I started this trip with a 4:30 am wake up on Sunday to be at the airport for the direct but painfully long six and a half hour flight from Orlando to Seattle at 7:30. Ran into Rodney Landrum in line to check my bag for the same flight, talked shop a little as the little slowly moved along. Flight was fine, learned a bit of trivia (or urban legend) that the plastic water bottles are recyclable but the tops are not. Strange. Took the train into downtown and walked up the hill to the Homewood Suites, nice to be back in a suite – I like having some room – instead of the Sheraton the last few years.

Lunch was at Von’s with a few friends, quiet chat about technology and work, plus a rule that for some reason you can’t order onion rings until after 2 pm. Then back to the hotel to catch up on some email and tasks before a late dinner with Allen Kinsel over at Gordon Biersch, making sure I remembered the layout for the networking dinner that Steve Jones and I are coordinating tonight (Mon Nov 5) (still room for a few more!).

I’m writing this on Monday morning after a restless night, checking in at work for a few minutes and then a nice morning stroll to Top Pot for coffee and a doughnut, watching them build a new building across the street – though the watching is really more the concrete bucket going up about 15 floors which is still interesting early on a Monday.

No huge plans for today. Need to check-in at registration and separate the wheat from the chaff, pick up some ginger ale for the room, and do some shopping for gifts for family and a few people at work. Saw a different coffee place I want to try, maybe for an afternoon break. I’ll be going through the schedule to pick some sessions to attend,always good to have a plan and a backup to the plan. And the networking dinner of course.

Weather is nice,so far. Sun is almost out, a light jacket is enough, though supposed to get cooler and wetter as the week progresses. I’m thinking again for the 17th time how much I’m looking forward to the Summit being in Charlotte next year.