A Houston Hello

Hello from Houston!

Hey y'all!

I’m still here until Monday, but I thought I should check in and let you know that I’m alive. To be honest, I was hoping to have some witty recap, but other than being called a heathen traveler by some church group on the street and witnessing what we assumed to be a drug bust on our walk, things have been kind of lame.

After working 15-hour days, I’m too exhausted to get back on my computer. This whole trip has been weird and boring, and unless something amazing happens tomorrow, it will continue to be lame.

He did enjoy the "mini tumbler" booth at the show. Perfect for his "mini" drinking habit!

I have a few fun ideas and observations for future blog posts, but nothing I feel like actually writing while I’m here. I’m liking this disconnected thing…and tired.

But with that said, I thought I would just share a few pictures of what both Uncle June and I have been up to. Since I’m not at home on Live Writer, I can’t do little picture captions or anything, so you just give you a few of the images.

There was our big party Friday night that involved 800 people at the House of Blues, one kick-ass band back for the fourth year, an open bar, dancing, a tired editor who still can’t hear due the music and a photo booth that will most likely be a valuable source of blackmail in the coming months.

Not the best shot from the balcony, but you get the idea.

Day 1 of the show involved many of the usual suspects, which means shoes.

Just one pair of hundreds.

They zip up the back. Abby likes.

All kinds of balloon decor, including a balloon dress fashion show.

Now that's a cupcake, eh?

This dress is made completely out of uninflated balloons.

There were costumes…

Birds with anger issues.

Colorful clowns.

Now how did Uncle June get in there? Evidently there's no place like clevage...

And people pretending to wear costumes.

Yes, she's painted with glow paint and not really wearing a costume, so to speak.

They're not covered with enough paint, and no, Uncle June is not hiding anywhere on that woman.

He's pretending to be a statue, but if someone were to hypothetically poke him with a feather, he would blink and twitch.

And there was the actual Batmobile from the movie.

No food, drink or editors carrying a gnome were allowed in the actual vehicle.

So those were basically the first three days in Houston. It’s just been a lot of work, which interests no one–most of all me–so I’ll spare you any more pictures at this point.

But I have been reminded that:

• No one needs a lit magnifying vanity mirror in their hotel bathroom, especially at 6am after four hours of sleep.
• I will never be able to figure out the air conditioning or heat in my hotel room, and that yelling at the thermostat and poking the buttons extra hard doesn’t help.
• It’s important not to mistake the free bottles of lotion for the shampoo/conditioner or vice versa, but also important to remember to stuff them in your bag so they get replenished every day.
• Even if it’s not fun and it’s not something I’ll ever, ever volunteer to do, I can travel and do my job well without the earth spinning off it’s axis…so far.

We'll be back home before I know it.

And then you’ll all be stuck with me again.

So make me feel included. Have I missed anything while I’ve been gone?