The hotel’s
restaurant is only open for breakfast, and has an incredible buffet. Last year, I was unable to control myself and stuffed myself to the gills every morning before the conference, with the expected results.
This morning, I got the buffet, but only had eggs and biscuits and gravy, and a large bowl of fruit. I wasn’t perfect though: I attempted to drown myself on the incredible orange juice that they serve (3 full glasses). I don’t know how many days I will be able to resist the siren call of bacon cheese omlets, double sides of extremely well done bacon, a bowl of oatmeal, fruit, a sweet roll, some more bacon, and at least 3 glasses of orange juice. Yum, yum.

I love the Santa Barbara Airport.

Toby dropped me off at about 6:35p for my 7:45p flight. I walked right up to the check in counter and had my boarding pass in under 3 minutes. I was told that the plane boarded at 7:20p and that security would open at 7:00p. Huh? I guess they have so few flights (at least on the weekend) that the TSA crew moves from one terminal to another. It was so laid back. I was the only one who went through, no one behind me.

There was only one slight hiccup and it was not a big deal at all. I didn’t check my bag because it was not that big. I had taken it as a carry on on many other flights (to Portland, from Burbank). But this was a much smaller plane, an EMB-120,
and the bag was just too big. So I had to gate check it. Not a big deal. The plane
has 3 seats across, 1 seat, an aisle and then 2 seats. I got to sit in the single
seat! The plane touched down at San
Francisco Int’l at 8:45p, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. I hopped onto the BART train
at 9:15p. At Montgomery
St. station, I debarked BART and hoofed the 5 blocks to my hotel, Courtyard
By Mariott, Downtown San Francisco. I was in my room on the 15th floor by 10:15p.

I leave tonight (Saturday, 6 Feb) at 7:45p from Santa
Barbara Airport (thank you Salem for not making me fly from Burbank,
nearly 90 miles away). I will be gone until Thursday, 10 Feb 2005. Camille will be
flying down tomorrow and staying with us until Monday, 14 Feb. She will be with Toby
while I am gone. My parents generously let us borrow their travel trailer for Camille
to stay in while she is here. This beats the air mattress on the floor of the office,
I can tell you. I can’t believe that VS Live is starting on Super
Bowl Sunday. Not that I am that interested in the Super Bowl, but it is just surprising.

There are a number or memorial / relief websites for the residents / survivors of the La Conchita mudslide. Here are a few, in no particular order :
La
Conchita Relief Fund La
Conchita Discussion Forum Friends of La Conchita

Authorities said Thursday they had accounted for everyone listed as missing.
CNN
Article

“On the day of the disaster, their coastal home facing unrelenting storms, [Jimmie]
Wallet and Michelle, his wife of 16 years, decided to leave town. Michelle had heard
warnings of possible mudslides and their eldest child, 16-year-old Jasmine, was already
away. But before they left Wallet stepped out to get ice cream for the kids. ” MSNBC
Article

The 101 is expected to be open on Saturday morning, so it will have been closed for a full 5 business days.