#vric

Quick sketch - gender bender of my Abigail and @shiizacz‘s Vric

Jak być chujem : D

Woke up at 6am, and left the hotel by 6.50. Paris traffic is definitely one of the Chinese Hells. Got to Gare Montparnasse, and couldn't get the train ticket dispensers to work. By the time I talked to a ticket seller, we found out that the 08hr08min train left early, and thus we were stuck in the Paris train station until 0953. Freaked out about being late to the conference and missing my presentation time slot, feeling that I'd come all this way and fucked it up at the end. Fucked up everything I worked for and you helped me achieve. Got lots of encouragement from online folks, and eventually got hold of the symposium organiser. After much wrangling, we managed to switch my time slot with the group after me, but it was still very close. So close, in fact, that I missed it. We didn't get into Laval until 1220. Luckily, I wasn't the only source of problems, and we were able to get me presenting at 2.30pm. RIGHT AFTER THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Vincent Müller. Look him up. Before that was lunch, wherein UnknownBinaries and I went to a little café near the college, and had a really good lunch of steak and fries and salad. Then Professor Müller, then me ( https://twitter.com/unknownbinaries/status/315115554648244224/photo/1 ), then a presentation called "Terminator Niches" which dovetailed nicely with some of my previous work ( https://twitter.com/Wolven/status/315162078673530880/photo/1 ). Went for coffee/drinks with the other symposium presenters, which was very fun. Got "stuck" in Laval, because TVG lost our reservations for the earlier train, and had to get us on the 8:41pm train. Spent about 1.5 hours in a very nice little Laval café called Hotel Aerobase ( http://pic.twitter.com/fkXNHkXkCa ) Got back to Gare Montparnasse at about 10.50. Searched for change for a bathroom for about an hour before giving up and going to a nearby café. Sat in said very upscale Paris café, at midnight, hearing White Town's "Your Woman," and eating smoked salmon with fresh bread. Left said café, and went in search of a friendly ATM to get cash to catch a cab. Found cab first, ATM second. Just got back to the hotel. It is 2am. And our non-smoking hotel reeks of stale cigarettes. So, for any and all of those thinking of taking up the mantra "John Crichton Is My Spirit Animal," a word of warning: Expect Many Unexpected Detours. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHciMYCAJbM) Many more pictures, tomorrow. Good night.

We have arrived in France, and checked into the hotel. Next is showers and food and then bed. Somewhere in there, need to arrange for a 6:45am Cab to Gare Montparnasse. Which means up at 6am, dressed, some kind of food thrown in ourfaces, and then out the door. OR we could just wait until we get to Laval, and eat there. Hmm. Probably the latter. I probably won't be hungry until I'm a little more awake, anyway. Bah, enough of this, for now. Food is required.

Howdy there, everybody. We leave for France, tomorrow. The fundraiser is going on until Thursday, so if you'd like to help with this, please do: https://www.wepay.com/donations/vric-travel-expenses-fund Thanks.