On democrats and getting lost...

If I could write out what it sounds like to take a deep breath, I would put it right here. I don't think Shasta and I expected it to be this difficult to get our work done. We left at a reasonable time for the Kentucky on the Potomac but got a bum steer and decided to drive instead of taking public transportation. We made good time for the first part of the trip, but sat a block away from our destination for about 30 minutes. Finding a parking spot was another story... to be quite honest, the hullabaloo with that threw my focus off and I was a little cloudy at the beginning of the event. Thankfully, with Shasta at my side, we conquered a room full of political figures that I've compared to something like being in a sardine can with 200 democrats. Party affiliation having no real effect on what it was like, mind you. This, of course, is an unbiased blog.
We started out smoothly, snagged interviews and plenty of b-roll...all before they turned on the air conditioning. (Thank goodness for a/c!) Making great time, we headed to find a place that was a little less crowded so that Shasta could edit the package to be uploaded to our FTP client so that stations like KFVS 12 and WPSD 6 could pick them up and air them on tonight's newscast. All went well until we realized we hadn't shot a standup. Big oops. We had to leave our decent editing spot, pack up our equipment, and rewind. This error on our behalf cost a lot of time. When we began to edit again, we discovered that the computer case had become faulty. Picture this: Shasta in a snazzy business suit, prying open a briefcase snap with anything she could find, including one of the many keys on her key ring. Operation: smash faulty briefcase. Mission successful!
Good thing Shasta is such an efficient editor! She made up for lost time and had the package ready to go before I ever could have. With that, we connected to the hotel's internet service and much to our dismay, discovered that it was going to take 5 and a half hours...HOURS...for the video to upload. I believe at that point, we had 50 minutes and a decision to make.
This morning, we uploaded my video diary to the FTP site from the apartment and it took all of 2 minutes. We stood and debated; head back to the apartment and risk getting caught in traffic versus stay at the hotel and hope the connection gained some speed. Shasta made the executive decision and we headed back across town for the apartment.
I dumped Shasta off at the front door with all of our equipment and started back around the block on a hunt to find a parking spot. Sound familiar? Seems to be a trend around here. Operation: find a parking spot, take 3! Needless to say, I was doing fine for a while, found a spot several blocks away, and put my mad parallel parking skills to the test. I set off toward the apartment and realized I had left my dying phone in the car. I ran back to where I had parked, grabbed my phone and the computer and started back in what I THOUGHT was the same direction. Before I knew it, I was lost. Yes, Dad, if you're reading, I was lost all by myself in Washington, DC.
Eventually, I ran into some lovely people (a lady from...get this...Glasgow, KY) who helped me orient myself. 7 blocks later, I spotted IT...Starbucks, that is, and my heart filled with happiness. Homeward bound! I was a little surprised I hadn't received a worried phone call from Shasta but when I reached in my pocket to call her, I saw that my phone had been connected to hers the whole time. Good thing! She had been with me the whole time :) [As I write this, Shasta snickers, "listening....lost...."]
I have never been more pleased to see the awning for our apartment building!! I believe that concludes the most adventurous day of my life thus far! So, forgive me please for not posting a video diary tonight, I promise you'll get one tomorrow!