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Sunless in Seattle
Jun. 9th, 2003 06:10 pmSo, I'm taking a break. I've just spent the last hour talking to myself in the rather inexplicably huge mirrors in this hotel room while I practise my presentation for this afternoon. Later I might walk down to one of the ubiqutous Starbucks and have a coffee. The meeting iteself is a bit of a cock-up. Two of the people I'd like to be at the meeting are, at this time, probably crossing over the coast of Greenland - which is highly inconvient for me.
Still, I suppose this is what I'm paid for. The meeting is pretty seriously important, so wish me luck.
In some respects its been an odd trip. I flew Air Extra Cheap (Air Canada) because my company insisted. This led to a 3 hour stop over in Vancouver. Had I had my act together I'd have driven down from their. Still, these things are sent to try us. In the seat next to me was a Pakistani guy - smartly dressed but really really twitchy looking. Kept shuffling in his seat, sweaty, looking around a lot. About an hour into the flight we hit a little turbulence, nothing serious, just a little bouncy. (nothing like landing in Amsterdam in a thunder storm last week!). This guy touches me on the arm and leans over..
"Excuse me? Is this normal?"
"Sorry?"
He waves his hand up and down, "this movement? Is it safe?"
"Perfectly!" I reassure him, oddly reasured myself.
Air Canada itself did try to kill me though. The inflight movies were shown on a big screen at the front of the cabin and were; About Schmidt, Speed and Two Weeks Notice. By the end of Two Weeks Notice I was resisting the urge to open the doors and jump. That there is a long haul airline which doesn't have individual movies still amazes me.
Had a grilling from US Immigration, my favourite question being, "Why is it necessary for you to meet in the United States?" Ummm... Completely stumped for a minute. "Because my customer is America and its easier for me to fly over than 5 of them???" They let me in eventually. I think she was just bored.
Saturday I went to the monthly meeting of Seattle's Science Fiction community, which was nice. Copius amounts of beer and caffine keeping me going until quite late. Met a few people I've seen at other Cons, including this years TAFF winner, Randy Byers (for non-Fans, TAFF is a fund which allows fans to go to SF conventions on alternative sides of the atlantic - this year Randy got to come to Hinckley, last year we sent a Brit to San Jose...) Also there was the USA's version of Rob Newman - if you don't know who Rob is, then you're probably onto a good thing.
Met a bunch of people whom I'd only ever seen online on Newsgroups, which was interesting. Much interesting talk on politics, SF writers and other strange things.
Sunday, Randy took me for breakfast at the Eggnest where I had a vast amount of Egg mixed with Sausage, Onion and Peppers which was nice, before heading off to some pubs - The Big Time and Elysium where I tried a number of local brews. A sunny pleasant day spent inside talking nonsense - Dr Who, authors we have met, authors we like/dislike, science fiction fan feuds and so forth. I walked back to my hotel and had some supper at another local brewery. Then early to bed.
I absolutely did not stop in Barnes and Noble and buy books. Honest!
Today the work starts, and in readiness, the Sun seems to have stopped.
Sunless Seattle signing off.
Still, I suppose this is what I'm paid for. The meeting is pretty seriously important, so wish me luck.
In some respects its been an odd trip. I flew Air Extra Cheap (Air Canada) because my company insisted. This led to a 3 hour stop over in Vancouver. Had I had my act together I'd have driven down from their. Still, these things are sent to try us. In the seat next to me was a Pakistani guy - smartly dressed but really really twitchy looking. Kept shuffling in his seat, sweaty, looking around a lot. About an hour into the flight we hit a little turbulence, nothing serious, just a little bouncy. (nothing like landing in Amsterdam in a thunder storm last week!). This guy touches me on the arm and leans over..
"Excuse me? Is this normal?"
"Sorry?"
He waves his hand up and down, "this movement? Is it safe?"
"Perfectly!" I reassure him, oddly reasured myself.
Air Canada itself did try to kill me though. The inflight movies were shown on a big screen at the front of the cabin and were; About Schmidt, Speed and Two Weeks Notice. By the end of Two Weeks Notice I was resisting the urge to open the doors and jump. That there is a long haul airline which doesn't have individual movies still amazes me.
Had a grilling from US Immigration, my favourite question being, "Why is it necessary for you to meet in the United States?" Ummm... Completely stumped for a minute. "Because my customer is America and its easier for me to fly over than 5 of them???" They let me in eventually. I think she was just bored.
Saturday I went to the monthly meeting of Seattle's Science Fiction community, which was nice. Copius amounts of beer and caffine keeping me going until quite late. Met a few people I've seen at other Cons, including this years TAFF winner, Randy Byers (for non-Fans, TAFF is a fund which allows fans to go to SF conventions on alternative sides of the atlantic - this year Randy got to come to Hinckley, last year we sent a Brit to San Jose...) Also there was the USA's version of Rob Newman - if you don't know who Rob is, then you're probably onto a good thing.
Met a bunch of people whom I'd only ever seen online on Newsgroups, which was interesting. Much interesting talk on politics, SF writers and other strange things.
Sunday, Randy took me for breakfast at the Eggnest where I had a vast amount of Egg mixed with Sausage, Onion and Peppers which was nice, before heading off to some pubs - The Big Time and Elysium where I tried a number of local brews. A sunny pleasant day spent inside talking nonsense - Dr Who, authors we have met, authors we like/dislike, science fiction fan feuds and so forth. I walked back to my hotel and had some supper at another local brewery. Then early to bed.
I absolutely did not stop in Barnes and Noble and buy books. Honest!
Today the work starts, and in readiness, the Sun seems to have stopped.
Sunless Seattle signing off.
