Telling it like it is

We went back to B.B.King's tonight and the band recognised us. So I asked them if they'd do Sweet Home Chicago. They said it had been a while since they'd done it but they'd see what they could do. Well, they could do, and they did, in their last set of the evening and it was stellar. The lead guitarist led the whole band in a jam session based around S.H.C that took a good 10 minutes to run its course. Brilliant. Loved every minute of it.

Score! We decided to try B.B.King's for dinner tonight and it was brilliant. They had a live band that did three sets of blues and one mixed bag. The band members were all amazing - singers and instrumentalists - methinks we might be going back tomorrow night :)

After spending 12 straight hours on the trade show booth today, 9.5 hours across the Atlantic suddenly seems short. The show was the usual drag for this event - we're basically moving wallpaper rather than proper exhibits :) Knackered. Feet, arse and back ache. Looked stupid and felt uncomfortable in suit all day. Need sleep.

You wouldn't believe it given what my dad did for a job, but today was the first time I've made it to the KSC visitor's centre, and it was brilliant. I paid the $16 extra and did the 'all access' tour where you get closer to the launch pads and vehicle assembly building. The best part of it for me though was the old launch control room where they do the 'last 5 minutes' show. Basically it's as it was on the day Apollo 8 was launched, and they run the last 5 minutes before liftoff as part of the show, with all the telemetry being fed into the original consoles and stuff like that. When the Saturn V lifts off, the whole room shakes and they vibrate the windows and everything. Absolutely brilliant. Then they spit you out into the Saturn V hall where one of the only remaining examples is lying on it's side, fully restored. Best. Tour. Ever. For me anyway.

I love a good argument first thing in the morning. I'm back at the hotel where the breakfast self service buffet induces a mandatory 18% gratuity on the bill. Same as last year, only this year they've become a bit more Nazi about not letting you remove that tip. Financially it doesn't bother me - this is a company gig - but it's the principal. Why the hell should I pay a mandatory tip for a self service buffet? Nobody served me other than to bring a glass of water. and at $21.79 for a bowl of cornflakes and two pieces of toast, you'd think they were making enough money already. Bastards. Everything's so expensive it's like being in England.