The trip to Manhattan went well. We demoed Blacksite for Maxim, Playboy, CNet, Fangoria and some others. People responded very positively to the high concept, the story, the graphics, the discussions around morale, the evidence of breakables in the Mosque, and the levels we demoed. One of the most popular things we showed was downtown Rachel, in the rain. Lots of respect for the mood and familar setting.

The trip was one night only, so the travel was rough. On the way back my flight got delayed 3 times, so I sat at the gate for 5 hours and got home at 330am last night. On the way there, a lady brought a canvas bag full of frozen seafood and several bags full of “something else.” Halfway through the flight, the seafood melted and drained down out of the overhead bin. The plane smelled like dead fish. Just as we were about to land, I looked down and saw something monstrous creeping toward my foot. My arachnophobia kicked in and I shrieked. Seeing that it was only a crawfish, I said, “Omg, I thought that was a tarantula.” All the people for 4 rows in any direction heard was, “Omg…tarantula.” Mass panic ensued. Some guy kicked the poor crawfish into the center aisle. I experienced cognitive dissonance as the vegetarian in my cried out for the crawfish, while the arachnophobe was screaming in my mind, “Genocide the entire species!” Turns out the woman with the seafood was carrying several plastic bags full of live crawfish. Everyone hated her. I thought they were going to beat her to death. Best lines I heard as we were disembarking:

“I’m allergic to shellfish…I think it touched me.”

“What has 12 legs and flies?” (Me.)

“They took my lotion but she gets to keep her crawfish?”

To make up for this, my room at the Bryant Park hotel was an 1100 square foot penthouse that looked out onto the Empire State Building. The suite had two bathrooms. There was a $300 cigar in the snack cabinet. (And a bunch of “toys” in something called “the Pleasure Chest.” I’ve never stayed in a hotel with “the Rabbit” and similar devices on the room service menu.) It was insane.