Friday 2 September - Conference Day Three - the roundup

Fewer folks today, which was nice.  Not such long lines to get into sessions.  The end of conferences are quite often like the end of camp - new and old friends hug, promise to keep in touch.  This one was a bit different for me.  As a GIS professional at a GIS conference, I am 100% integrated.  I know most of the stuff that's going on and can really get into it.
This was very different.  I am very new to the EMS camp and pretty much everything is a mystery to me.  As an EMR, I'm probably the least qualified and least experienced person here.  That's a strange feeling for me.  I didn't integrate well into this group.  Now that I think about it, I suppose it was the same for me in GIS.  The first few conferences I felt out of sync - like everyone else knew each other and had some sort of inside track.  They were meeting for drinks, chatting, having intellectual debates over dinner, the whole social aspect.  Once Taylor left I really didn't have anyone to talk to.  Our guys are great, but they are guys and this is Vegas.  I didn't feel too bad for missing dinner with them since they spent the whole time checking out chicks, attempting to get Floyd to talk to a hostess.  To say I would have been out of place is an understatement.
The guys left this morning, so I am the only one still at the conference.  Guess thats a weird feeling as well.  Hundreds of people I don't know who are at least acquainted, or speak the same language, and I don't fit in.
I don't know, maybe I'm just feeling melancholy because this whole EMS thing is a strange new group for me.  Or maybe because I'm such a late-comer to this field.  I'm 37 years old for crying out loud.  I'm great at making maps, doing spatial data analysis, so why do I do this EMS thing?  It's certainly not for the money.
So I have a few hours until my flight leaves.  My grandfather died so I changed my ticket this week to fly back to my ancestral homeland in Washington State.  It will be nice to visit with my family for the day.  Maybe that's having an effect on my mood as well.  Who knows?
Hard to believe, but I'm at a loss for what to do at this point.  My bags are back at the hotel bell desk, I'm checked out of my room, and I still have 6 hours to kill before my flight.  Not interested in gambling away more money, or sitting at the airport for hours in an uncomfortable spot.  But I'm ready to leave Vegas now.  Seriously ready.
Left my ECG and A&P books (ahem, and my nintendo) in my bags, have no internet here, and it's emptying out.  Guess I will bust out of the convention center and head south.  Pick up my bags, give away my monorail pass, and get a taxi to the airport.  Hopefully I can find a semi-comfortable spot to settle in, plug in, and waste a few hours.  Wish me luck.

Gambled some more? Check
Picked up bags? Check
Gave away monorail pass with 2 more days on it? Check
Taxi to airport? Check
Lost my mini leatherman to McCarran security? (with scissors & tweezers in it) Check
Still 3.5 hours early for my flight? Yup

Sigh

Can't wait to get out of this town.