Trade Show Day 1. The Butler's New Colors.

Trade Show Travelog #3
Sands convention center - Mon, 2 Dec 2024, 4pm

Day 1 of the AWS re:Invent trade show is getting going.



I walked over to the Sands convention center after 3pm to pick up my badge. Walking was arguably a bit of a mistake, as it was a solid mile. Distances in Vegas are deceiving. After getting there and getting my badge I still need to be on my feet for at least the next 4 hours. I know, that sounds like nothing much; only 4 hours. But trade shows are tough for many reasons, not the least of which is almost no padding on the floor we stand on all day.



We expect a full booth all evening. In the photo above are my colleagues who were there early. I'm the one dressed as Jenkins The Butler, of course. This year I've traded in the butler's classic fashion of a white shirt and red tie (blog with photos from last year's event) for a purple shirt that matches the company's new color palette. This is part of an effort to ingratiate myself and what I do with our new-ish exec team who aren't all in favor of branding ourselves— partly— by what we do with this well known open source software project. Well, I am to fix that, one mustachioed smile at a time. 😂

Trade Show Day 1 Done, Getting Ready for Day 2

Trade Show Travelog #4
At the hotel - Tue, 3 Dec 2024, 8am

Day 1 of the trade show is a wrap, and now I'm getting ready for Day 2.

Yesterday's evening reception at the booth was busy. We were on our feet and going from just before the opening at 4pm until past the closing bell at 7. After that I joined with a few of my technical sales colleagues to speak with one of our execs over dinner at a small AMA. It was... interesting... hearing him speak (somewhat) openly about strange do-dsi-do of product strategy we worker bees have been wondering about for the past 2+ years.

The dinner conversation was good and it ran longer than I think any of us expected. I didn't get back to my hotel last night until after 11pm. And then, rather than get to bed right away so I could be well rested for Day 2 of the show today, I stayed up like a stupid until after 1am. Ugh. I got about 5 hours of sleep last night. I might not have the fuel in the tank to participate in the full show today, 10am-6pm with a reception afterwards. Fortunately I'm only on the duty roster for 10-2. I may put in a few extra hours after that and then head back to my room to rest before dinner.

Oh, and speaking of "my" room: I'm moving! We had late notice about who'd staff this trade show, so we got to make our hotel reservations when most options were booked up. Instead of staying (a) stupid far away or (b) paying $800+ per night for at least one of the nights, I chose to (c) split my stay across two hotels. Thus I'll be checking out of the comfortable but not at all swanky Embassy Suites in a bit and heading over to the Wynn. It's on the Strip and is just across the street from the Sands convention center. Yay, no more mile-long walks to the show!

Hotel Switcheroo, Trade Show Day 2

Trade Show Travelog #5
Sands convention Center - Tue, 3 Dec 2024, 2:15pm

Day 2 at the AWS trade show is partly over. For me, though, the at-the-show part is completely over. In a few minutes I'll head to my hotel room to catch up on email, Slack, and other stuff for the rest of the day.

It'll be a different hotel than yesterday, though. This morning I checked out of the Embassy Suites and took my bag over to the Wynn.



It's a swank property and it's right on the Strip, across the street from the Sands. Primo location. But I haven't been to my room yet. I haven't even checked in. I just dropped my bag with the bell desk at 9:30 this morning and walked over to the show. Now I'll walk back, check in, and rest up in my room while catching up on work.

Today was a good day at the show. I dressed as Jenkins the Butler again.



I remixed the butler's costume yet again. This time I kept the classic slate blue suit and white shirt and pocked square but swapped the bowtie for something matching the company's light purple. I got compliments from our marketing leaders... and lots of requests from conference-goers to take pictures with me. I enjoy it.

But now I'm about to head back for the day. I'm glad I can do this at 2pm instead of working the show floor all the way through to 6pm. This year my company's event leaders got organized and made a duty roster. And communicated to the whole team that they're expected to heed it. I've only been asking for that, unsuccessfully, for 6 years.