I am such a geek

I am obsessively tracking a Christmas package containing a present for my dad -- not because I'm worried that it will be late, but because I like to see where it goes. "Hey, it's in Idaho!" "Whoa, it just inexplicably turned around and made a loop around Chicago!" "It's in the Florida Keys!"

I wish more tracking-package websites had maps with little lines. That would be fun. Little red lines showing your package making said inexplicable side trip where it looped Chicago. Whee!

Or I wish I shipped more packages. Because it's just so much fun!

Package tracking: the adult equivalent of the cardboard box the present came in.

BEA, how do I love thee?

Ooooh, press pics of the 2004 show! Scholastic in the front and Ten speed press... well, they actually probably think the focus of the picture is Warner, but whatever.

And of autographing! An overview -- and notice how short most of those lines are considering as you get a free book at the end (generally, short for everyone but TV stars, picture books, and Neil Gaiman or Lemony Snickett) -- closeup of some author I don't recognize, but handily his name is on the free books on the table, so if it means anything to anyone, he's Nelson Demille, and James Patterson, who for some reason doesn't seem to have any Publisher Backup to pass him books.

The opening fifteen minutes, where it looks much more crowded than it is, because no-one's in the hall yet: balloons!, the front hall moments before anyone's let in, and then a few moments after that. Whee!

And this gives me ample opportunity to mention that you can register starting today, though there's no rush -- you can get the Slightly Cheaper passes any time before, like, May.

Also, my computer has been at 0% battery on battery power for an hour now, which is ... rather odd. *sighs at power problems*

And the Best of 2004 CDs from antigone921 just got here today, and I am listening to them now, and they are fun whee.