RWA 2012 - Day One

Packed my bag last night. Yep one bag. VERY heavy.

Got up at 5:45 this morning, Ugh. With a capital U.

Drove the hour to Dayton, OH.Splurged and parked in a luxury valet site, even getting the oil changed in my truck while I'm gone. Very nice to have full service.

Check in was fun. Two separate couples in front of me had the strangest checked 'luggage'. Couple one took over 45 mins to check in with their three children and two unknown animals in their two crates. I never did get a good look but I'm thinking cats or maybe ferrets. I watched at they had to use a drill to put holes in the crates all the way around. That was great for the animals! Then run zip ties through each set of holes. TWO crates, may I remind you. Then, after that task was complete (Which the solitary male ticket attendant on duty did not multi-task like any good woman and usher anyone else through while he waited on the task to be completed.) next came a mountain of paperwork for each crate along with I'm not sure what all documentation needed to be strapped to the crates as well as individual bags of food.  And I'm not even to the good part of the story yet.  Next, he picks up both crates.  I'm thinking, here we go, finally he'll put them on the conveyor belt and it'll be my turn soon; I'm second in line.  Nope, hopes are dashed. He steps over the baggage scale and walks across the lobby to a special door in the corner with a TSA person.  There is another 10 min or so lost while he helps them check the animals there.

SERIOUSLY?

They couldn't have been directed gone over there in the first place?  Has no one heard of efficiency?

While this is going on a second ticket agent has shown up. Poor gentleman has the good fortune of getting the one person who is checking a FIREARM! Really?  This is a post 9/11 world!  Where have you been?????  Best part, it only took them five minutes to fill out the necessary paperwork and turn over the item. That's it.

Here's your lesson. Animals are considered more dangerous on a plane than a firearm. Next time, ship the animals UPS and pack your gun.

Storms are still a brewing in the Dayton, OH area and in Chicago, my connecting flight to Anaheim, CA. I will get to the RWA Conference. I know I will.  And dearest Susan Gee Heino will be waiting with a frosty cold one. I'm going to really need it.



*****11:48am UPDATE******
In bound flight was just cleared to land. Yay! Hopefully, I'll be Chicago bound soon!