Things started off on a bright note this morning. As I checked out of my hotel, I was told that I'd gotten a parking ticket! Apparently, when I'd left my car outside the hotel the previous day to be valet-parked, it was sticking out into the cross-walk. I put on a sob story to the receptionist, and pointed out that I was leaving two days early, giving the hotel those two payed-for days to sell again to someone else. To my amazment, she not only volunteered to take care of the ticket, but also did not charge me for the two nights of valet parking!

It was another foggy day as I drove to the airport and parked in the long-term parking lot. I'm sure it's not going to be this cool in DC.

Taking my suitcase for a walk at Long-Term Parking

I don't remember a set of flights which have gone so easily as mine did today. Easy connections, comfortable seats, no hassles. The only bizarre mixup was that I got on the wrong flight! My travel itinerary called for me to fly to Washington Reagan Airport via Dallas. But what I'd seen on the ticket was the rental car to be picked up at Washington Dulles Airport, so I hadn't even noticed the flight to DC was supposed to be to Reagan. As I attempted to board the flight to Dulles, my pass was rejected, and that's when I realized. It was such a shame, as this flight was going to be delightfully empty. Fortunately for me, the other flight had already finished boarding, so I was able to get on the Dulles flight after all. It was only then that I realized that my rental car was also going to be at Dulles, so it was fortunate that I misread my itinerary! Uh - maybe not. As soon as the flight took off I realized that my suitcase wouldn't be as happy as I was, as it was on the way to the other airport. Oh well, a minor detail :)

Again, exactly as I noticed the last time I flew, I experienced being unusually alive to pleasure while in transit. On the first flight, I bantered with one of the attendants each time she passed (and the bantering paid off, since she gave me a 2nd hot ham and cheese croissantwhich!). I noticed how the women sitting next to me - a Roseanne look-alike, rested her head affectionately on her husband's shoulder, while he read. And I thoroughly enjoyed my book, "Phinneas Finn", which I'm rapidly nearing the end of. And I wrote something like 50 emails!

Finally, almost catching up with emails

It's strange that I should be in such a good mood, as I'm also feeling angry and hurt about Hector. It has been a week since we spoke, and he has not returned my phone calls. It seems like the same old story. I'm so familiar with the flakiness of gay men, that I shouldn't be surprised. But I am surprised in this case, since Hector did not seem the kind of guy who would do that. He seemed very sincere, and honest, which is part of what I found so attractive. I suppose it's conceivably possible that something has happened which has prevented him from calling me, but I'm doubtful, and I have to say that it hurts.

San Francisco, Saturday, 28th August 1999, 6.59 a.m. PST.

Despite playing hookey most of the day (and I'm getting very good at that game), it was an amazingly complicated and hectic day yesterday. Since I'd only discovered on Thursday that I was going to DC for a week, I didn't have much time to prepare. Prospective employers, don't read the following. So I put in an appearance at the office at various times during the day, and spent the rest of the day bombing around time buying a suitcase (my old one had the most unfortunate tendency to change it's own combination), getting a haircut, taking my laundry to the wash-and-fold, going to the gym, meeting a friend for lunch, taking photos of the area around my hotel, packing, and tidying up my apartment.

I made sure I was in the office around noon, however, as that was when Wendy was supposed to stop by so we could go to lunch. It was great to see her. Despite the vast differences in our circumstances (she's a married 50 year old with kids), we have a wonderful rapport. She brought me up-to-date on the hilarious developments at my old company since I've left, where chaos seems to be ensuing at an ever faster pace.

Lunch with Wendy

Shortly after two, I made an unobserved exit from the office, and walked over to my hotel. I was suddenly overwhelmingly tired and thought, for a while, about taking a nap. While lying on the hotel bed, I noticed the interesting shapes in the building across the street and how you could see my hotel reflected in it.

Hotel across the street reflecting my hotel

After some coffee, I felt better, and walked the short distance to Union Square. In the warm afternoon, it was a lovely, colorful place to sit around and watch whole slices of life. And I snapped away with the camera.

This blue woman just sits there for hours like a statue

I really thought this guy was soooo cute. But will he be my boyfriend? :)

What is this guy doing. Note - I don't think he's cute :)

Selling at the art show in Union Square

That's the new Macys building in the background

Another bit of local color

Even the pigeons were transfixed with the street life

I couldn't stay too long, however, as I had a rendezvous with Terry to get a haircut. Cecilia put me onto Terry a few months ago, and what a discovery! A great haircutter, in a great location - right across from my gym in the Castro, a delightful, sophisticated guy, and cheap! If you want a haircut in San Francisco, go for it - his number is 255-7544.

My training appointment with Cecilia wasn't until 6.15, so that left me with some time to walk around the Castro for a while, get some coffee, go to the bank, that sort of thing. In the late afternoon sunlight, the Castro was a lovely place to be.

Walking the Castro

I picked up my mail from my post-office box, and got a nice letter from John in London, and a photo, which shows the typical eccentricity of my fellow brits - a waiter's race in London's equivalent of the Castro, Old Compton Street.

A photo of the waiter's race in London's Old Compton Street

I've been getting great workouts recently. Brett has really been pushing himself, and he's inspired me to do the same. After a hard workout with Cecilia, I headed home, finally, chicken-caesar salad in hand. I then spent the rest of the evening getting ready for my trip - packing, and sorting out my apartment, putting the trash out etc. Packing, when you're my height, is a real chore. Okay - once I've put a pair of boots, and two pairs of sneakers in my suitcase, it's already nearly full!

Finally, it got done, somehow, and I locked up the apartment, and took my cases over to my hotel for my last night before DC. See you from our nation's capital!