Okay. The New York thing is going to happen. Awesome!

Travel. I found bus tickets for $100.
Sure, I have to leave at 6:00 AM and arrive at 2:00 PM, but I can deal
with that. I'll just have to take the night bus on Thursday, and…
errr… deal with New York at 5:00 on Monday. That's okay. I can hack
that. Simon suggested just going ahead and booking a flight, but the
backpacker in me resists the idea of spending nearly five times more
money than I have to, even if IBM might end up paying for it. When I'm
a high-powered executive, sure, they can fly me in. But if I can nap
and write on the bus, I might as well take the bus.

Okay. Ticket booked. Next.

Accommodations. Chaya's offered her couch. Yay! The party probably
won't run too late – the Greater IBM thing ends at 8:30, and there
might be a later event that ends at 10:00 or something like that. I
should give myself margin on the first day to account for travel
fatigue, etc. Still, I don't want to inconvenience Chaya, so I can
stay at a hostel (or with an IBMer?) for the first night and then stay
over for the weekend. *Somehow* or another, it'll all get sorted out
and I'll find myself back in NYC for the 6:00 AM bus trip back on
Monday.

Check.

Goals. What do I want to do in NY? Whom do I want to meet?

Greater IBM Initiative: My primary goal is to link up with the
Greater IBM Initiative folks. There's just something about meeting in
person. I'm so looking forward to swapping tips and ideas with them!
I'm going to do that entire dogear thingy there again. Oh, I
absolutely have to wear The Shirt.
Other IBMers: It would be totally awesome to have a blogger
meetup at IBM in New York. There is one, right?

Family friends: I wonder if Tita Inda would like to come over
and help us learn how to cook…

My friends: I've pinged Byron and Ernest. Who else might be in
the area?

Other people: Anyone here from New York, or know anyone I
should definitely meet while I'm there?

This probably won't be my only trip to New York, so I'm not too panicky about organizing a geek dinner or cramming my sched full of interesting things. I'll get around to watching a Broadway musical eventually, and someday I'll focus on tapping the New York tech scene. =) But yeah, it's all good.

Send me your number if you'll be somewhere near NY this weekend, or if you know of something interesting I should do!