My Middle-of-the-Night

I'm in DC to give a presentation today. Here's how my middle-of-the-night has gone so far:

1:50am: Wake to blaring alarm in my hotel room; contemplate calling front desk to demand that they turn the noise off

1:51am: Open door to realize that the sound isn't isolated to my room (also note that breakfast order hasn't been picked up); decide to wait in room for some sort of announcement

1:52am: Realize that, as ears are nearly bleeding, I should leave the room

1:53am: After stumbling into clothes, walk out into hallway, join a few others heading down the stairs (regret choosing a room on the top floor)

1:55am: Sit on concrete outside building; thank god that the weather is nice; wonder whether this is a good omen for my presentation in the morning

1:58am: Alarm goes off

2:00am: Alarm goes back on

2:02am: Cameraman enters building

2:03am: Cameraman thrown out by expletive-shouting hotel employee

2:10am: Alarm goes back off

2:22am: Three fire trucks arrive with their sirens wailing

2:25am: Head back into the building

2:26am: Look at front desk line and congratulate myself for remembering my room key

2:27am: Climb the stairs back to my room (again regret choosing a room on the top floor)

I will say that I have a new found understanding of why fire exits have to be so clearly marked. At 2am, about the best I could do was blindly follow the person in front of me out of the building. Now, I'm just hoping that I can get back to sleep. And that they'll pick up my room service order.