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smofbabeInstead of sitting in Sydney waiting for the plane to take me to Melbourne, I'm still in the Bay Area. For the first time in all of my trips to/from Australia, business class was oversold for the flight I wanted to take and when I called on Friday to check, United said there was no possibility of getting an upgrade on points. Stephen (as a higher-status being) managed to get one and because he had to be back at work, has already left. I, OTOH, did not have to worry about being home on Monday (given that it's Sunday in the US with whom I work). Given that United said the odds were much better for my getting the upgrade on Sunday night, I decided to take the chance, pay the A$100, and change days. I've never done the trip in coach and given my painful neck (not to mention my fondness for comfy seats the recline and have a footrest), I didn't want to start now. I still have to deal with my luggage at the airport but Stephen will stay home so he can take it upstairs for me when I arrive.
Drove up to SFO last night, took Stephen out to dinner and then dropped him back off. A check of the United web site when I got back to my friends' place showed that the gamble paid off: I now have a confirmed business class seat. My exciting use of the extra day here included doing laundry, picking up a tech gizmo for Stephen, working in the office (where I am now) for a couple of hours, shopping a bit, and then meeting![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
athenais for dinner before flying home.
The visit to the tech gizmo guy might interest some of you. He does this side business out of his home and took me upstairs so he could get the thing and its cable for me. Lo and behold, there was a piece of art on the wall facing me that included a self-portrait of Michael Whelan surrounded by beasties. I said, "Where did you get the Whelan?" The techie said, "You recognize Michael Whelan?" I mentioned being involved in sf fandom and conventions and he cheerfully informed me that he attended Nycon when he was 13 and has other art pieces he's picked up over the years... like, three by Jim Burns, a Richard Powers, a David Cherry, a Bob Eggleton, and an early piece by Donato Giancarlo! He was pleased to be able to show them to someone who'd recognize how cool they were and I was amazed to see the equivalent of an art show panel in a complete stranger's house!
Drove up to SFO last night, took Stephen out to dinner and then dropped him back off. A check of the United web site when I got back to my friends' place showed that the gamble paid off: I now have a confirmed business class seat. My exciting use of the extra day here included doing laundry, picking up a tech gizmo for Stephen, working in the office (where I am now) for a couple of hours, shopping a bit, and then meeting
athenais for dinner before flying home.The visit to the tech gizmo guy might interest some of you. He does this side business out of his home and took me upstairs so he could get the thing and its cable for me. Lo and behold, there was a piece of art on the wall facing me that included a self-portrait of Michael Whelan surrounded by beasties. I said, "Where did you get the Whelan?" The techie said, "You recognize Michael Whelan?" I mentioned being involved in sf fandom and conventions and he cheerfully informed me that he attended Nycon when he was 13 and has other art pieces he's picked up over the years... like, three by Jim Burns, a Richard Powers, a David Cherry, a Bob Eggleton, and an early piece by Donato Giancarlo! He was pleased to be able to show them to someone who'd recognize how cool they were and I was amazed to see the equivalent of an art show panel in a complete stranger's house!
