Pre-conference

I went to the L.A. Convention Center at around 10:00 AM to register for the PDC. The weather was warm ( probably around 80 degrees ). The convention center was quiet - most of the early attendees were at pre-conference sessions which I had not pre-registered for. Lunch was delicious and offered the opportunity to chat with some individuals from various educational institutions who were invited by Microsoft to attend the PDC. I returned to the hotel in the afternoon to read through the conference material - the backpack which was provided at registration was full of books and magazines and other materials. The hotel I stayed in was further from the downtown business district than I had expected and when I surveyed the surroundings, I decided that I would be using a taxi rather than walking - especially when I saw a group of LAPD officers apprehend a gang of about 10 Mexican youth with guns drawn across the street from the hotel ( with the LAPD helicopter circling overhead ). I returned to the Convention Center in the evening to participate in the first Birds of Feather sessions - Quiz Show, a discussion on Web Services, and Visual Studio.NET Tips and Tricks. The huge video screen made me a little nervous until the INETA representative informed us that the BoF presenters would not have access to the equipment.