Yes, it is that important

Went to the Atom Dinner in SF last night. I am the guy on the right in this picture Joi took. Strange that the only picture of me there is one of me taking a picture, strange since I didn't bring a camera. This was the first time I met so many people face to face that I had previously only talked to before either via mail or irc. I was able to stick around and talk for about an hour before I had to leave to get to the airport, so it was a lot of fun even though I missed all the food.

I was shocked by how many people flew out at the last minute. Greg Reinacker was there and so was Joe Gregorio (both from the east coast). I guess Atom is important! [Kevin Burton]

Yes, I believe Atom is important. Important enough for me to pay for a ticket to the west coast out of my own pocket to attend.

I need to thank Kevin Burton. I want to thank him for scaring the living daylights out of me. I was having fun at the SF bloggers dinner and didn't end up leaving until 7:40. Now, I had seen the map, got the directions, it should be a 45 minute trip to the airport, at least by the mile count.

So I get up to leave, excusing myself because I have a 10:10PM flight to catch, when Kevin hears about my departure time, a grave looks comes over his face. "Dude, you are so screwed, you're never gonna make it."

So 35 seconds later, after hurried good-byes, here I am, running down the street at a full tilt for my car. I hop in the car and drive off. I'm so flummoxed that I go four stop lights and get lost. Well, not really lost. I knew exactly where I am. I am on an entrance ramp to Rt. 80 East.

EAST. That sign bangs like a gong in my head EAST. EAST. EAST. I am in San Francisco. The tip of the peninsula, the only way EAST is by....

BRIDGE

If EAST was a gong, BRIDGE was a klaxon. I am late. I am late and I am on a BRIDGE. I am late and I am on a BRIDGE heading in the exact opposite way I want to be going. And not even a short BRIDGE, this one curves off into the horizon and disappears.

I am not resigned. I am a man possessed. I will not miss my flight. It is now 8:00, 15 minutes after I left the bloggers dinner. Turning around will just add another fifteen minutes to my trip, fifteen minutes I didn't have to begin with, and I definitely don't have now. So I scan the map, hmmm, 80 shortly intersects with 880 which looks like it heads in the right direction, South. But here's the rub, the map only covers most, but not all, of the east side of the bay area. Boy, I sure do hope that 880 gets somewhere close to the airport.

I am a little relieved when the entrance sign for 880 reads "San Jose - Airport". But mostly I am relieved by the desolate, by SF standards at least, stretch of highway. There is very little traffic on 880, and I average 75MPH all the way to the airport, which, once I calm down, I realize I do have a map for, and it shows a nearby intersection of Rt. 101 and Rt. 880.

And so, 50 minutes after I left the bloggers dinner, I arrive at the airport. And had I not had the living daylights scared out of me by Kevin Burton I never would have taken 880 and more than likely would have been late to the airport. So thanks Kevin!