Day 118 - Orlando, still

Last night was the obligatory "Technical Conference Big Party with Free Food and Drink and Featuring Live Music So We Can Pretend We Aren't All Hopeless Social Misfits but Also with Guitar Hero and Wii Games Because We Are Hopeless Social Misfits".

This party was better than most. The music was fun and the stage show was excellent. The featured performer was Jess Stone, who I'd never heard of, but really liked. She reminds me of a remake of Edie Brickell. And she was barefoot.

Jess Stone

The other highlight was the food. It was unusual. It was excellent. It was everywhere. The best?

So, so delicious.

The lowlight was the beating I took from Seth in Wii Bowling. "I've never played this before." Either he's a big fat liar, or I suck at Wii bowling.

The day took it's toll and I bailed before the headliner, Will I Am from Black Eyed Peas. I know, "Wuss!" But I was beat and it wasn't anywhere near time for him to play. Besides, I had an early morning run scheduled.

The alarm went off at 6:00a. I was rested, but tighty-tight tight form yesterday's run and marathon of standing torture that is trade show booth duty.

Some patient stretching and the gift of a band-aid from the front desk hostess, and I was good to go.

Seth and I hit the resort's golf course at sunrise, after being granted permission from the grounds crew, of course. The course is gorgeous. If everyone had a place like this to run, everyone would be runners.

We run and chatted at a pretty good clip and got off the course with 2 minutes to spare before the first tee time.

After the run, I couldn't resist the pool deck. Only problem was that it was 60F and the sun wasn't hitting the deck yet, still crouching behind the hotel.

Undaunted, I grabbed my book and a couple pool towels and decided to wait it out. I had plenty of time, as it turned out. And I spent some of that time watching the 300+ windows in front of me.

Here's what I noticed in the 90 minutes or so of observational research:

• Guys like to look out their hotel window with their shirts off, talking on the phone, and scratching various body parts. They like to do this a lot.
• A distant second most popular activity for guys while looking out of their hotel window is buttoning their shirt.
• Girls don't look out of their hotel windows. Ever. Ok, I did see one, who was putting on her make-up, no doubt taking advantage of the natural light, but she was looking in her make-up mirror, not out the window.

This research was unscientific, but I'm pretty confident it's correct.

Good running,
Doug

Numbers: 5.8 miles on concrete cart path.