Getting to Hawai'i was not fun

1. Review flight options on a couple of travel sites, book flights via Orbitz that leaves home around 6:20a, connects through LAX at 8:45a and delivers me and my friend to Honolulu around noon.
2. Three days before trip find out that the 6:20a flight is now a 6:45a flight so Orbitz (or the airline) has changed me to a later flight out of LAX (leaves at 10:35a, arrives at 1:10p).
3. 5:30a check luggage at the United ticket counter; very quick lines at both ticketing & security. Leave Las Vegas at 6:45a without a hitch.
4. Arrive at LAX a few minutes early, walk over to Hawaiian Airline's, terminal, nice weather. Reach the terminal at 8:00a (plenty of time, right?)
5. The Hawaiian Airline flight is CANCELLED! Stand in long line. While standing in line the cell phone rings and it's a voice mail. Orbitz called at 6:30a (when the phone was turned off because I was on the first flight). "Your connection to Honolulu was cancelled, we have rebooked you on United leaving 1:35p to Maui arriving at 5:00p, then on Hawaiian 545 leaving at 5:45p to Honolulu, arriving at 6:15p". Traveling companion who had booked identical itinerary has no phone message.
6. 8:40a my traveling companion calls Orbitz (twice) to eventually find out that they had rebooked her on United direct to Honolulu, leaving at 8:40a. Whoops! Wish we had known that when we got off our United flight at 7:30a. We are still in line at Hawaiian Airlines. Someone announces that they are rebooking people on flights that don't leave until after 3:30p.
7. Call Orbitz on behalf of less experienced (in traveling) companion and explain (3 times) that the flight was missed because she was not notified in a timely manner, that sending an email is not appropriate when the itinerary clearly showed she was enroute (i.e. on a PLANE and had no access to email). Patiently wait on hold (burning cellular minutes) for the Orbitz person (and after requesting to be transfered to a supervisor which resulted in a transfer to "scheduling", but fortunately someone who actually speaked English) who then calls United Airlines and continues on hold.....while we are still in line at Hawaiian Airlines.
8. Traveling companion gets booked on a United flight directly to Honolulu that leaves at 1:05p. How come she gets a direct flight and I have to bounce through Maui?
9. 9:45a get to the Hawaiian Airline ticket counter, verify I have a reservation on United at 1:35p but they are confused since it is taking me to Maui (they don't see the hop back to Honolulu at first). They cannot get our luggage since it is either a) gone on the earlier flight or b) in a pile of luggage for the cancelled flight but there are no baggage handlers available because they are working at the ticket counter helping to rebook the passengers.
10. Go back over to the United terminal (on the other side of the airport) to stand in another long line to get our tickets.
11. 10:30a reach the United ticket window. Won't let me get on same direct flight because "it is already overbooked" (then how did she get a ticket? because someone behind the scenes got her a seat that was designated for more expensive tickets???) Ask to be on the standbye list and was told that since my ticket is to go to Maui, I cannot fly standbye to Honolulu (but check at the gate when I get there, the two gates are right next to eachother).
12. 11:30a have a large beer at the sport bar in the terminal.
13. 12:15p ask the gate desk to get on the standbye list for the direct flight. No problem but no promises.
14. 12:45p I GOT ON THE FLIGHT!!! Get on the flight with a center seat bulkhead with the big screen right above my head. Good view for the a) TV show - First episode of Friday Night Lights, b) Movie - Xmen III. Sweet!!!
15. 3:45p arrive in Honolulu. Really nice to have a lei greeting, and Nolan takes good care of us. Very patient and understanding of our upcoming luggage woes. United finds out that Hawaiian Airlines has my traveling companion's luggage, but not mine. Fill out missing baggage tag.
16. 5:30p Hotel checkin, no problem. Nice room (bar band down below at the pool is a little loud, but they stopped at 9p on weekdays, 10p on weekends). 8:30p check United website for baggage, says "N/A". Fortunately, my toothbrush was in my carryon.
17. Wake up 3:00a local time (Whoops, went to bed too early). United website still says "N/A" - getting very nervous. Put on yesterday's clothing. Need breakfast.
18. 4:30a check at bell desk on way to breakfast "just in case" - ooh, my name is on a list...... YES!!! Give Bell Captain a hug and run back to the room to hang everything up (it's all there, safe & sound).

I do not recommend most of these steps.

What Are You Going to Watch This Fall?

But only a few are still appointment TV. Like 'Lost','Survivor' and 'Amazing Race'. There are some new shows that I will check out - but I hate the idea of getting involved if they are just going to get cancelled (i.e. 'Surface' and 'Commander in Chief').

Meanwhile - what about all the Cable Shows that aren't on that schedule? Like the Stargates ('SG1' and 'Atlantis') and my other appointment TV - 'Battlestar Galactica'? I also plan to continue enjoying 'Mythbusters' and most of the Poker shows. 'Eureka' has been a nice summer fling. And 'Who Wants to be a Superhero' was one of my summer guilty pleasures.

Let's see what's still happening after October.