So this week saw 100+ Microsoft Academic Developer product managers congregating for the annual meeting in Redmond. The aims being to share best practices and ideas amongst the various subsidiaries, to start thinking about what we are going to do in the next financial year and to hear more about “Whidbey” the next generation of Visual Studio.NET. However sitting here at the W Hotel with the worst ever jetlag and wondering how I've managed to lose half a stone in weight, I was just considering the do’s and don’ts of making the most of and best coping with being sleepless in Seattle.
Do remember your gym kit – after all what else is there to do when you wake up at 2am, 4am and then 6am every morning without fail other than catching up on email…
Don’t go to sleep with your mobile phone – otherwise you’ll wake up like me with a Smartphone imprint on your neck.
Do remember to turn off your mobile when you go to bed as calls from friends, family and colleagues who assume that you are actually in the UK are not always welcome.
Don’t let your mobile out of your sight – as friends find it very amusing to SMS your contacts on your behalf.
Do stick to your convictions and do not accept distracting invitations (as kind and as well meant as they may be) from friends such as Gavin, Tyson, Morris, Kamal and Rasmus who attempt to kidnap you and take you off to Whistler, Los Angeles, or Vancouver for a weekend of heavy duty partying.
Do drink gallons of Starbucks, sample the “to die for” Lemon Drop Cocktails at the W Hotel; for a rip roaring laugh do go and see Along Came Polly (aka romantic comedy/chickflick) and do go to Gene Juarez for the ultimate in spa indulgence and taglines – Arrive in Seattle a tourist, Return home a goddess.
Ultimately though as my Aussie pal and colleague Dave Chalmers would say - go hard or go home and that's exactly where I'm off to now.