SEMA Show: Day 4 (11/06/09)

Finally, we have made it to the last day of SEMA. It has been a great experience all around. We have learned that you should take part in preventative maintenance by using band-aids on your feet at the beginning of the day, as opposed to at the end. We have learned to always have water at hand, because all the talking will inevitably cause you to be parched. We have learned that Advil, or some kind of pain reliever, is a necessity, because, between the neon lights and the sore legs from standing all day, we definitely should have invested in the economy-sized supply. Can you expense a full body massage as ‘trip miscellaneous’? Seriously, though, it has been a great experience all around.
The FAQ for today was about the Honda timeline which was featured along the back wall of the Honda Racing/HPD display. Many attendees enjoyed reading and reminiscing about a certain period in time, and the most talked about Hondas. I guess we found one of our potential pieces of literature and/or giveaways for another show in the future…take-home timeline magnets, anyone?
Throughout the week, the new Honda slogan: “Everybody knows somebody who loves a Honda” has definitely stood true. Now, don’t get me wrong, there have been some challengers to Honda brand loyalty. We have listened to those who are devout Toyota owners and even a passionate Datsun owner, but each of them, somewhere in the conversation, has dropped the fact that he or she knows someone, or several people, including their own family members, who love their Hondas. Lisa Kubo, “The First Lady of Racing”, and her car were featured next to the Honda display, and she has taken loving Honda to an extreme. She has an “H” tattooed on her shoulder; it’s a real tattoo, not henna or removable. For all of you Honda lovers out there who don’t have Honda logos permanently tattooed on your bodies, she’s got you beat. The best quote came from a Honda Goldwing owner who showed us his motorcycle key and told us that he calls himself a “grandma chaser” (FYI: He was an older gentleman), and told us that the difference between him and a Harley owner is that he gets dates because the ladies don’t mind riding on the back of his bike. Let’s face it, there are many different reasons way people love their Hondas. You gotta love them all!
On a personal note … and anyone who knows me (Jenn) will appreciate this. I have not allowed my OCD to stop me from shaking any hand that was offered to me, and I didn’t even use antibacterial disinfectant after each one, either! That may not sound like a big deal to most of you, but it was definitely a feat for my psyche. Part of me would like to say that I have overcome some of my germophobic issues, but I will probably be back to sterilizing my hands as soon as I leave this town. Moving on …
As time ticked away and the 2009 SEMA Show came to an end, there was once again, as on every previous day, an announcement over the P.A., telling everyone that the show was now closed. What made today differ from days past was the roar of applause, followed by the even louder roar of almost every engine in the convention hall. For all of you engine, car and racing fanatics out there, it was quite a sound to hear. However, if you are trying to write a blog before the power to your display is turned off, it can be a tad distracting…cool, nonetheless. All of us at the Honda display would have liked to have overpowered all the other motors with the sound of our IndyCar engine, but maybe we will save that for next year.
Well, seeing as the display and the desk I am using to type this on are literally being disassembled around me, I am going to have to bid farewell. It was a great show and an overall great experience. Now it is time to think about HPD’s Open House and then, the PRI show, come early December. Ahhh, more cars, girls, racing stories from the “good ole days” and the sound of engines roaring … What more could any girl want? Thanks for tuning in…Jenn, OUT!