On the road again...

Yes, I know that's not an original title, but it rather accurately describes the next few days.

We left bright and early (and I do mean early) on Thursday morning, flying out of St. Louis at 6:30 AM. Land in Denver, and sit and wait...and wait...and wait; a 3+ hour layover. Joy and I are flying together; apparently Theckla was on a different set of flights. (Turns out she left St. Louis on a later flight, but had to layover at Chicago O'Hare - okay, there are things worse than getting up at 3:30 in the morning to catch a plane. I'll take the Denver run, thankyouverymuch.)

Apparently Denver, as a United hub, is being used to gather a number of us; by the time our flight boards, the JFMF group has swelled to 7 and we are (for a change) sitting more or less together on the plane. Trip to San Francisco is uneventful, and we acquire our luggage and catch the shuttle for the hotel.

After we arrive and check in, we meet as a group for the first time since late March. It's great to see everyone; we've already become a true working group with our initial meetings in D.C., and online Japanese lessons since the beginning of April. Today's meeting is an initial orientation about what to expect once we get to Tokyo - first stipend payments, a brief overview of the schedule, some hints and tips about Japanese culture and etiquette - and a slightly longer discussion about a proposal to create a reunion gathering/conference sometime next year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the JFMF MTP program. Most of us have ideas to pass along; several folks volunteer to form a steering committee to put the plan together. (I am not volunteering for this one - next summer will be busier than usual because my son is getting married - but I pass along what ideas I have, and will stay in touch with the planners.)

Dinner is held in the bay overlook room at the hotel restaurant, and it is quite good, but a lot of us are beginning to feel the effects of being up too long. Several folks (including me) set out on a walk along the bay shore path just outside the hotel, but some of us (again including me) take the first cut back to the hotel (about 1/2 mile) and head for our rooms. I get ready for bed, turn on the TV, lay down and realize that I'd better go ahead and shut it off because I will not be able to stay awake much longer.