New Orleans

On Wednesday, July 11, I got up a little after 4 am to make my way to the airport for my 6 o'clock flight. I got there at about 5:37 and was told it was too late to check my bags so they would have to be checked once I passed through security. I had to actually leave them in the jetbridge(you know that long corridor that you walk down to get to the plane itself) and they took them from there. The flight was cool, but we caught the airport shuttle to our hotel. We were in town for a conference of about 8,000 people. Of course everyone else was trying to catch the shuttle as well. AFter about two hours of waiting and flaring tempers we finally were able to hop on a shuttle so we could check into our hotel.

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(don't you love when they do that in books to mean time has passed?)

We head to the convention center for the opening session. When I left the opening session I went to this place called
Mother's Restaurant. I thought it was pretty cool. From there I went on a haunted history tour where I got to see parts of the French Quarter under realtively calm conditions.

The next day after the sessions I saw the new Harry Potter movie and then joined my party for a meal at a restaurant in the French Quarter. We left the restaurant and headed to Bourbon Street. I can just imagine how wild it is during Mardi Gras. We went in this one bar and Mark paid for the waitress to deliver me a shot. Why did the waitress also double as a stripper?!! She started grinding on me and took two tubes that contained the shots (like test tubes) inserted them in her mouth and went back and forth a couple of times (so you know what it looked like) bent me back and them put the opening in my mouth while I drank them. Let me find out that everytime you order something, it comes with a quick lap dance! We continued on Bourbon street and then hit Harrah's casino. Played a hand of black jack, listened to the other people at the table (so not like me to listen to others but I'm trying to be more receptive to other people's ideas because I typically disregard what other people have to say) and lost the hand. I decided that the casino was not for me so I left.

On Friday I went to Emeril's for lunch and wound back up at the casino. This time I played the slots and won a couple dollars. When I played the video poker machines I won over $100. I cashed out and left. We did a river boat cruise and then headed back to Bourbon Street. We hung out on Bourbon for a few hours and then went to sleep since was had to catch the shuttle in the moring at 7:30 a.m.

In my haste to pack my bags Saturday morning, I inadvertently left the valet key to my car and my headphones in the top drawer in the room. Of course I didn't remember utnil I got to the airport. I called the hotel and let them know and they packed my stuff and mailed it out that day. When I got the airport back home I called a locksmith to open my car for me. He got it open, but charged me more because of the type of car (Jaguar Vanden Plas). I checked the armrest for my keys when I remembered that I locked them in the glove box and the only way for me to get in the glove box is with the key that's somewhere between the SpringHill Suites Convention Center and here. I started to rent a car but Ms. Lee got me to wait a day before renting it so that I wouldn't have to pay any extra money, especially since I'll have to pay like $50 to get me car out of long term parking at the airport once the key does finally arrive.

Overall the trip was straight. I just hate that I left that key. THe realism is that sometimes s*#t happens.