Color me Disillusioned
May. 11th, 2006 07:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pen_gruntI have the desire to both giggle uncontrollably, and break down crying about the book signing. I mean, it was at a friggin' trade show booth--I didn't really expect people to show up, did I? Actually, I didn't. So in that realm, I was not terribly disappointed. Dan and I sat for about 45 minutes in the Wiley/Pfeiffer provided directors' chairs under a sign saying "Featured Authors." One person bought the book during that time--and we happily signed it with Dan stealing my friggin' catchphrase (mine was "Happy Hosting" and he couldn't think of anything clever, so he swiped mine for a book or two before I literally started beating him with a book). If authors having a mock book-fight didn't draw a crowd, I don't know what would.
However, when we got done with everything, our publisher came up to us and said that we had sold more books (1!) and talked to more people (3?) than any of the other authors during the signing. Methinks they just didn't promote it properly.
It's funny how my opinion of traveling for business changes almost every single trip. When I get off the plane I'm ALWAYS glad to be back in Minneapolis (undeniably, it's the cool, fresh air), but the day after I'm usually still glad to be home. This time I really wanted to be back on the road. Sitting at a desk does NOT trump strange hotel rooms and copious amounts of meat.
While waiting for my bag at the airport, I saw Al Franken (liberal political type and author). I didn't really have the inclination to say hi (I looked kinda like chewed meat after a rough flight [where a baby started crying on cue EVERY time I closed my eyes] and I'm not very personable anyway). Derrick, however, went up to him and said a simple (and Minnesota-polite), "I really enjoy your work." To which he smiled and said, "Thank you" and was equally Minnesota-polite. Derrick didn't want to bug him too much--especially after a long flight. No one else in the airport seemed to recognize him.
Oh, and another thing: I'm beginning to really hate most people that work at the airport. Yes, they have a somewhat-shitty job. Yes, they have to enforce unpopular (and necessary--or equally non-necessary) rules. Yes, they have bad days. Yes, I've seen people bitch at them mercilessly about stupid things. But still. I digress. I was flying out on Sunday and I was carrying two laptops. Now I usually go out of my way to be extra-polite to airport workers for the above reasons. I know they're doing their job, I'm a frequent traveler, and I know the hell they go through with insubordinate fliers and infrequent fliers.
I don't typically carry two laptops with me, but in this case I was carrying a show laptop and my own personal laptop. I know all the drills: strip, take off shoes, separate laptop (shoes on the belt, coat in a bin, briefcase separate, laptop in a separate bin)--I consider myself a very efficient and savvy traveler. Unknowingly, I put the two laptops in a separate bin but stacked them on top of each other. Apparently this is a HUGE no-no. So I get pulled aside for extra screening. No biggie--I'm not pissed about it, they're just doing their jobs. I smile at the guy and apologize for not putting the laptops in separate bins. He grumbles and then murmurs (dripping with condescension) something about "damn people should know better....umph...mmph...gerrr...mph. Now I have to screen your stuff again and mmph, mph...grr." Geeze. How freaking rude. Look dude, I don't travel with two laptops every day. I'm not bitching at you about taking off my shoes (which I see EVERY time I travel) I'm not yelling about having to take off my coat (which I also see every time I travel) and I'm telling you I'm sorry. Don't bitch at me about it.
That, and we had a freaking stand-up comedian gate attendant that would not shut up to save her life. Eventually people started ignoring her, and in the process miss important flight information. I appreciate your attempts at humor lady...but you're staring into a sea of surly people whose flight is already delayed--just give us what we need to know.
Bah humbug. I'm definitely skipping work tomorrow.
However, when we got done with everything, our publisher came up to us and said that we had sold more books (1!) and talked to more people (3?) than any of the other authors during the signing. Methinks they just didn't promote it properly.
It's funny how my opinion of traveling for business changes almost every single trip. When I get off the plane I'm ALWAYS glad to be back in Minneapolis (undeniably, it's the cool, fresh air), but the day after I'm usually still glad to be home. This time I really wanted to be back on the road. Sitting at a desk does NOT trump strange hotel rooms and copious amounts of meat.
While waiting for my bag at the airport, I saw Al Franken (liberal political type and author). I didn't really have the inclination to say hi (I looked kinda like chewed meat after a rough flight [where a baby started crying on cue EVERY time I closed my eyes] and I'm not very personable anyway). Derrick, however, went up to him and said a simple (and Minnesota-polite), "I really enjoy your work." To which he smiled and said, "Thank you" and was equally Minnesota-polite. Derrick didn't want to bug him too much--especially after a long flight. No one else in the airport seemed to recognize him.
Oh, and another thing: I'm beginning to really hate most people that work at the airport. Yes, they have a somewhat-shitty job. Yes, they have to enforce unpopular (and necessary--or equally non-necessary) rules. Yes, they have bad days. Yes, I've seen people bitch at them mercilessly about stupid things. But still. I digress. I was flying out on Sunday and I was carrying two laptops. Now I usually go out of my way to be extra-polite to airport workers for the above reasons. I know they're doing their job, I'm a frequent traveler, and I know the hell they go through with insubordinate fliers and infrequent fliers.
I don't typically carry two laptops with me, but in this case I was carrying a show laptop and my own personal laptop. I know all the drills: strip, take off shoes, separate laptop (shoes on the belt, coat in a bin, briefcase separate, laptop in a separate bin)--I consider myself a very efficient and savvy traveler. Unknowingly, I put the two laptops in a separate bin but stacked them on top of each other. Apparently this is a HUGE no-no. So I get pulled aside for extra screening. No biggie--I'm not pissed about it, they're just doing their jobs. I smile at the guy and apologize for not putting the laptops in separate bins. He grumbles and then murmurs (dripping with condescension) something about "damn people should know better....umph...mmph...gerrr...mph. Now I have to screen your stuff again and mmph, mph...grr." Geeze. How freaking rude. Look dude, I don't travel with two laptops every day. I'm not bitching at you about taking off my shoes (which I see EVERY time I travel) I'm not yelling about having to take off my coat (which I also see every time I travel) and I'm telling you I'm sorry. Don't bitch at me about it.
That, and we had a freaking stand-up comedian gate attendant that would not shut up to save her life. Eventually people started ignoring her, and in the process miss important flight information. I appreciate your attempts at humor lady...but you're staring into a sea of surly people whose flight is already delayed--just give us what we need to know.
Bah humbug. I'm definitely skipping work tomorrow.
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Date: 2006-05-12 04:11 am (UTC)