I never thought I’d say it, but I actually like it here and realised that I missed it. For some readers, this will be a serious revelation (and I do expect a few calls to confirm my sanity).

I guess there is the comfort in being somewhere that you know pretty well. I’ve spent a good chunk of time here since the first time in 2000. That time was at the height of tech when hotel rooms were $259 (yikes), I also remember electricity being switched off at certain times (Enron fallout). The first time I’d ever really presented to US audiences (apart from at academic conferences that don’t really count). So much has happened since then. If you’d asked me if I thought I’d be where I am now, I wouldn’t have believed it !

Food has been good so far. This morning Starbucks for breakfast. Not the usual bloody miserable person (that would have been an excuse at 6:45AM), but someone positive and nice to me. Although they couldn’t spell my name right ;):