Zero crappy pictures, a thousand very cool memories

Okay– the crappy picture was SO crappy, I’m not even putting it out there. I love the new phone, but the camera, well, not so much.

It’s all right.

I made it to Orlando perfectly intact after getting an upgrade to first class. God Bless United Airways–that’s seriously all I’ve got to say. I love them. If they’re this nice on the way back, I’m writing a total letter of Goddess Bless you.

On the way down I sat next to a really nice guy from CA to CO– he was a photo journalist, and if he didn’t have a girlfriend I would have tried to set him up, because he was, without a doubt, one of the COOLEST people I’ve met during random circumstances. He was also cute (and I loved that he was a gentleman and complained about the smallness of the seat when he was a fit, slight man who fit just fine:-)

The guy I sat next to on the next leg of the trip was also a gentleman–quiet, not a talker, but very sweet. What got me during that branch of the flight, though, was the vision of Florida from overhead. There was a LOT of brown water. I got here and heard about the water leaching the tannin from the oak trees, which makes a pretty story, but does not quite explain the very primal skeeriness of that much brown water, coupled with the idea of icky creatures living underneath. Water Moccossins and Aligators HAVE to live in Florida– that brown water in the humid green world calls to their scaly, reptilian hearts.

So far all I’ve seen here are two hotels–one of them hosting banana hammock central. Did you know that for a lot of those little speedo-weenie-guards, there’s a strap underneath to make the weenie more prominent? Sort of a gay man’s push-up bra. The result is the same, too… the weenies sort of go ‘sproing-sproing-sproing’ and basically, well, it was a little overwhelming for a kid from the hills–but everyone was so cheerfully almost nude that I got over myself damned quick. I made friends with a lovely man who was working the John Paul Gautlthier booth–he looked adorable in the sailor suit outfit and he bought a copy of Locker Room AND we were good enough friends to hug and kiss every time we met each other when we passed at the con. It was a short convention fling, but very intense. (No worries, folks, it was GAY days– no ambiguity in that relationship, none at all:-) But he was so very sweet– really made my day.

Lots of folks made my day. I stood, offered swag, discussed books, and why I liked m/m with a lot of puzzled men who also liked m/m but didn’t see what the appeal was for ME–and they bought books and were kind and generally? A good day all around. I understand tomorrow, we may be going to the beach instead. I forsee another good day.

So I wish I had a picture–but I’m going to be telling stories that are very much fun for weeks!