I understand better now what most people mean when they refer to
"Airline food."  I hopped five planes in five days, stopping in
Chicago twice.  That is to say, I flew "Cattle Class" from Manchester
NH to Chicago IL to San Jose CA to Portland OR to Chicago IL to
Manchester NH.  Having a laptop along made all the difference.
Sometimes I did actual work and other times I played some games I had
loaded as necessary diversions from the cramped space I was in.  It
was better than watching a silent movie because I wont pay $5 for a
cheap pair of previously used headphones.

I arrived in San Jose after 10PM local time so my day was well over 20
hours old.  The Hertz rental agency was low on the low-end cars so
they asked if I would mind driving a 2000 Mustang Convertible for the
same price.  It was nice but I was unable to take advantage of the
convertible top; San Jose was rather chilly this time of year.

Arriving at the hotel, I asked for a courtyard view so I wouldn't be
bothered by the traffic sounds of the highway on the outside rooms.
After taking some time, the only thing Leticia could find for me was a
3-room suite, with parking underneath, which she booked for me at no
extra charge.  Back home in the east, it was already my birthday so I
accepted both upgrades as a sign that my forties were going to bode
well for me.

Although some attention has been given my passage into the firm middle
of the population, it should be noted here that my father edged upward
to 69 last Wednesday (12/15) and that Hope (Joy's sister) and Tom
Scheuermann celebrated their wedding anniversary (12/16) for the
upper-twentieth time (27th?).  Some interesting things are happening
on Dad's front and I hope to be able to share it with you sometime
soon.

On my brithday, I gave a 30-minute presentation and sat through all
the others.  Later, all the managers went out to eat at the Tied
House, a beer hall with eats.  I had steak; a consolation for the
place I wwould have really wanted to go on my birthday, which was the
Black Angus steak house.  Ah well, it was all paid for, and they did
give me a nice card.

Portland was windy and rainy.  The descent to the Portland airport was
very bumpy and stress-inducing, especially to my traveling companion.
I wasn't too worried until the plane gets to a point of no return to
the sky and must land; about 50 feet above the ground or so, and by
then it a moot point.

Some of the meetings there were preempted by reorganizational
announcements but I came away encouraged about the investment of my
time and company money for sending me all over the country.

I touched down in Manchester about 4:15 on Saturday, giving me plenty
of time to get ready for the Christmas party at the church.  Joy,
Miranda, and I attended for a round of games and an abbreviated Yankee
Swap.  

We've begun preparations in earnest for our own Christmas party on
Thursday 12/23.  You are invited and welcome to share an evening of
good company and holiday cheer.  

We are breaking with tradition this year and will miss our church's
Christmas Eve service to attend one at a church near some Metcalfe
relatives in southern Massachusetts.  We hope to see our church
friends on the 23rd or the 26th.

Merry Christmas
(and don't sweat Y2K)

Mark
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