Things I learned in O'Hare

In general, during the holidays, when people are stranded, they are genuinely nice. I don't think I ran into one really nasty person the whole time I was in O'Hare. People were pretty calm. Part of it may have been exhaustion. Most people I met had been traveling for hours so they were pretty wiped out--myself included.

An iPhone/Netbook combo? Priceless. I found that my netbook charged pretty fast. I could only find one outlet that worked the whole nine or so hours I was in O'Hare. In the twenty minutes I had access to the outlet I was able to get a decent charge on both my netbook and iPhone. This was important since I was in a regular phone call/text circle with my brother.

When I couldn't find an outlet I would turn on my netbook, prop the lid open just enough to keep it running, and plug in my iPhone. Then I'd hold the entire thing. I would like to say I set it on the chair next to me, but I only sat three times during the entire ordeal: about an hour or hour and a half on the cool kid perch, for twenty minutes at gate E4 after I found out I had a boarding pass, and for an hour before I boarded my plane. Most of the time I was standing in one spot, walking aimlessly trying to both stay awake and figure out what I was going to do. Or running. I didn't know I was able to be on my feet for that long.

I only cursed United once. They were trying the best they could, honestly. At my original gate (F1A-B-C-D) the gate agent thanked everyone (there were people waiting for at least four different flights) for being so nice and calm, and said, "If I could buy you all presents, I would." Hell, United was pulling planes out of the hanger trying to get people out of there. They tried. I don't think everyone realized how hard they were working to get people out.

Hopefully, my return flight through Minneapolis tomorrow will be uneventful. Hopefully.