team summit in nashville

i am an event planner for DISH network and the second week in may we had team summit, our largest event of the whole year (about 3,500 people). it is an event that our entire team works on for the better part of the year (and the event that had me craying and on the verge quitting as noted in a previous post). our event was held at the gaylord opryland resort and convention center in nashville, tennessee and the place was *huge* we nicknamed it the "bio-sphere" or "bio-dome" because it really was like a little town under a really big roof! when i checked into the hotel they actually gave me a paper with a map of the hotel and written directions to my room…and I still had to ask for help along the way. the event was a huge success and our ceo(who never gives any positive feedback for ANYTHING) told my boss we did a great job.
here are some highlights (good and bad) from the week:

• working 14-19 hour days for a week straight and falling into bed each night for what seemed like a minute before my alarm went off again
• our core team used walkie-talkies for the week and we even got the stellar earpiece (think secret service). it did take some adjustment to be able to hold a conversation with someone while people were talking in my ear. after a week of being plugged in every moment except for when i slept, i went through a little bit of withdrawl when i finally turned my radio in (and didn't have voices in my head any longer)
• tired, aching feet...but not as tired or aching as they could have been thanks to my comfy shoes...love clark's
• amazing smoothies and food
• a constant supply of chips and candy bars...not my healthiest week of eating
• great entertainment-hootie & the blowfish (not the friendliest group of people and totally high maintenance, but put on a fun concert), frank caliendo (always good for a laugh), todd oliver & the funny dogs (a hilarious ventriloquist who makes dogs...real dogs..."talk"), barenaked ladies (hilarious! crazy canadians :) the kind of people you want to be friends with-the guys in the picture below. please disregard my ugly hair. this was the last day of our event and by this time i was just trying to not fall asleep on my feet. cute hair no longer mattered)

• getting a free autographed BNL cd
• visiting the grand ole opry. exciting for a country loving girl like me. i was devastated though because carrie underwood was inducted into the grand ole opry the night before i arrived in nashville (and introduced by garth brooks). i was so sad i wasn't there to see it.
• watching country music videos in the morning on GAC (great american country)
• talking to my sweet hubby each night and finally coming home to him (this was the longest we have been apart).