So round one of the “New Semi-Annual Cable Hell Week” is over (or, it will be fading into a deserved blur by the time you read this?as for me, I’ve got a day and half to go!). Did it work?

Sure, if you didn’t have to choose among two dozen concurrent receptions or pick among really cool, important or informative conflicting sessions or even try to visit every booth during Wednesday’s three hours of open exhibit floor…

Think of it this way: you really had to “work” to get what you needed, wanted or were charged with doing.

The Steve Burke Revenge Week ?even when you’re out of the office, you’ve got to be working… and working hard!

So, it worked. I’m exhausted. Utterly exhausted.

It does make a certain amount of “sense.” Programmers have consolidated. Operators have consolidated. Vendors have consolidated. So why can’t time itself be consolidated?

It really can’t; but this was a nice try.

And attendance was?considering the state of the nation?very good. Deals were getting done.

It was cool to see Ralph Roberts at the Cable TV Pioneers’ 43rd Annual Dinner. The 44th year of the group (no dinner that first year when Stan Searl e took Sam?Same-Same?Street‘s idea and founded the independent group keeping the flames alive) that created the Cable Center (and a shout-out to Lisa & Company who helped out us poor old pioneers at the dinner). And, just think, the next Cable Hell Week?this Fall, in Denver in October?will feature the next class of the Cable TV Hall of Fame… so make a note to put the Cable Center on your rushed itinerary this Fall. Come a day early?or stay a day later to relax.

Random Notes:
* Twittered Out: So, the “Kable Kid” couldn’t quite handle the random hours, the changeable weather and the intermittent stress… she faded into a bit of under the weather… but she did tweet a lot from the floor, the dinners, the cocktails and more (check it out at:http://twitter.com/kablekid/followers). Twitter back, if you dare.

* CTAM Research: It’s the next part of the Cable Connection Spring… or, as it is better known, the week that never ends.

* Thanks: There was a “tribute” last week celebrating the 20th Anniversary of this venerable newsletter… so, from me to the folks at the company that bought this from me: thank you very much.

* TV? Ever notice how so much of our vocabularies are rooted in the past? Like dialing a phone? Calling our networks “cable channels”… sure, they were originally that, but not anymore.

* Back to Work: “Back?” Hah. Busiest cable convention I’ve ever been to! Also, cheesiest opening video (but “filmed” with good humor… though Michael Willner is a much, much better writer than the script!)… but the schmalziest phony heart-tugging cable “blink” video that followed was embarrassing. Still, the very good opening speech by Kyle McSlarrow was followed by a very good opening panel… and a little rain fell outside. Coincidence? I don’t think so. The economic backdrop is pretty scary. This business of ours is healthy… so, let’s act like it. Now is the time to invest… and create the next generations of services.

* New Best Friends: So I ran into two guys at the NCTA‘s Chairman’s reception and promised to mention them: one from Time Warner Cable and one from Univision. Arm in arm and smiling. Kind of cool how things can work out when common ground is found.