Last week, I took a work-related trip to Winston-Salem, NC. The actual work portion of the trip went well and the travel was mostly hassle-free, despite traveling on Thanksgiving week. The only delays were brief, although they did necessitate some extra-brisk walking between gates in order for me to make my connecting flights both on the outbound and returning portions of the trip.

I did pick up one bit of airport bar know-how: always specify the serving size of the drink that you order. I long ago learned that airport bar prices are in the arm-and-a-leg range, and I recently learned to expect relentless up-selling (“Want to make that a double for just two dollars more?”). This time I learned that if you want one pint of beer, order one pint. A generic beer request will result in your beer arriving in the largest flagon in the barkeep's arsenal. The upside is that I was supremely relaxed for the initial leg of my return trip.

On the second leg of my return trip, I was lucky enough to sit next to a gentleman who had spent several months working in Newcastle, England. One of his co-workers had some kind of connection to Newcastle United and so, as part of his indoctrination as a fan of English Soccer, he got a chance to tour the St. James' Park club house and meet Michael Owen and Nicky Butt. So, we chatted about the EPL for most of the flight from Cincinatti to Rochester, no doubt annoying many of our fellow passengers.