Checking In
Posted on October 23, 2011 Posted by John Scalzi 25 Comments
Hello, world. I am in America now. And hanging about in Philadelphia’s terminal F for the next few hours. I have a wall socket and a wifi hotspot. I am reasonably content. I had given some thought to calling up friends and leaving the airport for a bit, but having had to run the TSA gauntlet upon arrival, my thought about going through security again here is hell no. Sorry, Philadelphia.
So, America: Anything interesting happen while I was away? I’m guessing not. But maybe you can tell me.
Ah well, I can certainly understand that. PHL is a particularly unfriendly place in that regard.
Nice to see that you’ve successfully returned to the US.
“but having had to run the TSA gauntlet upon arrival, my thought about going through security again here is hell no.”
Indeed.
Glad to you made it back!
See you in Boston this coming February.. & then in exciting Gaithersburg in October!
Sad commentary on the state of America when one of its best and brightest and most thoughtful considers those entrusted by his tax dollars with the safety of his country people to be avoided.
Welcome back to America, Inc., John.
There was that little lions and tigers fiasco in your state…
Can’t fault you for not wanting to go through security again at PHL, but it would be nice to check out Old City. We have all the cool revolutionary stuff down there.
Actually, the TSA station at F terminal runs pretty well, I have been through it many a time. It’s B+C where the backups and hassles often are.
If you see this John, you can grab the shuttle from F to C, there are a lot more dining options in the B/C Connector and related terminals.
I think Michelle Bachman claimed that Herman Cain’s “9/9/9” tax plan was the work of the devil. It’s not of consequence, but it *was* hilarious.
“So, America: Anything interesting happen while I was away? I’m guessing not. But maybe you can tell me.”
Apparently, nearly every American city has been occupied. By whom, it is still unclear.
Qaddafi was killed while you were away, but I think you were aware of that.
Actually, what proof do we have that you were really in Germany, not off on a secret mission to Sirte? Those pictures could have been taken anywhere. Or been ‘shopped.
We’ve discovered why my young (22 years old) niece has such an easy-to-deal with landlord, approving all of the modifications she wants to make in the house she’s renting. She’d bought the house! Job, Federal program, credit history, her own savings … “It’s cheaper than renting, even after I add in taxes and insurance!”
Kevin Federline is now the GOP’s frontrunner.
The NBA negotiations have gotten even uglier than the NFL negotiations were. I wouldn’t have thought that was possible until I saw it.
We put off solving our nation’s most pressing problems for a couple more weeks, so there’s that.
Hundreds of protesters are camping out on your lawn as part of Occupy Bradford. According to an anonymous spokesperson, they believe that “the struggle against the corporations is an old man’s war,” and that they are “looking to Scalzi for inspiration.”
John, did they keep you well supplied with Coke Zero in Germany? If you didn’t have at LEAST 3 or 4 cans each day, make sure to put that on your “excessive demands for my next book tour, just to see if they will meet them” list.
Everybody in Bradford except the Scalzis has been zombified. They would very much like to have a lunch date when you get in.
Yet again, the TSA make the world a worse place. Ah, well, welcome home.
Rumor out West is that the Cats have taken over the nation, but I can’t confirm it. However, the dog will not go outside.
Welcome back. The country’s average IQ is still frightfully low, as evidenced by the number of people who can’t seem to figure out what the Occupy Wall Street people are protesting.
Presumably those same people would be stumped if asked who was buried in Grant’s Tomb.
Great you’re back. Widespread Panic played for three nights in Milwaukee. The shows were amazing. That is all.
Well, the British are trying to declare the American Revolution illegal, but we’re not too worried. (They should read ‘Shogun’…)
There has been some sort of sports contest going on whie you were away. I think it involves whacking something with a stick. People in the St. Louis area are quite worked up. Very odd.
Hmm… I was returning a car to the airport while you were there; shoulda checked the blog first.
But then, since it was a local rental, I would have had to have bought a ticket to somewhere before they’d let me past security, and then run the TSA gauntlet (pro tip: the D/E checkpoint didn’t (yet) have body scanners last I checked). So much for opportunistic author stalking. Glad you got home safe in any case.
John! Philcon’s not for another four weeks!
Speaking of terminals, these — by my quasi-cousin Rain — are on display at PHL:
http://www.phl.org/art/vessels.html
JJB
Almost forgot, but some guy running for some office came up with this while you were in the Heimat. a 1000 mile long, 30ft high, double razor-wired electric fence with, wait for it….alligators! To keep out…Aliens!!!! God, I love this country. Welcome home. Get back to work.