Travel log Friday June 19, 1998

12:06AM: Top Gun
It was pretty clear out, because I could see the lights of all the tall buildings downtown from the top of the coaster. I always volunteered for lift inspection basically to get away from everyone, to thoughtfully pace my ascent & rest on a perch far above Paramount's Great America. This was as good as it was going to get. I had no idea when I'd return below, there'd be an overthrown pivot on train 2, row 7 that affected the whole row's locking mechanism & require me to stay until 2:30 AM.
1. Why do you think guys spit off of every structure?

6:53AM: My bed
OH SHIT I awoke startled having realized I slept right thru the alarm, my mother getting up hours before & a few stampedes of my cat's nightly recon missions. got up, scrambled around in a groggy haze developing my swearing vocabulary (it's actually been some time since I've yelled c-sucker), throwing everything I could think of in my suitcase. Things didn't look good at all, how the hell could I get a backup flight on a friday morning. A black cloud hovering over yet another internet trip.
2. What was the hardest time you've had getting to an internet fest (great story op)?

7:32AM: SJC Gate 2
"Sorry, flight 617 has already departed." "Are you kidding, I'm 2 minutes late?!?!?!"I asked as if she would have the plane turn around on the runway. "Would you like to be put on the standby list for the 8:30 flight?" So I sat & started writing a list of things I had already realized I'd forgotten: "address book, directions, cell phone, socks..."
3. What do you forget to pack the most on your trips?

9:42AM: LAX arrival loop
I was going to rent a Harley Sportster (only $75/day) & there was the rental shuttle right in front of me. I had a suitcase, but I know I'd be coming home w/ 2. How the hell to get the 2nd one back to the airport..... hmmmm... The Hertz shuttle pulled in front of the Harley one as I was deciding. cutting off a motorcycle (or symbol) was sign enough for me to get on the Hertz bus.
4. do you leave things up to fate? what's happened when you you go against "the signs?"

11:20AM: 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica
I wasn't checking in to The Beverly/ Avalon thing until later, but I'd left a message for Spotfesters to the effect of "I have no idea what's going on & have no way to keep in contact w/ anyone besides a paper chase." I needed to have a beer, skate & be cool like Fonzie, so I did just that. I also was in a pick up game of volleyball to help warm up since I was missing the first v-ball league game at work this weekend. I also went to 3rd street & explored the cultural retail mecca melange. I was so gullable w/ a couple of women fawning over things. I was on the other side of the sales floor for once, but the sales people I worked with weren't anything like this. I knew their attitudes would be 180 outside the store, but I bought some clothes sized for an 8 year old boy anyway. but I did get a lot of insence & a hemp bag & other stuff I really didn't need, but was neat to have...
5. Are vacations about shopping? Why do you "get the shirt?"

1:20 Hollywood Hills coffee shop
So I went to Main street in Venice & saw Ahnold's Gym. I didn't see him there this time. I also went to World street Cafe, the only cyber cafe I knew & the computers were all off line. *sigh* I should have used the one in SJC to post my SOS. Enroute to the Beverly to check my message in a bot-tle, I stopped off & had a meal at Trent & Mike's favorite cafe & looked at all the beautiful babies as I tried to remember what I was going to do w/ the rest of the weekend...
6. Have you ever spent a vacation looking for some... thing? (What was it you were looking for? holy grail & lost ark don't count)

9:38PM: Harry's driveway
Paul left a note, but the phone number didn't work, which made me iffy about the address, but I knew it was off Mulholland. I also got a couple of other notes from 2 women I had met before over the internet & In Real Life which are now friends after having met Nina. I decided not to change since I was pretty much in theming for the party, but at the last minute I decided to bring my suitcase. I bolted hopefully to Harry's. There was no time on the paper or on any of my mailing list notes. Did I miss it?? Was it a day luau?? Nervousness set in. There I saw a few things happen in rapid succession: Vicki was standing out front bewildered. For some reason she was taking a cab home, for some reason her car crapped out. I saw alan bear & was that Toga? Yes, yes it was! So in all my rubbernecking, vicki took off, alan did too, which also didn't hit me as a permanent thing until later... Or I would have said bye & bye? writitng to Vicki later, I wouldn't have let her take a cab home & that I wanted to have a looksee at the car had I had more than 5 minutes to think about it before the cab took off. Things were definately happening faster than I could keep up with. I was definately at the right place.
7. Has anybody ever broken anything at that party you had while your parents were away? What was it? (besides the crystal football).

10:43PM: Harry's home
I walked right into an interview w/ someone I'll call "Cassette Taping Man." I'd heard conversations like this before, him asking & a group of people I knew telling about whey they thought websodics took off & their appeal, the phases of what'd happened (IRC chats, e-mails, get togethers, trips, life-long obsession, brain chip implants...). He was apparently satisfied with what he'd gathered before departing. apparently there was another party downstairs & outside.
8. do you usually introduce yourself @ a party or do you ask around about the mystery guests?

BBQ was going on w/ lobster tails, fish & every other animal unable to escape the clutches of Ralph's industrial advances, people were gossiping, clique sectors formed which even Harry decreed the "Line of Demarcation" people cought up & chatted in the clear evening sky. People kept referring to the spot, still talking about quotes & everything. To me the Spot was my Freshman experience & I was droppping out of my senior year @ internet college. I listened to what people were up to now, & what big roles/ events were on the horizon. For a second year, I forgot to bring my Spot book but it didn't seem as much of a big deal as last year.
9. Do you have any tv series or motion pictures you wished they'd bring back cause you liked them so much?

Everyone was pretty casual & as usual, I wasn't cold until everyone kept talking about how cold it was. There IS a little hypochondrea in me, isn't there? Everything started to gravitate around Harry's computer room where I believe a sign will be posted banning rice within a 3 room radius. :) One of the greatest things was the Troops parody of Star Wars which was hilarious, creative & geekingly accurate. Things were posted, techno terms flew like underwear at a Zeppelin concert. TOGA was pretty damned funny, I'm so glad we met. The impressions of Harry & the Harry 101 seminar I'll remember big time. The last of us took off, but I was still very restless for the evening, the swingshift adrenaline kicking in...
10. where do you drive when you get that late night urge to leave home?

I drove by the Hwd athletic club on the way to the Derby, but that's after midnight... tune in "tomorrow..."