Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Manic Yet Writerly… bunch of days…

I'm reminded of my earlier comment about having to figure out automatic posts BEFORE I next travel.


For those of you who follow me on Facebook & Twitter, you may already know I'm stuck in a Comfort Inn in Detroit.


Not in the city mind you… on the outskirts of the Detroit Metro airport… which is not entirely bad. My hotel window looks out over some beautiful farmland and a pretty bush that looks like honeysuckle, but if I were down south, I'd have smelled it through my window, so it's either a non-scented northern version or something else. I scared a poor little chickadee doing lower back and calf stretches by the open window; poor thing doesn't realize the screen is bolted closed.


The smoker before me did and burrowed a tiny hole in the bottom where cigarette ash betrays their peccadillo – if my lungs hadn't already clued me in when they required an extra inhaler puff.


I thought it was just the stress of having my flight cancelled after running through the hellishly long corridors of Detroit Metro.


Regardless, I had intended a rant post about crappy flying, but while I'm still indignant, I'm not furious… and I fully intend to negotiate with Delta about making sure I don't pay double luggage and seeing what they can do for me regarding plane tickets for Dragon*Con. I have been very nice and cooperative – if not pitiful or sweet enough to get a nice pilot to kindly skip to the front of the line for me to obtain some basic info, a hotel voucher, and then walk me to the shuttle area in said hellishly long airport. There were very, very many families who were absolutely hysterical because they had to get home to children and sitters. One woman who got word of a death on her cell phone right beside me. And two other families who had separated from children on the connecting flight and now the children (not little, but around their teens) were "home" and they were not.


So, I gird myself for calm negotiating now because I do have a Husband-of-Awesome who is picking me up at midnight on a work night… who I really hope I can get a free or steeply discounted flight for over Labor Day weekend. And no kids.


(To those of you who ask me why I don't have kids yet, see above comments.)


The cause for this disaster? Heavy thunderstorms and torrential downpour & flash flooding at the airports in Detroit and Chicago.


How am I also turning this Writerly post (because, it ought to be pretty evidently manic)?


If you're flying to conferences or conventions…


Don't use those cutesy carry-ons that look like mini suitcases. They are the first to get put below when you have an overstuffed flight where everyone uses them as their two carry on items. Get yourself a small duffle or high-school sized backpack (No, not one of those fancy hiking packs!)


And then pack your netbook (or laptop, though I strongly suggest you get a durable netbook or something of similar small size) in it's protective skin, surrounded by one spare set of clothes, underwear, extra socks, and pajamas, along with all your charging wires (for cell and computer), your important jewelry, and paperwork and/or reading material.


Ladies (and open minded men) you can also carry a small purse (or a small laptop bag that may function as a purse).


The back-pack or duffle should be squishy enough to go below the seat in front of you along with said purse or laptop bag because those stupid carry-ons DO NOT. And if you can get it under the seat in front of you, you won't lose it!


Things that I will now ensure to take in my carry on? Toothbrush, toothpaste. The hotel ran out of it.


I did have baby wipes though (long story, but I keep them in my purse). They make a great facial cleanser in a pinch. I also have a tiny handcream and moisturizing hand sanitizer in my purse. The hand sanitizer also makes a decent facial moisturizer while traveling because stress makes me much more likely to break out – and that is the best anti-zit treatment besides straight-up triple-antibiotic gel to destroy threatening or existing zits.


Looking ahead, and assuming I _survive_ (cue melodramatic music and hand stapled to forehead gestures) the trip back home, Foodie Friday will be usurped by Feminist Friday where I'll disclose my Wiscon adventures… and the Friday after that will resume Foodie-ness because there's lots of fun food to talk about from this trip.


In the mean time, grab a copy of Massachusetts Horse magazine or buy a book from K.S. Augustin and help the awesome horses that I'm missing at the Bay State Equine Rescue.


Also – happy thoughts for making it home tonight are much appreciated!!

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