Quick Observations From The Lounge

Working on another article for the NAD Conference blog in the lobby is an exercise in distraction. It seems every person walking through the lobby is a one-person high-school or college reunion for someone else in the lobby. The shrieks, the "OH - MY - GOD'S!", and the flying fingers trying to catch up on the excitement of the past years.

These all conspire to distract the writer from writing and take simple pleasure in people-watching. Watching the CEO-candidate Howard Rosenblum talking with colleagues and friends. Seeing old friends introduce entire groups to each other and then heading out to dinner together. The hotel desk has interpreters working on staff making check-in a breeze for conference-goers.

Possibly the funniest thing in this people-watching is seeing people who know each other but can't remember the names or how they know each other. Watching them go through a process of elimination, similar to an episode of "CSI" where they piece together the possible commonalities: "Gallaudet?" "New Jersey?" "Did we meet at the 1994 conference in Knoxville?" All this culminates in that one moment when they DO remember where they know each other from and exchange a hearty handshake and hug.

Every year, this scene repeats itself in various conferences all across the country but you'll only see the breadth of interactions here at the NAD conference. I'm sure the hotel staff is still trying to figure out why so many people are still standing in the lobby. In time, the staff will realize that the lobby is THE place for us to meet, socialize, and catch up with one another.