At the Airport

Sitting at Austin Bergstrom International Airport waiting for my flight back to the Center of the Sun after braving the 183 (a.k.a Construction Hell) and managing to get confused in a way worthy of a Chevy Chase movie by the fact that the 183 is called Airport Blvd. for a stretch right before the airport, but there is also the 111, which is also called Airport Blvd. but has nothing to do with the airport.

Incidentally, having roads change names whenever and wherever for no particular reason and having different roads sometimes share names seems to be a bit of an Austin specialty.

But it’s still a very nice place, once you debug the driving. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to bring a map if you come here.

The airport has wireless connectivity provided by T-Mobile and Wayport Access, both of whom want money. So I was resigned to read through my NetNewsWire queue offline when what popped up on my screen but a rogue wireless network? Score! Have no idea who’s providing it, but it’s probably a rather ominous-looking old man in a corner whose laptop sometimes makes the MS Office “Hey, I just saved your file! Aren’t you glad I’m beeping about it so you’ll know I actually did it?" sounds.

But whoever you are, wireless benefactor, you have my thanks.

UPDATE: Just had some BBQ and a Shiner Bock. Can’t leave Austin without doing that. Think there’s some kind of law.

UPDATE2: Old guy in the corner just left. Still online. The mystery of the rogue access point deepens.