For the first time in my life I’m in a position where two companies have expressed an interest in hiring me at the same time. Also for the first time in my life I was flown to a different state for an interview. I’m not going to get into the interview, though.
My trip started pretty early on Thursday morning. I woke up at 5am and had a half hour to get ready before the Super Shuttle arrived. I hurried up so I could be outside with my baggage by 5:35am. I barely had time to make some instant coffee and quaff it down before standing outside at 5:30am. It was pretty cold out there, too.
And then I waited. And waited. At 5:45am I went back inside and tried calling the number for Super Shuttle, but there was no answer. I went back outside and inside several times. Near 6am I saw a van coming from the darkness. I was outside in the driveway with my bags. The van stopped across the street to ask the guy there, presumably, the location of my house. A moment later is was pulled into my driveway and the driver was apologizing for being late. I had thought it was because of the construction near my house which makes a detour a necessity in most cases. But, no, the driver had gotten lost because the toll road wasn’t properly marked. This was completely believable as I’ve been on the toll road before. She also mentioned that the dispatcher was supposed to have called to let me know the shuttle was late. I had checked the caller ID when I went inside and there were no calls.
So I was on the Super Shuttle. Instead of leaving right away the fare had to be paid. Then, before we started moving, I received a lecture about not having to leave this early. My flight was to leave at 7:55am and it was now 6:10am. I like getting to airports early because I always have an issue of some kind. So after the lecture about the airport only being 20 minutes away and I was way too early we left for the airport.
While she was driving she was playing Christmas music. Then she started making spastic movements and the van would veer to the left and right slightly. It turns out she was just bopping to the music.
We got to the airport at 6:45am or so. I got inside and picked up my boarding pass. Then I stood in line to have my boarding pass checked, put everything on the belt for the x-ray, and taking off my shoes. I always have bad luck with metal detectors so I try and remove everything that might have some kind of metal on it. Watch, pen, glasses, keys, coins, wallet, and whatever else. The only thing I didn’t take off was my belt.
I walked through the metal detector without an issue (hurray). Then I started putting my shoes on and collecting all my things from the bin when I noticed that I was missing a bag and there was a bunch of people surrounding the x-ray monitor. Okay, this was more normal.
Apparently, I had left a knife in my laptop bag. I had forgotten about it. They confiscated it. Now it was 7:00am and the boarding process was about to begin, so I had roughly 15 minutes to get to my gate. The driver of the Super Shuttle was completely incorrect. If I had left on time I would have had time for some coffee, and maybe a danish or something. As it was, I was lucky to get to my gate when the boarding started.
My seat was on the window, which I love. For one, it means I don’t have to get up every time someone needs to use the bathroom. I also get to look out the window, which I always find interesting. This was the first time in my memory that I’d be flying to California and I wanted to see it.
When I was a kid I used to fly frequently. At least once a year I would fly from New Jersey to Texas and back. Every other year it would be two flights like that. Well, sometimes to Texas and sometimes to Louisiana. Anyway, back then you got service on a flight. You got a small meal of some kind, like sandwiches or a simple dinner. You got snacks, like peanuts, and drinks. Airplane service now is disgustingly pitiful. They kept me in coffee, but they didn’t offer snacks or meals. There were no free peanuts for me. You could get meals in first class, though. If I had the $135 it would have taken to upgrade I would have. But, with Christmas and all, it wasn’t a good idea.
I have a crappy digital camera. I say it’s crappy, but it really isn’t; it’s just old. And I found it on the side of the highway one day while walking to Wendy’s for lunch. It’s always treated me well, but it has some limitations. I managed to take a few pictures from the plane, which surprised me. I didn’t think I’d get anything out of it.
For instance, I got this nice shot of a mountain that we flew over. I’d never seen such a thing, so it was pretty good. I also like to look at clouds from the top. When I was a kid it was an endless source of fascination because it looked solid. A fantastic landscape that would be really great fun to play on if it weren’t for the fact that you’d plummet several thousand feet to the ground if you tried. 
This picture reminds me of a snowy beach. Especially the “coastline” off on the left.
So then we landed, I got my rental car with a GPS unit. Thank God I got a GPS unit. I would have been totally screwed without it. Then I was off to my interview. That’s right, there’s no rest for the wicked.
After that I was left up to my own ends. I’ll continue that later on.
Posted by mrentropy 
Posted by mrentropy 
Posted by mrentropy 
