Sunny (Kinda) Cali!

It was an early morning with a flight and time-change that made for a long day, but it was fun. Here are some highlights:

• realizing that Dr. Totten from UNT's SLIS was in the TSA security line right behind me at DFW
  
• riding in a convertible through Beverly Hills, Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive, and Santa Monica with Greg, Cari, & Emma
• the resulting crispy shoulders (despite liberally applying 30 - 50 spf sunscreen four times)
• seeing dolphins playing in the waves at Santa Monica
• eating almond-chocolate-chunk ice cream on Santa Monica Pier
• photographing my favorite part of the Pier: glimpses of the waves beneath the boardwalk
• passing Kodak Theater and Groman's Theater
• chatting with a librarian/vendor from Melbourne on the shuttle from LAX
• getting a tremendously-upgraded room at Residence Inn... and finding three closets and two balconies in it!
• finally staying in a hotel with free wifi
• eating at In-N-Out Burger (nod to Tihleigh)
  
• "talking" to Alex (still in Russia); he was IMing Robert, who called me, and we had an interesting three-way conversation
• sitting in my hotel room, getting annoyed at the loud upstairs neighbors... realizing there *is* no upstairs... walking outside and realizing it's the enormously loud/huge fireworks at Disneyland... and laughing at myself
• (did I mention my room has three closets and two balconies? yeah, dude.)
• exchanging thunderstorm stories and befuddlement at the convention center entrance with a Library Journal exhibitor from NYC
• walking around the Convention Center... the looooong way
  
• being so tired from the long day and time change that I ate popcorn for dinner--thank goodness for Residence Inn's kitchenette!

This isn't even all of the selected photos from today.... but it's a start.