Counting down to BFAS & NYC: IMBT!

It's official!  My trips to Best Friends and NYC are now 100% happening (the rest are still up in the air).  Just working on the details...

Kanab, Utah / Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Checklist

Flight - check.  (Flying in a prop plane - they're safe, right?...)
Car Rental - reserved.
Lodging - check.
Volunteer Schedule/Arrangements - check.
Side trip to Bryce Canyon - TBD.
Figuring out how to pack everything (including wellies, camelback pack, kitchen items (because the studio I'm staying in doesn't really have everything and I can't afford to buy it all), camera & lenses, laptop, etc.) into the luggage allowed for the prop plane - TBD.

Some photos from last year to hold me over until it's time to go:

T-16 days!

New York City Checklist 

Flight - check.
Lodging - TBD; need to figure out which friend's place it makes more sense to crash at and whether I should split my time.
Plans with friends - TBD; I've of course already over-committed myself which I always do when I visit, but I'll get it figured out.
Tickets to shows - TBD; good news is Boyfriend's BFF who works on Broadway says he can help me.

Hoping to see:

Aforementioned Boyfriend's BFF is playing Monsieur André in 'Phantom'!

And:

I'm such a dork.  I only want to see 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' because of Daniel Radcliffe.  Since his run ends in January this is basically my only chance!

 T-42 days!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As you already know, I'm a proud member of The Tribe.  The holiday which celebrates the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, begins tonight.  So to all my fellow Jews:

שנה טובה ומתוקה לכולם!

(A good and sweet new year to you all!)

Old traditions include eating special things (shocker) such as apples dipped in honey and Challah bread baked into a round form with raisins inside.  Both the apples and the round Challah symbolize the continuity of creation and the cyclical nature of a year passing.

New traditions include sharing silly videos / song parodies which represent... our culture's desire to make up our own words to songs and make it big on the internet (???).  Here are a few for you to enjoy:

Does wearing tzitzit make it harder to "be shufflin'"?

Aw, such mensches!

SHANA TOVAH Y'ALL!!

Pismo Beach / SeaVenture Resort: IMBT

Over the years we've been together my boyfriend (hereafter referred to simply as "Boyfriend") has learned that I prefer experiences and trips over material items for gifts.  I might be the instigator for most of our vacations (as you know I like to plan), but he definitely enjoys them.  So for my birthday this year Boyfriend planned a trip to Pismo Beach - about a 3 hour drive (North) from LA - to stay in one of our favorite places, the SeaVenture Resort:

image credit: Destination360

We first discovered it on a road trip we took over Memorial Day weekend 2009.  We were driving up the coast and back and stayed there on our last night.  I'm a little reluctant to even talk about it because it's one of those hidden gems, but oh well!  The biggest draw SeaVenture offers are the private hot tubs on the balconies of each room.  If you're like me and you're kinda grossed out by sitting in a stew with a bunch of strangers, this is a super special feature.  Then there are the in-room fireplaces.  So romantic.  And the amazingly soft beds with tons of pillows and down comforters.  Actually, as I'm describing it, it almost sounds like it belongs in a cold climate (I guess it does get chilly on the ocean at night - but not THAT chilly)!  Finally, not only does the price of your room include breakfast, it's delivered to your door in a picnic basket!  You fill out a card the night before and they bring it to you at your desired time.  How awesome is that?

To be fair, the decor could use a little updating (it feels a bit early-90's), but who really cares about that when everything else is so lovely?  The resort also provides beach chairs, towels, bikes, and other kids toys for guests to use.  There is also a massage center and a restaurant on site.

Boyfriend and I left early Saturday morning and stopped in Santa Barbara for breakfast and to pick up a bottle of our favorite wine, Giessinger Forgiveness (perhaps a separate post on that another time).  We made it to the SeaVenture by about 1:30 pm and decided to go hang out on the beach until our room was ready.  There was a wedding going on at the hotel that afternoon which we considered crashing (since it was SO LOUD IT FELT LIKE IT WAS IN OUR ROOM) but opted to go for a walk instead.  By the time we got back we had just enough time to relax for a little bit and then get ready for dinner.

We were surprised by the hotel with a complimentary bottle of wine for being return guests (so amazing!).  We asked if we could have it with our dinner, to which they obliged.  Boyfriend had done his homework and requested a table overlooking the ocean just before sunset.  It was the most perfect scene.  No, seriously - check out the pictures below.  I'll spare you the details of all the food (which I could go on and on about, and have pictures of as well), but the highlight BY FAR was watching a pod of dolphins swim by as we sipped our wine.  It was as if the universe knew it was a special evening and sent them just for me.

The rest of the evening was spent enjoying our Giessinger wine and waiting for the hot tub to cool down (Those things get SO hot!  And I'm a total wimp!).  Breakfast the next morning was delicious and when we finally checked out the weather was PERFECT for sitting on the beach.  After about an hour or so the wind started picking up so we decided to go to Splash Cafe for lunch.  The line was around the block, but well worth the wait, as a) the food was delicious b) we got to watch someone (who was driving at least 5 people in a tiny red sports car) get pulled over and arrested for [we think] a DUI and c) there were lots of puppies walking by to pet.

After lunch Boyfriend reinforced his wonderfulness by going with me, as promised, to see A DOLPHIN TALE, which was adorable and made me seriously regret not following my dream of becoming a marine biologist.  *Sigh*.  And then, alas, it was time to head back to LA.

It was a quick, but really fantastic trip.  Good job Boyfriend!  Here are a few select photos:

Breakfast at Beachbreak Cafe in Santa Barbara

Loved the name, kinda glad we weren't staying there though

Before starting our AMAZING meal

View during dinner

Playing with night timed exposure from the pier

Perfect beach weather on Sunday morning

Dinosaurs + Time Travel = "Terra Nova" = My Best New Drama [hopefully]

Two of my all-time favorite movies are BACK TO THE FUTURE ("My density has brought me to you.", "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.", "If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious shit.") and JURASSIC PARK ("John. If the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.", "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs...   Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth...").

So you can only imagine my excitement when I first read about "Terra Nova", the new Fox superdrama (yes, I just made that word up) premiering tonight (at 8 pm!) (finally!) about a family who travels back in time to the Mesozoic era to save the world. Guess what lived in the Mesozoic era?  DINOSAURS.  (Though, fun fact, apparently not enough - I read the show is borrowing from other eras as well.)  Steven Spielberg is Exec Producing, Jack Horner is advising, the couple reviews I've read have been mostly positive, and the trailer is just awesome (though I have to admit, it does feel a lot more JP than BTTF).

Check out the show's official site HERE
Watch the trailer here:

Hold on to your butts!

Cheesy/"Inspiring" Kids Movies About Ocean Creatures are My Best Thing

I am going to see A DOLPHIN TALE this weekend and I am so excited about it.  Click here for the the story behind the movie in case you couldn't figure it out from the trailer:

Yes, the cheese factor is high, but it's about A DOLPHIN.  What else matters?

My boyfriend isn't too thrilled.  He's taking me to Pismo Beach for my birthday getaway and I'm insisting we make this a part of the trip.  He and the roomies argued that "a surprisingly solid, earnest family pic... parents will surely applaud its underlying message of adolescent empowerment, and the far better than average cast gives this one a strong emotional undercurrent" (taken from Variety, which I presented to them as a "HA!  So there!" rebuttal to their laughing at me for wanting to see it) isn't exactly a glowing review.

Whatever.  It's about A DOLPHIN.  We're seeing it.

And for the record I still own FREE WILLY on VHS.

Not Getting Hit by Stuff Falling From the Sky: [So Far] IMBT

According to THIS ARTICLE from the LA Times, "Stuff falls from the sky every day; big stuff — larger than 1,000 pounds and thus weighty enough to generate debris that falls to the ground — falls about once a week."  So, if you, like me, have yet to get hit by anything, congrats!  It's Your Best Thing too!

Image credit: hipstersgonnahip.blogspot.com

Just be sure not to stand in an open field when those satellite bits come hurtling through the atmosphere tomorrow.

Planning Trips That May or May Not Ever Happen: IMBT

Some people catch up on the news, others read blogs (like YOU and I love you for it!).  I spend any spare downtime I have at work planning trips/adventures/vacations that may or may not ever happen.  Currently swirling around in my brain:

Kanab, Utah / Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

- Mid-October
- By myself (unless anyone out there wants to join me!)
As promised, I am legitimately working on this one.  I'm currently trying to determine whether I want to fly from LA to St. George and rent a car (still about 1.5 hours from Kanab) or drive the whole way.  Last year I drove.  It wasn't exactly fun, but it is something I could do again.  The monetary difference is about $250.  Thoughts?
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 92%

New York City

- Early/mid November
- By myself
A handful of my best (human) friends ever in life for all time infinity times infinity live in NYC.  I've visited (either just to visit or to also attend a wedding) every summer since 2007, but didn't make it this year.  Added motivation is that another bestie, who lives in the UK, will be in town visiting her family then.  Added added motivation is that I really want to see Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway before the end of his run in January.  There is currently a Virgin America sale putting flights at $320.  Not bad.  Why can't I commit?
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 64%

South America

- December
- By myself
I think I will probably write a whole separate post about my dream trip through South America.  It's something I would love to do not-by-myself, but it would probably take about 2 months and $10K so finding someone who has both the time and money has been difficult.
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 17%

Spain

- December
- With Family
My mom, brother and I are always up for a family trip to somewhere exciting - it's my dad who's the stick in the mud.  He would truly prefer sitting at home for two weeks channel surfing, playing poker online and eating leftovers.  I wanted to sit down with the fam when I was home a couple weeks ago to plan a trip, but with so much going on it just didn't happen.  It's not looking promising without me being there to push things along.
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 23%

Anywhere

- December
- With Boyfriend
Lesbihonest, I don't really care where we go as long as it's warm/hot and somewhere I haven't been before.  Potential destinations to discuss w/Boyfriend: Belize, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, Cabo, S. Florida, etc.  The emails I get EVERY DAY from Travelzoo, Jetsetter, Kayak, Orbitz, Groupon Getaways, LivingSocial Escapes, etc. really fuel this one.  We're going to discuss this weekend.
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 41%

Africa

- 2014
- With BFF from high school
OK, this one is a far way off (it's for our 30th birthdays), and my friend is concerned she won't have the money to pay for it, but we've been talking about it for, like, 6 years already so IT WILL happen.
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 100%

Australia

- Whenever
- With my friends from the BU Sydney Fall '04 Abroad Program
We all talk about wanting to do a reunion trip, but seeing as half of the group is getting married and some are even having kids already, I'm thinking this one is just a dream.
- Possibility of coming to fruition: 2%

I'll keep you posted!  And if you have any suggestions on fabulous destinations, leave 'em in the comments!

Winning Emmys: It's My [Place of Work's] Best Thing

I work for HBO.  I love my job, and I'm not just saying that because this is a public forum - I really do.  There are so many great things about it, the most important being that I'm part of the behind-the-scenes team, which is what I moved here for!  Also at the top of the list is seeing the shows we work so hard on get recognized during awards season.  Of course the Crème de la Crème in the television world is the Emmy, the award given by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  Because the main show is televised and can only be so long, many of the prime time awards are given out a week prior at a separate ceremony called the Creative Arts Awards.  This year HBO won a total of 19 awards, more than any other network.  This is the 10th consecutive year HBO has been able to make that claim.

In past years, shows I've worked on directly have taken home most of the HBO statues (i.e. TEMPLE GRANDIN, GREY GARDENS, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK, etc.), but this year my colleagues got the glory.  So congrats to everyone who worked on...

"Boardwalk Empire" (8 wins)

Photo credit: popsugar.com

Click here for a brief, but interesting interview with Martin Scorsese (who is so much one of My Best Things that I've wished for years he would adopt me as a niece and I would call him Uncle Marty and we would make amazing pictures together).

















MILDRED PIERCE (5 wins)

A Getty Images photo from socialitelife.com

Lesbihonest, isn't Guy Pearce just generally amazeballs?  I mean MEMENTO?  L.A. CONFIDENTIAL?  PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT?  Some of my all-time favorite movies!!


















"Game of Thrones" (2 wins)

Photo credit: Getty Images

In case anyone is wondering, the other win for GOT was for Outstanding Title Design.  And if you don't know what that means, just watch this.  (And this.  And this.  Though the award is for the design, not the music.)

















Other HBO winners included CINEMA VERITE (which I did work on directly - woot!), "Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour", GASLAND, and "A Child's Garden of Poetry".

And just for fun here's a few pictures of me and my coworkers at the HBO After-Party:

Damn, we are good-looking.  And now, back to work on the shows you'll hopefully see win lots more awards at next year's Emmys!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! It's EVERYONE'S Best Thing! (9/16 edition)

The whole point of the internet is cat videos, right?  Here are a few winners from this past week (and for those of you not of the feline persuasion, scroll down for a non-kitty vid):

STAR WARS + Kittens = awesometown.

Maybe this is better if you actually speak French, but I don't think that's necessary:

I love all the different voices and the teeny tiny sets and especially the part where they crash the kittycab.

This one, which I recently shared on Facebook, is just silly/hilarious:

The cat at 1:27 is totally my cat's more aggressive cousin.  I have to warn anyone who comes to my house that if they don't protect their water glasses Aslan will make them his.

And as promised, here is just a really cool video (and, if you're a nerdy lover of how-did-they-do-that film making like me, two even cooler behind-the-scenes vids to go along with it) by FreddieW:

ZING!  Yep, I still managed to get a cat in there.

HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!

IMBT Birthday Shoutout: ME!

Today is my birthday.
Woot.

If I'm not brimming over with excitement it's just because most of my birthdays have been underwhelming if not outright disappointing.  I think a lot of it has to do with the timing: close to the beginning of the school year, usually around the Jewish High Holidays, etc.  There's usually a lot of distractions.  Also, mid-September is quite the popular time for birthdays (think about all those people getting drunk on New Years or without much to do in the cold weeks that follow) so it feels like trying to open a movie with 4 other new releases the same weekend.

Why do we as a culture make such a big deal over birthdays anyway?  I get that before modern medicine parents would want to celebrate their child having survived their early years of life.  And after doing extensive Google research (and by extensive I mean clicking on the top 3 links) I have learned that the birthday celebration's origins lie in *SURPRISE!* magic and paganism.  So does the fact that in today's modern age we continue celebrating throughout our young adulthood mean we are just narcissistic and grossly self-celebratory?  (Hint: it does.)

Truthfully I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying being the center of attention for one day out of the year.  But my past birthdays have proven to me that I should perhaps refrain from getting too excited:

Three years ago, for my 25th, both my brother and one of my favorite people in the world, a friend I made while working on the job that took me to China, were in town visiting.  Brother and I had tickets to the USC vs. OSU football game and the following day the three of us were going to the Aquarium in Long Beach.  Sounds awesome right?  It ended up being one of those birthdays with both extreme highs and extreme lows.  Brother and I almost got stranded in South Downtown LA after Ohio State lost (badly.  waaahh).  It was actually a pretty frightening experience.  But then two of the hot male stars of the show "Brothers & Sisters" happened to be at the same bar where I was having birthday drinks (yay).  The Aquarium was fun (yay), but I later learned that the guy I liked (now my boyfriend of 3 years but we weren't together yet), wasn't exactly thinking about me while he attended a wedding out of town.  It was pretty crushing at the time.  I thought things had been going well with the guy and I hadn't had such strong feelings for someone in a LONNNGGG time.

Seven years ago, for my 21st, I was on a study abroad program in Australia.  Considering the fact that I WAS IN AUSTRALIA (I'm be writing more in the future how Sydney is, and forever will be, My Best Thing) and was with the greatest group of people for ever all time infinity times infinity, this should've been hands down the best birthday ever.  And in all honesty it mainly was.  But sadly my great-uncle had passed away a couple weeks prior and it was the second time in the span of just a few years that I lost a close relative and was unable to make it back to Cleveland to mourn with my family.

Ten years ago for my 18th, I was 2-3 weeks into my freshman year of college.  This particular birthday will probably forever stand out as the very worst.  Five days prior my "only" grandfather passed away (the other one had died long before I was born).  The funeral was on Tuesday, September 11th 2001.  I was originally going to fly home from Boston that morning, but at the last minute we changed my flight to later in the week.  I would still be there for part of the mourning period, but I wouldn't miss so many classes.  In the end, of course, it's a damn good thing I didn't fly out of Logan that morning, but it was shut down for days, if not weeks, and I didn't make it home until Thanksgiving.  That morning my roommate and I had the TV on as we usually did before going to class, and watched live from our 18th floor dorm room as the second plane hit the second tower.  The next couple of days were a chaotic blur and needless to say, my birthday was not a priority.

So how will today stack up against the birthdays of years past?

To be fair, I did celebrate early with friends this past weekend.  As mentioned I was introduced to an awesome new beer, got to see some wonderful friends  - some of whom I hadn't seen in a long time - and was given these GORGEOUS flowers:

Today my boss, who is on vacation in Napa, sent me a box of truly exquisite dark chocolates.  They're so beautiful I might actually have a hard time eating them (shocking, I know).  My favorite Norwegian coworker decorated my cube and made me wear the Birthday Princess Tiara.  I've gotten a couple emails, a couple texts, a handful of cards from coworkers and friends, and a few really nice gifts from my close family.  An old friend, who has recently come back into my life, went with me to one of my fave spots for lunch.  My parents had Boyfriend buy me a sheet cake and present it to me at work with [trick - blast those silly things!] candles and singing coworkers.  And I've gotten a BOATLOAD of Facebook well wishes.  A few of the most important people in my life have been consumed with the birth (literally, just yesterday) of their new nephew, and others with the completion of the film we made (more on that another time).  So as much as I'd like to celebrate with them tonight, it's not looking like that will happen.  But all in all not a bad birthday, right?

So THANK YOU to everyone who took part in any of the above activities.  As narcissistic as it may be, it really does feel nice to gets lots and lots of love all at once.  And maybe next year I'll let myself get just a little bit more excited ;-)

New Best Drink: Banana Bread Beer

Went out for drinks the other night and a friend purchased one of these for me.  I'm not a huge beer person, but holy crap, it was deeeeee-licious.  I'm not 100% sure this was the same brand we had, but either way, YUMMMM.  Everyone in the group started ordering them and after some time the bar actually ran out  (which was probably a good thing because it about time for me to call it a night).

Bars of LA: start stocking these!

In the meantime, if you want to try one we found them at The Arsenal.  Just drink responsibly!

My Best Song: Adele's "Someone Like You"

I realize this song has been out for, like, 9 months already so I'm not providing any new fodder.  But isn't it the case with most songs that they end up getting completely overplayed and then lose their luster?  Maybe it's because I no longer commute via car and therefore haven't been listening to the radio very much, but, for me at least, that has not been the case at all with "Someone Like You".  I just can't get enough.  The combination of Adele's amazing voice with those lyrics - OMG THOSE LYRICS - gets me Every Single Time.  I mean how often does a pop ballad come along that actually makes you feel like your heart-breaking, soul-crushing breakup from 6 years ago is happening all over again?  Her performance at the VMAs nearly brought me to tears.  OK, I *might* have been about to get my period, but I digress.  Check it out for yourself:

As Bill Lamb wrote, "Romantic pain has rarely been so utterly beautiful."

Sea Shepherds + Jews = My Best Thing

Quick background:  I'm Jewish and I love whales (all animals really, but whales in particular).

So of course, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS:

If you're not familiar with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, perhaps you've heard of the show on Animal Planet, "Whale Wars."  The show follows a group of brave Sea Shepherds to sea as they fight to protect whales in the Southern Ocean and, in the upcoming season, in the Faeroe Islands.  SSCS also works to protect seals, sharks, dolphins (specifically the same ones you may have seen in THE COVE), fish, and other marine life in the Galapagos Islands and around the globe.  They were founded by Paul Watson who still captains one of their ships during each campaign.  He was also one of the original founders of Greenpeace but left the organization for a few reasons, one of them being a difference of opinion over tactic.  In other words, they had become increasingly bureaucratic and were no longer willing to go out on the front lines.  To that end, "Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas."  (A direct quote from their mission statement)

Check out Sea Shepherd and what they're up to HERE (warning, there are some graphic images on their site).  They, along with Captain Paul Watson, are also on Facebook if you're interested in updates from them.

Take a look at the show "Whale Wars" HERE.  The first time I watched this show it was by accident and it happened to be a very graphic/gruesome episode, the likes of which I have not (thank God) seen again.  I cried sobbed hysterically - something I had never done before while watching television - but I was hooked and haven't missed an episode since.

And for the record, for my Bat Mitzvah I personally donated $13 apiece to 13 organizations, all of them having to do with animals.  I wasn't familiar with Sea Shepherd at the time, but if I had, they would have definitely have made the list.

THG Trilogy: It's My Best Thing (so far at least)

Have you read The Hunger Games yet?

I am obsessed.  OB-SESSED.

I don't want to write too much about it because I don't want to ruin it for anyone.  Plus, I still have to read the third book so I'll wait 'til after I finish.  But in the meantime, I'll just say that I can't stop thinking about; in the shower, in the car, at work, IN MY DREAMS - aaahhh!  So f'ing good.  I also REALLY want a mockingjay pin...  My birthday is coming up (hint hint)...

Go get your hands on the books so we can obsess together!

Fortunately My Best Thing: Making it to the Gate JUST in the Nick of Time

Here are some things that would be awesome:

1.  If the Cleveland airport had people movers.
2.  If United had acquired Continental's efficiency in the merger.
3.  If I could run more than 20 feet.

I almost missed my flight this morning.  Almost.  I did make it, but not without having a mild asthma attack first (I'm really not exaggerating when I say I can't run.  Especially after resuming my hate-hate relationship with seasonal allergies in Cleveland after a 6 year hiatus).  And also not without being told by the check-in attendant that she "couldn't promise" whether my bag would make it on the plane.  HOORAY.

One of the reasons I used to love flying Continental is that both in CLE and LAX they were so efficient and low-stress.  I knew exactly what to expect and how much time to allot.  Since the "merger" (to me it seems that United has just taken over) I've experienced significantly higher levels of frustration and anxiety -- resulting from lonnnnnng lines -- resulting from under-staffing or incompetent-staffing.  When I was waiting to check in on Wednesday night in LA there were at least 6 - 8 open kiosks at one point, but the attendants were holding us in line.  I finally asked one if they were broken or something and he gave me an, "Oh.  Yeah you guys can go ahead and step up to those if you want."  <INSERT GIANT OBNOXIOUS EYE-ROLL HERE>

Cleveland Hopkins International could also benefit from an upgrade.  As I was leisurely strolling through the Denver airport during my layover with my small coffee and Egg McMuffin, no meat, I noticed the people-movers running down the length of the terminal (two in each direction!).  Oh how helpful that would've been earlier in the day when I was gasping for air and tasting blood in the back of my throat running past TWENTY-ONE GATES, half of which were unoccupied (it was before 6 am).

Anyway, once on the plane it took me at least half an hour/45 minutes for my breathing to truly go back to normal, and a little part of me was anxious all morning about whether the bag would make it.  But it did.  So all's well that ends well, right?

Lesbihonest though here for a second, the real reason behind my troubles this morning was that I didn't give myself enough time.  We left the house at 4:30 am, but I forgot something and we had to turn around.  I walked up to the check-in line at something like 5:08 am.  In the old, pre-merger days this would have been a comfortable amount of time for a 6 am flight but alas, I should've known better.  And to be really, REALLY honest, this was probably the 4th or 5th time I've found myself in this exact predicament over the years.  The worst was after a wedding in NYC when I grossly underestimated how long it would take to get to LaGuardia and the cluster I would find when I got there.  I was one of those people asking everyone in the security line if I could cut in front of them (thankfully they all obliged, probably because I seemed to panicked).  I ran so hard through the terminal that the pedometer I was wearing broke off and I didn't even notice.  But I did end up making it, just as I did today.

What is the moral of this story?  I think it's that I need to get my shit together because one day my luck will run out.  After that experience at LaGuardia I've really tried not to let it get that close again, but I totally slipped today.  So, new resolution: always, no matter what, leave enough time to get to the airport and deal with crazy lines.  And convince CLE to get people movers.