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I'm back, safe and sound. I had an excellent time, got to see a number of people, especially Chris and Seanan, and got to see the Harry Potter movie. Twice. It rocks.
I even got home early.
Yeah, I know, I know. You all wanted a play-by-play, right?
I got to the airport two hours early on Friday, just like they've been saying to. For a bit, I was afraid I would spend most of them in the economy parking lot, trying to find a space. Every time I go there, I go in the first entrance (red, instead of blue). And every time, I swear I'm not going to do it again, because everyone does. Okay, not literally, but since it is the first (on a one-way roundabout: first for everyone except people exiting the lot!), most people do.
Found a spot. Parked, snagged my stuff, glanced at the nearest pole - and then bolted, as I spotted the nearest shelter, with a shuttle at it. Missing it would've meant a 15 minute wait. Fortunately, I was able to get close enough fast enough to wave at the driver (it was a couple rows away!) and got on. Let me tell you, that shuttle was crowded by the time it got out of the lot (I got on at the second shelter it stops at). Very crowded. Midmorning Friday is probably not the wisest travel time for the claustrophobic, I would venture....
Got to the airport. Security was interesting. I had a printed receipt, my id, and no checked luggage, so I went straight there. Dear gods did they have that thing set sensitive. I dumped my keys, my change, my watch, everything but my shoes (small metal bits around the laces) and my glasses (wire-frame) into my purse, and put it and my backpack through.
I set it off, of course. Got the wand used, my back patted down "to be sure" and my ankles and feet squeezed to be sure it was just the shoe. I was wondering for a few if they were going to actually take me up on my offer to take them off, if that would make it easier. Heh. They didn't, so I proceeded to my gate.
Even with all that fooling around, I was early. Then they delayed my flight's takeoff 30 minutes, with a possibility for more or less ("weather and traffic in San Francisco" also known as fog, yay!). So I called Chris, because he was supposed to pick me up at San Fran and then half an hour later pick Seanan up at Oakland. Obviously, if I was going to be half an hour late (but maybe I wasn't, they were trying to cut it down).... So we decided he'd pick up Seanan first; that made more sense all around, and getting out of Oakland airport's a bit faster than SFO....
It ended up being a 40 minute delay. Even so, I had to wait for a while before they showed up, but it would've been uglier if we'd done it the other way around! We had dinner, we saw the Harry Potter movie. (For the movie, we had more people than for dinner, and I got to talk with folks I'd never met face-to-face. Much fun.)
The movie was excellent, and Seanan commented it was worth the price of the ticket just to see the quiddich match. I have to agree...though I'd rather see the whole movie.... *grins* I enjoyed it a great deal.
Next day, we wandered around Berkeley (I think, I'm somewhat geographically challenged down there :), which was fun at first. Laura got hot and vaguely bored, which killed the expedition, a fact I sort of regret now. The bookstore was fun (and, darnit, sold me books). The music store wasn't so interesting, 'cause I don't generally shop for music by browsing, and wasn't sure I had luggage space if I saw anything. The comic store was "stare for 5 minutes, then get bored" - and all of them were too hot, which I think in retrospect was the biggest problem. I probably needed a cafe and a soda more than anything else.
Then again, we all ended up napping, which wasn't that bad an idea. Then it was over to Jeannie's to hang out, eat pizza, and (after debating it for a bit) head out to see the movie again. Jeannie's first time seeing the movie. Seanan and Chris were watching details. I'm astonished at those two, how many details they can catch, actors they can id, etc. I'm lucky, for the most part, if I can remember that it's the same actor in two films after you tell me.... Assuming I've seen both films. ;)
Today, we got up late (something about staying up late two nights running) and got off to a slow start. On the other hand, this meant we basically hung out, which was fun as well. I think it died for me at the point where we'd been at Seanan's too long. I'd taken my antihistamine, and despite that, my nose was so stuffed up I was starting to get a headache. Chris had things to do later, we were restless, and there wasn't enough time to really go do something else (an hour - not bad, except the options were all needing a drive). So I suggested dropping me off at the airport early.
Not my favorite of options - I like to hang out with my friends as long as possible - and it would put me there maybe an hour and a half before I really wanted - but we'd sort of hit the limits of "possible" anyway. So that's what we did.
And you know, guys, I love you, but I'm glad we did it. :) Got to the airport, went through security. This time I didn't set off the metal detector, but they hand-searched my backpack looking for something. Pulled out the tripod (which was in the same area of the bag as the digital camera power cord - the camera was in my purse), and sent the bag back through. Then they let me go.
At which point, I checked the screens more closely. My flight was departing at 8, but there were two before it - at 6:15 and 7:30. I dismissed the latter (both were at gate 69; my flight was at 90; I didn't want to have to get from one to the other with that little time). It was only 4:30, so I stopped, checked how things had settled in my backpack, and determined I could stuff chocolate in. Whereupon, I hit the chocolate shop, and found that they now carry boxes of the mint chocolates I like. Two of them left with me....
Got a lousy turkey sandwich, and a good apple juice, from Starbucks (only thing in that immediate area that had stuff I could carry back to the gate), and went back to wait for the gate to be staffed.
Yay, standby. Yay, getting on the plane. Yay, getting on the plane despite 12 people ahead of you on standby, who also got on the plane (along with one or two after me, I believe). They weren't totally sure I would get on at first, and they made a formal "if you haven't checked in..." announcement. I'm guessing there might be some people switching to those later flights. (Not so yay, snack packs with almonds, but I wasn't really very hungry after my sandwich, I mostly just wanted my glass of Sprite.)
So, instead of taking off at 8, I was just pulling off of Airport Way onto 205 south. And I got home at 8:30. I also did not hit a single red light, from the moment I left the parking lot until I stopped at the left-turn light to get on the road I live on. Granted, most of that was freeway driving, but I went through the whole run down 99W from I-5 to Hall with only that one red light. That was just a nice touch. The gods of travel loved me today, I think.
Oh, yes. And I got home to a potato (a baked potato I had Thursday night, and forgot to clean up, which apparently sat on the counter the whole time I was gone)....
I also came home to a little note on my chair. Fedex tried to deliver a shipment of 2 pieces on Friday. They'll deliver them by 7 pm Monday, and I should be home, so.... I want to think it's my laptop, but my laptop is still listed in "preparation for shipping" (with an estimated ship date of 11/16/2001 - or Friday). So I don't have a clue what its status really is, or whether they update those pages at any time. The Fedex thing doesn't tell me what it is or even who shipped it, so.... But I find out tomorrow!
(Unless my email eats me first. If I don't post any more after this you will know that my email has gobbled me alive.)
I even got home early.
Yeah, I know, I know. You all wanted a play-by-play, right?
I got to the airport two hours early on Friday, just like they've been saying to. For a bit, I was afraid I would spend most of them in the economy parking lot, trying to find a space. Every time I go there, I go in the first entrance (red, instead of blue). And every time, I swear I'm not going to do it again, because everyone does. Okay, not literally, but since it is the first (on a one-way roundabout: first for everyone except people exiting the lot!), most people do.
Found a spot. Parked, snagged my stuff, glanced at the nearest pole - and then bolted, as I spotted the nearest shelter, with a shuttle at it. Missing it would've meant a 15 minute wait. Fortunately, I was able to get close enough fast enough to wave at the driver (it was a couple rows away!) and got on. Let me tell you, that shuttle was crowded by the time it got out of the lot (I got on at the second shelter it stops at). Very crowded. Midmorning Friday is probably not the wisest travel time for the claustrophobic, I would venture....
Got to the airport. Security was interesting. I had a printed receipt, my id, and no checked luggage, so I went straight there. Dear gods did they have that thing set sensitive. I dumped my keys, my change, my watch, everything but my shoes (small metal bits around the laces) and my glasses (wire-frame) into my purse, and put it and my backpack through.
I set it off, of course. Got the wand used, my back patted down "to be sure" and my ankles and feet squeezed to be sure it was just the shoe. I was wondering for a few if they were going to actually take me up on my offer to take them off, if that would make it easier. Heh. They didn't, so I proceeded to my gate.
Even with all that fooling around, I was early. Then they delayed my flight's takeoff 30 minutes, with a possibility for more or less ("weather and traffic in San Francisco" also known as fog, yay!). So I called Chris, because he was supposed to pick me up at San Fran and then half an hour later pick Seanan up at Oakland. Obviously, if I was going to be half an hour late (but maybe I wasn't, they were trying to cut it down).... So we decided he'd pick up Seanan first; that made more sense all around, and getting out of Oakland airport's a bit faster than SFO....
It ended up being a 40 minute delay. Even so, I had to wait for a while before they showed up, but it would've been uglier if we'd done it the other way around! We had dinner, we saw the Harry Potter movie. (For the movie, we had more people than for dinner, and I got to talk with folks I'd never met face-to-face. Much fun.)
The movie was excellent, and Seanan commented it was worth the price of the ticket just to see the quiddich match. I have to agree...though I'd rather see the whole movie.... *grins* I enjoyed it a great deal.
Next day, we wandered around Berkeley (I think, I'm somewhat geographically challenged down there :), which was fun at first. Laura got hot and vaguely bored, which killed the expedition, a fact I sort of regret now. The bookstore was fun (and, darnit, sold me books). The music store wasn't so interesting, 'cause I don't generally shop for music by browsing, and wasn't sure I had luggage space if I saw anything. The comic store was "stare for 5 minutes, then get bored" - and all of them were too hot, which I think in retrospect was the biggest problem. I probably needed a cafe and a soda more than anything else.
Then again, we all ended up napping, which wasn't that bad an idea. Then it was over to Jeannie's to hang out, eat pizza, and (after debating it for a bit) head out to see the movie again. Jeannie's first time seeing the movie. Seanan and Chris were watching details. I'm astonished at those two, how many details they can catch, actors they can id, etc. I'm lucky, for the most part, if I can remember that it's the same actor in two films after you tell me.... Assuming I've seen both films. ;)
Today, we got up late (something about staying up late two nights running) and got off to a slow start. On the other hand, this meant we basically hung out, which was fun as well. I think it died for me at the point where we'd been at Seanan's too long. I'd taken my antihistamine, and despite that, my nose was so stuffed up I was starting to get a headache. Chris had things to do later, we were restless, and there wasn't enough time to really go do something else (an hour - not bad, except the options were all needing a drive). So I suggested dropping me off at the airport early.
Not my favorite of options - I like to hang out with my friends as long as possible - and it would put me there maybe an hour and a half before I really wanted - but we'd sort of hit the limits of "possible" anyway. So that's what we did.
And you know, guys, I love you, but I'm glad we did it. :) Got to the airport, went through security. This time I didn't set off the metal detector, but they hand-searched my backpack looking for something. Pulled out the tripod (which was in the same area of the bag as the digital camera power cord - the camera was in my purse), and sent the bag back through. Then they let me go.
At which point, I checked the screens more closely. My flight was departing at 8, but there were two before it - at 6:15 and 7:30. I dismissed the latter (both were at gate 69; my flight was at 90; I didn't want to have to get from one to the other with that little time). It was only 4:30, so I stopped, checked how things had settled in my backpack, and determined I could stuff chocolate in. Whereupon, I hit the chocolate shop, and found that they now carry boxes of the mint chocolates I like. Two of them left with me....
Got a lousy turkey sandwich, and a good apple juice, from Starbucks (only thing in that immediate area that had stuff I could carry back to the gate), and went back to wait for the gate to be staffed.
Yay, standby. Yay, getting on the plane. Yay, getting on the plane despite 12 people ahead of you on standby, who also got on the plane (along with one or two after me, I believe). They weren't totally sure I would get on at first, and they made a formal "if you haven't checked in..." announcement. I'm guessing there might be some people switching to those later flights. (Not so yay, snack packs with almonds, but I wasn't really very hungry after my sandwich, I mostly just wanted my glass of Sprite.)
So, instead of taking off at 8, I was just pulling off of Airport Way onto 205 south. And I got home at 8:30. I also did not hit a single red light, from the moment I left the parking lot until I stopped at the left-turn light to get on the road I live on. Granted, most of that was freeway driving, but I went through the whole run down 99W from I-5 to Hall with only that one red light. That was just a nice touch. The gods of travel loved me today, I think.
Oh, yes. And I got home to a potato (a baked potato I had Thursday night, and forgot to clean up, which apparently sat on the counter the whole time I was gone)....
I also came home to a little note on my chair. Fedex tried to deliver a shipment of 2 pieces on Friday. They'll deliver them by 7 pm Monday, and I should be home, so.... I want to think it's my laptop, but my laptop is still listed in "preparation for shipping" (with an estimated ship date of 11/16/2001 - or Friday). So I don't have a clue what its status really is, or whether they update those pages at any time. The Fedex thing doesn't tell me what it is or even who shipped it, so.... But I find out tomorrow!
(Unless my email eats me first. If I don't post any more after this you will know that my email has gobbled me alive.)
