Alarm was set for 3:30 am Friday morning.  I finally dragged myself out of bed at 3:45.

Was able to make a 6:23 train into the city and got there just before 8.

I forgot how long of a walk it is to transfer from the Times Square Shuttle from Grand Central to Port Authority to grab the E train.  Noted that for later.  Depending on the weight of my bag, a cab might have been in order.

Got to the Javits Center, got my pass and went up to Press Office.  Was looked at funny but didn’t care.  Started grabbing the freebies.

Met up with fellow bloggers.  Got excited.  Was bulldozed into the exhibitor hall at 9.  Free for all started.

By 10:30 enormously heavy duffel bag was checked and used as a dropping off point for the rest of the day.

Dacre Stoker was more popular than I anticipated.  Stood for a while in his line.

Ate a hot dog on a bun.  Bad Donna.  Didn’t feel like fighting the crowds in the food court.

Spent I don’t know how long trying to find the classroom for the YA editors panel.  Javits Center is confusing.

YA Editors Buzz wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.  Grabbed blogger friend and went in line to wait for Suzanne Collins’s autograph (got the ticket thanks to her).

Hopped autograph lines to get books I didn’t anticipate but that’s what happens when you’re with an enthusiastic blogger.

Wandered around a little more at the end but exhibitors started packing up early.

Unchecked duffel bag and cried.  Easily weighed 150 pounds.

Livery driver needed help putting it in the trunk of his car.

Not much by the way of cabs in front of Javits.  Lots of livery.  I didn’t care.  There was no rolling that thing.

Able to grab a 5:16 train home.  Douchebag on the train demanded I move my bag so he could sit instead of using the empty seat right behind that one.  Didn’t help me move bag even after I told him it was 150 pounds.  Epic fail of a human.

Wore a hole in the bottom of the bag rolling it to my car in the parking garage.  Worse damage sustained.  Not bad.  I was afraid of the handles ripping off.

Had to unpack bag to make it light enough to lift into the car.

Did a tally.  Roughly $1300 in books I pilfered from BEA and at least 150 pounds.

Damage to body – 1 torn muscle in my chest, can’t lift arms over head and muscles so sore can’t stand upright.

All SO worth it.