Prologue - Act One

So, I'd done lots of things to get prepared for the trip, but I had lots of little things to do beforehand, everything from taking the trash out, returning a library CD, and doing a libation to the Gods for safe travel, but knew I needed some sleep. So I went to bed at 8 pm Wednesday night, determined to get up at 1:30 so I'd have a couple of hours to do everything I needed before I'd normally be up. And it worked. I didn't sleep well, as I was worried I wouldn't get up in time, but I actually got all the plants watered and the rest of my list at home completed, left a little earlier than what Google told me to so I could return the CD, get gas, put a cheque in the bank--that sort of thing. While at the gas station getting gas for $1.93 in Lexington per gallon (It's $2.69 or so here), I got a drink and a blueberry cheese danish sort of thing. Not ideal, but I didn't want something heavy, and it was cheap, and I'm trying to go as cheaply as possible. Then I drove around a good portion of the city (I live on the opposite end of town from the airport), parked in oeconomy parking, and went through security. I'd checked in using the Delta mobile application, and so spent the day scanning my phone rather than a piece of paper, which was convenient, but, I had to have my phone out an awful lot, and it was hard to juggle. I may just check in tomorrow the old-fashioned way, particularly as I have something to hold the ID and boarding pass to make it easier to keep up with.

It's always a joy to be behind me at a TSA checkpoint, as I have to take out liquids, CPAP, laptop, take off my shoes, and load my various bags (I had three, as one didn't count as it was medical supplies only). When I went through the body scanner, I guess they couldn't see my lower left arm well in the image, because they patted down just that lower arm. Weird. I gathered my stuff, put my shoes back on, and went to the gate, where I gate-checked my rolling bag for free when they requested volunteers. I noticed many people were not volunteering. It's a small plane, and I like gate-checking, although I didn't realise they would check it on to my final destination, and my liquids and other minor conveniences were in there, so I spent the day without a comb, eye rewetting drops, or lip balm, for example, something I'll keep in mind tomorrow when I pack.

The flight was pleasant and went off without a hitch. It was very dark, as they fly with the cabin lights down and no one really turned on their own personal lights. We arrived in Atlanta about the time the sun finally got up. I had a soda and a cookie packet there in the dark. Once we disembarked, I grabbed a drink and some pretzels and went to the next concourse, where I had an hour and a half layover until the Chicago-bound plane left. There was a mechanical delay, but we left on time and arrived at Chicago on time. I learned that one person can charge their phone (my seatmate did) while on the flight, at least on the 717 we were on. I was in the O'Hare airport, and meant to call YKWIA to let him know I made it okay, but then got distracted redistributing things into my purse and purchasing my 1-day (24 hour) transit pass, wound up taking the train to Division, where I lugged bags up many stairs to a world of newspapers blowing everywhere, oriented myself by the sun to be heading south on Ashland, and then caught the bus to a stop right across from my hotel. I got here at noon, conveniently, as that was when I could check in, and my meeting was at 12:45 CST.

I checked in, actually was able to use the key they gave me for the elevator (I had trouble the last time I stayed at this hotel, and had had to rely on the kindness of strangers to get me to the room then). I washed my face, located my comb, used it, and called YKWIA briefly to let him know I was alive. He was concerned, and had called the hotel already. I hadn't expected it to take two hours to get from the airport gate to the hotel (quite a while, yes, but not quite that long), so I apologised for not contacting him sooner. Then, somewhat more presentable, I took just my purse, put on a light jacket (it's all about the layering, as many Chicagoans are wearing their winter coats today; I had a heavy sweater over a thinner shirt, and had been sweltering in the airports and on transit, so it felt good. But I was happy to have that little layer of jacket.

We had lunch before our meeting, and it included sandwiches with mozzarella, arugula, and roasted pepper. We had an absolutely wonderful meeting, mostly on outreach, and I had a brilliant outreach idea that wouldn't work in my present position, but I might be able to partner with someone to do. I was afraid it would fade; I wrote it all out. It would be easily fundable as well. Part of the meeting could have been webconferenced, but the participatory exercise really couldn't have been. I'm very glad I came, even though it wasn't a direct flight.

After the meeting, a few of us walked to an Italian restaurant a few blocks away called Francesca's, which was excellent. I was tempted to get the salmon, but instead went for a lentil salad and a Napoleatano pizza. None of us could do desert. We walked back. Throughout my stays here, my rock of a landmark has been the St Basil Greek Orthodox Church, which is on the corner of Ashland and Polk. The library we had our meeting at is on Polk; the hotel is at Harrison and Ashland. So it really has helped me get my bearings. A couple of years ago they were using all this scaffolding, but now it seems in much better shape. It's beautiful. [I love the varied architecture in Chicago, and not just the stuff downtown. On the way over on the train I saw an esquisite Turkish bath.]

We got back to the hotel, grabbed some complimentary hot chocolate, and I've already told you the rest. I guess tomorrow will be Act Two. Wish me luck. I've got to get up at 5 am, eat breakfast when they open at 6 am, check out, catch a bus by 6:30 to get to Midway Airport by 7:30. My plane leaves for Detroit at 9:19 am CST, on a smaller plane. Then I'll have another hour and a half layover there before arriving home sometime around 3 pm our time. Whew!

Awake

Me in my hotel room this afternoon, flushed from all that walking

Although the salmon and risotto was very good at dinner, it was much smaller in portion than some of the other, cheaper, things on the menu, so it didn't stay with me and I actually woke up in the middle of the night hungry. We ate at Park Grill again, and it was excellent. Like I said, it didn't keep me satisfied till morning though. Yesterday's meal of cheese curds, black bean burger, and fries was almost too much to eat by comparison.

I headed down to the lounge in the hopes that they'd still have some fruit down there, but apparently they take it up on the weekends, starting early Friday. Pooh! So I came back up and made a cup of (decaf) coffee in the Keurig in my room, the first time I've used a K-cup machine. Since I wasn't sure if you took off the foil or not (you don't), I viewed a review/demonstration video on YouTube. I always found them a little intimidating, so I've never used them, and of course, unless you have a reusable cup, the plastic ones are expensive and bad for the environment. But I think, despite the fact that I don't particularly like coffee, that it helped stave off some hunger for now, by filling my stomach with something. The Wi-Fi is still a bit temperamental here at the corner of the hotel, so I moved over to the bed from the desk and it's doing better; now I'm getting two bars.

Overall, my stay at Club Quarters at Wacker and Michigan has been very good, though, and the hotel staff have been very pleasant. Unlike my stay at the Marriott--UIC previously, I've had no trouble using the key card in the elevator. I always had to rely on strangers to get me up to my floor there, because I could never make the system work. I don't know if that was user error or a problem with their system, but anyway, it's working fine here.

Tomorrow we have a meeting that runs from 8 am to 1 pm, and I'm lucky to have a ride to the meeting thanks to a colleague who I met over dinner. We talked quite a bit through that, and then some more during and after the walk back to the hotel, and so she's going to give me a ride, since she has a car here. It does mean that since check-out is by noon, that I'll have to have everything ready to go and check out by 7 am, just like I would have if I'd taken the Pink Line train, but I don't have to carry three bags on the train and walking, either. I had planned to take the Blue Line back to O'Hare afterwards, but I'm not sure I'll have time. I may need to take a cab. If I stay for lunch, it'll be 1 pm, and my flight leaves at 3:52 or so. With O'Hare I definitely need to get there as early as possible to deal with security, etc. We'll see. Maybe I can share a cab with someone else going to the airport. But if not, I think I have enough cash on me to get me there.

I should probably try to go back to sleep. I have to get up in less than four hours. Good night.

Quite a storm has come up

I stopped by YKWIA's after work for just a bit to help him with something and then went over to Office Depot looking for a USB headset with microphone to use tomorrow for a meeting of the Kentucky Medical Library Association via GoToMeeting. I just couldn't justify a drive to Louisville and back for a three-hour meeting when I've got data entry to do, especially since, due to some issues today, I'm behind on putting the data in, so I'll have to catch up tomorrow morning.

I got some things over at Office Depot and came out of the store just as the sprinkling began, with the clouds very dark, lightning striking in the distance, and a flash flood/thunderstorm warning issued on my phone. From Woodhill to about Speedway on Richmond Road the skies had opened up in a deluge, but I drove ahead of the storm, got in the house without getting very wet, and now it's very dark outside and I suspect the more rain is coming. My across-the-hall neighbour has fixed some form of Indian food that smells wonderful. I'm eating a bit of pimiento cheese with crackers and a banana. It is sad by comparison. But I should be going over to Masala in Beaumont for some tasty Indian food soon with friends.

There are some things I need to do around the house tonight, but they'll have to wait until the storm clears. My keyboard is acting a bit weird, typing slowly at times like the buffer or connexion is messed up whenever I backspace, so I think I'll sign off of here for just a bit. It's a little odd, as it is a wired ergonomic keyboard. It may be somehow related to the storm. I'll write later.

What a day

I:

1. Worked for an hour this morning doing data entry.
   
2. Rode the bus to Central Baptist Hospital.
   
3. Got a compliment on my skirt (the one my friends got me for my birthday) from a complete stranger.
   
4. Got to see a lot of folks I haven't seen in awhile.
   
5. Listened to an excellent programme by Dorothy Brockopp on librarians, nurses, evidence-based practice, and Magnet status.
   
6. Had an excellent meal as part of the meeting (thanks Lonnie and Carla!!!)
   
7. Had our Kentucky Medical Library Association business meeting, which was very productive. I would so volunteer to be president again when the term comes up in the fall, if I had a car. They're always looking for someone to do it, and I was president of the Bluegrass Medical Libraries once upon a time and enjoyed it.
   
8. Stopped by the gift shop on my way out, looking for a present for my grandmother, but alas, did not find anything for her.
   
9. Came out just in time to miss the bus.
   
10. Thanked a man for giving me a piece of paper with a prayer by St Francis of Assisi on it.
    
11. Sat outside in the sun for 35 minutes with sunscreen that may or may not still be active.
    
12. Got back to work about 3:45 (I leave at 5).
    
13. Had a fire drill in our area so I had to go to another section for a few minutes.
    
14. Put the last of the charge sheets for the week in.
    
15. Assigned things to my to-do list for next week.
    
16. Got a ride to Kroger.
    
17. Bought some much-needed groceries (and new sunscreen).
    
18. Took an offer from a Bulgarian lady I sometimes talk to at the bus stop (she doesn't speak much English) to borrow a big reusable bag that held three of mine.
    
19. Schlepped home.
    
20. Put the perishables away, plopped down, and looked something up for a friend.
    
21. Reported my findings.
    
22. Ate some Tuscan bean salad, mozzarella, and some bread.
    

Now I'm going to go to the postal boxes we have for packages and pick up a delivery. They put a key in our mailbox for them. I am always amazed that I get packages from the Science Fiction Book Club without fail, but things from Amazon are never delivered correctly. Go figure.

It looks like the rain is coming close. We're supposed to have storms and the high will be about 20 degrees lower tomorrow, when I visit my family. So I better retrieve that package now. Have a pleasant evening. I'm not sure if I'll blog again tonight, or even tomorrow since I'll be visiting with my mom, grandmother, aunts, and uncles.

Which brings me to the following question: What do you get a woman who has pretty much everything for her 88th birthday???? If you have suggestions, let me know in the comments. Thanks.

Yum

Philly cheese steak veggie burgers, nummy.

Today I got to sleep a half an hour in than usual because I had a consortium meeting. The directions weren't that clear for getting to the room, and I'd forgotten they'd moved the education centre, so I wound up walking through all of the hospital's pedways, through five buildings. I happy to say that the token I'd gotten last time still worked for getting out of the parking lot, even though no one thought it would. The topic was electronic journal licences, not my favourite, but something I don't know a lot about. The presenter started us off with a video.

That set the tone for the whole thing. That and one of our past presidents dressing up in chaps, vest, and cowboy hat. Plus there were neat gadgets given out--a highlighter that erases and a measuring tape with a level, pen, and notepad attached (I had to have help later discovering what the hell the pen was--it looked like some rolling bar, but then discoverd the sticky pad on my own). Lunch was nice--with salad, fruit, chips, and veggie wraps for the vegetarians (the carnivores had barbeque and baked beans).

After that I trudged back through the pedways, at least not lost this time, used the token mentioned earlier and headed for a store meeting, my only work this week. That lasted a couple of hours. I took a co-worker home, then it was off to do notes, and I just got in after putting in a couple of hours' work. It took an hour to decipher one page of notes. They are abysmal at times. I can't believe I ever got huffy and said they were good notes. Alas, I did. And now I'm paying for it.

Today's weather was wonderful. It's supposed to rain the rest of the week. I'm working Thursday for four hours, Friday for three, and then Saturday for eight, so a lighter schedule than normal. I was afraid I'd go right into a 27-hour workweek (on top of the normal 20 hours at the hospital). Our longest-lived employee (who's been there for 30 years) goes on vacation soon, so I'll probably work more then. Soon the store down the street will be knocked down and rebuilt to remodel (the one that was robbed the other night), so our business should skyrocket. And then the first week of July my boss is going on vacation for a week so some of the night people will move to days and I'll probably be working more; I may not be able to get off July 4th this year. At least I have warning, though.

What else can I tell you? I told you about the book that came out yesterday. I'm also serving as a Doody's selector in Orthopaedics for their Core Titles product and I'm the chair of a national awards jury through the MLA this coming year. I'm hoping at the end of the year to be able to apply for AHIP status (Academy of Health Information Professionals). I put it off for a long time thinking I wouldn't be a medical librarian very long but it's been ten years after all. :)

I'm also planning on applying to (yes, another public library) the local library where they have a reference position open in their Kentucky room. My history, archives, and preservation background would be a plus. Hopefully it will work out better than the last time.

Well, that's all for now. I think I'll relax a bit before I get a friend from work. He's been sick, so I doubt he'll work late tonight. Have a good night.