Chicago HIMSS conference Day 1, April 4, 2009

OK, so I hadn’t actually done much updating to this blog because it really only followed my travels.  Still, this is a trip and I decided that I should take at least a bit of time to chronicle my trip as part of an update to this blog.

This update is an interesting one because I’ve started my second blog and the rules there intersected with the rules here.  I update that one whenever I work out or run a road race and I update this one every time I travel.  I ran a race today and then caught a flight to Chicago, so I decided for whatever reason I’d actually update both.  Probably just a geek move, but whatever.

Camille got away from me today.  She booked in between the row of houses and into the tree line.  I almost thought we’d lost her again and the girls next door found her, thankfully.  Still, it was stressful.  I hadn’t left a lot of time between the end of the race and when I needed to be at the airport.  It only adds to my stress.  I hate to fly, though I do it regularly and without incident.  I just don’t have to like it.

Got to Chicago and decided to buy a shuttle round trip for the ride to the hotel and back to the airport on Wednesday.  I don’t know how smart that really was, but I didn’t want to take the risk that a cab would be horrific to pay.  Of course, it is all reimbursed expenses but that doesn’t mean I can’t be frugal.  The trip took more than an hour and I learned that the hotel isn’t in the best neighborhood.  Oh well.

I caught a cab to the Gold Coast and the Hard Rock Cafe.  I don’t eat there, food is horrible.  But, I scored my Chicago pin.  Another city down.  From there I walked around looking for something interesting to eat.  I wound up sitting in an Irish pub having a couple of drinks and letting Urbanspoon choose my meal for me.  That’s a handy app on the iPhone, if you have one and don’t have it, I recommend it.  I wound up going to a Lebanese place not far from the pub.  It was pretty tasty though the service was slow.  And, damnit, they were BYOB, which meant I was not going to get a beer or more whiskey.  Oh well, probably for the best.  I was dragging serious butt.

Back to the room and watch the end of the UNC game.  I am not sure who will win the tourney, but right now I can’t bet against Michigan State.  They dominated a UConn team I was convinced would wipe up the floor with MSU.  That’s why they play the games I suppose.  Could be a very good matchup.

No dial tone in the hotel room?  Odd.  I asked about it and they were going to fix it while I was out.  I guess not.  Oh well, I can charge my cell phone and not sweat it.  Off to bed!

Cheers!