After months of communicating with Tegu eastern command in every way technology allows (skype, email, vmail, gmail, AIM, video conf, conf calling, VOIP), we’ve finally found a small break in which to shoehorn a trip for me to go visit.

I’ll be keeping a running log of my trip for all you fans out there, which will manifest itself in a daily blog update for the next six days. Enjoy!

West meets East day 1- Flying High

Pacific Ave, Pacific Coast... same thing.

9:28- Good morning readers, greetings from Los Angeles! I’m scrambling like mad right now to make sure I cross off everything on my pre-travel to do list. So far, I count ten items, of which I have completed one. Does anyone else add easy things to their to do lists just so they can cross them off? Eat breakfast? Check.

11:37- My list is being progressively whittled down: Bills are paid, files have been copied to my laptop. Next up is making sure I don’t leave the apartment a mess for my roommate for the next week. I’ve been busy working on some new prototype blocks (shh!) so maybe I should vacuum the sawdust out of the living room. Also, I should probably start packing sometime soon. Does anyone know what the weather is like in Connecticut right now?

12:45- How does that saying go? “When packing for a trip, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Bring half the clothes and twice the money.” We’ll see.

2:05- The fifty-something Asian airport shuttle driver is humming along to “1,2,3,4″ by the Plain White T’s. It’s cute. He also takes the longest possible route to the airport. Not so cute.

2:52- LAX is like that one friend who still has dial-up internet service, and no router. “Hey dude, can I get on your WiFi?” “Um… I don’t have WiFi. Sorry.” Except the only difference is that your friend doesn’t have tens of thousands of people pass through his doors everyday. How is it that all major airports don’t have free WiFi by now? HEY LAX- GET WITH IT!

2:59- When you see someone crack open a laptop at a bar, don’t you secretly wish that he spills beer on it? At least a little bit? Even I do, and I’m *that* guy right now. (By the way, for those out there looking down their nose at a bar comment at 2:59, I have two retorts- It’s almost 6p in New York, which is where I’m headed- I’m just getting adjusted to the time change. And also, it’s an airport bar, in an airport Chili’s. I don’t even think they need a liquor license. Don’t judge.)

So long for now, LAX.

3:46- I’m settled in to my office for the next four and a half hours- Seat 27J. It’s always exciting to watch people come down the aisle and wonder who’s going to win the prize of getting to sit next to the skinny guy with the large bladder and good personal hygiene. If my left shoulder was shaped like a pillow I think I could charge for the seat next to me.

3:53- Winner winner, chick’n dinner! My seat neighbor is a girl who dashed my fantasies of having the entire row to myself by just barely making our flight. Speaking of dashed, judging by her current shortness of breath I wouldn’t be surprised if she ran the whole way. Not from security mind you, but from the valley. She’s REALLY out of breath. I wish her right shoulder was shaped like a pillow. It is not.

5:27- I’ve decided to postpone my nap in order to get some work done. Night at the Museum II is the movie for the flight, but I can’t concentrate with Ben Stiller’s trademark awkward sense of humor in the background, so I’ve selected the iPod for my accompaniment. Now playing: Mr. Big, To Be With You. (Yes, really.)

How many Ben Stillers do you see?

6:20- I’m in the process of outlining our press deck- essentially a few slides that will introduce the gist of Tegu to a stranger. I’ve never had any difficulty talking about Tegu or what we do here, but I’ve never had to distill it down to a few pages. I’m getting closer to a final direction though. Tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and tell them what you said. Thanks Maureen

7:02- The flight attendant said there was a power outlet under my seat. I reached down there, and what do I find? A cigarette lighter adapter. Thanks a lot American Airlines, way to stay relevant. Too bad I left my radar detector and iPod FM transmitter at home. Looks like my laptop use will be limited.

7:09- Another movie is starting. No wait, it’s the same movie. Night at the Museum II, again. A whole plane, and no room for another DVD? Come on guys, it’s not bad enough that you’re charging $3 for knock-off Pringles, now you’re repeating the same movie? Oh well, I’m not working anymore, might as well watch it. 

I have no idea what city this is.

8:11- Great. They stopped the movie near the end in order to show an episode of The Office. Thanks again AA, now I’ll never know if Amy Adams’ love for Ben Stiller can withstand the curse of Amen-Ra, or if Owen Wilson escapes from the hourglass! Maybe I can find out on the return flight.

8:59 PST/11:59 EST- Touched down! Welcome to New York.

I imagined the city that never sleeps would be more crowded than this...

2:14- Greetings from Rowayton, Connecticut. From now on all my time entries will be Eastern standard time, which means- early. Rumor has it that I have to be awake at 9a tomorrow, which is actually 6a, so I told my host there’s a good chance I will be cranky. If only he knew how much trouble it was for me to wake up at 9a in LA. My room and board here is lovely (Thanks Will and Rachel), and my hosts have even provided me with a loaner cardigan to wear so I don’t get assaulted in the neighborhood. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the rest of the team tomorrow morning, although I have some trepidation of being awakened in some sort of rudely masculine way that will no doubt be passed off as “team building.” Perhaps I should lock my door. Good night all, I’m signing off for now. I’ll be posting up another installment of the West meets East running (b)log tomorrow, so stay tuned!

It's actually nicer than the $120 price would imply.

2:15- This room’s door does not lock.

-Sos

Tags: SoS, West meets East