Gecko Bloggle

So I’m in Maitland Florida, which somewhere between Orlando and Daytona, based on what the freeway signs say.

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Oh, but let me tell you about the trip out here yesterday. You know when you need to travel early in the morning, and you have those nightmares when you wake up late, and there’s not really enough time to get to the airport before the plane leaves?

I didn’t have one of those dreams.

I. Lived. It.

I intended to be awake at 4:30AM to leave for the airport at 5:30, arrive at 6:00, and get on a 7:30 flight, leaving enough time to get through the security checks and stuff, but not having to sit around for hours waiting.

Packed a whole bunch of times, and checked too many times to make sure I had enough socks, and printed three copies of all the papers I needed, and all sorts of things. I was ready to wake up, brush my teeth, get dressed, maybe have some coffee and a little food, and then walk a block to the nearby hotel and scam a taxi to the airport, a 30 minute trip. No problem.

Stayed up a little too late, like 11pm, but I figured I could sleep on the plane, so that wasn’t TOO bad. Fell asleep pretty easily, thinking I’ve triple-checked that the alarm clock said 4:30, and was on a station that wouldn’t “wander” during the night. No problem. Deep sleep.

Blink. Still dark. Blink. Clock. Blink.
5:55
5:55
Fiiiive FIFFFFFTEEEEE FIIIIIIVE!
HOLYSHIT!NightMare!WakeUp?Please?No?Maybe?GetDressedAnyway!
GotDressedGrabbedTwoBagsCalledCabOutTheDoorToWaitOnStreet.
I SET THE ALARM FOR 4:30PM, NOT AM, I’M AN IDIOT.
6:02
InCabToAirPort!Sure,Fine,GoTheOtherWayCauseAccidentOn16thDon’tCare.
Here’s$30KayThanksByeGrabBagsRunIntoAirport.
6:18
StupidAutoCheckInThingNO…IDon’tWantToUpGradeFor$93…Srsly,NO.
FillOutCustomsThing “Am I bringing any fruit? Live animals? Is my cat in the bag, maybe?”
CheckCheckCheckCheckCheckitySignedyCheck
6:25
GetPaperThingiesGoToCustoms
“Purpose of your trip, Sir.”
“Oh, uh, work. I’mean. Business, but work’s sending me. For training. Haha.”
{Don’t freak out don’t freak out don’t freak out do I look high? I bet I do! don’t freak out}
“What *kind* of training, Sir.”
“Uh, this ITIL process thing, for work.”
“Is it your COMPANY that’s SENDING you THERE for training, and then you’re coming BACK?”
“Oh! No, yeah! Work’s training me, but there, which is also work.”
{I’m not high honest I *just* woke up unless I’m still dreaming in which case I’m not the droids you’re looki-}
“Have a nice trip.”
“Thanks!”
{Woot! I’m a freakin’ DreamJedi!}
ThroughSecurityCheckScanThingieTakeOutLAPTOPGoThroughSecurityScan
ThingieFindGateAndTravelingCompanionFromWork.
6:38

So yeah, I’m here, and it feels like August (complete with summer smell and the whole thing, even though it’s the first week of Feb. The ground almost always looks like it just rained, but it hasn’t.

More about the work stuff later. It’s almost 9pm Pacific, so I gotta go to bed, ’cause I might not have to be at work until 8:30, but that means being at work 5:30 in “Wet Coast” time.

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