Well, I slept through the entire day on Thursday so that's why there was no update here.
Nah -- I'm making that up! *laugh* I just didn't get around to posting.
Updates:
--New Handspring PDA works great!
--Seattle picture captions in progress
--Going to see David Copperfield do his magic tonight at the Fox
--Bought tickets for George Clinton and P-Funk this morning
--Heading to a wedding on Saturday, plus meeting some of Stephanie's family
Friday, March 15, 2002
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
Not enough time right now for the Seattle Day 2 description, so I'll just post something short for now.
Movie Reviews from the weekend!!!!
I saw 3 movies while in Seattle. Yes, there were many better things to be doing but relaxation was necessary.
Movie Titles:
Evolution
The Eruption of Mount St. Hellens
Shanghai Noon
For my rankings, I am introducing a radical new scale. It's called the "Z" scale and here's how it works:
The scale runs from zero Z's up to 100 Z's and a higher number signifies a better movie.
Numbers before the Z represent the percentage of people who will stay awake if the movie is viewed at midnight, presuming the people have been awake for an average of 16 hours.
Evolution -- 34Z's
Eruption of Mount St. Hellens -- 50Z's
Shanghai Noon -- 60Z's
How did I develop this scale and these scores? Testing in real-life situations. *smirk*
While watching Evolution, only 1 person out of 3 stayed awake past the 1st hour. Yes, it really was that bad.
Eruption of Mount St. Hellens was at an IMAX theater during the middle of the day and still only 1 of us (me) stayed awake.
The highest score here goes to Shanghai Noon with Jackie Chan. Not one of his better movies, but pretty ok. Well, at least the part I was awake for. I'm fudging the numbers a bit here, as well. All 3 people watching fell asleep for different parts of the movie, but 2 of us were awake for the ending and it was definitely better than Evolution.
Movie Reviews from the weekend!!!!
I saw 3 movies while in Seattle. Yes, there were many better things to be doing but relaxation was necessary.
Movie Titles:
Evolution
The Eruption of Mount St. Hellens
Shanghai Noon
For my rankings, I am introducing a radical new scale. It's called the "Z" scale and here's how it works:
The scale runs from zero Z's up to 100 Z's and a higher number signifies a better movie.
Numbers before the Z represent the percentage of people who will stay awake if the movie is viewed at midnight, presuming the people have been awake for an average of 16 hours.
Evolution -- 34Z's
Eruption of Mount St. Hellens -- 50Z's
Shanghai Noon -- 60Z's
How did I develop this scale and these scores? Testing in real-life situations. *smirk*
While watching Evolution, only 1 person out of 3 stayed awake past the 1st hour. Yes, it really was that bad.
Eruption of Mount St. Hellens was at an IMAX theater during the middle of the day and still only 1 of us (me) stayed awake.
The highest score here goes to Shanghai Noon with Jackie Chan. Not one of his better movies, but pretty ok. Well, at least the part I was awake for. I'm fudging the numbers a bit here, as well. All 3 people watching fell asleep for different parts of the movie, but 2 of us were awake for the ending and it was definitely better than Evolution.
Monday, March 11, 2002
Returned from Seattle today after a great trip! If I am able to stay awake long enough, I will post pictures tonight. If not, then later. (how's that for a profound statement? *smirk*)
The trip was great, but too short!
I think I'll do a one-day-at-a-time description so that I don't end up with a 5-page long post...
Thursday, March 7 -- Tom and I left work around noon, headed for the airport to catch a 1:40pm flight. Bags are packed, we're ready to go... Park the car, shuttle to the terminal, and walk up to security.
Security Person: "I'm sorry, the dates on your companion travel certificate have passed"
ME: "But due to the tragedy in September, United extended the dates through the end of March"
Security Person: "Well, unless you have paperwork showing that, I can't let you through. Go talk with the staff at the United check-in desk."
ME: *shrug* "OK." *walk to line for the service rep*
*wait in line for 20 minutes*
So, I described the above situation and the helpful service representative knods a lot, then goes to make a photocopy of a document from United corporate detailing what I explained. With that, we're headed back to see the not-so-friendly security officer. She lets us past, but this only gets us to the metal detectors and carry-on baggage screening.
My bags go through fine, I do not. (something I was wearing set off the metal detector as I walked through*
Security Person #2: "Sir, can you step over here."
ME: "Sure -- it was probably the zippers on my pants that set off the metal detector". (I had pants with zippers at the knees to take off the lower part of the leg)
Security Person #2: "Just stand on this mark, sir."
--He then scans me with a hand-held metal detector and my pants go off again, my belt buckle sets it off, and so do my shoes.
Security Person #2: "Please take off your shoes, sir."
--Apparently the soles of my shoe have something metalic in them, so they put them through the conveyor belt for the big metal detector.
Convinced that I'm not a threat, security allows me past. We head to the gate and get ready to ask if there is any space available, but the answer is given before we even get to the front of the line -- flight is full (and they're even offering vouchers to have people not fly).
ME: "What about the next flight?"
Gate Representative: "It doesn't look good."
ME: "Maybe the one after that?"
Gate Representative: "Pretty full, too."
Tom and I discuss our options -- wait for flights that we most likely won't make it on or head for home and try Friday. Then, in a moment of brilliance (?), it hits me -- we can drive to Chicago!
After some brief explaining to Tom, we're off. Wearing sunglasses and with half a packet of cigarettes, we head down I-94 West. (Well, we did start driving but the sunglasses and cigarettes part is a joke -- just a reference to the movie Blues Brothers, for anyone paying attention.)
I drive...and drive...and drive. We left Metro Airport at 2:30pm, which got us into Chicago around 5:30pm local time. Yup -- rush hour! *laugh* I didn't quite take that into consideration while thinking about our travel itinerary, but we battled through.
Park car, shuttle to terminal, stop to talk with Service Representative (currently 7:00pm):
ME: "I'm trying to use these vouchers and in Detroit the security staff didn't know about the date being extended so it was a problem. Can you help me?"
Service Representative: *smiling* Well, this is Chicago -- not Detroit. Our staff knows all about them. *smirk* (clearly, his opinion of the Detroit staff was not high)
ME: "Great, we're hoping to catch the next flight."
Service Representative: "OK, let me check on the 9:40."
ME: "No, I mean the flight leaving in 20 minutes"
Service Representative: *smiling* "You better go now!"
And he was right -- no problem with the passes at security but I did repeat the performance of setting off the metal detector, having my shoes scanned, etc.
Got to the gate, presented companion vouchers, and got on the flight. Easy.
Arrived in Seattle with the slight complication that the plane was struck by lightning. Yes, you read that correctly. On our descent, the plane was struck by a bolt of lightning but apparently there was no damage. However, it was a spectacular sight!
Into the terminal, shuttle to Thrifty rental car, pick up car, drive to home of Tom's relatives, wake them up. (It's now 11pm Pacific time -- 12 hours after we first got to Metro Airport)
Sleep.
To be continued...
The trip was great, but too short!
I think I'll do a one-day-at-a-time description so that I don't end up with a 5-page long post...
Thursday, March 7 -- Tom and I left work around noon, headed for the airport to catch a 1:40pm flight. Bags are packed, we're ready to go... Park the car, shuttle to the terminal, and walk up to security.
Security Person: "I'm sorry, the dates on your companion travel certificate have passed"
ME: "But due to the tragedy in September, United extended the dates through the end of March"
Security Person: "Well, unless you have paperwork showing that, I can't let you through. Go talk with the staff at the United check-in desk."
ME: *shrug* "OK." *walk to line for the service rep*
*wait in line for 20 minutes*
So, I described the above situation and the helpful service representative knods a lot, then goes to make a photocopy of a document from United corporate detailing what I explained. With that, we're headed back to see the not-so-friendly security officer. She lets us past, but this only gets us to the metal detectors and carry-on baggage screening.
My bags go through fine, I do not. (something I was wearing set off the metal detector as I walked through*
Security Person #2: "Sir, can you step over here."
ME: "Sure -- it was probably the zippers on my pants that set off the metal detector". (I had pants with zippers at the knees to take off the lower part of the leg)
Security Person #2: "Just stand on this mark, sir."
--He then scans me with a hand-held metal detector and my pants go off again, my belt buckle sets it off, and so do my shoes.
Security Person #2: "Please take off your shoes, sir."
--Apparently the soles of my shoe have something metalic in them, so they put them through the conveyor belt for the big metal detector.
Convinced that I'm not a threat, security allows me past. We head to the gate and get ready to ask if there is any space available, but the answer is given before we even get to the front of the line -- flight is full (and they're even offering vouchers to have people not fly).
ME: "What about the next flight?"
Gate Representative: "It doesn't look good."
ME: "Maybe the one after that?"
Gate Representative: "Pretty full, too."
Tom and I discuss our options -- wait for flights that we most likely won't make it on or head for home and try Friday. Then, in a moment of brilliance (?), it hits me -- we can drive to Chicago!
After some brief explaining to Tom, we're off. Wearing sunglasses and with half a packet of cigarettes, we head down I-94 West. (Well, we did start driving but the sunglasses and cigarettes part is a joke -- just a reference to the movie Blues Brothers, for anyone paying attention.)
I drive...and drive...and drive. We left Metro Airport at 2:30pm, which got us into Chicago around 5:30pm local time. Yup -- rush hour! *laugh* I didn't quite take that into consideration while thinking about our travel itinerary, but we battled through.
Park car, shuttle to terminal, stop to talk with Service Representative (currently 7:00pm):
ME: "I'm trying to use these vouchers and in Detroit the security staff didn't know about the date being extended so it was a problem. Can you help me?"
Service Representative: *smiling* Well, this is Chicago -- not Detroit. Our staff knows all about them. *smirk* (clearly, his opinion of the Detroit staff was not high)
ME: "Great, we're hoping to catch the next flight."
Service Representative: "OK, let me check on the 9:40."
ME: "No, I mean the flight leaving in 20 minutes"
Service Representative: *smiling* "You better go now!"
And he was right -- no problem with the passes at security but I did repeat the performance of setting off the metal detector, having my shoes scanned, etc.
Got to the gate, presented companion vouchers, and got on the flight. Easy.
Arrived in Seattle with the slight complication that the plane was struck by lightning. Yes, you read that correctly. On our descent, the plane was struck by a bolt of lightning but apparently there was no damage. However, it was a spectacular sight!
Into the terminal, shuttle to Thrifty rental car, pick up car, drive to home of Tom's relatives, wake them up. (It's now 11pm Pacific time -- 12 hours after we first got to Metro Airport)
Sleep.
To be continued...
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