And you think what the Sonics are asking is bad...

For those of you "The Seattle Sonics, take them or leave them" fans out there, I give you this (click here). If you think what the Sonics are asking is bad, be glad you don't live in Texas.

All I have to say is "wow." I wonder what 1 billion dollars could do to help the poor and homeless in our country?

Artist Point

Another trip up to Artist Point, with my brother and sister! It was a great day and a fun trip for sure! The only down side? Baker was hidden in the clouds. Click here if you want to see more pictures from this trip!

More Travel Fun...

So I made it home from San Diego, but not before more fun. Sometimes I wonder if the airlines really know what they're doing...???
- I was assigned seat 14F
- I asked to move to an aisle: they gave me seat 11D, an exit row aisle seat.
- They scan my new boarding pass and all these alarms go off. Apparently, somebody else has seat 11D.
- They issue me a new boarding pass, seat 13F, an non-exit row window seat. Ugh
- They scan that boarding pass and again, alarms go off. They look it up on the computer and say that the 'second person' assigned to that seat is ME.
- I board the plane only to find someone already sitting in seat 13F, and it's not me.
- There are no flight attendants around so I have to go "against traffic" back to the front of the plane and notify the flight attendant.
- After she makes 2 phone calls, the "gate people" (2 of them), come running down, onto the plane. They go to seat 13F and take that poor guy's boarding pass and disappear back up the ramp.
- They return and tell me to go to seat 12B, an exit row 'center' seat.

Finally, I make it home.

Travel - yuck

So, presently I'm in San Diego at a Conference. Yesterday, was yet another example of why travel can sometimes be tough. Just the facts...

- woke up at 5:15 AM to catch my flight
- itinerary: supposed to leave at 7:54 AM to San Fran, catch a second flight at 10:50, arrive in San Diego by about 12:15.
- actual itinerary as follows
- 7:54 flight was on the runway, full speed ready for takeoff: pilot slams on his brakes. Apparently, an indicator light says the engine was overheating.
- We return to the terminal and after about 15 minutes, are instructed to "de-board." We are welcome to leave our bags on the plane though (yeah, right - I took mine which proved to be good).
- Went to the ticket counter to re-book - there are about 7 people in front of me, and about 60 people behind me (time is 8:45).
- Get to the front of the line (10:15 - do the math).
- Am re-booked on the 2nd flight: 8:15 PM arriving in San Diego at 9:30 - but I'm put on the stand by list for earlier flights.
- The next flight, 11:28 is delayed, but I make it (barely) - I'm actually one of the last 2 people they call on the list.
- Our connecting flight is supposed to leave at 2:08. Upon arriving in San Fran, fortunately, that flight is also delayed, meaning we can make it.
- the 2:08 flight leaves at 3:45, with me safely on it.

Am happy to have arrived when I did! Can't wait for the return trip (ugh).