Another Long Day

I feel like the old days, an interstate ping pong ball. Just checked in to my hotel in Grover Beach, after landing a few minutes late in SLO. They upgraded me to a fireplace suite, I have a great balcony fronting a curve of el Camino Real. I realize after landing here how LA is the only part of california that I don,t get excited to see. The trees and flowers of the central coast are unparalled. Today I had driving snow and wind In Idaho Falls, then a short flight to Salt Lake, then an hour and a half on a CRJ200, then an interline transfer to American, and an hour flight on a Saab to san luis obispo. The saabs are funny because there's a port to connect to oxygen mask to, I wonder how the FAA allows that. I wandered through an underground service corridor between united and delta at LAX, felt like I should have had a badge to get through there, it was very sterile, and each end of the hallway had automatic steel doors, so I could have been trapped in there. I was alone through the whole length, until a few filipinos on a cart whizzed by going the opposite direction. It could have been more useful, but it didn't seem to connect in any sane way to terminal 4, so I surfaced at terminal 5 and walked over to the AA counter. Friday I take some United legs through SFO to get home. I am sure there's a better way to go. Last week seattle to new jersey, this week seattle to salt lake to idaho falls to salt lake to la to san luis obispo to san francisco to seattle, next week calgary for four days, then some local time. Local is a vague word. I think all my jobs will be in redmond, a short 60 mile race through the overbuilt, underfreewayed east side.

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Idaho and other happenings

Wow,

had a great weekend, drove to Vancouver for Beth's Birthday. We went to the park, watched some waterfowl, saw swans necking, and weren't attacked by rabid raccoons this time. Plenty of good food, and a smooth drive home.

This morning I flew out to Idaho Falls, working in Rexburg, a little north of there. Windswept high desert on the snake river. Not a bad time. Heading to Pismo Beach tomorrow night for a few days, home on Friday, then it's off to Calgary.

I have a trip to Anchorage set up in June, I hope I don't end up fighting high season rates.

Work is good, they keep me busy. My biggest problem is balancing new jobs scheduled through our central office with existing issues... which reminds me of a ton of things I need to do!

Long day ahead

Well, I'm at work all this week in Pennsylvania. First day we load the bus a 645AM and finish after 9PM. I got to the hotel about three this morning, didn't really have a chance to sleep. At least the hotel hadn't closed their books. One of the worst facts of business travel is that it can take quite some time to get a room late at night. Ironically, my credit card, used to secure the reservation, gets charged even when they figure I won't show up. Forcing your logic on the night clerk in a desert town can be a fun and fulfilling exercise for the stubborn. I once tried to check out of a hotel in Alberta at three in the morning. The janitor only knew how to use freecell. They faxed a receipt after the staff came in.

Delta

I am very happy that Delta intends to take over NWA's operations. I expect all the pilots will be able to find a mutually attractive solution. Too bad bankrupt buddies can't dole out raises to everyone, that's always a good way to smooth things over with frightened and harried employees.

Not closing any hubs, and only having a dozen routes in common means that it's going to be hard to save money except by closing a few offices in Eagan. Flights will continue, pilots and stewardesses will still leave on trips. Just a few upper management folks gone, can't see that saving a ton of cash.

On the plus side, this may allow the oldest fleet in the american commercial airlines to get some new planes. Maybe a few more or less seats in some areas as a larger pool to balance gets shuffled to meet demand. Maybe the return of the free peanuts.

Wednesday

Working locally this week. It's a strange time to work local and have
Beth at home. She's always there when I come home, but the transition
is awkward. She's getting used to being home alone, and when I come
home the dynamic changes. I think our culture has grown a history
since the industrial revolution of a work home dichotomy. Things
change. Small businesses and telecommuters are facing a
return/revolution to work as an action, rather than a location.
Expectations which have evolved in the last 150 years are being
reevaluated now. I'm sure I am not the only one experiencing this.
There isn't enough change in the culture providers (media) to change
expectations of the realm of normalcy. Does anybody else get a feeling
of resentment from a partner when they answer the phone?

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Miss Pettigrew

Beth and I just watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Amy Adams is sooo cute. And, unlike Atonement, there's a marvelously happy ending for all people wha aren't rascals, and Adams' character goes over to the light.

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Going home again

Just leaving a short layover in Anchorage. Given my monday 8 hour fiasco here, followed by all outbound flights cancelled in Valdez yesterday, I consider myself fortunate to be on a plane to Seattle rIght now. They fixed my blackberry account, new mail keeps rolling in.

100% :humidity, dewpoint 34

Two days in valdez, and already I want to try heliskiing. Went to
pepe's for dinner again, this time I asked for a full menu. I look
forward to the chicken bistro, it said there are green peppers. My
favorite. Its amusing to watch people order, and hear that whatever
they want is out of season. I guess he only keeps one menu. I too
suffered the denial of a whim, he doesn't have oil and vinegar.
Instead of muzak or a jukebox, there's an ipod mini with jazz and
samba music, plugged into a bose docking station. The sound is great,
and I can hardly hear the hockey game... Canucks v colorado. Its like
the islander, but he's got guinness extra stout in bottles and a thick
accent.

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A good day

It's been snowing nonstop since I arrived in valdez. There's no wind,
and a sloppy slush has piled up everywhere. I woke up a little later
than I might have liked, and had a quick day at work. All the
technical parts were done early, I had breakfast for lunch, and
scheduled training for the afternoon. I was done by two, and chinatown
is on hbo. Jack nicholson too was young once.

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