Day Zero: San Francisco to Auckland

On my first international flight of my trip writing my first official post for this blog and I have already learned an important lesson: always use air miles. Or at the very least collect them.

Thankfully, I am collecting them (due to some remarkably good selling by the United Airlines employee at the Sea Tac Airport, but I really need to start doing so going forward.

The other lesson I learned was always fly Air New Zealand when given the chance. Comfortable, spacious seats, free movies that you get to choose from (I went with the last Best Picture nominee I had not seen yet - the excellent Winter's Bone), and tasty food that came with the flight instead of having to be paid for separately.

In short, it's the exact opposite of Alaska Airlines.

The trip besides the flight has started out remarkably well. Emerald City ComiCon was a huge hit, as my podcast co-host Brandon and I were recognized somewhat regularly by comic creators. While we did have a bit of a fiasco with our camera situation, we still were able to swing 4 interviews and make some superb contacts with comic folk as well.

It's tough for me sometimes because of how difficult it is for me with "celebrities." Sometimes I act like a complete crazy person around people I idolize (see: how Troy acts when he meets Levar Burton in "Community"), but I think I managed to do a good enough job this time.

Besides that, my friend Erik came up to visit and we ended up making some rather unforgettable memories with his friends Marcie, Brianna and Ivan. It was one of the best weekends I've ever had in terms of sheer fun, and I'm already excited for next year and hope everyone will join Brandon and I once again.

5 days in, traveling from today to two days from now. My trip is off to a remarkably good start. It's time for rest, and when I awaken I will be in a place that is over 10,000 miles from my home. It's a scary thought, but I think a little uncomfortableness is good for a person from time to time.

Music of the day: anything and everything Celtic Thunder.

Or, more seriously, my favorite mix ever, but especially the Nina Simone jam off it ("men cluster to me like moths around a flame/and if their wings burn I know I'm not to blame") or the Jeff Magnum cover of a Phil Spector song ("but darling most of all/I love how you love me"). Pretty much perfect.