Day 1, update

We are here, up to our necks in wonders of Deltek, us and 3,000+ of our closest buds. I managed to track down the other GGs over breakfast and from there we went to the keynote address which is, always, quite a production with lots of loud music and flashing lights, etc. Brings me back to my nightclubbing days, though without the cigarette smoke (not mine, generally), cocktails (mine, nearly always), and hideous restrooms (bleh).

The first surprise of the day was a musical number at the opening -- students from the Duke Ellington School sang and danced through a rousing song that was all about 'the best is yet to come', etc. They were quite excellent though their youthful energy and abundance of talent made me feel very dorky indeed, not really a stretch considering I'd been up since 3:45 am.

Then several speakers, all quite good, including the president of Deltek, and reps from several Deltek customers including the firm that built the new Dallas Cowboys stadium which, truly, is amazing and a bit disgusting in it's redundant hugeness. Finally, Dave Barry, the humorist/author/etc., arrived and spent at least 45 minutes being incredibly random and really very funny -- Allison and Karen N were wiping away tears of mirth, and Jenn and I did a fair amount of chuckling on our own. 

All in all, I'd have to say that Dave Barry's speech reminded me all too strongly of some books that my kiddo has become entranced with, all of which begin with offering an animal some food and that gesture going 9 million different ways into random activity.  If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about, let me suggest "If You Give A Moose A Muffin," which is, thus far, certainly my favorite of the bunch. Wait, where am I going with this... ah well.