day 2: saturday.
i'm supposed to meet maura for breakfast. she's staying at the wellesley, which is supposedly just two exits away from my hotel and an easy walk. but it's cold and windy, and i'm not hung over, just lazy.

"is that a long walk?" i ask the guy at the front desk.

"in this weather? yeah," he says.

i take a cab.

we stop at a 7-11 because maura needs to get cash. as we're driving up, we see a sign stretched across the roof for the 1/3 Pound Cheeseburger Big Bite.

"it's a burger shaped as a hotdog," bryan says, joking.

as we drive into the parking lot, we see another sign with a photo and notice that he is right: it's a hamburger shaped as a hotdog, and it does not look appetizing.

...

we're at iHop, and bryan is telling a story about stalkers, how this person has a stalker and how that person is being followed. "there's someone else who has a crush on somebody else, but i'm not sure who..." he says, his voice drifting off.

jason kottke jumps in. "is it you?" he says, looking at me, with a grin.

"uh...um...no," i stammer, and then attempt to save myself: "well, i have a crush on everybody."

...

at human code, we have margaritas that taste like lemonade slushees.

at milkshake media, we have milkshakes with whipped cream and sprinkles and cheese puffs in squiggles, Xs and Os. i meet a lot of people i've been wanting to meet, like jack saturn and ev williams and matt haughey. i am standing on the top step of the porch thinking how surreal it all is. everyone's taking photos with their digital cameras, which makes it even more-so.

...

i wander down to the awards ceremony by myself and am relieved when i see jack and robert and empty seats beside them. the boy in front of me is staring at me, and i look at him and say, "who are you? do i know you?"

"maganda?" he replies, pointing at me.

it's mark, and he really is 15, with the energy and excitement to prove it. he makes me laugh.

there are 20+ geeks walking down congress taking photos of each other-- walking down congress taking photos of each other. it's all rather silly. "we're our own paparrazzi," someone says.

...

deepleap throws a party -- a big, big party -- at the b-side lounge. it's packed with beautiful people, and while part of me wants to wander and mingle, i feel much more comfortable in the corner talking to jack. plus, we have a booth, and seating is always a hot commodity in a bar. and i love to watch people.

people are floating and laughing and drinking and talking and hugging and touching and having a good time.

around midnight karin and her roommate, derek, leave. and then jack follows soon after. i'm not ready to go yet, so i stay with maura, after being assured i'll have a way back to my hotel.

...

maura needs some fresh air, and i admit i could use some too, so we walk outside. we are sitting at a coffeehouse down the street and she is apologizing.

"i'm sorry, christine," she keeps saying, over and over again.

"the only thing you should be apologizing for is for saying sorry so much," i tell her.

...

i get to my hotel room sometime before 2am. although i had almost nothing to drink, i am more exhausted than the night before.

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