Saturday

We got here Saturday afternoon.  We didn't have that much to do.  We just wanted to get a lay of the land, etc.  Rest up for a week of "big coverage."  (Meanwhile, Gustav was swirling to the south, with all kinds of plans of his own to rain on our parade - but whatever)

Here's a peek at my hotel room.  I only take this pictures because of Christin's inspiration - but my hotel rooms are never as cool as hers!

I do like the king size bed, and I appreciate the fact that there is no scratchy hotel comforter!  I hate those things.

This is my view.  Not bad, eh?  It overlooks the indoor pool.

I hope to get out there at some point, I did bring a bathing suit... maybe tonight (I think it's Monday, haha - I feel like I haven't been 100% sure what time or day it is since we go here!)

Shameless mirror self portrait.

You know you wanted it!!!

Then it was off to check out our diggs at the Xcel Energy Center.

The place is all decked out!

This is the view from our skybox.

The view of our skybox from the convention floor.

This is our workspace.  Laurie was calling to set up interviews.  The workspace is in a trailer across the street from the Xcel Center.

I'll have to get some more "behind the scenes" pics of that so you know what I mean.

Then I made a couple of trips around the Xcel Center.  I was trying to get to "the hospital" to pick up my co-worker, Eric.  (long, funny story, but HE'S FINE - if he wants to share the story, I'll have him do that, it's a classic!)

So I set out for "the hospital across the street," right?

I met some clueless police officers (they were flown in from across the country to help with security, but did not know their way around) and some nice homeless people.

I saw some cool sites.

This is FOX News headquarters - it's HUGE - I'd say they have a bigger presence here than any other media.

And this is the CNN Grill - they took over a restaurant - they did this in Denver, too.

I SOOOOOO WANT TO GO THERE!! Pray for me that I will be able to convince my co-workers, who are not as into all of this as I am - to go there at least once.

I'm such a dork.  I wonder if they have t-shirts?

Hmmmmmm....

FINALLY - after about an hour of walking around downtown St. Paul.  I go there.  United Hospital.  Not St. Joe's or St. John's or whatever that other hospital was called.

Definitely not how I was planning on spending my first afternoon in St. Paul - but I was not about to leave my co-worker stranded at the hospital forever.

You know how it takes forever to get discharged from an ER?

Glad he's okay.  Phew.

We ran into a really nice guy on a street corner on our way to dinner, he reminded me of the Trubadour days on Gilmore Girls! :

 

Right after I shot the video of this guy he said, "This better be on youtube by tonight!" Check. 

I love having dinner on the company!  I love it when anyone buys my dinner.  Scoop does, too.

Oh, we ran into Al Franken in the parking garage Saturday night! And we went to a Super Target... my world stopped. (because of my undying love for Target - not necessarily for Al Franken, but it was cool that he was willing to be photographed by Sally with my camera - she's such a sport!)