stoutfellow (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stoutfellow) wrote2008-08-15 05:21 pm
stoutfellow) wrote2008-08-15 05:21 pm
San Diego/Denver
I don't have much to say about my visit to San Diego. I saw most of the family and got some pictures of two of the great-niblings; other than that, it was a quiet and, above all, restful few days - which I needed, in between the busy-ness of MathFest and Denvention.
My flight landed in Denver at about 5:30 local time. Moments after we deplaned and the plane was unloaded, a thunderstorm rolled in and lightning struck the field. Several planes (thankfully, not mine) had to sit on the tarmac, their cargo holds full, until the storm subsided. It was after six when I finally got to a taxi, and I asked the driver how long it would take to get to the hotel. (Registration for the convention closed that day at seven, and I was concerned about checking in at the hotel and getting registered.) By the time we reached downtown Denver, the timing was tight enough that I just had him drop me at the convention center. Fortunately, the P-Z line at registration was empty, so I could just walk up and get my packet. I asked how to get to my hotel, and was told to go two blocks north, then catch the westbound MallTram and get off at Arapahoe. (She was insistent that I take the tram; it was too far to walk. In fact this was not true; it was a total of five or six short blocks, a pleasant walk on a cool morning or a clear evening. However, given that it was raining and I was hauling my luggage, I have to say that her advice was sound.)
After checking in at the hotel, I hurried back to the convention center, in hopes that the Summerfaire event would still be in progress - there, if anywhere, was a chance to catch some other Bujold listies. There weren't many people there when I arrived, but I finally spotted someone in a Barrayaran uniform, who turned out to be Steve Salaba. I'm not sure he remembered me - another not-since-Komarr - but he pointed me at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mbernardi, who did, and in turn pointed out filkferengi amid a cluster of listies. (In addition to filkferengi, the crowd included dan_ad_nauseam, mmegaera, and Sasha, whom I'd met before, but also nlbarber, Mary, Franz, Little Egret, the Bartons, Stellan, and Frank Kempe, whom I hadn't. There was some discussion of the disparity between mental images and reality; for instance, I had been sure nlbarber was taller and dark-haired. For some reason, people's mental images of me were pretty close to the reality....)
Not much else happened that day;filkferengi, Stellan, and I wandered over to the con suite in search of food, and after a while I excused myself and headed for bed.
My flight landed in Denver at about 5:30 local time. Moments after we deplaned and the plane was unloaded, a thunderstorm rolled in and lightning struck the field. Several planes (thankfully, not mine) had to sit on the tarmac, their cargo holds full, until the storm subsided. It was after six when I finally got to a taxi, and I asked the driver how long it would take to get to the hotel. (Registration for the convention closed that day at seven, and I was concerned about checking in at the hotel and getting registered.) By the time we reached downtown Denver, the timing was tight enough that I just had him drop me at the convention center. Fortunately, the P-Z line at registration was empty, so I could just walk up and get my packet. I asked how to get to my hotel, and was told to go two blocks north, then catch the westbound MallTram and get off at Arapahoe. (She was insistent that I take the tram; it was too far to walk. In fact this was not true; it was a total of five or six short blocks, a pleasant walk on a cool morning or a clear evening. However, given that it was raining and I was hauling my luggage, I have to say that her advice was sound.)
After checking in at the hotel, I hurried back to the convention center, in hopes that the Summerfaire event would still be in progress - there, if anywhere, was a chance to catch some other Bujold listies. There weren't many people there when I arrived, but I finally spotted someone in a Barrayaran uniform, who turned out to be Steve Salaba. I'm not sure he remembered me - another not-since-Komarr - but he pointed me at
mbernardi, who did, and in turn pointed out filkferengi amid a cluster of listies. (In addition to filkferengi, the crowd included dan_ad_nauseam, mmegaera, and Sasha, whom I'd met before, but also nlbarber, Mary, Franz, Little Egret, the Bartons, Stellan, and Frank Kempe, whom I hadn't. There was some discussion of the disparity between mental images and reality; for instance, I had been sure nlbarber was taller and dark-haired. For some reason, people's mental images of me were pretty close to the reality....)Not much else happened that day;
filkferengi, Stellan, and I wandered over to the con suite in search of food, and after a while I excused myself and headed for bed.