I headed in “to work” this morning at about 6:45… just a quick 45-minute “commute” to the airport. Got checked in, no bags, and managed to start my day off right by getting upgraded to First Class. THAT made the trip out much more managable.
Landed, caught a cab, got shafted by the cabbie (as near as I can tell $45 from O’Hare to Schaumberg airport is “shafted” when the meter clearly reads $27 + $3.00 in tolls), and rolled on in to the hotel to present.
Before I presented, a guy whose name I forget (BAD Howard) saw the Schlock card affixed to my looks-like-all-other-Novell-issue-laptops-otherwise laptop, and said “wait a minute… YOU do Schlock Mercenary? I’ve been reading that for YEARS now and never put two-and-two together.”
As stated before, I have a policy: Schlock fans at Novell events get free sketches. I whipped out a Schlock for him, complete with actual ink and erasure-of-construction-lines, and then got started.
(someday this policy is going to be unmanagable, because there will be so many Schlock fans I won’t be able to keep up. On that day I should be able to retire the policy by not needing to work for Novell anymore, but I’m not holding my breath.)
I did my schtick. I’ve done better, I’ve done worse. This was a very interactive presentation, and that’s a good thing. I got lots of good feedback for engineering. I ran a few minutes over, and then made my escape to a waiting cab, which only cost me $32 (including the tip) to get me back to the airport.
I didn’t get the First Class upgrade on the way back. Oh well. Three hours of sitting and reading, mulling over my presentation, and how to overhaul it for my session in Waltham in two weeks…
The good news is that about halfway through the flight home I realized I was better. No more “malaise.” To prove it to myself I bounded up the stairs in the SLC airport parking garage. I was a little out-of-breath, and my legs were just starting to gripe, but that’s not “malaise.” That’s “fat guy needs more exercise.”
I got home at 8:00pm sharp. In more than just the literal “home” sense, it’s good to be back.
Waltham! I’ve been to Waltham. I stayed at a hotel there, as were lots of high school kids. The time was not as good as it could have been.
The time was not as good as it could have been
Sounds like most of my visits to Waltham, although on my LAST trip I had dinner with the Seven Schlockers of Boston. Or maybe it was Six. Anyway, THAT was fun.
–Howard
dude! I’m a Schlocker of Boston! maybe I’ll see you when you come to MA this time.
MA itinerary
I’m pretty much only available Wednesday night, August 4th, and I expect that would be LATE Wednesday night. Novell has me gussied up in a jacket and tie for a fancy-schmancy thing that starts around 6pm and that I can’t expect to end before 9:00. Then I’m presenting first thing in the morning, and then I’m off to Logan to fly home.
MAYBE there’s time in the AM, or maybe just after my plane arrives but before I go out to dinner… Dunno, though. All that depends on cabbies.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better.
Oh, and if we ever manage to meet expect me to bown down to your coolness (close to a Wayne’s World/Alice Cooper thing … 😉
St. Louis
Not meaning to whine, but why can’t you end up in St. Louis some time? Chicago is so close, but no cigar….On the other hand, I can see where flying often enough to merit first class upgrades might get annoying after a while. I hate travel. But if you gotta, try St. Louis some time.
My pic
Hey, I didn’t get a sketch at brainshare 🙂 of course I caught you at the end on your way out.
You know it’s bad when I had to create an account just so I could whine about this 🙂
Re: My pic
Sorry about that, dude. The rule is kind of a new one in terms of its hard-and-fastness. I’ll make sure to more rigidly adhere to it next year at BrainShare. 🙂