I am a techno-geek! There is said it. 

I like the latest and greatest. Sometimes I want it all! I have a work laptop, an iPad and my personal computer is a Surface Project 3, which is is pc/tablet. I have my fabulous “phablet”, that would be my large smartphone that is almost like a pc/tablet so they call it a phablet and finally,  well, I think finally, my smart watch.  

There might be more and I have forgotten! Could I have more, why not! If money was no object,  go for it! I am a software trainer, I work with technology, I want to know about the latest and greatest and I appreciate what’s out there,  don’t understand it all, but I appreciate it!

Hilton has implemented their digital check in and keys,  which I love. If you don’t know about the digital  key, you request it and when it’s ready, hold it up to the door you want to open and it does, just like a plastic key. No more carrying a key and worrying about losing it. 

Down side…sometimes the digital key,  like everything else, might be having a right day and just won’t work. I’ve had that happen at my room, I call and they reset it or bring me a new one. Sometimes it just doesn’t worth in front of some doors, case in point,  yesterday, I stood in front of the girl gym trying to get in, then go down to the front desk for an actual key.

The new thing some Hilton hotels are putting in are the digital elevator. I’ve seen it in other hotels. You put in the number on a key pad, it decides which elevator you take and then it goes. 

That’s great until you have too many people and the doors are closed and you don’t move. Hmm…that’s what happened last night when I got back from dinner. Hey,  I hadn’t eaten that much! 

After a few minutes we all started to wonder, jokingly, if we had hit the weight limit! Someone pried the door open finally and we all got out.  There was a gentleman who worked for the hotel counting how many of us there were,  about 11. Five adults and six little kids, really?  Ok…

We all got off, I tried to take it again,  no dice. Next elevator, all good. Apparently this is an old elevator, ok…Made it to my room,  all that matters,  right?

So,  technology in a hotel…good or bad? Not stopping me…

I was traveling to Springfield, IL from Chicago today and I was going by rail…and missed my first train. 

I booked the train for 145pm and since I booked traveled on Amtrak through my travel port before I didn’t realize it was just a reservation and I still had to pay at the station.

I also found out the hard way that you can’t arrive 10 minutes before your train leaves, you need a little more time. 

So…I rebooked for the 515pm and paid while I was there,  went back to the office, one block away, got more work done and then at 445, left for the train station again. 

I got in line, found a seat next to a nice person and settled in for my 3+ hour journey and we made it, a little late, but we made it. 

There were delays, loud people, crying babies, sleeper, oh, and conductors making cheese you announcements!…it was just l like being on a plane. Just no drink cart going by.

I got work done, some conference calls, commiserated with the guys next to me until the annoying woman behind and across from us got off the train,  then we had a nice chat about Philadelphia, where he lives and traveling. Then we were at our destination. Nice. 

Sam I am. I so wanted that to work!

Tonight I flew through DTW and went to one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, Spray. Actually, it was a favorite of almost everyone on the same project when we were at UMHS.

I stopped in there and ordered a salad, a tofu dosh and a pickled plum roll,  no wasabi. I didn’t know what pickled plum was like, I asked my server,  she hadn’t had it,  but served it quite often, ok,  let’s try it, I’m game!

Um…my personal opinion…ewe…it was so you! So not for me! Turns out I’ve tried pickled plum before, in something I tried in Hawaii, as soon as I took my first bite I remembered and, if anyone who knows me knows I don’t like ginger, but I ate ginger, had to get the taste out!

I wasn’t sending it back,  so I decided to just poked the pickled plum out and ate the cucumbers, rice and seaweed with some soy sauce. When the server came by and asked how it was,  I told her what I thought as I was laughing. 

So…as my mom always said, just try it. I did, because who knows what you’ll like until you try it and the bottom line…no more picked plum for me!

You thought July 4th was a long day? A walk in the park!

Speaking of walking, I wonder if I could have walked back to Boston…my alarm went off at 545 am as it does every weekday, I was only about 10 minutes at the most from the airport, so I took my time. 

I did my hair, I prefer the sparklers on the 4th, rather than in my hair, ha ha. Shower, dressed, breakfast, load the car, fill the tank [$2.49], go to the airport, drop off the rental car, check in and then sit in the waiting area, which is right outside the 2 gates they have. 

I wasn’t even sure we’d take off, big storms yesterday and this morning, but we did. It was a little toasty on the sessna, the air wasn’t very strong, maybe they should have left the window open! 9 other people on the plane with me and about 15 minutes in, I was unconscious, another awesome nap! Probably the highlight of my day. 

I wasn’t sure if I’d make it to my flight in St. Louis since we left late, but we made it, wahoo,  with about 45 minutes to spare, great. Got some food, found a charger then eventually got on the plane. And we sat…and waited and waited…delayed due to weather, hmm…

Got to Philly about 3 minutes after the boarding doors closed on my connecting flight. Thank you gate agent for being less than helpful. 

Got in line for customer service, along with the other 50 people who got in late or flights were canceled, called my travel company,  they couldn’t help. I called the airline…the next 2 flights were booked.  I’m now on the 815pm flight. Considered renting a car and driving the 5+ hours,  but I stuck it out. It’s now about 4pm, won’t be too bad,  right?

Went and got some food, did some shopping then sat and sat and sat. The charging stations that worked were full, half of them didn’t work to begin with…

The 815p flight is now leaving at 9pm, seriously? So, I sat and waited and finally got on the plane where the woman next to me panicked when the air came on and there was condensation that looked like smoke,  that was fun. 

It’s now 11pm, I am just getting to my rental car and I started my travel day at 7am. I joked that I could have been in Hawaii a few hours by now!

Time to go home, hug the kitties and pass out! Sounds good to me.  I’m safe and sound,  all that matters! 

Good night!