Three things drive me crazy: 1. Rude people; 2. People who chew with their mouth open; 3. Lists

I'm sitting in a Bigby coffee shop, a local chain that happens to be celebrating their 19th birthday with 99 cent drinks. Score! (and crazy busy)
I'm looking out at piles of dirty snow and a light drizzle. Later today it's supposed to turn to snow.
I'd forgotten how bleak this time of year is here. The skies are gray and so is the ground, except for the snow piles which are covered with blotchy black. No wonder these people look so depressed.

The west is getting played and Putin is getting the first part of what he wants. It's the second and third parts we really need to be worried about, and nobody but Vlad knows what those are.

I got upgraded to a Toyota Vanilla Camry because all the rental companies at the G.R. airport are running out of cars. I don't understand it. I have figured out most of the controls which get a B- for being intuitive. But there's a light on the dash display that says "eco." I'm assuming that stands for economy because it goes out if I put my foot to the floor (which I would never do, especially in a rental). Below that, in the cluster next to the fuel gague, is a gauge labeled "mpg." A gauge with a needle. Some cars have a digital readout that tells you your mpg but I've never seen a gauge with a needle...that never moves off 22, even when I do (hypothetically) put my foot to the floor. Stop light? 22. Rolling down the freeway? 22.
I dunno.

I felt sorry for the guy who spoke at last night's opening session. He was assigned a topic that fit his area of expertise but required him to go proof-texting and say nothing more than the obvious. He said it in an engaging style and with what I'm sure was sincere conviction, but it broke no new ground, mostly b/c there isn't any new ground to be broken. Nor is there significant biblical content on the topic.
I hope for better today.

Which is to say, it's morning here, not my usual evening post. The last session of the day ends at 8:30, everybody hangs around a bit (maybe some hang around longer), and then I head to my MIL's where I'm staying while in G.R. She has wifi but nobody seems to know what her password is, so time online doesn't happen after about dinner.
Which, by the way, isn't gonna be a lot of paleo for the duration of this conference, being held at the college. Turns out college cafeteria food isn't so paleo. Imagine that. I'm trying to make it work with stuff from the salad bar and sandwich meat, plus veggies from the line.

I enjoy seeing classmates, former students, and colleagues. But this year I find myself more inclined to sit in the corner and just listen. I suppose that's because of my need to recharge batteries. No output, just input. And maybe that will change over the next 48 hours. We'll see.
For now, over to the college for the first of the morning sessions.