(no subject)
Have another 2 hours to kill, so here's a recap of the last 24-ish hours:
- Somewhat traced down my stray FedEx package. Backstory: it contains my sequencing libraries to be sent to a company in China, and was meant to be picked up on Fri morning. Fri morning: FedEx online tracking timestamped it having been picked up at 9.40. 9.50, local FedEx office gave me a call asking when they could pick it up(??). I didn't think to check the online tracking at that point, so didn't notice the discrepancy. They said they'd do the pickup that arvo. Fri arvo: after meeting I went to check with our building delivery staff, to whom I handed the package in the morning, but he was already gone for the day (side backstory: FedEx would not give you a call when they come pick up your package, if you are in a building with delivery reception. If the package was not at reception, they would move on without telling you or anyone. If your package is temperature-sensitive and you'd like to keep it cold while waiting? Hah, screw you. Also also, FedEx generic help call line - completely unhelpful). So, rang the FedEx helpline, who had no idea when the package was to be picked up (they thought it was already picked up on Thu??), and said they would call back, and proceeded to be silent all weekend (and pending). Meanwhile, the online tracking had no further updates than the pickup timestamp, and proceeded to stay that way all weekend, whereas the local FedEx office was also closed. Mon morning: tracked down the building delivery staff, he confirmed that it was indeed picked up, but the FedEx staff had a hard time scanning its barcode(??). Rang the local FedEx office, they tried their best and could confirm that the package had been scanned and was in their system, but they also couldn't tell me where it was exactly since it all relied on final destination / which port it transits through / etc etc. Was very prepared to call it a loss, and will prepare a new package for shipping when I'm back from the trip, which is doable but sucks since one of the libraries is quite low in concentration and I would likely not have enough for it. Mon eve: while waiting for boarding, got an email from the Chinese company who was receiving the package. They got a notice that it was coming, so hesitant yay? Will see whether it'll show up in the next few days. Somehow this is an essay, ehhhhh.
- Random notes on the first leg of this somehow 30h+ flight that I booked myself into:
* My entertaining screen froze on the home page in Chinese subtitle and refused to budge for the remaining flight. So no music etc for the flight, which is not great but could be worse? Especially since I was too woozy from lack of sleep to comprehend movies etc.
* My inability to sleep, despite yawning up and down the entire time I was at the airport / on the plane. Closed my eyes and valiantly convinced myself that I was asleep for about 8 hours, but I could hear every background noise and feel all of my movements.
* Managed somehow to doze off for about 3 hours. Had a dream (which was how I knew I was actually asleep, and btw is it a common thing to be self-aware that you are in a dream? It feels like an odd 1st POV kind of movie sequence in which you can tell yourself that wow, things are kind of bad but hey, it's only a dream that you can escape from anytime so don't be too worried about it? Anw), which featured people and animals and places I do not recall, but for a tiny kangaroo joey hopping across a fenced-off drying yard. The joey was basically a short-haired football with hockey stick-like gangly long legs about triple his body in length. He was basically all legs. He hopped about and stopped at the open gate of the yard and looked out. Then, with his front paws, he flashed up a V-sign (like Nixon) to whatever/whoever it was that he saw outside of the gate. It was kind of funny, kind of cute, and very odd, but the moment I approached the joey to see what he was looking at out of the gate, the flight attendant woke me up for brekkie.
* Lots of Russians on the flight for some reasons (both of the men on my immediate row, and at least 2 on the row in front). Qatar = popular way to travel to Russia? Also, I'm assuming Russian from the text on their book cover / movie screen / couple of words that were spoken. Might be another Eastern European language which I sadly don't know about enough to distinguish.
* Good job advertising for Qatar, Qatar airline. Your post-flight videos do make me want to travel to Qatar for real one day (apparently they have lots of whale sharks???).
* Was this close to leaving my phone (and my driver's license, and my credit card) in a restroom at Doha airport, but luckily I realised so about 5 mins after leaving and it was still there when I traced my way back. Otherwise we'll all be stuck in LA for the rest of this trip =))))))
- An incomplete list of things blocked on the Qatar telecomms network:
* Viber
* Signal
* AO3
* Box
And things that are not blocked:
* Spotify
* Livejournal =)))