So yesterday, I got to Chicago, got off the plane and walked to baggage claim. I didn't feel as though I were going particularly slowly, but by the time I got there, the bags were already on the belt, and as I walked towards it, I could see my bag riding along, and without breaking stride, practically, I grabbed it and kept going.

I looked exactly as though I were stealing it. Nobody ran after me, demanding to see my baggage claim ticket, though.

So I'm striding along, bug-eyed with exhaustion, listening to something or other on my Walkman, when suddenly this little spiky-haired girl with a bunch of piercings came bounding up to me with a questioning look on her face. I took off my headphones.

"Kymm?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm Emily! Emily Weise! You know, Mildew!"
"I know who you are, for heaven's sake!"
"I saw the hair, and it's JournalCon weekend, so I thought that there was a pretty good chance it was you."
"And that's why I have the hair, you see, so that people can find me and I don't have to expend any effort at all."

We stood there and talked for awhile, and it was really something, since we've known each other since she was like 6 1/2 years old or whenever she started her journal, and yet had never met.

"You want some swag? You want to be the first receiver of swag? Besides Katie--actually the first receiver of swag who doesn't actually live with me."
"O yeah!"

So I pulled my not-stolen suitcase over to the side and opened it, and gave her...a flyswatter. A flyswatter with my name and URL. That's the Great and Secret Swag. And she laughed gratifyingly, and Lord knows she's just as cool as, as, something that is very cool indeed, so I knew that they would be a hit.

I asked her if she were going to the hotel, but she was waiting for the next several hours for Josh and Cindy and Claire, and I had no intention whatsoever of not going immediately to the hotel and collapsing like a rock, so we parted.

I was in Terminal 3, and I had to get to Terminal 4 to get the train, and I was looking around and looking around, and I could see nothing about how to get to another Terminal, but there was a big-ass taxi stand in plain sight, and the choice was clear.

It ended up being a $30 cab ride, but I found out that the train took an hour, so it was worth it.

My cabbie was very funny, he had all of these patented "Conversation Starters For Airport Passengers™", but no follow-through, so he would ask:

"Where did you fly in from?"
"Have you been to Chicago before?"
"Are you here for a conference?"

And no matter what I answered back, I would get not a follow-up question, but a completely different topic introduced. The only thing he asked that had anything to do with my answer was:

"Where did you fly in from?"
"New York."
"Did they find the anthrax there?"

Which led me to believe that he had one topical question prepared per major city. It was like talking to that cabbie robot in True Lies.

Got to the hotel, got my room, chose the bed away from the door (foolishly, because I kept waking up Jette all weekend long), and went to sleep.

And now I have to go! Two entries done, and I haven't even gotten to the part about JournalCon yet. Building up the suspense, that's what I'm doing, yep. At least I wrote an entry this morning, I should get some points for that at least!

Today's horoscope:
Part of you wants to be out in the world; the other half yearns to stay at home. You need both; don't let guilt get in your way.

One year ago today:
I'm not looking gift frozen food in the mouth.

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Last Updated Wed 17 October 10:18:09 2001