Am in Cleveland. Am sick and inclined to whine about everything, but not so sick that I can’t realize how very unjustified that is. I timed my morning perfectly, walking straight from the taxi at the airport, through security with no wait, and directly onto my plane. Had the perfect amount of time at my connecting airport to eat breakfast and put on makeup. I have crossed the line from reluctantly making an effort just so people can’t say I don’t to having an actual cosmetic routine thingie, as of today. I think the sacrifice of dignity is worth it because nobody seemed the least bit interested in my age today and I all around got treated like a competent grown-up. I went to great effort to make sure my appearance this week would establish me as too old to doubt, but I’m thinking I needn’t have bothered. This time around I’m here because these people have realized they desperately need my skills, not because a vendor they don’t respect much sent me along to patch up problems they won’t face up to. On the third hand, not looking flushed with fever and like I’ve got a pair of black eyes because I got up so early I practically didn’t sleep means I didn’t undermine my advantage, either.
Today was boring, and I expect at least the rest of the week and likely the rest of the month will be. But at the worst, I’ll spend six months bored and then it’s over, maybe forever. And in the meantime, the Residence Inn loves my lingering platinum status so much I got upgraded to a suite that has two bedrooms, each with a king sized bed and full bath. There are three times as many televisions in this suite as there are in my house. There’s a voice in my head that wants to whine about being sick and bored, but it can go hang out in the other room. I’m going to bed.
Anaea Lay 