As I’ve noted in the last couple of posts, we’ve been getting geared up for the last week or so to go to the NISOD convention in Austin next week. Grace and I will be doing a presentation about the publishing operation on Tuesday but, much more labor intensive, will be assembling (Sunday), manning (Sunday through Tuesday), and then then taking down (Tuesday night) the TSTC Publishing booth in the exhibit hall.
NISOD is one of our best opportunities to see people from around the TSTC System as well as make new contacts from the rest of the State and country. So, given that, you want to make sure that you’ve got everything laid out to take with you well ahead of time so as not to forget something small (or big) that’s crucial. I’ve learned the hard way from personal experience—I’m famous for leaving all my dress shirts behind hanging on the kitchen door when going out of town–to put together a detailed list of what we need to take with us.
So, this afternoon, Melanie and I put together our list, checked it twice, and keep adding stuff to the mountainous pile that’s been building on our conference room table for the last couple of weeks:
- Exhibit backdrop (banners, stands, lights, and extra halogen light bulbs)
- Business cards for both Grace and me
- 6-8 cases of Dr Pepper (regular and diet)
- Two display signs thanking Dr Pepper Bottling of Waco for providing Dr Peppers
- Laptop, PowerPoint projector, presentation saved to laptop as well as flash drive as PowerPoint and PDF
- Display copies of current/forthcoming books
- Display stands for books
- NISOD survival bags
- Bottled water we’ll put in bags once we’re in the exhibit hall
- Koozies for bottled water and Dr Peppers
- Heavy-duty extension cord and power strip for display lights
- business card stands
- 50 printouts of presentation for attendees
- Extra copies of the new Taking Charge: Your Education, Your Career, Your Life for TSTC attendees and other interested parties
- Copies of recent TechBrief newsletters plus advance copies of forthcoming one on ethanol
- 6×9 cards promoting session on Tuesday
- 6×9 cards promoting Quick Review classes at TSTC Harlingen
- Digital camera, download cord, and extra batteries
- One flat of new calendars
- 250 promo pens
- Tax exempt forms for Grace and myself for the hotel we’re staying out plus reservation info
- TSTC table skirts for exhibit booth
- Rubber bands to roll up calendars plus wire mesh container to keep those in at booth
- Dolly to trundle stuff in and out of exhibit hall
- And, last but not least, CATALOGS!
Ah, yes, and tomorrow we’ll think up even more things while inevitably as I’m driving down to Austin on Sunday morning whatever the thing is that I will actually do forget to bring will be remembered . . . just a little too late!
Mark
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