I’m in the Orlando airport. My flight doesn’t leave for seventy minutes. Better to arrive early, I guess, then rush at the end.

This trip was decent and definitely out of the ordinary. Allow me to start on Tuesday. The flight(s) were unremarkable. I read “Bluebeard” and listened to Stars of the Lid. After I collected my luggage in Orlando I caught a cab to the hotel. My cab drive, Jose, was a decent guy, Columbian, who gave me his card so I could call him for the return trip (I didn’t). At the hotel registration desk the clerk told me the hotel had run out of standard rooms. He offered to put me up at a local hotel or put me in what he described as a small suite. I chose the latter. He said the suite had a fold out bed, but apparently the reservation system went haywire, because instead the system put me in the PRESIDENTIAL suite. I had a goddamn stairway in my suite, along with two televisions, a huge bathtub, and a bar. I checked the website and found out the room usually goes for $225 a night. Who pays that much for a hotel room? I guess I liked the bathtub jets and all that. The bed was great, too. I don’t know. I’m torn on luxury.

I didn’t sleep well Tuesday night. The suite air conditioning kept clicking on and off. Plus I drank a diet coke way too late. I woke, did the conference breakfast (not enough seats, bagels, yogurt, etc.) and wore the suit for my presentation. First, though, I took in a session with some chair from somewhere in Arkansas. She was good but way too positive, if you know what I mean. She might as well have been a cheerleader. My presentation went pretty well. About fifty people attended. The crowd sat and listened, something to which I’m not used, and I was thrown a bit by the lack of feedback on the attendees’ faces. Still, a few people approached me afterwards with positive comments. That helps.

After the session I worked out (stairmaster), ate lunch (Subway), and cruised the mall. Now, it’s been in a long time since I’ve been in a mall. I’m serious. Years. The air smells badly and I can’t believe there is so much SHIT people can buy. I walked back and forth but didn’t purchase anything. Later I started feeling a bit under the weather, so I watched tv in the suite and tried to sleep. Oh, I forgot to mention that epic snow hit Milwaukee. M and the boys were home, and all but S (who never gets sick) were feeling ill. I was feeling some of that, too, and fell asleep by 11 or so.

Thursday was tough. After a huge breakfast (all you can eat, have to get your money’s worth) I took in a couple sessions but hardly comprehended what I heard. The flu kicked me ass. I didn’t have the energy to walk the mall but needed medicine. M recommended Dayquil and Nyquil. As stupid as it sounds I never think of taking medicine when I’m sick with the exception of Alleve for headaches. I snagged the medicine, took some, and settled in on the couch. I couldn’t focus on text, the worst part of illness ever, so I screwed around on the computer and watched television. I gave up on health, ate pizza and picked up an expensive O’Henry candy bar at Dylan’s in the mall. I tried to sit out by the pool but the speakers were playing shitty music and I couldn’t sleep. Later I snagged a California’s Pizza Kitchen salad. After talking with M I took the Nyquil, read (I was feeling a bit better), and fell asleep by 9.

I need to mention the Jacuzzi, by the way. Now, it’s not that I didn’t like the Jacuzzi, but I could have lived without it. I don’t know. I liked the size of the bathtub. The jets I could do without. Plus, the jets make the bubble bath go everywhere. Do I sound feminine at the moment? I will stop now.

This morning I felt better. I slept about ten hours. After the conference breakfast I took in another session and packed up for the return trip. I picked up a few things for the kids at Dylan’s Candy Bar and grabbed a minivan cab with a guy from Texas. More later. Some crazy white trash family sat near me and I can’t stand it.