WHOOP DOODLE!

San Francisco!  I love this place.

On the way here, I sat next a guy flying ultimately to Sacramento.  His inbound flight had been delayed by the heavy thundershowers in Houston early this morning, and he mis-connected to his early SMF flight.  He was routed onto my flight, and then to a connection to Sacto. 

He and the other woman in our row were both kvetching about Continental.  Basically, Continental was clearly inadequate because they didn't call the guy's original outbound back to the gate.

"I could see it through the window, they'd pushed back but they were just sitting there!"

I said nothing.  I just kept reading my book.

The woman on the aisle started in - our flight was scheduled at 11:05, and it was 11:08 - they had already told us we had a very minor maintenance issue - but SHE just KNEW that we were going to be sitting there - captive on the plane. 

Moments later, we were told that the maintenance issue was that a seat back wouldn't lock, and mechanics were working on it.  She just KNEW that they were making an excuse - Continental was clearly about to cancel the flight. 

More people boarded - a steady trickle of people looking for overhead space and a seat.

Now, she just KNEW that Continental was holding out flight to accommodate a few other passengers, that they could cancel another Continental flight later today.

They then closed up the boarding door, but we didn't push back right away.  We were now about twelve minutes after scheduled departure.

My row-mates now began to postulate on just how late we were going to be; my SMF bound neighbor was convinced he was now going to get stuck in SFO, as he'd clearly miss his connection.

The flight crew then told us that the jetway wasn't retracting, that the ground techs were working on it, and that they expected to arrive on time in spite of the late departure.

"Now, why would they say THAT?"  More speculation.

I kept reading my book.  I reflected on my own judgment of their conversation, and decided I needed to take a chill pill.

We were flying on a brand-spanking new airplane, with in seat DirecTV at every seat.  We had six flight attendants, were served a free hot meal, had three drink services, and we arrived on the dot.  Not a single moment later than the schedule had suggested. 

As we taxied into the gate (without delay), my seat mate was suggesting that he had nearly taken a cab across Houston to Hobby Airport, to catch a Southwest flight home.

My ability to hold my tongue evaporated.

"Yes, I've heard that they have better weather"

"Huh?  At Hobby?"

"No.  Southwest.  They have far better weather than does Continental"

I mean, really?  We just flew across the continent in a brand new, clean, safe, comfortable airplane, you just got to watch two feature films AND Fox News at your seat, you were fed for free, we arrived right on time AND for three hundred dollars?

A trip from Houston to San Francisco just fifty years ago would have taken a day.  Seventy years ago would have taken two and a half.  A hundred and fifty years ago, it would have taken MONTHS.

I have a lot more to say about this issue, but I'm gonna stop bitching, and go with David to have some Goat Hill pizza

Midnight Nightmare Moonlight multi-plex

Involuntarily and unwittingly joining a Mafia-like organization involving rental apartments
Lots of dreams in which my mother is a significant actor
Speaking one last time in church, with hundreds of devoted patrons, and David Boreanaz as the minister
Mayhem and mystery

Please tell me it's just sinus related, due to the fact that all of the trees are pollinating...

Environmentally unsound, but still worth doing --

This weekend's "honey do" list (for me, from me and by me) -

• Laundry
• Clean the apartment
• Wax the car
• Work on my exterior signage for tax season
• Help a friend with some demand letters tomorrow at lunch
• Try to get my WordPress install finished so I can start putting up content
• Photograph/describe/upload listings for eBay
• Write at least four chapters of book #1
• Outline (new) book #6
• Read the rest of Dan Brown's new book
• Map out the 4G integrated vehicle system I want designed/installed 

I just don't know how to interpret documentation about class 2 data buses, PHP  or MySQL.

Yet.

So, when I moved to Houston in 1981, we had just finished a period where arrested individuals of color could be found floating face down in the Bayou with their hands behind their backs.  That time, thankfully, has passed, but I continue to object people throwing things into the Bayou.

However - I am oft motivated to ignore my own feelings about the Bayou and express my frustration and displeasure in exactly the same way that the po-leece used to do.

Point in fact - WordPress. 

Point in fact - the intense pusillanimous political pissing contest

Point in fact - people who drive trucks that are too large for parking spaces, and block traffic with them

Point in fact - the notion that government is incompetent, therefore tax collections should be denied government, but government should continue to supply road maintenance, infrastructure improvement, fire and police protection, be fully staffed at all times, have no waiting lines or fees, and be Doris Day perky while doing so.

Point in fact - people who want airfare to be $200, regardless of where they are flying, but then expect champagne, no line, a hot meal, unlimited baggage allowance and no weather, no delays, and to be first up and first off the airplane.

Point in fact - people who refuse to leave their cell phones idle during a movie or theater performance.

That is a whole class of people about whom I wouldn't mind reading that they were found floating face down in the bayou with their cell phone clenched in their hands - behind their backs.