Streaming Media East Cocktail Reception, Hilton New York City
May 20, 2008

I used to work for IBM. We're talking seven years of being surrounded by mostly men. Older men. So I know what it's like to "man" a booth where slightly sloshed sales types saunter over and dip their one-liners on you with red cheeks and whiskey breath. With my press pass slung loosely around my neck and my camera dangling precariously off my freezing cold rain-moist shoulder, I couldn't wait to be on the other side.

My eyes struggled to adjust to the intensely lit Streaming Media East expo hall -- a who's who of major streaming and online video vendors. Already I could see bottles of Amstel Light and cheese plates zigzagging between booths.

Why is it that we all squeal "Ooo! Popcorn" when we see a popcorn popper? You know you do it. It's not like it's a recent innovation; but somehow, it instantly turns people into happy eight-year-olds again. Full of popcorn, I ventured forth.

Next stop, the on2 technologies booth, where I captured someone capturing me on digital video. I popped in for a quick demo. Despite server burps, the quality of video (not the subject, ahem) was really pretty good when demo-guy played it back on his phone. Who needs monitors when you've got quality playback on your phone? I pay special attention to that stuff since I'm so mobile now.

THEY. HAD. COCKTAIL. WEINERS. Finally, someone pulls through with little bitty hotdogs wrapped in flaky puffed pastry. So simple, so unrefined, and still the best mystery protein in the greatest meal on earth. Still happily (quietly) chewing, I meandered to the whitetable bar and collided with the super kickass tag team of Maria Sandoval and her mohawked partner in crime from G M D THREE: guests, not booth bunnies. "Well, she's here for the boys," snarked GMD (his card only says GMD Three and damn it if his name didn't ooze out of my brain when I spotted the hotdog guy again) who then received a wallop on the arm from Maria. "I think you came to the right place - it's nerdy boy heaven," I affirmed affectionately - because I love nerds, no doubt. "Yeah, it's really the only place you can pick a girl up with a line of C++" smiled GMD.

Speaking of fair game... let's talk about the Limelight networks boys! Nametags strapped too close to the baby maker made it difficult for me to secretly note names before verbally machine-gunning them for not inviting press to their private nerd party. After minor bullying, I was warmly invited by Adam, was it? Again, I wasn't about to drop my eyes belowdecks. I was promised with seedy grins from other expo hall wanderers that this would be one of the wilder after-parties - perhaps because the guest list was what I would call in my college days a "sausage fest" (it'll come to you). If I had been invited earlier I might have gone. I walked away snickering, hoping that Maria could hold her own should she be "lucky" enough to get into the Limelight party.

Check out the full set of photos on Flickr !

Want to see your people in pictures? Send your online media industry party invitations to kelly@mediapost.com!