Oh yawn. I'm trying to figure out when to go to the Javits Center tomorrow. Go earlish and take a late lunch or suck it up and have a $30 pretzel and $50 3 once coke while I'm there.

Sorry, couldn't resist. :p

Besides, we're all semi-Asperger's Aerogeeks 'round here anyhow. :D

No worries. It's all in good fun.

It was a tortured b@stardization of "Seven of Nine." You seemed enamored of the forehead-slap smiley, so I thought it might be a good fit. :-:

This must be my lucky evening.

1. No traffic on 105 back to LAX. Drove the full length of that freeway from Norwalk to the Aviation Blvd. exit in less than 15 minutes.
2. No wait at the National return on my car.
3. No more than five minute wait at LAX Terminal 1 for the shuttle to the Renaissance.
4. No traffic at LAX — less than 10 minutes from me boarding shuttle until we had made the loop past Terminal 8 and were on the way out. I was the only passenger who boarded.
5. No red lights on Century Blvd. headed back to Marriott (first stop on shuttle).
6. Only two people boarded at the Marriott and they had very little luggage.
7. I arrive at Renaissance less than 30 minutes after returning car -- last trip it took an hour.
8. Renaissance upgrades me to enormous suite with two bedrooms and three bathrooms and a huge living/dining area.
9. I'm paying the state government rate and they didn't question it. :D

Ah, ok. I'm enamored with the Picard smiley (and I provided it) simply because of how useful it is to express my disdain at any number of things. I'm not a trek nerd, but it's all gravy. :)

Ours is not to question teh ways of :rolleyes:.

They must have the same concessionaire that charges $17 for a biscuit and 20 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper in the mornings at MSY, near the UA gates.

Monopoly action at work.

The :rolleyes: is strong in the forum tonight...

Yep. Although in many major airports it's not nearly that bad. Convention centers tend to be the worst, followed by airports where the local authority that runs the airport has allowed a concessionaire to run wild with overcharging and horrible quality cr@p masquerading as "food." At least in recent years many airports have gotten away from this, offering good food at reasonable prices. My experience with convention facilities is that they have not.

It has been rather strong lately, not just tonight.

I had some nice pasta at the LAS convention center once. I was shocked that it was worth at least half of what I paid for it.

Thanks for the advice. I am lucky in that my wife understands how difficult her mom is. My brother-in-law feels the same as I do but is "scared" of her. I think I may just be working late on Monday to avoid dinner, that way my boss pays for it and I win all around ;)

Yes, you are extremely blessed that you wife understands her mother is crazy. My wife understands this about her mother as well and it makes my life far easier. I've learned to let it all go and my life goes much better.