12:37 AM - Mon 8.26.14
Jim Is At The James

I am in Chicago.

I'm staying at the James (The phrase "Jim is at the James" amuses me, for some reason).

I'm using a computer in their "business suite"; having my smart phone and my Kindle Fire (and thinking I might have just this sort of computer access at the hotel), I opted to leave the laptop at home. But anyway...

The flight (On United) was pretty damned delightful.

Here's one reason I really like being in a union: When you have to fly for location shooting, the Production has to spring for "Business Class" tickets (Unless it's a really short flight or something)

In any case, it was quite a step up from my last flight, an "Economy Class" ticket with no-frills Spirit Airlines (I joked afterward that "It was so cheap we had to get out and push the plane down the runway for takeoff"); no drinks, no food, no in-flight entertainment, not even any luggage (didn't matter whether you wanted to check your bag or put it in the overhead compartment, with Spirit, it's gonna cost you).

Today, I had my first refreshing beverage before we'd even taxied down the runway, and they just kept offering (During the flight, I had a diet coke and three coffees before finally telling them "no thank you"). A blanket, a hot towel, a little bowl of mixed nuts, food (I opted for the Chicken Cilantro Wrap, with mushroom soup), and an in-flight movie (The Amazing Spiderman II; I was one of the few people who actually opted to watch it).

And, probably due to a combination of union rules and Shameless pragmatism (Can't have someone like me showing up late, missing a flight, and gumming up the works), I had a chauffeur picking me up this morning to take me to the airport, and another to pick me up at the airport and drive me to the hotel.

Dermot Mulroney was in the seat in front of me on the plane; I didn't say anything to him, partly because he was with somebody, and partly because I was afraid I'd screw up and call him "Dylan McDermott".

So, long story short (And I'm gonna have to keep it pretty short, because I'm on a timer here), this has already been pretty damned cool.

(Oh, I almost forgot - I actually got paid a little for my time in "Business Class" today; doing location shooting, you get $75 a day for travel. Brett was actually disappointed when he found out, cause he thought it was more, but the way I see it, at least for now, is that I don't get paid anything for sitting in a chair, eating food and watching movies, at home.)

And tomorrow, I even get to act a little.

Isn't life grand sometimes...!

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