Stimulating Your Vegas Nerve

If you are reading on a smartphone, use landscape / hold phone sideways. 

InfoComm 2022 from the Press Box

Hey Tom, what happens if you stimulate the vagus nerve? 

Glad you asked! When stimulated, you feel calmer, more compassionate, and clearer. It benefits your autonomic nervous system and mental health. Healthy vagal tone means emotional regulation, greater connection, and better physical health as well. 

You know, like the OPPOSITE of a trip to Las Vegas. 

OK, so trade shows - LIVE trade shows - are back! 

Ah, maybe. 

LIVE! From Las Vegas! InfoComm 2022 is now in the history books. I declare InfoComm a success, in my humble opinion. For many people, this was the first LIVE trade show since the pandemic. During the LAST day of the show, everyone's smartphones got the text - the CDC changed the COVID-19 level to HIGH. Mask up people! 

So, here is the deal. Las Vegas is GREAT! LIVE trade shows (anywhere) are GREAT! And the COVID-19 virus is (still) saying to all of us "hold my beer" - oh, and please meet my friend, Inflation. 

Inflation is causing gas prices and therefore travel costs to skyrocket. Now, I am seeing many people saying on social media that they are feeling symptoms of COVID-19 after returning home from Vegas. This Wednesday I am supposed to attend an event at Hershey Lodge in Pennsylvania with several hundred people. Later this month, NYDLA.org members are all supposed to attend COLLISION in Toronto, with 33,000+ of our closest friends. 

COLLISION in 2021 had 38,000+ attend online, 100% virtual. 

I did a BBC interview about COLLISION online. Almost that same number of people are expected to physically travel to ENERCARE CENTRE, TORONTO for June 20-23, 2022. If COVID-19 continues to spike, will this change the attendance numbers? Will people cancel their travel, but still attend COLLISION - virtually from their homes? 

Are you going to www.CollisionConf.com ??? NYDLA.org members get in for FREE. 

I said in my BBC interview last year: "You cannot replace the power of a handshake, or a hug. There is just something about human touch that is in our DNA. After the (first) COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, what was the first thing you did with a friend or relative? You gave them a hug. Humans crave touch, you cannot get that from a 100% virtual experience. What do people do at the airport? Whether people are coming or going, there will definitely be hugging."

Because I run the NYDLA (and now, NADLA) I'm all about hybrid. Hybrid events. Hybrid meetings. I don't think there shall be another meeting or event or trade show (moving forward) that does not offer a virtual option. And who knows what is coming with the adoption and acceptance of the metaverse, right? 

So! I'll see you at the Hershey Lodge next week! 

And I'll see you in Toronto! LIVE, later this month.

Unless COVID-19 spikes again. Because if that happens - then I'll see you LIVE - but from my home in GOOD OL' BOONTON USA. And, if my travel plans are effected, I'll be sure to stimulate my vagus nerve like a true trade show veteran.