Monday, 6:36am PST

Having gone through security in record time, I’m at the gate waiting the 80 minutes until my flight boards. Of course I forgot to charge my ipod, even after posting about it in the middle of the night; I’m trying to save what’s left of the battery for the flight. I also forgot to charge my phone or pack its charger. I did manage to pack an extra battery for the camera and remembered my toiletry bag at the last minute.

This is the first time I’ve been to the A gates since the airport was remodeled. It’s nice and there are lots of new stores. The asiago bagel breakfast sandwich I bought from one of the new places was good and not terribly overpriced. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a few complaints, though. It took me a while to find a garbage can in this pristine new terminal Apparently I inadvertently packed my tinfoil hat, because I was momentarily convinced that Homeland Security had decreed that public trash receptacles are a threat to national security. Yeah, I’m excitable when up before dawn.

Then, when I opened up my laptop, it detected four wireless networks. Too bad two are pay-to-access hotspots and the other two are encrypted. Maybe I’ll go over to the Tully’s and see if theirs is free with purchase, but maybe not. Sea-Tac would be wise to follow the lead of other airports and just give free wireless access at the gates. So much of air travel is inconvenient and uncomfortable that it seems wise to make people happy in this small but significant way. I guess its more appealing to partner with T-Mobile and Cingular. Boo! So I have to type this up in a document and wait to get to my hotel to upload. Whatever.

Its interesting to watch people wait for a plane. Of course most people are keeping tmeselves busy reading, eating, talking on the cell phone about nothing, and sleeping, but some people are more entertaining. I see make-up application, nose picking, smooching, and pacing. The woman sitting across from me keeps staring at me with a nasty look on her face. If I was meaner, I’d take her picture with my phone and post it here. Staring back with a raised brow seems to have inspired her to stare at somebody else. Get a book. I guess I should save this battery for the flight, too.