Things that can be helped... things that can't

Sitting here at the Reno Airport... Waiting for my name to be called. The gate agent speakers are clear close to the gate, but very muffled in the gallery and most of the seating. That can be helped. Get new speakers.

Sitting in the rows of chairs full of patient folks waiting to board an already late flight, I here the agent calling a name. Whose? Mine? Who knows, there is a loud 10 year old and her busy parents talking, and groups laughing heartily eight inches behind me. People can't be helped. They'll talk. Why shouldn't they?

So now I am camped out in the gallery, figuring the noise from the folks won't be so bad. A long announcement regarding connections to Anchorage is being given. Apparently the Airport cannot stop the 'Don't park here, keep your bag with you, report bad people' tape from playing when the airlines are using their PA's. Separate systems, no lockout. In the interest of clarity, this can, and should, be helped. Get an interlock that delays the taped message that we all heard at least twice proceeding through the security line anyway until the airlines have finished their pages.

Got a call from Buzz. Moving day is upon her. Family come down to help move/unpack.

I may spend 12 hours here at the airport if I can't get on the two early flights. What to do to avoid drinking...

I was driving over Donner Pass last night. I have never seen it in the day. Whenever I have had an afternoon drive across the mountains I followed CA-89 (Truckee to Reno, November '05) or US-50 (San Francisco to Carson City in June '06). I have also come up 395 from Mammoth to Reno.

I stopped at the Donner Summit rest area. It was cool, probably low 50's (not bad for 7200 feet). It was dark, but there was some site lighting. I saw a toad hopping along in a sand pile. There was moisture collected in the shadow of a small boulder.
The toad hopped to there and then stopped.

things I like about pdx

1. On site rental cars!
Anyone who has ridden the bus for 30 minutes through the arrivals mess at LAX can sympathise with me here. Walking across the street to in garage rentals is a sheer joy. This is also the case at YYC and SEA. The next best way to go is a single shuttle or train (I prefer trains to almost everything!). SFO, SMF, and SJC have this system, it works well, and reduces congestion.
2. Still the cheapest beer!
The portland brewing company pizza parlor outside security in the food court has raised the price on a 25oz microbrew to $7 even, no sales tax. Compare that with the 9.25 domestic pints available at the expedia lounge in san jose, or the equally exorbitant prices in dallas. And all the Fat Tyre you can drink at one low price.
3. Elegant and attractive!
The white steel framework of the canopy over the departures driveway, the pair of bridges to the terminal from the garage, the ivy drooping down from the planters opposite the main terminal, and the clean, white and green appearance within get an A for attitude and futurism. I think SFO was trying for this effect with the international terminal, but a trip to SFO terminal 2 leaves some major bad tastes in one's mouth. SeaTac has a cold, mechanical feel throughout the terminals, with the possible exception of terminal A, which seems more like the color and tone of Lambert field. No wonder they put Southwest out there.
4. Free WiFi.
No more vexing pinch than firing up your laptop, seeing hotspot signs everywhere, having an hour to kill, and being asked for $9 to buy a day pass to access the network. Starbucks has a similar pay as you use scheme through TMobile. Given the ubiquity of free internet, the number of wireless networks available, it seems sinful to expect a traveller on an average of 90 minutes layover to buy time in 24 hour increments. Free is both a statement of progressivism and a marketing gimmick. albuquerque sunport, sacramento, and numberous small airports are offering this service. Corner shop coffee houses use it to get you out of starbucks. Why can't more airports spend the $200/mo and splurge on everyone's behalf?
5. Accessible by mass transit and micro transit.
PDX will become the second airport in the US (after Logan) to offer downtown to terminal bike path and racks on site. The MAX runs direct to the terminal (a personal favourite of mine is to take the trains to Midway airport. OHare seems a bit far for a train ride, but it is no more expensive on CTA). SFO has Bart and Caltrain, SeaTac expects trains by 2009, and I have taken the bus on long layovers for about $1.50 to downtown, it's much better food than the Anthony's in the airport.
6. Located near downtown.
Maybe I was spoiled by this while living in San Diego. I could walk from my apartment down harbor drive to the terminal, safely, with no hassle. Landing in San, a lightly packed tourist could get to the trolley in under a mile, and downtown in under three. PDX is inside the portland city limits, and only 9 miles from the Willamette river.
7. Decent Books.
Airports ought to have a sign that reads:
Newest hit from Mitch Albion, the eight books you'll find in every airport, and a few fashion magazines. Last time I spent a few minutes in the Powells Books at PDX I picked up Don Juan by Byron. Tonight it's Dawkins's Selfish Gene. I guess there is more to life than real estate investing.

Everyone Loves a Party

Got married this weekend. Going to review photos tomorrow. Filed the certificate and retrieved a few copies from the county auditor today.

Working in Seattle. Temps are cooling quickly up here. Sorry if you live in California.

The wedding was held in Tacoma, at Point Defiance-- a wonderful place to start a new life, now that I think of it. Many of Beth's friends came, pieces of families came together, and lots of people had a few too many merlots.

Going this weekend to Wisconsin to revisit some folks and give others a chance to come see us. Plenty of joy is just around the corner!

Life is good.

Catch up

Just spent some time at home, in San Francisco, at home, and in San Francisco again. On my way to Los Angeles. Hope to get some time to see people. Going to work tomorrow morning, hope to get an early flight home, and spend some time in Sunny Seattle! Well, my birthday is also coming up this weekend... kind of a non-event with all else that's going on for me. One week till I'm married... things are coming together for that, to. Beth and I wrote the ceremony, and outlined things... dance music and dinner music is being dropped on my good friend, Elena, since Beth and I don't have the time, energy, or taste to do this alone.

Looking forward to seeing plenty of folks there. Most of my friends had other obligations, even my brother is testing the waters to make sure he can come, and there is no sign of anyone from California... time, money, the usual... we'll remember who goes to who's weddings, come funeral time, some folks won't be getting very nice floral arrangements...

Weddings are every bit as expensive as people say. Even on a decidedly thrifty plan the total cleared 10,000 early, and crept upward from there.

I had a beehive taking shape on the front porch. I found a spray nozzle attachment for the hose, and took about three rounds of drenching before all the larvae fell to the ground, the shell stripped clear. I feel a little bad about causing harm, but it's nice not to be a nest for insects...

4th of July weekend

I got a four day weekend. It was very fun to be driving home last night and realize that sunday had become a kind of friday. I go to San Francisco again Wednesday morning for three days, but I have a bit of local work leading into the wedding, and a week of local work following it. I don't worry about making mileage, that's tending to be a given.

Things are going well for me, I took a final in my programming course yesterday, I got an A, with a 97.5 overall grade. It was easy, basic high school math, and simple control structures. With built in function reference in the software, as long as you know what you're trying to do, it is merely a question of being able to read, and write, and think. I never thought I was short in those.

Trying to get music organised for the wedding reception. It turns out I don't have nearly as broad, or narrowly focused, perhaps, a music collection as I had hoped. There may be some cash plopped out to iTunes yet.

Got the banquet license. Had to promise not to serve minors. Not to drastic a concern. Also, the one sticking point is that all alchohol has to be bought in the state of washington, with valid taxes paid... given that a large wine purchase almost merits a trip to our tax free southern neighbour, I found this a little disappointing.

You may fire when ready, Gridley.

San Francisco

Ah, the city by the cloud. Been in San Francisco since Tuesday night, worked at a law office yesterday, had chinese, went to grab a drink at a bar on Haight and Ashbury, where there is a GAP on the corner. Lots of hippie bumper stickers, and bongs... not much else. It's a largely tourist destination, it seems...

But how bad can it be. Chris tried to order a coke, but they don't sell coke, since it doesn't grow in california, they did have some home brew root beer.

Traffic is better here than normal. Or maybe it's just that I haven't had to go to San Jose.

R and R

Had a spare day from vacation today. Mowed the lawn. Raked.
Found our roses growing fine, had our doubts to begin with (instructions say prune--anything above a few inches died horribly!).
Doing laundry. Dishes to do, and watching Hannah and her Sisters. "I've got a tumor in my head the size of a basketball." Gotta give it to Woody Allen to write think good healthsome thoughts.
Great sunny day, light breeze, fine to see some downtime.