As I pulled into the Gwinnett Center a few minutes after 7:00, there was a mob of easily 1,500 attendees outside of the arena, and the place was buzzing with activity. A red carpet was rolled out from the front doors, and an adjacent stage served as the hub of activity. A few of the sights: jugglers on stilts, a rock wall, a gigantic pinata, balloons, and bubble makers. An enormous double-decker bus shuttled new arrivals from the far reaches of the parking lot to the red carpet. From the stage, a rapper from Memphis performed and the MC's showered the crowd with giveaways. A nearby food stand was handing out free sausage corn dogs. Against my better judgment, I tried one. Thirty minutes later, I am still suffering from the aftertaste. Shortly before 8:00, the doors opened with a bang - streamers shooting out over the heads of those waiting to get indoors. I survived the rush into the arena, and am now watching as seats fill up. Excitement is building as T-shirts are being shot into the stands, and beach balls are floating from section to sections. We're only a few minutes from showtime!

Catalyst Conference 2007 kicks off this morning! I'll be there covering the sights and sounds of the Catalyst experience as 10,000+ Next Generation leaders pack the Gwinnett Center in metro Atlanta. Somehow, during the transition from college to the "real world" I thought I would become a more of a morning person. Not so much. It's off to Starbucks for a heavy dosage of caffeination, and then next stop: CATATLYST!!!