Well, I dodged that bullet

While I was in Chicago Thursday and yesterday, the weather was in the 40s, windy, but sunny. Today they have snow:

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport had 4 inches of snow by early Saturday. About 250 flights in and out of the busy airport had been canceled by Saturday morning, according to the tracking website FlightAware.com, while Midway International Airport had canceled about 100 flights.

Roads were slushy due to a rain and snow mix around the Chicago area, which was forecast to get between six and 10 inches.

Update here on the number of flights cancelled.

I'm home. Yay!

I will update later, but for now I am back in my apartment and am going to take a well-deserved nap, then get up in about an hour or so, grab something to eat, and then go take A on a grocery run. But first, sleep!

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!

Yay, I am home!

There were really no problems. I used Google Maps on my phone to get to my meeting this morning, and then get back on the Watterson Expressway and I-64 to get home. Once I reached Lexington, I decided to stop for dinner as a reward for doing so well, and the Google Maps application voice was increasingly insistent that I wasn't going the right way home. :) But I was much more relaxed on the trip home, even going past an accident on the on-ramp to I-64 and some major construction that had us at times at a standstill, and sometimes going maybe 20 miles an hour, tops. I even passed some on the way home, whereas last time I was really just trying to make sure no one merged into me.

The training was absolutely excellent. I am so stoked for class on Wednesday. I had a great roommate, met some really wonderful people, and received a tremendous amount of information (and my own teacher's handbook). I want to thank NAMI Kentucky for paying for my hotel for two nights plus meals (one of their people actually went and got me something yesterday for lunch since I didn't eat meat). The hotel staff were fine, the hotel was a little oddly set up (sink in the hall, bath having a toilet and bathtub/shower), but serviceable. I did very nearly leave a library book that had a white cover on the white sheet of the bed, and my shave gel and body wash were saved from the bathroom thanks to my roommates vigilance during walk-through.

So now I'm home with my suitcase, vanity case, laptop bag, CPAP bag, purse/tote bag, jug of distilled water, training manual and portfolio, cup of favours we had at our seats, and a muffin I grabbed that was left over from breakfast. It took three trips to get everything in. And while I'm not as exhausted as I thought I'd be, I am planning on getting some rest, take my contacts out, get into something comfy (I've already done the latter), and just chill. I considered going into the pool for a bit, as it's still open, but I really just want to enjoy being home and lounge around.

Overall, I did very well. The driving was a bit nerve-wracking at first, but it did get better, and actually I drove home on the interstate without my anxiety medication, because I left before I normally take it and didn't think about it at the time. I had never used the Google Maps application on my phone before for navigation, and didn't have to on Friday or Saturday, but this morning the only thing I did wrong was get off at the 15A exit rather than 15B off the Watterson onto Gardiner, but I just had to do a U-turn, which the woman in front of me did as well (she was in our group, the one who got the food for me yesterday) and we had done the same thing in my roommate's car yesterday, so I just went with the flow, and kept going, and made it with no trouble.

Okay, I have informed my friends that I am back, and I seem to be heading towards a small crash. Here's to taking my contacts out, setting up my CPAP, and crawling into bed for awhile, even though there's still plenty of sunshine left.

I made it, yay!

I got onto the Interstate around 4 pm, after checking the oil and tyres, and putting a quart of oil in, and pretty much stayed behind tractor trailers that were doing between 60-65 mph (the speed limit is 70), and just let anyone who wanted to go around me do so. It worked out that, with one exception, I didn't even have to worry about people trying to merge into my lane. So all is well.

I did really well on the Interstate, although my hands are a bit cramped from holding the steering wheel for so long and so hard. :) I got off the Interstate at the correct exit, got to the next couple of streets, and only had trouble with the actual street for the hotel I'm in. I went down the wrong way and back and forth a couple of times, then decided there was a big white building on the other side of the road that might be the correct building, and it was. Yay! I checked in, but my keycard didn't work, either because it didn't take when they keyed it or because I put it next to the phone. So a nice lady in the next room who was going back down told them (I had all five bags and a jug of distilled water with me, so she thought she'd save me the trip), and she brought up the new one. I came in, put my stuff down, and plugged in my phone, which was kind of low on battery, and called YKWIA to report.

The quarters are nice. There are two double beds. The bath is just a bathtub/shower and toilet, with the sink out at the entrance to the room. It has a TV, microwave, mini-fridge, etc. The only thing so far I'm having issues with is that the outlet for my CPAP seems to be behind the actual bed. I waited until my roommate came in to choose beds, wanting her opinion. Now that I have mine (near the window), I can try to get behind the pillows and see if there's anything there. The clock is plugged up, so there must be something. The bedside lamp doesn't have any outlets. The desk lamp has two, one for the fridge and one free one, which is currently hosting my phone charger.

It's nice and cool in here, which is great. Even though I don't normally use my car air conditioner, I did on the way up because 1) it's very hot outside, and 2) it means less drag on the car at higher speeds. But I'm still sweaty from the trip.

I double-checked with one of our hosts and we're on our own for tonight, with the agenda starting at 7:15 am. My roommate did check in; she and another lady who she gave a ride to are out eating dinner right now. I'm going to check and see what's around here. I did see a Subway, but there might be something better. I wanted to charge the phone up a little and rest a bit, but I haven't eaten in almost 7 hours, so I'm getting a bit peckish.

At least the hotel does have free Wi-Fi. That's nice. So I can update here, although over the next couple of days, I'll have very little time to. Tomorrow has a very early start and could run twelve hours in terms of training; Sunday we'll be here at least until 4:30 or 5 pm.

Okay, I'm going to check out what's around here. The hotel serves breakfast, but not any other meals, so I'll have to go back out in the heat to find something. With that in mind, I'll check online and see what's around first.

Have a good weekend!

I am up exceedingly early

I'm going to break Internet protocol, and post things ahead of time about a short trip I am taking. I hope that does not mean bad things will happen, but this is really basically my diary, and given my driving anxiety, I need to write a bit here before I go.

First, the things I have to do before I go to work (and for once I won't use strikethrough on the list; suffice to say it all has to be accomplished:

1. Get some water in me; I'm very dry.
2. Switch from my backpack to my Chicago tote bag in terms of 'purses'.
3. Take a portfolio with various information on the training I'm doing related to the class I'm teaching.
4. Make sure I have the Kindle charger with me.
5. Fill up my medicine box, replenish my pen needles, get extra insulin together, and put in an extra phial of test strips.
6. Make sure I have my highlighter and plenty of pens, as well as the sticky notes for the training notebook they'll give me.
7. Get my clothes together for the weekend.
8. Bring three books, Pete Earley's Crazy, the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, and a book on mobile technologies in libraries that I have to review by month's end.
9. Take apart my CPAP and get it into its bag.
10. Charge my phone (I fell asleep without doing it.)
11. Charge my laptop.
12. Transfer the game recording over to the laptop so I can work on that if I have time this weekend.
13. Get ready.
14. Feed the fish.
15. Water the plants.
16. Put the toiletries into a bag.
17. Put the bags all together.
18. Make sure I have distilled water jug with me for the CPAP.
19. Program my destination into my phone
20. Return an interlibrary loan to the public library.

All in all, with my 'purse/tote', I have five bags, plus a water jug, but they're all small and portable. Fortunately there will be no plane rides with this, so I can take whatever I want.

The training is pretty intense: 7:15 am Saturday to 7 pm plus dinner; 8 am Sunday to 5 pm, with breaks about every two hours and meals provided.

I'm a little nervous about the drive, but not in full-blown panic, which is good. We'll see if that changes once I'm on the Interstate. But people have assured me that I-64 is much easier to handle than I-75, I should avoid most construction, and the plan is to leave work early enough to get a good start before rush hour traffic happens. Of course, once I get to Louisville, I'll be in rush hour traffic there, most likely, so I guess you pick your poison there. It's only about an hour and a half drive, straight up the Interstate to the hotel. The college where the training is a little further away from the hotel than I thought it would be, but it's a short jump on the Watterson Expressway from I-64, and while I could go the back roads, I've never actually driven in Louisville and it would probably be easier to keep to the major ones. In a way, I'm looking forward to the actual trip up there. I have a roommate at the hotel; I hope she's okay with my (very quiet) CPAP.

Okay, I have reached the point where I get ready for work. I haven'd decided whether to get my allergy shot before I leave town or not. I'm afraid I'll get bogged down with things if I try to run any errands or do anything before I go. I think I'll skip this time; I can double up next week. In fact, I may just pack up everything into the car before leaving for work and then drive straight from there to the Interstate. I think my CPAP would be okay in the car trunk. We'll see.

Awww....

Owner takes terminally ill dog on bucket-list adventure to make happy memories: When one beloved dog received a terminal diagnosis, his owner was devastated — but wanted to make the most of his pet's final days.

Thomas Neil Rodriguez, a DJ from New York City who was told 16-year-old Poh might only have "days" to live, set out to make sure his canine friend spent the rest of his time enjoying landmark destinations across the country, and began chronicling the happy moments on Instagram.

"I've gotten a lot of messages like, 'This reminds me of my dog,' and, 'One day, I hope I get to do this with my dog,' and, 'I lost my dog recently, and I wish I could have done this with my dog,'" Rodriguez, 40, told TODAY.com.

Back in December 1999, Rodriguez — who goes by the stage name DJ Neil Armstrong — adopted Poh from the North Shore Animal League shelter in Port Washington, New York, where he instantly fell for the 8-week-old pup with a mischievous side. "He chose [me], at the end of the day," he said of Poh, believed to be half pit bull and half Labrador retriever. "Very loving, very loyal."

NYC dog owner takes terminal pooch on cross-county bucket list adventure

Every dog has its day, unless you're Poh — then you get seven awesome weeks, and counting.

The New York City-born pooch recently wrapped up an impressive cross-county tour of the U.S. while ticking off a bucket list of landmarks after given a terminal diagnosis.

Neil Rodriguez, who adopted his four-legged best friend from a shelter at just eight weeks old, believes the exciting excursion is the least he can do.

"The unfortunate fact is that we're all going to pass away," he told the Daily News Wednesday. "I'm kind of determined to live it to the fullest with Poh."

You can follow Poh on Instagram: pohthedogsbigadventure

Reflections

I got up in the middle of the night because, well, it is what I tend to do, and also to give a libation to Hekate to thank Her for her protection during the journey.  I offered up a bottle of wine both before and after the trip, with a stipulation after the first one that the next would follow after a safe conclusion.  In relations with the Pagan Gods, particularly the Greek ones, it is often about contracts: If this, than I will do this.

So after five hours' of sleep (in which I slept like a baby, back at my own bed, my CPAP filter still smelling of the hotel room and the soap they had), I felt a little reflective of my trip.

One, I had a great time. I used to know someone who considered herself a world traveller.  She had grown up in Korea, a military brat like me, and had lots of frequent flyer miles.  She went to Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, places I would love to go to. Oh, and Russia (I'm not so keen to go there.)  And you know what?  Each time she came back, we asked her how it had gone, and it turned out that she spent her time in her hotel room reading.  (I can only presume New Zealand, which happened after our friendship ended, went the same way, but definitely with the other three). And she absolutely hated Russia, where she lived with a family, even though Russian was her major.  It was very sad.  She was somewhat feral and nasty in her own environment.  I have no idea what they thought of this unfriendly American girl.

My point is, that even when we are uncomfortable trying new things, we should,  I've been to Chicago three times now, but never had the time to do more than travel to the conference and back, flying in one day, maybe taking the 'L' in, and flying out the very next day. I was very fortunate my first year to have a fellow Shriners librarian meet me at O'Hare and orient me to the trains and where to go, so I wasn't totally lost that first time.  But I didn't really experience Chicago.  Also, in times past, I was pretty much right there at the UIC-Illinois Medical District, where the various hospitals like the VA, Cook County, Rush University, UIC, etc., all congregate over by the University of Illinois at Chicago.  I didn't get to see much of any green space at all, and apparently from my conversation with one of the area librarians, there really is quite a bit of it in the city.  And I saw a bit this time, especially with the Museum Campus and Grant Park, although of course everything is still brown due to the winter and the thaw.  I would love to come later in the year sometime and go to the Navy Pier and spend more time in Millennium and Grant Parks.  I loved the architecture, and it took everything I had not to look up like a gaping tourist.  There was a honeycombed building, the one Steve McQueen was in during a movie, according to my colleague, that was a great landmark.  It was over near Trump Tower, which, despite the absolutely giant sign, made a good landmark, too.  I didn't go up to see the top of the Willis (formerly Sears, and possibly to be something else soon, as it's apparently up for sale) Tower, but my hotel room was on the 20th floor, above the hubbub of the street, overlooking the Chicago Riverwalk, and that was nice.

I learned that even though Chicagoans tend to wear dark winter jackets, and look at first glance to be very conservative in their dress at times (at least in winter), they seem to express personality with shoes, pants, and stockings.  I learned to manage to cross streets (always with the light, I wasn't brave enough to jaywalk, as even being in a crosswalk did not guarantee anyone was going to yield to you, and they drive very fast in short bursts, ready at the horn, especially the cabbies) without running into other people or cars, which is kind of a game of dodge 'em.  I'm a pretty slow walker, so I tried not to impede others too much. I kept my back to buildings when travelling with my gear or checking my position on my phone, and tried to keep aware at all times of my surroundings.  I did pretty well till I dropped my guard at the airport and lost my jacket.

The weather was very good, sunny each day and in the high 40s to low 60s.  Considering we'd gotten 17 inches of snow the week before plus Arctic cold, and I'm sure they've had low temperatures too, that was a blessing.  The weather was actually better than here, where we had fog on my day going out, and rain when I came in, with the temperature in Chicago being higher than here.

What I would like to have done:  I never managed to have Chicago-style pizza.  It would have been nice to see more of the museum (I was pressed for time), although the parts I skipped were largely the preserved exhibits, and taxidermied animals do tend to give me the creeps, although I recognise their scientific importance.  I would have loved to go to the Adler Planetarium or Shedd Aquarium as well.  And although I'm not sure, this may be my last year on the council (I'll have to check with my library association to see if they want to re-appoint me or send someone else, because the five-year contract with UIC is in its final year, although I think it's been renewed), I still have a Ventra reloadable transit card if I manage to come back, either with the RAC or on my own. :)

Okay, I think that's enough of a reaction piece for now.   I'm going to try to go back to bed,  Good night.

I am (finally) home

Sue - Field Museum (Creative Common Licence for this image)

Some lessons learned from my trip:

1. Keep your beloved jacket on no matter how sweltering the airport is, because you will otherwise lay it down and it will disappear.
2. Keep your parking ticket in the car rather than taking it on the trip and apparently leaving it in the jacket that you were going to lose.
3. How to navigate the mass transit system in Chicago, and also walking through downtown/the Loop.
4. When riding an articulated bus, do not sit inside the accordion in the middle, because if the bus comes to a stop as it turns, the floor moves under your feet while you try to stand up to get off the bus.
5. Double-check your credit card, because the hotel might be charging you for a second night when that was paid for by the university.
6. Chicagoans drive like maniacs, and make plenty use of the car horn. Stare them down and keep walking, but prepare for absolutely no yielding to pedestrians.
7. After several years, you can finally get the key card to operate an elevator, repeatedly, if you just keep trying.
8. Although I had a very good time, there really is no place like home.

Still, I kept up with a CPAP, a laptop, a purse, phone, and carry-on bag, plus took off and landed safely today, so I guess overall I did pretty well. I also lucked out amazingly because I met a colleague on the council at dinner yesterday, and she was not only at the same hotel, she had her car, and she offered me a ride to the meeting this morning, so I didn't have to take the Pink Line with all my bags, and then, because she doesn't live very far from the airport, she took me there, saving me time and money for a cab or the train. I think if I'd taken the 'L', I really would have been pushing it time-wise. A cab ride would have been expensive and I've never flagged one down before. I did offer her some gas money, but she wouldn't take it. We really hit it off, and I'm glad I met her.

So, to recap:

Wednesday I:
• Flew to Chicago after an hour-and-a-half delay due to fog in Lexington.
• Took the Blue Line train to downtown
• Found my hotel, Club Quarters at Wacker and Michigan
• Ate dinner at a restaurant at Millennium Park with various medical library directors who were in for additional meetings beyond what I was in for, but they invited those of us who came early. They were very encouraging of my job hunt in face of losing the library, and had good solid suggestions for marketing myself.

Downtown at a distance

Thursday I:
• Took two buses to the Field Museum, and spent time going through the exhibits there.
• Took a bus to a seminar where three speakers gave talks on the ethics and bias related to health literacy, how the exchange system works as a result of the Affordable Care Act, and evidence-based medicine and rapid reviews as practiced by the speaker's programme. It was worth 4 contact hours and was very interesting.
• Networked with my fellow Kentucky attendees.
• Ate dinner at Park Grill again, this time with a smaller group. Met a librarian who really helped me out in terms of getting to Friday's destinations.
• Walked an ungodly amount over the course of the day, over six miles.

Lake Michigan

Friday I:
• Got up at 6 am and got ready, then checked out of my hotel.
• Met my colleague and went to the Regional Advisory Council meeting.
• Had a continental breakfast.
• Set up a meeting with our GMR state liaison, who will be in Lexington next week, to come see my library.
• Had a very good meeting. Got a review of what's going on at the Greater Midwest Region office and did an interesting activity that really brought our ideas into focus. Had a lovely lunch; the vegetarian option was mozzarella and grilled pepper sandwiches.
• Was given a ride to the airport by my colleague.
• Changed shoes and made it through security.
• Grabbed a drink at McDonald's that was about $3 and mostly ice.
• Got a couple of small souvenirs for friends.
• Promptly lost my favourite jacket, with, apparently, my ticket for the oeconomy parking at Bluegrass Airport.
• Went back to the store, but they hadn't seen it. Someone now has a very nice jacket with my hospital logo on it and gloves that work with smartphone screens. Granted, one was a gift from a boss, who bought each employee in the department their choice of a fleece jacket (mine was purple and grey, had a zipper on the arm, two other zippered pockets, and two inner ones), and the pair of gloves was given to me by a now-retired co-worker because they were too big for her, but still, I loved them. I may see if my boss still has that catalogue and if I can buy another jacket with my own money at some point. But that jacket got me through the entire winter, practically, including two major snowstorms and sub-zero teperatures (I just layered underneath it).
• Made it into Lexington without delay, despite rain.
• Changed shoes, got out the umbrella, and went to the car.
• Promptly realised the ticket was not in my purse, and got into the trunk and tore all my packed luggage apart for it.
• Went to the attendant and explained the situation. Gave him my driver's licence, my boarding passes showing when I left and came back, and he took down my licence plate # and had me sign something, then charged me the correct amount ($24 for 3 days of oeconomy parking).
• Drove through UK, downtown, and stopped at Liquor Barn for wine so I can give a libation of thanksgiving to Hekate for a safe trip.
• Stopped by Taco Bell for dinner, as I hadn't eaten since noon and I didn't really know if there was any food in the house.
• Called my friends to let them know I was home. I sounded faded, and barely had the strength to get out of the car, repack the cases, and bring everything in.
• Grabbed the mail, came inside, dropped everything on the floor, checked that the breakables made it, and then ate.

Leaving Chicago

Almost home

Now I'm very tired. It may only be 9 pm, but I think I'll unpack the CPAP machine and get ready for bed. Good night.

Remarkably

my geraniums, which are in window boxes on my window sills in the living room, are actually not only over-wintering--they're blooming. Yay! That and the Christmas cactus have been cheering me up during all the snow. But the thaw is in full swing, and a lot of the snow has melted. Of course, it's supposed to rain much of the week here, and that will be a problem with the ground so saturated. But we've got a long stretch of 50s and 60s coming up, even when I'm back from Chicago. Double yay! Winter has to end eventually. It's not my favourite season anyway (spring is), and I'll be happy to see this one go.

I was busy at work today getting things ready for my absence. Tomorrow will also be pretty busy, but I've met with both of the people who back me up on aspects of my job and gave them a refresher. I'm going to miss a clinic that is insanely large (I guess things got bumped to it due to the weather).

I've gone to the library, returned a book, paid a fine (yes, sometimes librarians forget to take things back, too, although in my case it was a DVD with higher fines than a book would have had), renewed some others, and now I'm back at home. I need to work on the house, and I'm actually in the mood to now that I've had a couple of veggie sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches. It's 55 degrees and sunny outside, and I'm hot in here, so I'm tempted to open the windows but there's just a couple of more hours of sunlight, so instead I'll get into shorts and a tank top and maybe sit in front of the fan for awhile. The house is mostly about straightening up, and I need to take the recyclables (of which there are many) and the trash (not so much) out. I did the dishes and the laundry yesterday, so that's in good shape. I might go ahead and figure out what I'm going to wear in Chicago and what I need to pack, as well. I found some cards I've been looking for, but not all of them. They were tucked into one of those plastic window things you find in wallets, and they were actually where I thought they'd be, but had fallen down behind the area I was looking in. The others got separated at some point and I thought they were in my backpack, so I need to look there yet again. The ones I found just now were the important ones (such as insurance cards). The others are store cards, like the big Kroger one and my Speedway card, so they are replaceable. It would be nice to have them, though. Hopefully I'll find them as I straighten up. Oh, and I should wipe down the counters in the kitchen and clean the bathroom some. Okay, so I do have quite a bit to do. :) I also have to get some important papers and put them in a place I've told a friend about should anything happen to me on my trip (knock on wood, but it's good to be prepared).

Alright, I'm going to get into some cooler clothes and sit in front of the fan and go through my backpack/purses for those cards. Then I'll work on the rest of the house. Hope you had a good start to your week.

A day of serpent mages and magic carpet rides

Okay, for anyone who has never played Call of Cthulhu or other tabletop roleplaying games, that probably sounds weird. But the game today involved trying to get innocents away from a serpent mage, who bugged out of there with them when he found we were dispatching his Children of Yig (giant snakes) fairly quickly. So we didn't manage to free the innocents yet, but we did escape a crowd of almost two hundred degenerate snake-human hybrid people who were out for our blood by using magic to turn ourselves invisible and then rode the air back to the plane crash site we'd started from. So it was an exciting game, and no one died. Since one of my characters is currently magically bonded to another, I have to be very careful or if one is injured or dies, so it goes with the other. Brenda has three characters on this adventure, so the stakes are high for her as well. But we're trying to save a 6 year old girl, an airline stewardess, and a German guy from having their genetic material used to try to elevate his serpent hybrids to a more civilised form. Yeah, you guessed right on what that means. It's an interesting adventure. It's called 'Final Flight'. The book is very small. I'm not sure who publishes it; I don't think this one is a Chaosium one. One of Brenda's characters owns and airline and so it was a natural fit with a plane crash in the Amazon and all. Of course, it's kind of funny that I'm playing in this adventure right before taking a plane ride myself. But at least we'll be nowhere near the jungle. :) Here's hoping for an uneventful couple of flights this week.

The weather has improved for the trip in terms of temperatures, being in the 50s and 60s here and the 40s and 50s in Chicago. It may be raining here on the day I come back, but that should be okay. I have a lot to do before I leave. Tomorrow I'm going to pay some bills and start getting everything together I need to, as well as working on the house. I hate to leave on vacation with the house a mess, and it definitely is, although I did do four loads of laundry at my friends' house today while I helped them get their house ready for the game, so at least that's taken care of, and I'm doing a load of dishes in the dishwasher right now.

So now I'm listening to some Loreena McKennitt and considering that while I shouldn't be all that sleepy, as we're an hour ahead with Daylight Savings Time now, so even though it's after 10 pm my body should think it's nine, I am, indeed, sleepy. So I may turn in soon, and then start anew tomorrow, going to work and getting things ready for my absence, and then going to the library to turn in a book and renew some. Then I need to straighten up around here.

Okay, I think I'll check the news before I go to bed. If I don't write anymore tonight, have a wonderful evening.

Ahhhh...

In Lexington, at home, in my own bed, in the right time zone. Still a little pumped from the trip. And hot. I was hot in Chicago, where it was sunny and 70 degrees, I was hot on the plane and used the fan. Now, even though it's only April, it was stuffy when I got home so I put on the air conditioner and am in front of a fan. And they tell me my hormones are normal and I'm not hitting menopause yet. Maybe it's all that insulation I have. Anyway, I'm glad I'm back. I really appreciate the beauty of Lexington and the Bluegrass now. And I missed knowing where on earth I was going, too. :) Now I'm listening to music (James Blunt). I accidentally checked my headphones, so I couldn't listen to my phone's music at the airport, at least without raising the ire of my fellow passengers. I think I'm going to put my feet up and if I fall on to sleep, so be it. I've been up for hours, I've done a lot of walking, and I'm tired.

Seven hours before liftoff and I have decided that

I will just have to live with being a slob, and the house will not be straightened up, and the best I can do is take the trash out so nothing goes sour and live with it. It took an hour and a half to pack. I am terrified that I will oversleep. I have set no less than eight alarms on three devices, plus arranged for a co-worker who is insomniac to call me in the wee hours of the morning if she happens to be up. I don't know what else I can do.

One nice thing is that my CPAP humidifier comes off completely, halving the size. I'm carrying it in a very small bag, which includes my liquids, my medicines, my tablet, and Kindle. I'm not taking the laptop. I unfortunately could not fit the hose and face masque into the small bag, so it's in the rolling bag. Unless it's somehow too heavy, I should be able to not officially check that bag, but rather on a plane this small, they usually just tag it and put it in the back so as to free overhead compartment room.

I debated on saying anything about the timing of the trip, simply because it's an invitation for mayhem when you're away. Hopefully none of you who might be horribly drawn to crime are reading this and know where I live. I try not to be terribly specific. Someone might figure out the general location, but hopefully my specific apartment number isn't out there. But unless you plan on stealing books, there's not much of value in my house, really. :) Even the laptop is extremely basic.

Anyway, I'm charging up the electronics, I've packed and laid out my clothes for tomorrow. I'm going to wear my slip-on Birkenstocks through the airports but change to my regular walking shoes for sight-seeing. I tried to find a pair of pants that would have decent pockets in the front but still work for a business meeting, unlike my jeans, but alas, both Lane Bryant and Gabriel Brothers failed me. I called LB earlier and just asked, saving myself a trip to the mall. I went to Gabriel Brothers briefly to look, picking up a small umbrella, as there's about a 30-40% chance of rain tomorrow, and some underwear. On the way there was an accident involving a motorcycle. I don't think the cyclist was terribly hurt, as he was up and walking, but it tore his mirror off the cycle and I'm not sure what all else. I didn't actually see what caused him to wreck, just him falling, as I was several cars back, so I didn't wait for the police once he got up and got out of the street. But it was scary. I hope he's okay, although I suspect the bike is very much the worse for wear. But he didn't have a helmet on, so it could have been much worse. And I'm glad I wasn't involved. One, having been run over by a car, I try to avoid doing that to others. Two, the last thing I would need is a last-minute accident right before the trip. As you may remember, I was hit by a car last time I was supposed to go to Chicago.

So the only things left are to pull the CPAP back out, go to bed, get up early, take out the trash, and then get ready to head over to the airport. I should probably get some cash to tuck about my person, too, for the trip, while I'm still around an ATM that won't charge me. Good night.

Well, that's a relief

So, for some reason, I thought the Transportation Security Administration's 3-1-1 rule for liquids meant that the total liquid allowed was 3.4 oz, when it's individual bottles under that, with the quart-sized clear bag limiting the overall amount allowed per passenger. I was concerned because yesterday when I was at the optometrist's office, I asked for one of those little starter packs because they come with a travel-sized bottle, but the old ones were smaller than this one, which was 2 oz on its own. So I was trying to figure out what else I could take on my upcoming trip to Chicago. But I should be able to get that in the bag, along with the sample bodywash I have and some other necessities with no problem. And I don't have to include my injectable medicines, at least. So I'm good.

Things to do before the trip:
1. Clean house. I hate the idea of coming back to an unkempt house, and if (Gods forbid) anything happens, I'd hate for my friends and family to have to deal with my mess.
2. Figure out if I'm going to take my laptop or not. I don't really need to. It's a short trip, after all. I have other ways to get online, too. If I take it, I have to use its case as the second carry-bag, put my CPAP in larger bag (it will fit in the tiny case that came with the set, but I can't have that and the laptop bag, unless I check the larger case). Also, I'd have to put the following in the bins to be screened separately from the luggage: shoes and any jacket, laptop, CPAP, and liquids. That's quite a bit of bringing forth items through security.
3. Set a gazillion alarms the night before. I don't wake up easily like I used to. I have to get up by 3:30-4 am in order to get to the airport in time to go through security and be there for my flight, which is very early. The plan is to go to bed by 8 if possible, as I have a very busy couple of days once I wake up.
4. Do a little laundry. Yeah, I meant to do that this weekend. Mainly I want to make sure I have a couple of decent outfits and enough underwear, etc., for them.
5. Get all my printouts together. I have my confirmation to check in with, and definitely want a couple of copies of that, along with info on the sights and the actual meeting/seminar I'm going to.
6. Relax. Preparation got me through last time really well. And last time I did the whole trip and only spent $20. This time I should actually be able to have some fun.

Wish me luck.

This really disturbed me

Questions Follow Acid Attack on British Women in Zanzibar

I know that it the United States can be just as dangerous as anywhere else (for one thing, there's all those guns), but when I read about crimes such as this in faraway lands, I shudder. When I was young I considered going into the Peace Corps, seeing the world while helping others. Various things kept me from taking that road. Today, I seriously doubt I would do it for a host of reasons (mainly my health), but also because to be a Western woman in many of these areas is to be a target. As a woman and as an American, I would not feel safe, especially in Muslim areas, no matter how respectably I dressed or how well I acted. I would be out of my comfort zone, afraid to make an innocent mistake. So yes, while there are beautiful places I would love to visit, there are many that I find simply too dangerous to risk. I'm not sure whether that's giving into fear or merely being prudent. And of course this was a rare event in Zanzibar. But I think if I ever do go out of country, I'll be very careful to research my destination and make myself as safe as possible in my choices. Unfortunately, that is no guarantee. Those girls did everything they were advised to, did nothing overt to indicate that they were Jewish, for example, and generally did the right things. Yet they suffered terribly for the crime of being Western women strolling through the streets. It's a shame.

Well, for better or worse, I put in for the extra day

I think I can manage the trip without spending much in the way of cash until I get paid, which will happen the first night I'm in Chicago. I called the hotel to make sure I would get the group rate if I went up early. The reservation clerk told me there were only 3 rooms left for that day. I talked to my boss, who approved the extra day (we had a miscommunication where he thought he had already done so, whereas I thought he was mulling it over). I sent in my travel request immediately and the folks in Chicago are starting to work on that. So, I committed to a three-day trip, and hopefully I'll get to do my sight-seeing. The museum I'm going to is only $35 for an all-inclusive pass to experience all the exhibits. I can buy a day pass for the L and buses at the airport. I plan on taking a cab back to the airport at the end of the trip, but that is reimbursable, as will my food on the last two days (some of which will be provided at the conference). I'll probably eat in the hotel on the first night and then go out with a group for dinner on the first day of the conference. So, yay! I feel much better today.

I also found out that part of my job is expanding somewhat in that I will be putting more entries in than I currently do. So, I'll have to make even better use of my time while still trying to do referrals, do all the data entry, and run the library. :) I'm beginning to think I should ask for a raise on the data entry job, as my 'added duties' are becoming a big part of my work life.

I got the package from Amazon today that had my friend's birthday gift and my desk fan in it. It's a five-inch black fan that folds up and runs on either USB or AC USB adapter. I got it approved by plant operations and then ran it this afternoon. It's got a little noise to it, but the amazing thing is, I did not become sleepy during my data entry at all. Normally I do, and I always chalk it up to my blood sugar being a little high, but I think the lack of air circulation tends to make me sleepy. I work in a fairly small cubicle, and sometimes it gets stuffy in the afternoon. This was like an instant wake-up pill. The fan only has one setting, but it was reasonably priced and seems to work well. It's angle is very adjustable. I'm seriously thinking of getting another fan (a bigger one) for the living area at home so I don't head to the bedroom to lie in front of the one there, or have to move it back and forth. Maybe then I wouldn't turn in so early.

Tonight I'm going to try to straighten up the house a bit. There's the couple of shows on TV I wrote about last night on; I may watch or DVR them.

Man, it's only 5:47 and the light is fading. Usually the sun is streaming through, at least when I get a ride home, like I did today. But soon it'll be dark when I leave and come home from work--daylight savings comes to an end on the first weekend of November. Not fun. It'll be even worse. It's a good thing my winter coat is light blue; otherwise the bus drivers might not see me. I'll definitely be wearing it tomorrow morning--tonight it is supposed to get down to the upper 20s to low 30s with a frost warning out My little pepper plant is in, with a few peppers started on it. I hope it does well for awhile.

Okay, time to get away from the computer for awhile. After all, I spend most of my day on it. :)

It looks like I may not be able to go for the extra day in Chicago

I can pay off my credit card and have that before then, but my flexible spending account just flatlined and so I'm going to have to pay for some medicine I already have, which will eat into the cash I was going to have for the trip. The hotel is $200 for the night I'd be staying on my own coin, but for everything I'm thinking I'd need nearly $400 and I'll have more like $300. I would have enough money on the second day of the trip (I get paid then), but not on the day I'd be out doing things on my own. I don't know if I can juggle things to work out. I was going to use the credit card for the room, but if I used it on Wednesday and then paid for the room with my debit card after I got paid, it might be possible. If not, there's no sense in paying for that room if I can't do anything but sit in it. I don't really feel comfortable not knowing if I'll have enough money to pay for things in another city. I did that last year (although I was lucky enough to go to Chicago and back on $20. Really--but it was a source of much stress.) I have till Monday to decide. I'll run the numbers a couple of times to see if there's any probability I can swing it. I really do want to go to the Field Museum without bankrupting or stranding myself in the process. :)

After talking with YKWIA

for quite some time on the phone, I have decided to heed his advice concerning the tourist venue of choice (I do sometimes heed his advice, despite what he may tell you). Having a logical mind, he very rightly pointed out that I would enjoy the Field Museum more than an art museum because I have a science background, love natural history, and will actually understand what I'm seeing much more than I would looking a pretty pictures whose significance I don't really know much about (art history was something I learned as a conjunct to history and classics, but it would be better to go if I could take him along, since he has both studied art history and is an artist as well; sadly, I cannot do so.) Not to mention, the thought of a T. Rex skeleton (and I believe Sue is the one that Harry Dresden rode in one of Jim Butcher's books) warms my science geek heart. So the Field Museum it is. :) Now if I can just get that extra day off.

Good things

1. The library got my application and it has been referred on. They're having trouble with the system that sends a verification, but it did go through.
   
2. I'm halfway finished with Google's Power Searching with Google class. Much of the early stuff I'm familiar with already, but I am learning a few tricks I didn't know. I finished the mid-class assessment with a 100%.
   
3. I'm feeling much better today. I wasn't sure this morning, but I perked up and was very productive.
   
4. I have managed to answer some questions from a friend that might stump lesser librarians, although I'm still working on a few things for him that might be beyond me, like locating a book by its colour and weight. :)
   
5. I got a ride home from work.
   
6. I have the dates for the trip to Chicago (got that last week). It'll be in November this year, on a Thursday and Friday, which will be better for me in terms of the data entry/referral duties at work.
   

Whew!!!

There's a reason you haven't heard from me for a couple of days. Monday morning I flew to Chicago for a meeting of the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) of the Greater Midwest Region (GMR) of the National Networks of Library of Medicine {N/NLM) (say that three times fast), of which I am the state representative for Kentucky. I had not flown in over twenty years, certainly not since 9/11, so this was an adventure. Years ago I had a layover in O'Hare on a flight to Minneapolis, but I never got into the city itself. Oh, and I've never taken the train before, either elevated or subway. So this was definitely going to be an adventure--a quick one, as there was the RAC meeting yesterday and then a seminar today on mobile applications and devices in libraries, after which I headed back to O'Hare and took a flight home (thanks to Brandon and his family for picking me up and stopping by Subway so I'd have something to eat for dinner).

It was also a chance to meet my counterpart in Chicago for the first time, after corresponding with her and talking to her on the phone for nearly fifteen years. Turns out she's retiring in a little over a week. So we were able to get together. She was kind enough to meet me at the airport and orient me to the L, Chicago's elevated-subway train system, and had a pass for me, too. We also ate dinner later in the day and got acquainted. So that was good. Overall it was a fun time, although I spazzed over a few small things along the way.

Prior to the flight, I worried because of a fear of flying, the new security rules, and my size, which I was afraid would be an issue. Yesterday morning I ate just a few wheat crackers to settle my stomach. Fortunately I took the LexTran Keeneland/Airport bus to the terminal and that gave me some time to settle down. I've never been to the Keeneland racetrack and at least got to see what the buildings look like. Then it turned out that one of the local librarians I know was also on the council and was heading up just one seat behind me. As it turned out, I fit fine in the seat, didn't need an extender on the belt, or anything. I was calm and actually managed to read some of Gary Corby's The Ionia Sanction on the way. The plane was a small commuter one (I'm not sure how many seats it had, maybe 50?), with an aisle that was only about eighteen inches across. I did put my hand on the seat ahead of me a bit nervously during the landing, but I think I can be forgiven that due to the fact we were hurtling towards the ground.

I was a bit late to the meeting because it took awhile for me to find my colleague, (yes, I wandered around like a tourist with a terminal map in one hand and a rolling bag in the other) and we also had some trouble finding the building on the University of Illinois campus where it took place. The ride from O'Hare to the Medical District was interesting. They give you very little time to get through that door (and I had a rolling carry on). They're fairly jerky and loud. But overall I thought it was a good experience. After we'd walked all over the western campus, seeing just about every hospital there in the district, I was able to go to the meeting and fortunately they were still doing introductions. I managed to grab a little of the lunch I'd missed as well.

Later, we walked to the hotel. It was the first time I've every checked into a hotel on my own (I feel like such a yokel saying this.) [Even when I was a kid, and we went on the several moves across the country, we tended to stay in motels, usually the type where all the rooms open to the outside.] I didn't expect the $40 fee from my debit card for incidentals (of which I had none, so they'll refund it to me sometime this week, but that put my already limited funds further limited). I really had trouble with the keycards, especially in trying to get up the elevator. I finally got it to work correctly this morning after breakfast, my last ride up the thing. I could get to the lobby fine--that didn't require it, but each time I went to my room I had to rely on some stranger who was going up. And yes, I did everything they did, I just apparently did it poorly.

I got into the room (I stayed at the Marriott at UIC). It was lovely, but the only wall light switch was in the very entrance and it took me several minutes to locate any other switch in the room. There were several plates, all smooth. The switches were at the base of the various lamps, I just had trouble seeing them. So I felt totally like an idiot.

The room was lovely though, and while the sound of traffic would normally have bothered me, the CPAP covered that. Also, it was very nice of them to give us each our own room.

My librarian colleague and I met up and ate at the hotel restaurant and then I came back up and made a couple of calls to friends, and headed for bed by 9ish Chicago time (10 pm mine).

Today was much better. I woke after a good sleep, took a nice bath rather than my normal shower, had some oatmeal at the restaurant, then checked out of the hotel (after finally getting that keycard to work!) and rolled my little bag several blocks to the meeting area. We had a very good symposium, followed by a nice lunch, and then the librarian I'd flown with and I took a cab to the airport rather than the L. We got there very early because we weren't sure about security issues going back. But you know, the security stuff was easy going and coming, even with my CPAP and insulin and stuff. The only trouble I had on the way to Chicago was that I'd forgotten to take off my Medi-Alert bracelet, which I figured would set off the alarm. I tried and tried and couldn't get it off. They had me go through and it was fine. It took me 20 minutes to get it off last night, but I did. :) They have strange clasps that are meant to stay on under emergency circumstances. Anyway, Chicago, of course had longer lines, but they went quickly. I didn't go through a metal detector, I went through a body scanner. And then I collected my CPAP (which had to be out for inspection), shoes (Birkenstocks which slip off), little quart bag stuffed with liquids (I worked really hard to put in the citrus ginger lotion from the hotel in, but I had to leave behind the shampoo and conditioner they had), rolling bag, satchel, and coat. I think I had four bins and each airport. We found our gate without too much trouble and I started 'The Hunger Games' on my Kindle (that stayed off during the flight, though). I was a little more nervous on the flight back because of all the traffic at O'Hare and the fact it was cloudy and getting dark (I think it helps to be able to see the ground), plus there was more turbulence and a harder landing. But all in all, the flying was really rather fun.

All in all I enjoyed my trip, although I felt like an utter rube the whole time. But now that I know what I'm doing, I'm looking forward to next time. UIC has the contract for the GMR for five years, and the RAC meets yearly. So hopefully next time I'll be able to navigate better. I did a lot of prep work that made things easier, having information at my fingertips both in a folder of printouts and on my phone, at least. But next time I'll know more and I'd also like to maybe stay an extra night or two at my own expense and see some of Chicago, such at the museums or downtown. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm very glad to be home now, to be in familiar surroundings where people smile and acknowledge each other a little. The Chicagoans weren't rude, they just seemed preoccupied. The hotel staff and airport people were very helpful, I must say. But it's good to be home.

On that note, I am seriously considering going ahead and going to bed. If I don't write any more tonight, have a good one. Sorry I didn't update there; to be honest, I didn't want to announce to the world that my apartment was empty just in case someone unscrupulous out there knows where I live. It may sound paranoid; I call it good sense. Good night.