10 Truths of Being an Engineer During CES Time

The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the biggest trade show events in the world. It’s a whirl-wind of show and tell with brief nap times nightly bottles. (Did I just compare CES to being in preschool? Yes.) The show itself tends to be equal parts stressful and fun. The stressful part is amplified if you’re an engineer attending CES. That stress doesn’t start on the show room floor; it begins many weeks prior. So here are a few examples of what it’s like being an engineer during this joyous season of CES.

10.  When you find out you get to go to your first CES.

You can’t believe it! You get to go!

9. When you find out you get to go to another CES.

Oh..again? …ok.

8. When someone suggests a spec change in December.

I can’t believe you would suggest that

7. When that spec change gets approved

At first you can’t believe it

There’s no way this can really be happeneing

Then you realize how much more work you have to fit the changes in

I don’t remember what daylight even looks like

Finally, it all settles, and you know you just have to get it done.

I guess I should get back to work and stop being a cat.

6. When you try to ask for vacation time in December.

I’m not going to say I want vacation because of the spec change, but….it’s because of the spec change.

5. Finding out your project didn’t make the cut

Cue sad Charlie Brown music

4. At CES and having to listen to someone’s idea of what your project should be and what you should really be working on.

For the love of Glob please stop talking.

3. How most people look at you when you explain your project

Do you have the blueteeth?

2. When someone else attempts to demo your project and you try to run in and save them but ultimately it’s too late.

You just had to run in head first, didn’t ya?

1. Lastly, when you get back home and think it’s time to take it easy but then you look at all the half-baked code you wrote to make things work and you have to basically start over.

There’s always next lifetime for some vacation

Hope everyone has a great CES and good luck on getting all the projects done!