Yesterday the weather was so icky that I had Max ride the bus and I didn’t take my normal walk. I also had a bit of a runny nose, which I didn’t think was a cold, but I didn’t want to take any chances.
All day long they’d threatened that we’d get snow – and I sort of laughed. I mean, I believed them – but I don’t think I seriously believed them.
Believe, baby.
In the afternoon rain started and soon turned to sleet. Then to snow. Then back to sleet (I could hear it tapping on the window, it sounded like someone was tossing a handful of small beads down the stairs.)
The we had the thunder and lightening. Yikes! Hannah said she saw hail. Gerry didn’t believe her. I did.
Since I had a 4:15 wake up, I went to bed as soon after dinner as I could. Morning STILL came too soon, and by the time I had my act together and all of the suitcases in the car it was almost 5:00. Luckily the rain/snow/sleet/hail had stopped and the roads weren’t bad. According to the guy next to me on the plane we’d sneaked through a window in the storm.
This was my first time on AirTran – the first time I can remember – and I was pretty frustrated when I checked in. I was directed to use one of the computer kiosks to get my boarding pass, and while I was doing so 4 groups walked ahead of me, without boarding passes. I asked the customer service rep who’d directed me and she made a half-hearted effort to get some of the folks to go back and get their boarding passes, but I felt like an idiot.
25 minutes later I’m RUNNING for my plane – I was the last one on – and very frustrated. Perhaps it’s living in the NY area for so long, but line-hopping just makes me so angry. Oooooh. As I was running to my gate I noticed several of the folks who’d scooted ahead of me, having a cup of coffee, chatting, taking pictures of each other in front of their gate. They had TONS of time.
Add to that the miles and miles that I walked in the Atlanta Airport to get to the baggage claim and I think I’ve done MORE than my daily 2 mile walk. But it’s not as cool here as in MN – it’s warm, in fact, and the trees are blossoming and lovely.
I drove this time – adding up the taxi costs vs. the parking costs, it just seemed that parking was a better choice. It will be SO good to have my own car waiting for me when I return late, late, late on Sunday.
It’s noonish, I’m sitting at a Panera‘s (wifi!) to have lunch and I’ll be dropping my bags up at my hotel in Watkinsville. Then back over to Whole Nine Yarns in Woodstock for my classes this afternoon and evening, and back to Watkinsville to bed. Tomorrow two classes at Main Street Yarns, and then Sunday I have 2 classes at Knitche before jetting back to MN!
I know I’ll see two good friends on Sunday night before my flight – I’m hoping to see more! It’s always SUCH a sense of relief to arrive at a location, get my rental car (a KIA this time) and be in control of my own travels. Yay, driving!
New Calendar
I’ve revamed my appearances page with a Google calendar – easier to update and to download – I’m working on a quick and dirty way to add links to the events so that folks can go immediately to the venue that’s hosting me. Check it out!
TKGA
I’d been hesitant – actually said, “No.” – to teaching in Portland at the TKGA show in September. I wasn’t thrilled with the travel compensation – and had said so on my blog.
I’m gratified that the folks at TKGA seem very interested in trying to devise ways where they can compensate more fairly, but not put themselves in great financial risk if a class doesn’t sell out.
So as we discuss this, and try to come up with creative ways to compensate ALL teachers so that everyone benefits from well-attended classes and shows, they asked me again if I’d teach. This time I said yes, and my hope is that together we’ll be able to create some framework where teachers can teach without losing money, and venues will be able to pay their bills.
I feel that I’ve caved a bit, but I also feel that change only happens with compromise – so I’m hoping that this will put me in a position to effect some change. We’ll see. I think it’s VERY important to keep the discussion open on this, not to let it fall into the shadows. An open, honest discussion of fees, travel expenses and non-compete clauses will keep us working together, not dividing into groups that could be played against each other.