You’re welcome. I’ve been the recipient of more than my fair share of SDMB philanthropy and even got my job through the board so I try to repay the debt when I can.
Can you help with gas? Are you an axe murderer? And when exactly is the convention? I didn’t think about it when I offered but if you need to be there by a certain time Friday afternoon or evening, I might need to ask time off work to make it. My boss might very well mock me for it but I think she’d let me do it assuming she doesn’t have an appointment herself. Less money out of her pocket.
If you don’t want to answer here, you can reach me through instant messenger, email, or livejournal if you’re so inclined. All my contact information’s in my profile.
Oh, my lord, I agree with every word of this post. I…I think I’m getting woozy.
Seriously, people are indeed flakey, and if you don’t depend on them, you don’t get shafted. Look after your own details, and don’t count on other people too much. Lowered expectations, baby. That’s the name of the game. Expect to be disappointed, and be pleasantly surprised when someone comes through. And put them on your very short list of people who have proven they can be trusted if they do it repeatedly.
I’m expecting to help with gas (and am happy to!), am not an axe murderer; the convention isn’t until the next weekend but it would be nice to get to Portland before 10 PM or so on Thursday. That’s flexible, of course, as at this point any ride would be great!
The gods must be smiling on you because I just found out today that I have next Friday off so I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to help you out although I’m less optimistic about the 10:00 PM deadline on Thursday night. I live in Dallas, outside Salem, and get off work at 4:30 so I’m looking at eighty miles to Eugene and then a hundred-twenty to Portland during rush-hour. We’ll get there but hell if I know when.
Hope you like prog and German synth-pop, by the way. I used this excursion as an excuse to finally order a shiny new mp3 player and it should be here by then. There’s no way I’m listening to Oregon radio for three hundred miles and however many hours. The nineties are over! Grunge is dead! Graaaaah!
… makes me think that Don said, “hey, I’ll pick you up from the train station at midnight if so-and-so can’t.” If that wasn’t the case, I withdraw my objection.
Maybe it’s a “younger person vs. older person” thing. I do remember plans being a lot more loosey-goosey when I was a young adult, but I really need my sleep now, so I make sure I can get home whenever I want to.
Well, think about this way… if your theory is correct, Neil Gaiman, being a person, is a lying evil untrustworthy jackass, so he’ll probably just show up two hours late and throw acid on the audience or something.
Are you still needing my assistance, Tracy? I sent you an email to the address in your profile but have no idea if or when you check it so I thought I’d cover my bases and reply here as well.
Ferret Herder, you almost got it word for word. It was, “If you still need a ride when you come in, give me a call. Let it ring for awhile because I might be asleep.” I admit that I understand the draw of sleep once you’re in it, rationalizes all sorts of behavior.
And I did actually have cash on me to fill up the tank of the person who was supposed to pick me up. I just didn’t have enough for a 35 mile cab ride, not having planned on taking one.
