The Sarah Palin "Going Rogue" Book Tour hit the DMV on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at B.J.'s Warehouse in Fairfax, Virginia. Unfortunately for me, my boyfriend wanted to get a book signed for his dad as a surprise Christmas gift. Because I am such an awesome girlfriend, I went against my better judgement and decided to sit with him while he stood in line to meet Palin. For seven hours, we waited behind enemy lines --we are both democrats -- in the most adverse weather conditions imaginable.

Our morning started modestly enough at 3 a.m., with temperatures reaching the high thirties and a light drizzle. As the early morning progressed, however, the weather took a dramatic turn for the worse. The temperature, as luck would have it, dipped nearly ten degrees, which resulted in the rain turning into snow. Of course, the snow was light and because we were eying the nine a.m. opening of the building, we did not worry about the increasingly difficult weather conditions. However, as the snow started falling more heavily, some of those waiting in line wondered if the B.J.'s staff would open their doors ahead of schedule. After almost an hour, and with the snow still steadily falling, the B.J.'s staff announced that, after an impromptu meeting, now instead of the advertised 9 a.m. opening of the building to those seeking to meet Palin, we had to instead wait until 10 a.m. despite the horrid weather conditions!

As one can easily imagine, people were incredibly upset with an announcement delaying our entrance into the building. However, there seemed to be an euphoric sensibility spreading throughout the waiting area, mostly due to so many staunch Palin supporters talking and looking as if they were about to internally burst with the knowledge that they would soon meet their hero.

As the minutes passed by, my boyfriend and I decided to leave our chair in line and head to his car to warm up (the rules stipulate that those waiting in line and that had already signed in could leave so long as there was a chair or other artifact securing there place. However, once wristbands had been issued and the line moved from the parking lot to the side of B.J.'s, one could no longer leave line and reclaim their spot). Therefore, after several minutes, we then walked to the adjacent Wal-Mart to purchase an umbrella. As we returned to our place in line, we were unaware of the devastating news yet to be revealed.

Receiving our wristbands should have been very good news, but instead the relief turned into dread. Our bodies aching, three inches of snow on the ground, and tired from waiting for almost six hours, the B.J.'s staff once again made an announcement: the doors would now be opened at 11 a.m. Being anemic, I was already having problems with circulation in my hands and feet. By this point, the pain was almost unbearable. My boyfriend kept urging me to take his car and go back to his apartment to warm up, but after waiting for hours in the snow, I was not about to leave with nothing to show.

Finally, and in a tremendous amount of pain, my boyfriend and I finally were let into the building. After a quick handshake, photo, and the swift movement of a black sharpie, our books were signed and we were ushered through the line. However, my feet were still killing me. After attempting to walk around the inside of B.J.'s to regain feeling, we finally left in a rush to take a hot, relaxing shower.

When asked, The B.J's staff indicated to us that the Fire Marshall was present, and that they stipulated that no one was allowed in because B.J.'s would then exceed their maximum occupancy levels. However, because they announced the opening of their doors several times, it is likely that other issues were at play, chief among them was an oversight of staffing. I noticed that the store's main doors were still open to the public and NO ONE was counting how many people entered. Furthermore, once they started letting those standing in line to meet Palin into the building, they pushed through large groups, with most of us staying and walking around the warehouse without anyone, including the Fire Marshall, counting our numbers. I speculate that they simply did not want so many people wandering around their store without an adequate amount of employees to supervise their movements. B.J.'s is a huge warehouse, so there is no reasonable or logical explanation as to why they left so many people standing around the store in the snow! I cannot describe to you the level of frustration, pain, and anger that coursed through my body for their total lack of caring. I realize that certain risks are involved with allowing too many people into a building at one time, but there is an equal, if not greater risk by leaving people to stand in the snow for hours on end.

In sum, B.J.'s actions were unacceptable, the planning was flawed, their staff was under-scheduled, and the results were a disaster. My boyfriend's dad better love his gift!