Why I hate flying

It’s not flying I hate so much, actually, it’s the whole process surrounding it: you wait in lines, herded this way and that like cattle, hoping that the flimsy pieces of paper you carry and the giant steel behemoths out the window will be sufficient to get you to your final destination. Well, in this case they weren’t. I was scheduled to fly out at 7:09 this morning, but after I stood in various lines from 5 am to 4 pm, the best they could do was to put me on a flight that leaves Tuesday morning. I’ll arrive (si dios quiere) at 11 am Thursday—only two days into the three-day conference, and a whole four hours before I’m scheduled to give my talk! In the meantime, I’m enjoying the best that the Hampton Inn Alajuela has to offer: a view of the freeway and complimentary meals at Denny’s. At least there is internet here, and an almost-comfortable desk. Being a grad student, I always have work to do. But anybody who’s on Messenger in the next few days and wishes to relieve the tedium, please don’t hesitate.