This year, I didn't register in time for the free exhibit passes, but some very generous being was kind enough to offer me one and when I asked if I could get two so I wouldn't have to go alone again this year, he granted me my wish.

I invited my friend, Porn-girl who has her own graphic business partnership with another mutual friend.

We got to the convention center and had to pay that hefty $10 for parking. After a long walk through crowds of geeky boyness and some not so geeky boys wearing them tags around their neck that made them look even more geekier, we finally reached the the guest pass registration booth.

Porn-girl and I got in seperate lines right next to each other. I showed them my three forms of ID and they gave me approval by stamping my pass with a big, red "verified" which would allow me permission to pick up a guest pass to wear around my neck so I'd look like a geek girl. It took no more than 3 seconds.

Next to me, I realized Porn-girl was having problems getting stamped. Unfortunately, she only had her driver's license, a company business card, and an ad booklet without her name on it, just the company name. They just would not stamp her...not even when we asked if we could get someone to fax over the company license. No siree...not unless you have the company who gave us the guest pass sign it, as well.

I wracked my brain to see if we could somehow go around it...

1. Use the business center to scan my copy of my W-2, take it into Photoshop and alter the company name and my name to fit hers, then print it out, and stick it in my envelope. (I thought of this because the lady who looked at mine didn't even really look at it thoroughly, she just saw the company name on there while the part where my name sat was still covered by the envelope. I figure she could get away with it.)

2. Call Porn-girl's biz partner and have her fax a copy of the company license to us. We'd get back in a different line and that should get us through. (But no....biz partner was not home anywhere near a fax machine.)

3. Print out a sticker with her name on it and stick it on the company ad.

4. Drive back 15-20 minutes to get another form of ID at her place and then come back.

By the time I suggested all of these, Porn-girl was so disgruntled by how much trouble they gave her that she wasn't even up to attending the exhibition. So, we left. I would not allow her to take a cab home. I also did not want to attend the exhibit on my own again, knowing I could go with other friends the following day.

So, that was one free guest pass wasted.

I also found out that Porn-girl had an interview at the company where the nice boy who gave me the passes works at. When she saw the envelope the passes were mailed in, she told me she interviewed there not too long ago and that Puma's previous owner now works there as a freelancer.

Also, J-boy knows someone who works there and his ex-gfriend and ex-bfriend knows some people there as well. What a small world?!

I am going to head into bed now. Big day tomorrow. Shopping. E-3. Dinner with friends at Gardens of Taxco. Watch Rilo Kiley at The Troubadour. Go home. Pack. Leave for Vegas with friends at 2 am. Yes, we're going to Vegas for the weekend instead of SD now. Speaking of Taxco...man they are stingy. I made reservations for 13 people and they called me twice to tell me that we need to be there right on time and then said they couldn't really fit 13 people at the time I wanted and asked if we could come earlier. I ended up reserving it for 12 people at the time slot I requested, yet we still all have to be there by 7 sharp!