Steamcon 3- part 1

Note: I have no idea why Blogger refuses to acknowledge the paragraph spacing. I’m waaaaaaaaaaay over due on my Steamcon 3 write up, so I’ll try to get at least one day done today. Okay, hopefully two, because I’m putting a little of Thursday, travel to Seattle (oops, Bellevue!) in. Steamcon 3 Thursday Drive to the airport in the ’86 Subaru. Halfway there, I hear a new rattle that I can’t figure out. But it doesn’t sound like it’s in any area of concern, so I keep going, nervous as hell. When I stop for gas, I discover that it’s just the gas filler hatch open and flapping in the wind. That’s a relief. Get to the airport and check bag. At the first security point, the guard can’t figure out if my driver’s license is really me. Finally I take my hat off and grin at her, causing my eyes to disappear as they always do in pictures. She goes “Oh! Right!” and nods me through. At the scanners, I get pulled out of the regular line that goes through the metal detectors and made to take an X-ray (at this airport, they don’t send many through the X-ray). They don’t bother to tell me why. Evil black clothing, I guess. After losing out on a chance for an earlier flight by one person, the flight goes smoothly and they even give me a glass of wine. Gotta love Alaska flights and the Washington wine producers association! The emo teen next to me is white knuckled all the way. Poor guy. My Shuttle Express ride takes off almost immediately after I get to the kiosk, and we zoom through to Bellevue on the car pool lanes. After living in California and north Idaho, my heart is in my mouth as we speed along, because in either of those places, the car pool lane wouldn’t be respected and people would be pulling into it at least to pass others. Western Washington drivers are truly wonderfully polite! We pull up in front of the hotel and it’s spectacular. The registration desk is fronted with some sort of translucent natural stone that is back lit. The hotel shares space with and is connected to other buildings, so there is a common area with a glass dome over it. I have just a few minutes to gawp at this before R arrives. We go up to our room, unpack, talk excitedly, and get things ready for Friday’s costumes. Eventually we hit the wall and fall asleep.

The check in desk at the Hyatt. I seriously want a piece of furniture done like this.