Nerdapalooza

I wrote the previous post while on the train on my way to DC for ALA, and from there on to Denver for ISTE; I have (I hope) everything I will need for the next seven days packed into a carryon suitcase and my shoulder bag. I packed my clothes based on the assumption that I won’t, at any point, spill something on myself and need to change mid-day; we’ll see how that plays out.

I'm psyched about the next six days; these two conferences combined promise to be pretty geektastic. And, of course, many of the things I want to see and do are happening at the exact same time. I just checked in and picked up the conference program, which is not helping, a) because I'm finding even more things I don't have the time for but want to do and b) it is very big, and sort of confusing. Also, I checked in too early, and the totebags haven't arrived yet. What's a library conference without a sea of matching totebags?

We're (me and two colleagues from CASL) staying at the Renaissance Hotel, which is only a block from Convention Center. This is especially convenient because I was able to come here and use the wireless rather than being charged $13/day at the hotel.

I don't have much going on tomorrow until late in the day; I was going to go on the school tour being hosted by the Independent School Section, but I wans't interested enough in the schools on the tour to justify the cost. I'm going to spend some time at the Smithsonian and National Portrait Gallery instead. I lived in DC my first year out of college, and remember how to get around remarkably well for someone with my sense of direction. It would be even easier getting around if it weren't 8 bajillion degrees outside.

My plan is to write/blog throughout ALA and ISTE, rather than try and remember and summarize after it's all over. I know I'll be taking in a lot over the next several days, and I know taking the time to write and reflect while it's going on will help me remember more of it. I will try to only post things that might of interest/are coherently written, but I make no guarantees.

I'm going to go explore the Convention Center and see if I can get the lay of the land; it spans three city blocks, so I hope they don't mind if I leave a trail of breadcrumbs.