Conventions

 

Everyone has one.

A convention is a large formal meeting of people who do a particular job or have a similar interest.

They can be trade shows hawking their wares or political parties selecting their leaders. They can be seated ballrooms with speakers or giant auditoriums with booths and a sea of people wandering the aisles.

Cities love conventions. The attendees fill the hotels and restaurants but are pretty much confined in the area with the flags and banners and signs.

There are teacher’s conventions. There are lawyer conventions. There are auto shows and farm tool shows and even conventions for the religious. There are comic book conventions and food conventions and movie conventions with red carpets. There are alumni conventions and technology conventions and weapon conventions.

Conventions have speeches and presentations. Conventions have lots of food and drinks. Conventions are the weekend rock festival for the common worker.

Conventioneers can wear funny hats and blow horns. They can pick up lots of trinkets and pamphlets and cups that won’t fit in the suitcase going home. They can wear big badges to identify themselves or wear brightly color polo shirts with the identity of their company on it.

Convention attendees are the audience for a commercial show full of cheerleaders trying to get their attention. Attending a convention is a working vacation.

Some conventions hand out prizes and awards while others are an occupational necessity for a lost weekend.

I’ve gone to my share of conventions. Some I was required to work and others I could just watch the circus around me. Met some interesting people at conventions. Ate and drank too much at conventions. Did some things I shouldn’t have done, but it was OK. I was at a convention.

 

 

A convention is a usual or accepted way of behaving, especially in social situations, often following an old way of thinking or a custom in one particular society.