Archive for April, 2008

The last count I heard was over 4,200 attendees came to the reception at the Museum of Science and Industry, but it never seemed crowded. The biggest problem was getting everyone to go home, not getting them home. Remember that country song about it is impossible for a girl to be pretty, to have too much money, or have way too much fun? Well that was the problem here tonight! The food was way too good – what a choice (I ate way too much) and what a variety. The band was great and the old friends made it hard to get around. The Organizing Committee had everything moving like a well oiled machine. Imagine getting that many people to and from their hotels. Well it that is exactly what happened. The buses were waiting and the trip was fun.

Hey – look out there is a line truck heading up this aisle! Yes, there was a line truck following a fork life right down the main aisle. Did ComEd take a wrong turn? You’ll have to come to the show floor tomorrow to see. I tried to follow, but it was rush hour and I lost him. Whoa, how the heck do you loose a line truck in the convention center – it’s a gift.

After a couple of hours on the floor, it was time for a break. As luck would have it, McDonalds is right in McCormick Place – these folks think of everything. If you think – yeah right just another rude fast food place. Well you got that wrong. I met Otis today. He was manning the cash register and he had a smile and kind word for everyone in line. When it was my turn he took my order and chatted while it came up. I asked about the pace starting tomorrow - would it be hard on them. He smiled and said that after the Chicago Auto Show this would be very nice. It is good to kept things in perspective. Of course, I had ordered something that had to be made fresh. I guess I looked tired after dodging fork lifts and Otis told me to go sit down, he would bring me my order when it came up. It as great meeting this gentleman, he was making the Expo better one person at a time.

Wow, there are people everywhere. The boxes are opened and the parts are coming together. I talked with one exhibitor running past me. Everything he had shipped had arrived. Well, everything except one box. As Murphy would have it, the missing box was the important one and he had to find it. When you think of it, all parts are important, but the missing one is the attention grabber.

You really need to be careful on the floor today. Forklifts, golf carts, and all kinds of high lifts are racing in every direction. The drivers are all connected with radios, walkie-talkies, and cell phones. They have schedules to make and equipment to move.

The show floor is a like an ant hill that has been kicked over. You have never seen such activity. I stopped by the S&C exhibit and talked with my friend Steven Strand. He says it is all under control. The pieces are falling in place as we speak – confidence and planning.

I stopped by the PES booth at the Expo to check on activities and found Pat Ryan and John McDonald working on some ideas for the coming days. Like everyone else, they are excited with the pending Expo.

The first person I ran into was Tommy Mayne. He is everywhere and he is excited. I don’t see how one person can be in so many places. Tommy said the last time the PES Expo was in Chicago was in 1993. That Expo holds the PES record for the most attendees. I remember it, I was there and it was awesome, but the 2008 is poised to surpass that one. So far the pre-registration is over 11,000! Tommy said, if you count dogs, cats, and passing political folks it is going to be huge by any standards.

Dick got back to me with the Wind Working Group meeting details folks. He says the new working group will meet:

Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 “Transmission Alternatives for Remote Wind

Generation WG Meeting”

Room N136, Level 1 of McCormick Place North

If you are interested in the wind go!

Boy did I get an ear full about Wind, speed, and utilities. One Renewable IPP member had a comment on the last blog. He said the utilities he is working with have a year long waiting list just to start the system studies. The studies will take over a year! Do you call that fast - he is up set. What about it Utilities? What is your side of the issue? Send me your comments.

Pam and I had just returned from seeing “Jersey Boys,” when we ran into some old friends in the lobby – Rick Bush (Managing Editor, Transmission and Distribution World magazine) and his wife Alice. They too had taken advantage of “Broadway in Chicago” and saw “Wicked.” It was fun visiting with friends and comparing the shows. Rick and I met because of our love of Broadway shows. We were both in New York City many years ago attending a PES Winter Meeting. I was in line at the half price ticket kiosk in Times Square and I struck up a conversation with the guy behind me. He was an engineer – me too. He was in town with PES – me too. He liked musicals – me too. Strange his business card was that of the previous editor (whom I knew) with the name scratched out and his penciled in. By time we reached the window, we had decided to see a play together that evening. Stranger still, he had no cash to buy the ticket. Was this a set up? Hum… he told me that if I would buy the tickets he would pay me back at the hotel (we were both staying at the Hilton). I could hold the ticket. Was it a set up? What the heck, he was an interesting fellow and shows are more fun with a friend. I had the tickets. He would only get his when money changed hands. It was worth it – the guy told very funny stories. So, I bought the tickets and off we went to the Hilton. The thought did cross my mind that this could be a set up to a mugging once we left Time Square. Oh by the way, I’m a 7th degree black belt and after sitting on my butt all day in meetings, I could use the exercise. As it turned out, Rick was exactly who he said he was. We had good dinner, saw a great show, and have been close friends ever since. Over the years, I have made many close friendships because of PES, but this was one of the strangest encounters of all the meetings I have attended. I welcome any comments. Does anyone else have a strange encounter at a PES conference? Tell me about it.