:: isepp 2009 @ heathman, portland, or, etc. ::
The bus wasn't coming and I wanted a beer. I kept sneaking in to Oasis, getting in line. However the lady in front of me had the most complicated pizza order ever, obviously the high point of her day.
Step out, come back in. Maybe there's beer down the block, start walking to the next bus stop.
Cell call... the dongle for connecting a Mac to the projector is at the Linus Pauling House. I should drop plans to take the 14 and get Razz, high tail it over to said house and grab the supply, take it downtown.
Later: knowing I'll be turning left in front of the Schnitzer, I try to phone in. I should have tried Glenn, didn't know he was part of Kauffman's entourage, but could have guessed. Find parking (Smart Park, entering on 10th).
Fun getting to go backstage, ushered by Mentor Graphics personnel. Gavin had beat me to it with the dongle, which is just as well, as we were but minutes before show time at this point. Terry thanked me just the same.
Leslie, also a Wanderer, had scored a ticket, later joined us for the reception at the Heathman. I drank quite a bit of red wine, ate asparagus and cheese, listened to the conversation, butting in now and then, took some pictures.
We (me 'n Leslie) started at the head table with Mentor Graphics people, but when Stu showed up after generously answering a lot of questions, we switched to a different one, surrendering our seats to Aldona and Allen Taylor.
At this new table, we talked about burying pets, among other topics. Our table mate, a big fan of Charles Dickens, had twelve acres somewhere. She had used a backhoe and forklift to bury a horse (more than one?). The hole was like 20 feet deep (seems excessive). Leslie had lots of problems trying to bury her cat because of shallow sandstone and other animals.
We got on to this subject in part because of Moon Kitty's recent incineration.
Stuart was relaxed and in good spirits throughout the evening. He'd been talking to Terry a lot and wove in some of those themes. He answered more questions from the podium, talking about a dog he knew (Windsor), other topics.
His talk inspired people to open their thinking to new possibilities. That's maybe harder to do than it sounds.
I drove Aldona home (she's also a Wanderer).
Belated happy birthday to my mother, Carol Urner. She flew from LAX to Chicago to Washington DC yesterday, clearly feeling better.
