Life Is Such A Sweet Insanity.

So this is the view from my hotel window in Allen, Texas. The freeway with the blurry cars is US Route 75. It’s always busy.

I’m in Allen, Texas on business this week. I’ve met the other members of the group I work in for the first time face-to-face and I have to admit that I feel more comfortable than I thought I would. I like these folks. It’s so much better when one can put a face to a name.

Tonight we had a team building exercise at a place called Top Golf and I swung a golf club for the first time in my life. I’m not good at it at all but I was able to hold my own and not completely embarrass myself. I was happy that I got up the nerve to golf in front of my co-workers! Perhaps a couple of beers helped the situation.

The training is going well and I think my eyes have only gazed over once or twice so far. Sometimes when there’s a lot of incoming data one can get overloaded. Reviewing notes and the like is certainly helping. I’m such a geek.

My theory about my insanity is holding true; I still sleep best in the Central Time Zone and I have absolutely no explanation as to why.

Since the advertised WiFi is not working on this flight, I thought I would try something else along the line of “firsts”. So I’m having my first in-flight alcoholic beverage.

I don’t know the name of the flight attendant that is working coach, but he is a handsome gentleman and he apologized for not having an orange to include with my Blue Moon.

The food choices are rather limited. My supper consisted of a can of Pringles, two free Biscotti cookies, a Diet Coke in a leaky cup and this can of Blue Moon. I see the first class flight attendant walking around with a submarine sandwich. Apparently that’s a first class thing only. Someone is going to have to let me fly somewhere via first class someday. Preferably on a 747.

That will be a grand blog entry entitled “Firsts”. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my first alcoholic beverage on a flight.

So I was all excited on my flight from Syracuse to LaGuardia because there was WiFi. I confirmed that there would be WiFi on the 3 1/2 hour flight from LaGuardia to Dallas-Ft. Worth. I would be able to do my surfing thing and actually accomplish some things I wanted to get done online.

It was when we reached 10,000 feet and we were permitted to use electronic devices that they informed us that the WiFi on this aircraft was inoperative at this time. So, I paid $9.95 plus tax for a day pass of WiFi when I could have bought a shorter pass for the first flight today.

I wouldn’t say that I’m pissed off about this, but I do find it disappointing. If you’re going to scream about WiFi on your flights, you should make sure that your WiFi is actually working. Geeks get hostile when they’re promised an Internet connection and they don’t get it. I have several tech friends that have two internet connections at home so that they’re never disconnected. I have contingency plans for our internet connectivity at The Manor. While I’m sure that Internet connectivity is hardly a priority on a commercial flight, I do expect a company to come through on their promises.

So, Delta Airlines, you disappointed me a bit on this flight. I’m on a regional jet for three and a half hours, there is no entertainment available (though the three women in row 11 are amusing in an irritating sort of way) and now we have no WiFi.

Such a first world problem I know. I should have commissioned the LearJet.

So tonight Earl and I decided to mix it up a little bit try a restaurant at one of the local casinos for dinner. Normally we go to the ever-growing Turning Stone Casino but this restaurant is at Vernon Downs Casino, a much smaller venue that is trying to bring some year round pep to the aged horse track.

We knew it was going to be an interesting experience when Earl spotted a used condom next to the Jeep in the parking lot. It wasn’t ours.

The restaurant, Mr. G’s, was kind of meh. The ads showed an impressive bar space which led one to believe that it’s kind of like a pub. The truth of the matter is, the nice bar space is situated in one corner of this ballroom turned restaurant and quite frankly it had all the ambience of a hospital waiting room. Really high ceiling, foldable wall and one big fluorescent light fixture in the middle of the room. The food was decent, though Earl’s hamburger was kind of rare, but it didn’t kill us so we were satisfied. My beer was flat.

After that swanky experience we went into the casino, which only has video gaming machines. Since the ATM only gave out $100 bills, I put one in a machine and it was kind enough to let me take out $150 after three spins. I cashed in my ticket and called it a night. Earl had similar luck with his round of video gaming and we were out of there within a half hour. The condom stayed behind.

The slip pictured above is actually after Earl decided to play $5 on our way out. He actually came out ahead as well.

We decided to drive off to the aforementioned Turning Stone Casino where Earl played poker in the poker room and I watched people mill about for a few hours. I actually played one of my favorite games, “Count the Mustaches”. They were found on men both young and old and a couple of surly women. I didn’t include the ladies in my tally, that just didn’t seem like the galant thing to do.

Earl came out of the poker room with a wad of cash. We had a spot of dessert and decided to call it a night while we were still ahead in the game.

I think it was a good way to kick off the weekend.

I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I slept good when I actually slept, but I woke up around 0400 ET and I was unable to fall back asleep. So, I’m in the mood for a nap for the rest of this lunch hour.

There are men in their own cars on either side of me napping right now. I seem to have found the right spot for a nap today. Perhaps it’s the view of the snow bank that makes this the perfect spot.