Travel Woes

You know, I can't win sometimes. Even with the best intentions, it just won't go my way.

Today I have a ticket on the 4:45 US Air shuttle from Reagan National Airport to Boston. I left the conference early and arrived at the airport at 2. I have to check in at the ticket counter to get my boarding pass, and decide to see if I can get on an earlier flight. As I go there, I realize there is an extraordinarily long line at security.

I get to the agent at 2:15. She tells me that she can get me on the 2:45 shuttle. A fearful glance at security convinced me that I would not get to the gate in time. She said there was nothing earlier than my 4:45. Just before deciding that I would settle for my original time and just get a magazine, she shrieks, "Oh- an opening on the 3:45 just came up" and before I could say OK or anything, she changed my ticket to the 3:45. Well, that is something.

I head to the security line, which has somehow disappeared during the last ten minutes. I easily pass through (remembering to remove my notebook computer for once - I always seem to forget this stupid rule and force a "swabbing for biologicals", whatever that is). I get to the gate as they are finishing boarding the 2:45 shuttle. So it turns out I could have made that one after all. Oh well, it is only another hour, correct?

INCORRECT. As soon as they close the gate for the 2:45, they announce that the 3:45 has been canceled and all passengers need to make alternate arrangements. HA? I had been on the 4:45 and was quite content with that until Miss "I can get you on the 3:45" chimed in. So I rush up to the gate and swear to them that I was originally on the 4:45 anyway. Too bad, all filled up. Earliest flight available now to me was 7 forty frickin five.

All of this because I decided to try to get an earlier flight. The double annoyance is that if I took the originally offered earlier flight I would have gotten out 5 hours earlier. Even if I had touched nothing, and stuck with the original, I would have gotten out 3 hours earlier.

I wanted to punch someone, so I decided instead to find airport internet access and purchase unnecessary things over the internet. But alas, no public internet was available - and my battery was low, and everyone else on Earth was in there hogging the available electrical outlets. So, I was forced *gasp*, to buy a book and read it.

Clever Commercial

I love it when commercials are amusing. This one is my current favorite. Look for all the detail.

Any DC Readers?

I am going to be spending some significant time in the Nation's Capitol over the next two months for work (conferences and training). I have been there many times in my life but not for several years.

Any recommendations for good restaurants (something nice to go to with co-workers/clients), as well as any night life spots to visit?

Just looking for some input.

"I only use it for medical purposes"

Yeah, right.

Pop culture is full of references for the use of feel good items for "medicinal purposes" From Granny's moonshine on the "Beverly Hillbillies" to Bones' Romulan Ale in "Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan", questionable consumables are passed off as therapeutic. This is wonderful, of course.

I am very grateful for this excuse, it has come in quite handy. Personally, I use chocolate fudge brownies "for medicinal purposes". Oh, and French Fries too. Once I categorize something as "medicinal purposes", all bad attributes (like amount of total fat, calories, cholesterol, etc.) are nullified. After all, when you hear about something like aspirin, you only hear how it prevents heart attacks, not how it also prevents proper blood clotting in the event of extreme bleeding.

Chocolate has well known medicinal purposes - it raises your Seratonin levels, which boosts your metabolism and overall state of well being. French fries just taste so damned good.

I hate Grammar Check

You know, in Microsoft Word, the thing that corrects your grammar or at least points out how bad your grammar is? It seems that everything I type in Word or Outlook now is full of green squiggle lines. I would turn it off, but I do find it useful for locating unnecessary double spaces.

I can see why this might be useful for official memos and other documents, but in email? I do not really want to know about misplaced dangling participles and run-on sentences in my e-mails.

Sometimes I wonder if the green color is meant to convey "friendly constructive criticism" rather than a screaming "YOU'RE WRONG" (like the way red squiggle lines yell at you about misspelled words), but I doubt that the code writers at Microsoft were really thinking about how we feel.

Thank you, G4

G4 is my current favorite cable channel. It provides me with daily doses of the best comedy every produced and treated like crap by viewers and its own network, "Arrested Development" as well as all the Star Trek (original and Next Generation), that I could ever wish for.

And now with the newly enhanced versions of the original Star Trek being shown each week, my DVR is busier than ever. And if you have not seen these enhanced episodes, give them a shot. They actually went in and redid the special effects shots using current state of the art CGI techniques, but toning it down enough to keep it in line with the original feel of the show. It is cool though.

So to G4, thanks for catering to a Geek like me.

Lieberman can't keep his own comments straight

Anyone who has read my politically oriented posts know how I feel about Joe Lieberman. But this video, posted at You Tube, really demonstrates why this man must be sent packing.

Unfortunately, it appears that the people of CT are preparing to send him back to Washington, even though he ignored the wishes of his party. He leads in the polls because CT republicans plan to vote for him over their own candidate. You know, that says something right there. With the direction this country is heading, it seems clear that anyone who supports the "stay the course" ineptitude of the failed Bush administration really needs to be sent home.

Check the video - you'll see what I mean.

How can any intelligent people still back the Bush republicans (and Joe Lieberman)? It boggles my mind.

Hi Everyone

I have been so overwelmed at work that I have not been able to post any social commentaries. And what a shame - so much to comment on socially:

• Project Runway
• Congressional Misconduct with Pages
• Bridezillas
• The Massachusetts Gubernatorial Race
• Etc.

I'll get back to it soon. FINALLY getting some very needed help at work and hoping that things calm down a bit.