apparently now stained pink around the collar and over the bust. Oops. At least it went well with my pink-from-the-hot-tub skin. In addition, my bathing suit hasn't been worn in so long that the material has become stretched out and entirely unflattering. I only realized this after I got back to the changing room. Double-oops. Time for a new bathing suit.
I think I saw my boss-to-be running on the treadmill as I left. That was awkward. He had headphones on, so I didn't stop to say hi or anything. Still not sure if I should have.
Anyway, from there I decided I wanted some nice herbal tea. The Starbucks and Second Cup downstairs were both closed, so I went across the street to Tim Hortons. Yes, I managed to find some $1.40 tea. Don't all gasp at once now.
It was utterly beautiful out, just perfect weather to walk around in a light sweater and cool off from the hot tub. So I walked around the block, slowly, casually, just reveling in being able to do whatever the heck I want, not worry about the time, and having no responsibility for the evening.
Then back up to the room, a bit of journaling, and now I've got around an hour before bedtime. I think a shower is in order (the hot tub was nice, but I sweated a lot) and maybe some stupid Zynga games. Tomorrow I'm only working at 7:30, so I think I might sleep in until a decadent 6:45. I know. You may have to sit down, the shock is so great.
Not quite sure what I'm doing tomorrow other than sitting at the reg desk for a few hours and packing up in the afternoon, but I'll be done by 4:00 for sure, and then I'll be having dinner with my aunt and uncle. A lovely end to the week, I hope.
G'night all.
It was hard getting up this morning after my unexpectedly late night yesterday! Yes, in theory I got a full six hours of sleep, but "in theory" are the operative words there. When I went down to the boardroom for breakfast, I was halfway to zombie and make sure to brew my tea extra-strong.
The workday was more or less like yesterday: mostly slow, and acting more as an information desk than a registration desk. We got mistaken for the Chinese Miner's Convention quite a bit, so I eventually learned where their room was (down the hall and around the corner) so that I could direct their delegates. Aren't I helpful?
The going concerns today (other than "Where's my room?") seemed to be teardown of the exhibitors' room, how to get CME (continuing medical education) credits and certificates of attendance, and whether there were any places left for the President's Dinner. My initial answer ("no, and we've got a 30-person waiting list") wound up shifting towards the late afternoon as we started getting people cancelling their attendance, generally because they weren't feeling well. Though there was one memorable case of a man who had accidentally not gotten a ticket for his wife, and since we had no more tickets available, he turned in his. "If I go and she doesn't," he said, "I'm in trouble!"
I also discovered that there have been more segments about us: an article about a heated discussion in one of yesterday's sessions on egg donation, and a video interview with the doctor who's taking the "con" side in tomorrow's debate, "Should Female BMI Determine Access to Fertility Treatment?" Both of those are from CTV. I heard that CBC is doing a segment on us tonight. If I see it, I'll post it.
Things picked up a bit around 3:30, as I sent Shruti and Randy the Volunteers to take down banners from the exhibit hall (lest they get thrown out by the hotel with the rest of the stuff left behind in the hall) and started packing away the reg desk. We'll be open tomorrow, but only in the most minimal capacity, and probably only for a few hours. There's only a half-day of conference tomorrow, so pretty much everyone who's attending already has their badge.
Though I was planning on closing the reg desk at 4:00, Christian the Event Planning Coworker asked me to stay open until 4:30, when our Annual General Meeting started. There was a bit of craziness around this time, not worth going into, but the end result was that we were closed by 4:45 and I was back up in my room for around 5:00.
I took a nap. Dear God, did I need that nap!
Then I ordered room service and had a cheeseburger with bacon. I tell you, after a week of chicken and fish, that first bite of beef was absolutely divine. I suspect I've been mildly anemic the last few days, and was feeling worlds better after I finished that burger. Best decision I made all day.
By this point it was about 7:30, and I decided I might not get another chance to go to the hot tub, so off I went. I was kind of nervous going into the health club area (where the pool is), but the attendant was really friendly and upbeat, and in mere moments I was in the pool area. Right when you walk in the doors, there's a little kiddie-size pool area and the larger pool beyond it. The kid-size pool has some waterfall-type-things coming from about knee height, and a sign declared it to be the "whirlpool." I put my foot in: the water was pleasant, but certainly not what I'd expect from a hot tub. I put my foot in the big pool: the temperature was about the same. I was beginning to get worried. Had the website lied? Was there, in fact, no hot tub?
Then I turned a corner and saw the hot tub nestled in an L-shaped part of the room, and all was right in the world again. I dipped in for a little bit, luxuriated, and realized I needed to cool down. So I went into the pool (oh, my God, cold after the hot tub!), did two laps, and realized how horribly out of shape I am. No one make me do laps for a while. Let's just leave it at that.
Then it was back in the hot tub, where I made small talk with a British journalist named Matt who's in Canada on vacation. Y'know, it wasn't so long ago that I could stay in a hot tub for a really long time. A really, really long time. Those days are apparently behind me. I was in there... I don't know, I couldn't see the clock. Call it 15 minutes. And that was enough for me. I wasn't feeling faint, not yet, but I could feel that if I stayed longer, I would be. So I got out, said good night to Matt, and left.
I discovered in the changing room that the white shirt I'd worn under my "I'm going to be the lady in red" jacket is apparently now stained pink around the collar and over the bust. Oops. At least it went well with my pink-from-the-hot-tub skin. In addition, my bathing suit hasn't been worn in so long that the material has become stretched out and entirely unflattering. I only realized this after I got back to the changing room. Double-oops. Time for a new bathing suit.
I think I saw my boss-to-be running on the treadmill as I left. That was awkward. He had headphones on, so I didn't stop to say hi or anything. Still not sure if I should have.
Anyway, from there I decided I wanted some nice herbal tea. The Starbucks and Second Cup downstairs were both closed, so I went across the street to Tim Hortons. Yes, I managed to find some $1.40 tea. Don't all gasp at once now.
It was utterly beautiful out, just perfect weather to walk around in a light sweater and cool off from the hot tub. So I walked around the block, slowly, casually, just reveling in being able to do whatever the heck I want, not worry about the time, and having no responsibility for the evening.
Then back up to the room, a bit of journaling, and now I've got around an hour before bedtime. I think a shower is in order (the hot tub was nice, but I sweated a lot) and maybe some stupid Zynga games. Tomorrow I'm only working at 7:30, so I think I might sleep in until a decadent 6:45. I know. You may have to sit down, the shock is so great.
Not quite sure what I'm doing tomorrow other than sitting at the reg desk for a few hours and packing up in the afternoon, but I'll be done by 4:00 for sure, and then I'll be having dinner with my aunt and uncle. A lovely end to the week, I hope.
G'night all.
