So made it to San Antonio, ok flight, nice in that it's relatively short. Sat next to two guys going to the conference who spent the whole flight trading sexual innuendos and drinking beer (I've never seen anyone drink six beers on a flight, each of them did) I was on the isle so had to get up periodically when they needed to deal with the consequences. Alternated between Che Guevara and Bethany's fantasy novel, I note some resemblance to the heroine... Got in to hotel, which is quite posh looking, right next to the Alamo, Walked along the river walk which is indeed quite nice and pretty at night though also quite crowded. Managed to get something vegetarian with some difficulty at a Mexican place, after a long spiel from waiter about why there wasn't anything veg. on the new menu. I noted he crouched down to talk to us face to face, statistically that's said to result in better tips. Food was pretty good, walked back, Funny saw someone in an outrageously large cowboy hat while still in airport, but overall much less foreign than I somehow expected. Which was kind of silly of course, it's not foreign it's the US. A lot of Spanish so the fact that too many of the white folk are blond doesn't stand out as much, and only the occasional outrageous twangy accent. Just north eastern provincialism on my part anyway, oh well. 7/20/02

Disturbing dream, was in a cab with Doug going to some castle, very fantasy movie setish, then I was there with grandma, walking through this museum, strange swords and other stuff on display. The guide seemed to be a knight. I was looking at books in some kind of gift shop, and walked across room to put one back. A giant old man had his hand out to help an old woman up, his wife. For some reason I tried to help but it startled her and she fell over, I apologized sort of desperately, kind of kneeling before the guy, then went over and helped grandma up. Walking out of the room, I felt really sad and put my head against her shoulder, she turned around and looked at me with an expressionless face and staring blue eyes, the color of lapis. I was ashamed of myself. Then I was in my room, in bed and suddenly aware that she had been in a nursing home for years and we'd never gone to see her. It just somehow never occurred to me that we should have. Had sense the place wasn't nice and she was kept in the dark. Thinking in defense that it was an expensive place. I was sitting in the dark room and kind of whimpering to myself at the thought, feeling of guilt and pain I can't describe, then nick was awake acting strangely, the room though it was night had a strange illumination. He had an odd look, a sort of demonic smile, said something I can't remember and I tried to explain. He leaned up close to me his face distorted in a demonic almost physically impossible way and said in a whisper " you dreamt of her too" and I woke up thrashing and panting, bit surprised I didn't wake Doug up. Took me a moment to realize where I was and then a few more to realize that it couldn't be true, that she was dead. Huge sense of relief at it being a dream. But still I cried for no reason I could completely understand. 

First day of conference ok, some interesting bits of classes, Saw Tomer from NYU who haven't seen in years, at Brown doing PhD it seems. Yoda panel was interesting highlight a timing cut of the battle scene with scenes from crouching tiger hidden dragon cut in for Yoda even a little superimposed inset of the woman for Yoda jumping around. Went to BoF which was interesting, spent most of time talking to random kids that wandered in, glad I can at least impress 18 year olds with the fact that I'm on the cover. One guy who looked 12 handing out cards and enthusing over his company that he says has 6 people and is finally starting to make some money. Talked with guy from NPAR who's name I still can't remember, irritating. Everything else closed by time got out so ate at real restaurant by river Rio was only 8 bucks including tip, cheese enchiladas a second time running were good though. The river walk is quite nice, papaya, quite nice daturas I could get into living in a tropical climate 7/21/02

Woke up again from bad dream this time it was the standby of all my teeth falling out. Up shower, out part of interactive environment course which wasn't too thrilling, then color which was interning some a bit technical didn't quite get the intricacies of movie color processing. Then recreating the past, some impressive radiosity images of acropolis. Panic free public speaking a bit amusing, bit new age. I'm not sure how much telling myself that even though I _ , I love and respect myself completely is going to do for my public speaking. Clearly must be from California. Short intros kind of fun Perlin came on stage with his shirt open and rapped but still wasn't fast enough to finish. Went to party, which wasn't too bad for a party, ran into Scottish guy from NPAR and talked a bit, had my two beers There even was some vegetarian food, cheese quesedilas. Walked back to hotel, practiced the talk, went ok, still a bit long. Scottish guy noted that when he saw McDonalds closed at 10 it was a clue that not much was happening anywhere except the river walk. He also noted that your experience of Siggraph somewhat depends how religiously you view Star Wars, which he clearly doesn't. 
7/23/02

So first day of papers some interesting. I sort of realized I was only getting into the image based stuff, skipped out of first afternoon session, walked along river walk a bit, stopped into a couple galleries in the little village as they referred to it. Had my curiosity satisfied as to which St Anthony the place was named after, St Anthony of Padua. Maybe the Spanish are fond of him as well as the Italians, had clue when saw statue in which he was clearly in Franciscan robes and holding Jesus. Had bit of talk to guy working in one gallery, from upstate NY he said he has lived here for 50 years and that you never quite get used to the place. Also talked to a woman doing a demo painting horses outside a place for a bit, talked about digital photos a bit and the fact that her apartment was hit in the flooding. Seem to be having more luck talking with random people than with people from the conference. Walked through show floor, a bit loud and flashy but didn't see anything too exciting. Funny that had 2 places with a model where people could do life drawing. 2nd set of sessions. After wandered a little noted that besides the river walk san Antonio seems to consist mostly of empty storefronts. Really strange how many of them there are. In course of wandering, went around comer into crowd of exclusively Spanish people waiting for a clearly infrequent bus, Depressing for ill defined reason, reality of those left out of dream of fast cars and wide open spaces, equally depressing I suppose as someone who doesn't believe in that dream, but unlike the ultra left believe that it is attainable, that even if they don't, their children will most likely grow up to live that dream and drive those gas guzzlers and contribute their 'fair' American dream share to the destruction of the planet. Cheery thought, why am I always so morbid, especially on trips, not busy enough so I just brood. Stranger still in its own rite passed by big building that had stone inscription as a public library, but which had two elephants by the door, a clown sign saying Circus Museum in the window and a sign on the door saying the museum was closed and process underway to decide what to do with the state owned property. Very creepy, what could be creepier than an abandoned circus museum. Was apparently open still when dad there last year, he clearly considered it a prime attraction. Back for digital theater. Some cool stuff. impressed by how many layers there were in the ring wraiths being swept away by the river sequence. Ate exactly same thing in Rio place, 4 nights so far cheese enchiladas or quesedias. then treated myself to ice-cream. Cleary in Texas, waiting on line in the ice-cream palace and two girls that looked about 13 came up to me and asked (in relation to my shirt) 'Jars of clay, as in the band, they're so cool' I agreed. As I left they called after me again 'jars of clay are cool' Kind of funny never think I've met anyone who's heard of them outside a Christian group at home. Bored so wouldn't have minded talking to someone. But felt like I'd be some kind of dirty old man trying to pick up some kid, Though of course I wasn't. Striding along with my ice-cream had someone try to sell me a CD of love songs for 3 bucks, honestly stating it was so he could get a drink, declining love songs as the last thing I needed, I, for reasons unknown, donated a dollar towards his beer. On final return to hotel had guy ask me if I knew where he could get some weed. Do I look like a dealer? Don't answer that. 
7/24/02

So another day of conference some interesting papers got to see a bit more animation, floating world, kind of creepy. Nothing on tonight so wandered, ate place at end of open part of river walk, nothing genuinely vegetarian, didn't honestly realize that people still commonly cooked with lard. But close enough and different finally, guacamole chalupas. Ate inside in room in which everyone appeared to be Mexican, pretty good. Got myself some bluebell ice cream, For some reason the name sounded familiar, maybe Bethany has mentioned it at some point. The guy who sold it to me was West African, and apologized for it already being mostly melted. There really are some cool plants along the walk, Avocado, coffee, datura, papaya, palms. While walking struck by the mind blowing incongruity of a Spanish man in a kilt trying to lure American tourists into a 'British' pub. Drew a bad picture of the Alamo. Wrote B a postcard, and mailed it. Frankly felt ready for bed at 10:15 but spent some more time hanging about in front of the Alamo. I'm watching a guy about my age, wearing his conference tag, who clearly is in the same position, since he's been talking to the policeman stationed in front of the Alamo for the last half hour.

So another day, at night the reception drove for ages finally arrived at what was essentially a warehouse with a horse ring out back, had various stands with food, some even vegetarian, chips and some salads mostly besides the standard cheese cubes which are always safe and fun. Not bad really, dessert and ice cream. Talked with Adrianne a good bit having met up with him again, cool guy. Wandered, They had people riding hoses in circles  for a bit, not sure why that was entertainment. Had a country band also somewhere in the confusing layout of rooms. Overall not that bad, though not mind blowing either. Waited forever for bus, having been guided into precisely the wrong line by a tipsy Doug 

So last day went ok, slow tense climb to the talk, actually not as nervous ands I thought I'd be going in. I was working at just not giving a damm, looking forward to being back home while still trying to be into what I was doing. Thinking of B a good bit. So place was actually pretty full, I'm guessing 1.5k maybe, maybe more. Going up and sitting while Doug talked I was concentrating on smiling and looking at the crowd. Then got up and at beginning advancing the slides wasn't working. Had sense that I was going too fast and that I was leaning forward over the podium too much, don't think I slipped up too much, guessing that was the point of all those rehearsals, going up there it just happened. Again I was told it went well and that I seemed enthusiastic, I cant judge since I don't remember any of it but hopefully it went ok. After went out with bunch of Princeton people. was interesting how I didn't talk too much. Interest to het to listen at least. Relieved to be going home, I haven't actually disliked San Antonio as much as some people here clearly have despite having nothing to eat, wouldn't mind having another day to wander around still glad to be going home, some sight seeing tomorrow morning. 

So up and out went by the Alamo saw the museum and the inside of the church proper, guy in the museum saying that town was named because was tradition of naming town after saint on whose day the place was located, listened to guy telling the story of the last stand outside, and leaving you with the admonition to remember the Alamo. Wandered over to the cultural museum since dad said it was worth seeing, had a half hour by that time before needing to get back to catch cab to airport, was interesting, did a bit of a quick circuit of the place reading couple labels they had with particular peoples stories, looking at some of the bits and bob, could have clearly spent a lot more time there if had the time. Ran back to the hotel, got cab to airport ok, the two dudes from the flight over were sitting there in the waiting lounge and smiled wickedly, but luckily not sitting  near me. Made it back ok plane to monorail to train to bus to home. and survived another trip.