Tuesday, September 24, 2013
7:00am, Central Time: My alarm goes off. I’m still not used to the time zone change, so knowing that it’s only 5am back home in the Bay Area is a groan-inducing thought. Get up, get ready, and make a final sweep of the room to make sure I’m not forgetting anything important. Show badge, thumb drives, media kits, and phone in hand, I head out.
8:00am: Catch the shuttle over to McCormick Place and arrive around 8:30. The expo hall has completely changed overnight; the red carpet is down, pallets are out-of-sight, and all the booths look polished. As a tradeshow newbie, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Chicago at the beginning of the week. Seeing all the elaborate booths and vendors makes me realize just how big the security industry is.
