Here is how MY Friday went.
It all started at about 7:30am. I caught a shuttle from Salem OR up to the Portland International Airport. Everything was going fine. I got my suitcase and headed into the United ticket counter. After about half an hour, I decided to switch to a shorter line because I only had one suitcase and it was carry on. So I stood in that line for about 15 mintes, then this chick came up to me, looked at my ticket, told my my flight was canceled and I had to get into the line I had just gotten out of! So, after about 3 hours (no exageration!) I got to the ticket counter to try to find a flight that would get me to Chicago that night. That took another hour. Finally, I got a flight through San Fransisco that would get me to Chicago Midway at about midnight. (I had wanted to go into O'Hare, but beggars can't be choosers.) So, I go to wait by my gate, the plane is supposed to leave at 4:00pm, (my original flight was supposed to leave at 10:27am) but it got delayed, leaves at 4:15pm. No big deal, that will still give me 15 minutes to catch my connecting flight.
We take off, land 10 minutes late. I run around the airport in vein for about 30 minutes, and finally break down crying. I was PISSED OFF! So I dig through my purse for my calling card, called my mom, let her know what happened, then headed up to the United counter to get NEW tickets that will take me into O'Hare! The flight was a red eye flight (leaves really really really really really early/late, hence the name "red eye") leaving at 12:00m. But it's business class! Sweet!
So, I go down to my gate, spot a restaurant near it, go to get lunch/dinner. I order, eat, look though my purse, only to find that my wallet and travlers checks got lifted! I was embarrassed beyond belief. Luckily, the waitress there paid for me, and I went to find my wallet (If you know the name of the restaurant near Gate 80 in the San Fransisco Airport, let me know! jade27_al@yahoo.com It's some sort of Bar and Grill!).
After searching, waiting, walking, talking, filling out forms, there is nothing else I can do about my wallet short of forming a seach party with hounds and calling in the SWAT team. So I go call my mom, I have nothing else to do. We talked, and I found out that my flight has AGAIN been changed! It's now leaving at 3:00 AM! So I continued to wander around the airport. Finally, everything is closed, people are sleeping everywhere, they finally start boarding the plane! That plane was HUGE! 2 stories folks! Everyone boards, one more minor problem, (some woman said I was in her seat, she had been moved to coach and didn't know.) We took off! The movie was "Snow Day," so I slept all the way to O'Hare. I woke up to hear the pilot saying "Flight attendants, please prepare for arrival." I was so happy, I nearly cried!
Saturday
Person on Phone: Hello?
Me: Hi, Katie?
Person on Phone: No, just a second *to Katie* Katie, It's Autumn
Katie: Oh yay! *takes the phone* Hey!
Me: Hi! I'm finally here! What room are you guys in?
Katie: *says the room number, I don't remember what it was*
Me: Cool! You're pretty close to me, I'll be right up!
So I went up to her room, she introduces me to everyone, hugs and pictures are given and taken. They were still getting ready for their *second* day of AlCon, so I went back down stairs to fgure out what I was supposed to do for the Lip-Sync contest. figured it all out, bumped into Katie and her posse and we all went back upstairs. They marveled at my huger-than-theirs room w/mini-bar, I changed, and we all went back down for the contest.
Katie and I did the lipsync contest. We sucked. Then was the Funny 5 (or the Silly 7 as someone dubbed it...) and I got my first glimps of Throwing Toasters! That had to be the highlight of the shows. I don't know what it was, there were no fancy costume changes or anything, just a guy and his guitar singing silly songs, but it was SO COOL! After that was the auction. The most expensive item was Al's dryer Lint! It went for $600! You should have hear everyone gasp. Even Amanda had to make sure she heard right. I didn't have any money, so I didn't bid on anything. After the auctions and the shows, I looked around the vendors room, then went back up to my room to sleep. I missed the Look AL-ike contest and most of the Trivi-AL contest. I got back down in time to catch the final round.
After the trivia contest was The Great Luke Ski. That was cool. My camara started dying, so I didn't get many pictures. I did get a good one during "Quite a Man for an Al Fan," So I was happy. After Luke Ski was The tribute to Dr. Demento! I had to run out in the middle to get more film. Most of those pics didn't turn out. Oh well. The Tribute video was SO cool! I loved it! Then we had about an hour and a half to get ready for the Demented Prom, Meet Dr. D, eat, etc. I was going to get a pic with Dr. D, but the line was HUGE! And I would have nothing to say except the same thing everyone else would have said. So I just went upstairs to get ready. It took me the whole time. After I was ready, I went down to Katie's room. They were all ready, except I had to sign Katie's back (she had everyone sign her back). So we all went down, the room wasn't ready yet, so we stood in the Videot Room and watched some stuff. All very good. I had a few chips. That was my meal that weekend. Then it was time for the prom. Just how I had always wanted my Prom to be! I concidered it my Senior Prom. I spent enough! I danced the whole time! There were conga lines, a lazer gun rampage, moshing, everything! Then was the crowning of the King and Queen of the Demented Prom. Luke Ski and his fioncée Steph. Then, no royal court would be complete with out the FOOL! Our very own "Blasted" Bill. After that, there was one more dance, then it was all over. Katie, Katia and I stood around and watched the destruction, Got our pictures taken, etc.
Afterwards, Katie, Nate and I went back to their room. But their friend had locked us out. A lovely through-the-crack-in-the-door hanger duel insued. It was a kodac moment, so a snapped a picture. We finally got in, we chatted, I went to my room to change into my PJ's, went back, we listened to my Basement Tape #8 (the only one I have..) so Katie could hear "Take Me Down" and some other songs. I never got to hear Peter and the Wolf :( Oh well... there is always next time, right? So, after about half an hour, and hour, I don't know how long, I had to go because I had an early flight. We snapped pictures of each other (mine didn't turn out) and I went back to my room and to bed.
The next morning, I got up, caught a shuttle to O'Hare, and took off with minimal problems (forgot my purse... duh doy, luckily, the drver was nice and brought it to me on the next trip out to O'Hare)
Click Here for some pictures!
