![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
off to Americaland
Jul. 3rd, 2002 10:00 pmAs usual a long flight. This time I didn't do my usual trick of staying up all the previous night, but anyway only got 2 hours sleep (up at 7am).
Actually the flight wasn't bad. Three fun movies. Cruel Intentions (I'd seen this before but one can't get too much of Sarah Michelle Geller being wicked) and Bend it Like Beckham (which reminded me very much of Strictly Ballroom - I have no interest in either football or ballroom dancing, but both managed to be excellent stories of people defying their parents to do what they love; though where are the stories of the not very good football enthusiasts who defy their parents?). Then a legal thriller. I enjoy legal thrillers.
I sat next to a couple of very cheery chaps. When we were told to switch off all electronic equipment, the one next to me got out his portable phone to switch it off. Cool, or what? If I could afford one, I'd get one today. His wasn't much larger than my Palm V, though the antenna was about a foot long (it did telescope away, and you only need it when you're talking). He said he could talk for an hour without a recharge and it worked in most large cities.
After I finished drooling over his tech, we talked for a bit. He was back from visiting his brother in Bath, but had also visited Paris. He and his friend kept joking about French girls. His friend worked at a cemetery and kept saying how one had to live every moment because tomorrow you might die. Living every moment seemed to consist mainly of hanging out in strip clubs. I was embarrassed to have to admit that I'd never been in one.
Anyway, when I arrived, it was nice to see Manny (our man at SLAC), and then Virginia, Doug, and Terry again (family friends in Palo Alto - I'm staying with Doug and Terry). As usual, Virginia had made nice dinner for us and friends with veggie leak tart especially for me.
Ah, it's nice to be back in the land of the free, where I can commit crimes against humanity with impunity. Hmmm. I'm sure that if Gordon Brown were to stand up to Dubya, he'd have to back down. They'd be too embarrassed if America were the only country that didn't support the ICC. But once more we Brits take the flack for the Americans.
Actually the flight wasn't bad. Three fun movies. Cruel Intentions (I'd seen this before but one can't get too much of Sarah Michelle Geller being wicked) and Bend it Like Beckham (which reminded me very much of Strictly Ballroom - I have no interest in either football or ballroom dancing, but both managed to be excellent stories of people defying their parents to do what they love; though where are the stories of the not very good football enthusiasts who defy their parents?). Then a legal thriller. I enjoy legal thrillers.
I sat next to a couple of very cheery chaps. When we were told to switch off all electronic equipment, the one next to me got out his portable phone to switch it off. Cool, or what? If I could afford one, I'd get one today. His wasn't much larger than my Palm V, though the antenna was about a foot long (it did telescope away, and you only need it when you're talking). He said he could talk for an hour without a recharge and it worked in most large cities.
After I finished drooling over his tech, we talked for a bit. He was back from visiting his brother in Bath, but had also visited Paris. He and his friend kept joking about French girls. His friend worked at a cemetery and kept saying how one had to live every moment because tomorrow you might die. Living every moment seemed to consist mainly of hanging out in strip clubs. I was embarrassed to have to admit that I'd never been in one.
Anyway, when I arrived, it was nice to see Manny (our man at SLAC), and then Virginia, Doug, and Terry again (family friends in Palo Alto - I'm staying with Doug and Terry). As usual, Virginia had made nice dinner for us and friends with veggie leak tart especially for me.
Ah, it's nice to be back in the land of the free, where I can commit crimes against humanity with impunity. Hmmm. I'm sure that if Gordon Brown were to stand up to Dubya, he'd have to back down. They'd be too embarrassed if America were the only country that didn't support the ICC. But once more we Brits take the flack for the Americans.
