Diary of a Network Geek

Well, for at least some weekends.

Last week, I shared a service that let you buy airline tickets on an installment basis before you fly. Hopefully, for anyone who might need it, that was helpful with enough time to pay off your flight. This week, I’m afraid, I don’t have anything that will likely be of help during the holidays, because, frankly, traveling during the holidays is never fun. If you haven’t done it, and can avoid it, I encourage you to do so. I’ve flown before Thanksgiving and Christmas both, and neither is an experience that I can really recommend. Also, airlines charge premium prices on those weekends because, well, they can. I mean, they really have you over a barrel. Every “good” son or daughter wants to get home for the holidays, so they can suffer through family dinners where someone is mad at someone else or is disappointed in how their lives turned out or whatever. At least, if holiday movies aren’t lying to us. (My family was always fantastic and warm and kind during the holidays, of course.)
But, if you can manage to travel on some other weekend, then WeekendFlights, is for you! You just go to the site, put in your point of origin and your destination and they whip up a calendar with all the weekend rates on it, highlighting the best, and worst, weekends to fly. (If you go, you’ll see that Thanksgiving weekend and the weekend after Christmas are flagged as some of the worst times to travel.) Yes, it is a short trip, but, if you’re looking for a quick, weekend getaway, this site can help you save on the airfare.
Check it out and see if you can save!

This post originally appeared at Use Your Words!

In celebration of my business travel being postponed, we saw a movie yesterday.

Earlier this week, as I was about to buy airline tickets, which I can’t really afford, I was told to “WAIT!” So, this project, or at least my end of it, having been put on indefinate hold, we decided to see a movie to celebrate.
First, I think it’s important that I say Pirates of the Caribbean was NOT my first choice. I was out-voted two-to-one by my wife and daughter.
But, I have to admit, I was very, very pleasantly suprised. This was a GREAT movie! Obviously, it’s about pirates, but it’s more than that. It’s about a curse on pirate gold, stolen from the ancient Aztecs. The story follows Jack Sparrow, er “Captian” Jack Sparrow, in his quest to regain the Black Pearl, his pirate ship lost to a mutiny.
The story also follow Will Turner in his quest to find out who he is and marry the fair Elizabeth who is the daughter of the local British Governer. Will, it turns out, is the son of a very important pirate who has the secret to lifting the curse. Only, he doesn’t know it, of course.

But, before I spoil any more plot, let me say that this movie had something for everyone. There was adventure, of course. After all, how could a movie about pirates not have adventure? There was romance. After all, how could a movie about pirates not have romance? And, there were wonderfully animated corpses. (Really, the special effects were so good they were almost an additional character.) Johnny Depp, who plays “Captain” Jack Sparrow, does a wonderful job of combining comedy, action and drama. And, I have to admit, he’s not too bad with a cutlass.
This movie is really a great one and good for just about the whole family. Anyone who could survive the Disney ride should enjoy this film. Go see it!