jpskewedthrone | I Return . . . With a Story

So I managed to make it home yesterday from Kansas City, where all of the AP Calculus exams have now been graded. It's all in the hands of ETS now. Had a blast while I was there and I'm hoping I get invited to go back again next year. *fingers crossed* Technically speaking, this was my sixth and last year. However they usually need college professors to fill out their quota of those, and not many are interested, and I'm a fairly fast and accurate grader. So there's hope.

Trying to get back into the swing of things. Today, I'll most likely work on the Ur-Bar anthology stuff. We've gotten in most of the finalized stories, so are just doing the last minute info collecting so that contracts can go out to the authors. Once we have contracts signed, we'll be announcing the table of contents to the world. ("We" meaning Patricia Bray and I, as the editors.) You can now preorder it in many places, so check out AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR at your favorite online site.

There was an on-going saga for the Kansas City trip though. It began with my electric shaver breaking on the morning of departure. I shaved, trimmed everything up . . . and then couldn't turn the damn shaver off. It just wouldn't stop. The off button was jammed or something. I finally gave up and just left it running, threw the rest of my morning ablutions crap into the suitcase and jetted out of Binghamton. After arriving in KC, I got out my netbook and ordered a replacement shaver to be sent to the hotel with 2 day shipping. I can skip shaving for 2 days and it doesn't bother me.

Skip to the next day. Wake up, go to use my electric toothbrush (a Sonic), and the brand new headpiece I'd thrown in my suitcase (from a packet of 3, one of which I'd already used) doesn't want to stay on the motor part. So I have to brush my teeth while holding the head onto it. This probably destroyed any of the benefits of having "sonic" action for brushing teeth.

Day 2: Shaver doesn't arrive as scheduled. It's in IL.

Day 3: Shaver doesn't arrive. It's still in IL.

Day 4: Shaver doesn't arrive. It's still in IL. Beard is starting to annoy me. Toothbrush is still not working but I'm dealing.

Day 5: Shaver has left IL. "In transit." I break down and get the crappy disposable razor and shaving cream and shave that night. I haven't done this is probably 15 or 20 years. It's bloody, but it gets the job done.

Day 6: Shave is in KC but not at the hotel and not out for delivery. But beard is gone, so not that urgent, although annoying. However, tomorrow is the last day of the grading session and Thursday I fly home early, so if it doesn't get delivered to the hotel, I'm screwed.

Day 7: Out for delivery. Last day of the grading session. After finishing, I get back to the hotel and find it has arrived, one full week after I ordered 2 day delivery. But at least it arrived. I shave with it.

Day 8: Return home with new shaver in my carry-on. Luggage, however, is left in Detroit. At the airport, there is NO ONE at the DELTA desk to help with the lost baggage claim. They're all trying to get a flight with mechanical issues off the ground. This is annoying, but forgiveable. (It's a small airport.) However, when someone does finally come up front to help, he's curt and rude. When politely asked what his name is, with a glance down toward his security badge, HE FLIPS THE BADGE OVER SO THAT I CAN'T READ IT. Instantly pisses me off. I was willing to let the luggage thing go, since shit happens. I was even ready to say, fine, problems with the plane, grumpy passengers in the waiting room, everyone scrambling to solve the problem so no one is at the desk . . . understandable. Let it go and be glad I'm home in one piece. But flipping the badge over, on purpose, to a polite question, simply indicates to me that there was something going wrong that he felt guilty about, something he COULD get in trouble for, and so now I'm going to do something about it. I checked with some other employees at the airport before leaving to determine if it was policy that security badges be visible at all times, and it is. So now there's going to be a write-up.

In any case, I'm home. Be prepared for some updates to the DAW blog (hopefully today) and some more activity on here now. This was the last major thing interrupting my summer schedule of write, write, write, so you should be hearing from me more.