Second Views In San Francisco

C'mon guys. It's 6 am there! Why arn't you guys up and POSTING!?

<taps foot> I'm not waiting all day.

Well..

Yes I will. But I won't be happy about it...

Sure, thanks! You guys want some popcorn? *passes bucket*

Actually, thats not too surprising.

Have you tried to explain SL to anyone NOT involved? Nobody I know can understand it. Plus, its true - it did look suspicious that Catherine WAS using an alias.

I think that although inconvienent, DHS did the right thing in checking out the story.

From the article link you've posted, there are things that would have raised my eyebrow as a DHS officer (if I was one). LOLZ.

Mmmmm.. this is good popcorn...

(oh crap! Did I just type that out loud?!!?!)

/me heads over to the cafe and starts organizing his thoughts for the next post.

Get back over here!

<grabs him and puts him on a stage, in front of a podium, and sets lights on him>

Spill it! C'mon! I can't be there OR in Second Life, so I AM living vicarously through you!

Quit av-handling me! Don't you know that direct manipulation of another person's avatar hasn't been released to The Grid yet?!?!



Um... I mean.. you just made me spill my popcorn!

Oh bother.

*taps foot*

All right! All right!

I'll talk.

Just please turn off the spotlight and put your sporks away.

*looks at watch*

Crap, I gotta leave. Okay guys, I can't stay, I'm going out of town for a couple days-- but I expect to see some exciting reading here when I get back!

Thursday, June 29, 2006, 5:00pm
Hotel Bijou, 111 Mason, San Francisco, CA, USA, Earth

I had managed to lose the few hawkers who had tried to follow me from Market Street. One of the benefits of having a long stride. It was very warm out and I had worked up a bit of a sweat lugging my gym bag and back pack, both of which were packed to capacity. (Glad I didn't bring the overnight case.) The lobby of Hotel Bijou welcomed me like a cool oasis as I made my way inside. Bright yellow, dark reds and purples made for a very vibrant and dramatic atmosphere. An archway to the left revealed the small intimate movie theater were movies filmed in San Francisco were shown every evening. A quick check of the foyer revealed no characters that might be part of the Second Views group, so I made my way to the front desk to check in.

A middle-aged man, about average height, with glasses perched on the end of his nose was just finishing up a telephone conversation. He reminded me a bit of Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet.



He hung up the phone and began punching keys on the front desk computer.

"Excuse me. I have a room reservation."

"Welcome. May I have your name?"

"Salazar Jack"

He punched my name into the computer, looked at the screen for a few moments and then looked at me over the top of his glasses.

"Are you sure you didn't check in already?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I've just arrived." (Maybe I'm supposed to be at the Hotel Bristol across the street attending the musicologist convention...)

"I show you as already checked in."

"Well, I'm here with a group that will be visiting Linden Lab tomorrow..."

"Ah yes! You were pre-checked in with the rest of your group."

"Okay. Have I already been upstairs?"

He looked at me like the ass that I was.

"One moment and I will prepare your room key," he deadpanned. "You will be in Room 604."

"Sorry about that. I guess I should have mentioned that when I first came in. Thanks."

"Not to worry." He lightened up a bit. "You are all ready to go now. The elevator is just to your left there."

I pressed the button for the sixth floor and took a moment to stop and take a deep breath. The journey was over for the time being and I was looking forward to the impromtu get together that we had arranged on the CWS for the evening. I had suggested we meet for dinner on Thursday night and spend the time getting better acquainted so we could get down to business first thing Friday morning at Linden Lab. A few Lindens decided to go have dinner with us and arranged for reservations at Buca Di Beppo just a short walk from the hotel.

"Ding!" The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened to the sixth floor. Each room was set up with a theme honoring a movie shot in San Francisco. I was hoping to rest under the stars in the "Star Trek: The Voyage Home" room, but no such luck. As I approached the door to room 604 I saw that, instead of Star Fleet, I was going to be a temporary member of the Joy Luck Club.

I slid my card key through the door's slot and slowly opened the door, wondering if I was going to be sleeping in the midst of ornate dragons, paper lanterns, peaceful Buddah statues and other chinese-oriented items. I was relieved to see a room that looked much like the rest of the hotel with photos here and there taken from the movie. It was small, but comfortable, and the bed looked large enough that my feet wouldn't be hanging over the edge. Well, only if I slept diagonally.



Dinner was going to be at 7:00pm, so I had a few hours. I decided to spend the next hour or so scouting out the neighborhood, taking some pictures and getting a fix on where the restaurant was.

...and then what happened? *leans forward*

*plops down into seat*

I'm back! Can't believe it took me so many pages to find this again! Love the pics so far, Salazar.... Don't suppose we get to see one of you...?

Oh, and yeah, what Osprey said! Then what happened?

Hey Ilia - want to see my new, sharpened spork?

After being poked and prodded one to many times by one too many tines, I've decided to make the time to continue with my saga of the first Second Views meeting. I had been double-posting my entries here and at my old web site (where I had a password protected entry page meant to keep out the Lindens' eyes). Time for something new.

I've decided to continue this topic at my new web site in anticipation of the imminent closing of many of the Second Life forums. The limited access there has been omitted for now. If events take a turn down the road that necessitate more discretion on my part, I will make any necessary accomodations then.

I will be moving my original entries into the new site and adding more in the days to come. Please join me in continuing the journey.

Onward and Upward!

Salazar

I know that it is a huge hassle for anyone coming into the states from out of country. My younger brother holds dual citizenship (US and New Zealand), and, EVERY SINGLE TIME he flies back home to the US (which is quite rarely these days), he is hassled to no end about his itenerary, etc and so forth. He sees it as enough of a hassle that, like I say, he rarely flies back home.

On a funny note, one of my friends decided a while back he was going to go to Europe for a spell, to hang out and pretty much do nothing. He had saved up the bulk of his cash for a year or so, quit his job, and took off for his journey. He had travelled through Europe before, post 9/11, and had no problems. Mind you, it may have helped that he arrived in Ireland first, and his name is Michael Collins! (He told me that the customs officer took one look at his passport, and said, "Ahhh! Michael Collins! Aye! You should get along here just fine!)

Anyway, this time he decided to start out his adventure in England. Upon arrival, he was immediately pulled aside by security. He was asked what his plans were, and his answer was something along the lines of "Not much, man. Just gonna hang out for a bit." When asked where he was going, he responded with something like "I'm not really sure."

Long story short, he was held in a British jail cell for three days (which he said was utterly delightful with the great tea and all!), and deported back to the states. Mind you, they deported him to Texas. He is from Washington State! When he put this to the Brits who had locked him up, they said he was going to have to worry about how he was going to make it all of the way back on his own. He did end up getting all the way back up to the great rainy north, after spending a week and most of the money he had saved to get here.

So, I guess the US, while still a traveller's nightmare, is not the only place one can run into a horrible security-induced clusterfuck! Catherine got lucky! At least she wasn't jailed and deported!! Still sucks a big one, however. Just another reason I am leary of flying anywhere these days! I'd worry more about being jacked up by a security guard making minimum wage than something bad happening to the plane!

-Veng