So as you heard last Thursday, I was able to successfully make the transit from Denver to Boston with a minimum of fuss, and I’m happy to report that the content of my Thursday dinner and Friday day with IBM is both interesting and worth relating. So look for that later in the week (or maybe next if this week is as bad travel-wise as it’s shaping up to be).
It was good to be back in Boston, if only because I’ve got a lot of love for that town. I can’t afford to live there, and couldn’t be happier with my move to Denver, but I do miss being on the water.
You didn’t hear from me Friday because IBM cleverly does not provide wifi in their executive briefing center in Cambridge, thus forcing me to actually pay attention for the whole day 😉 Following Friday’s full day of meetings, I went to check into my home for Friday and Saturday nights, the John Hancock Hotel & Conference center.
I should have known while booking it that anything going for nearly a $100 cheaper per night than the hotels right around it wouldn’t be stellar, but given that it’s in Back Bay I didn’t think it would be that bad. I know, that’s stupid. But in any event I was little prepared for the prison style bathroom of my room there, which eschewed such niceties as a shower curtain and divider between the shower and bathroom. The entire bathroom was a tiled floor with multiple drains, in a setup I can’t say I’ve ever seen before. Check it out. Nor did the hotel appear to believe in vanities or anything but naked fixtures in the bathroom. In its defense, the hotel was at least clean, so I wasn’t too miserable.
Despite the level of travel I’m usually afforded when travelling on business, I’m absolutely not a hotel snob. I spent nearly eight months in a Signature Inn hotel room in Bloomington , IL at one point where I’d chosen a particular room simply because I knew the things that we’re wrong with it (the AC would occasionally die with a metal grinding sound, but if you whacked once or twice it would start back up) and didn’t have to figure that out anew every week. But if you’re looking for a place to stay in Boston, the Hancock does not get my personal recommendation.
At any rate, after another delightful trip on the Acela from Boston to NYC (I love trains), I now find myself in midtown Manhattan in anticipation of tomorrow’s Sun quarterly NC event. It’ll be mostly hardware related, from what I understand, but Jonathan hints at some surprises here. Will bring you news and such as I’m able.
Also completed a longish open source related essay on the way down, and once that’s polished you’ll see that too. Otherwise, should be a very busy week for me on the road.
