Working an autoshow as media

So what was it like being a journalist for a major auto show like the 2006 Los Angeles Auto show?

Work.

I worked both Wednesday, January 5th and today, January 6th. I arrived at the Los Angeles Convention Center before 8 A.M. each morning. Thankfully, because of R.'s schedule, I'm used to waking up at 6 A.M.

We were offered breakfast before the work started. A buffet was offered on Wednesday while GM had servers go around providing quiche and wine today. I scarfed food down both days as I geared for work. (Yes, that word again.)

This was the regular pattern: after breakfast, my collegue would attend the press conference while I went to grab some pics. Then I'd go to the media room to wait for a on-line connection. (The convention center offered only a limited number.)

Once I secured a line, I'd upload pics and any necessary text while charging up my camera battery. This is my first digital camera and it's been a learning experience. I'd then bolt to either another press conference to take pics and get press release or wander around the exhibit halls to get pics on specific vehicles (e.g., Chrysler Firepower, etc.)

After several hours of the above, the reason I scarfed all that food becomes apparent. While there was a hour set aside for lunch on Wednesday, I didn't use it as I uploaded material asap. And today? Forget it. Yesterday's lunch was a grande sized coffee; today, I had some pastries and finger foods.

I took a few minutes here and there to check out those cars I'm interested in. The Pontiac G6. The Mazda CX-7. But those moments were few and far between. Yes, there's few people since we're all media. But we're like sharks in a feeding frenzy: you couldn't take pics of the Pontiac Solstice GXP during the press release and some time later.

The last conference ended around 4:30 P.M. But I'm not done yet. I still have plenty of pics and material to upload. And help my collegues who are working the CES and Detroit shows.

I feel like a freshman back in college, learning while paying for the education. (Though I get paid for my posts, it's minimal.

Is this what I really want to do when I grow up?