Travel and fanfic

 
Got back yesterday (Sunday) from a business trip to Denver. I can't believe it but since 2020, this is only the second time I've been on an airplane for work (I did also have a one-night business trip that I drove to, last year).

So the timing of the trip wasn't great - I had to leave first thing Friday and return home Sunday, so there goes the weekend. But I have zero complaints....not one thing went wrong on the trip:

- No airplane problems, no flight delays
- Hotel was very nice. I slept well both nights
- The hotel had a nice fitness center, a pool, and a hot tub and I managed to use all of them
- Oh yeah, the work stuff? That all went great. Basically I had to attend and speak at a reception on Friday and attend a graduation Saturday. The bigger event of the two was Friday; one of my company's PR people came and I had to funnel people her way for video. That all went really well too. Got to hang with some good people on both days. 
- No issues getting food either. I can say that of all the trips I've taken in the past 4 years or longer, I've had no problems getting vegan food. It's partially due to plant-based eating going more mainstream, but I think the real superstars are the delivery apps. Before, if a restaurant was further than a block or two from the hotel, it wasn't realistic for me to get to it on a business trip. I'd often just call room service and pray. :) Or ask at the front desk if they had menus from any Chinese places that would deliver. But now with all the delivery apps, all I really need is a vegan-friendly place within delivery radius and I'm fine.
- And thanks to Ann, I got to watch Shadow and Bone on the plane! Just watching these characters that I love makes me feel so good and nearly forget that I'm on a frickin' business trip on a weekend.
- One thing I don't know what to do about. On the way there, I carried on my rollerbag. It's a pain though. Gotta lug it and my backpack through the airport. Gotta cram purse into backpack so I don't board the plane with more than 2 items, and gotta hoist the heavy rollerbag into the overhead. So on the way home, I checked it. And then promptly regretted it as I stood at baggage claim for nearly 40 minutes. I honestly never know what to do here. 
- Even though I slept fine at the hotel, last night back at home in my own bed? OMG....I had deep, rich, restful awesome sleep and it was amazing
- And Doris picked me up from the airport on Sunday, and she'd made stir fry

Some fanfic stuff:

- Got a comment on my multi-chapter WIP from a new reader!
- And I read a really, really good fic. I am generous with comments though rarely do I honestly ever read a fic that I like as much as my own stuff. But I found one that i do love. (Also, gotta stop comparing myself but this fic has 154 kudos. I have two S&B fics with more than that, and I guess I just noted that because I'm happy to be in the company of such a good fic) 
- And a discussion on Reddit led to another new reader reading one of my fics and leaving a great comment