I wasn’t feeling too good about myself, so I got an American Express Platinum Card. I figured it would make me special. $450 + $85 per year kind of special. I’ve actually been thinking about it for a while, so I went ahead and did it. I’ve had some sort of American Express card since I was at MIT, so I have some sort of misplaced loyalty to them. Anyway, it’s supposed to get me into airport lounges, and I haven’t been in one since I was 14, so I thought it was about time.

I got the card and started looking through all the special perks it offers. Most of the perks are just ways for rich people to spend yet more money at fancy resorts and on their first-class airfare. Since hitting it big in Powerball has only gotten me $3 (that’s three dollars) I can’t afford any of the perks. But there are a list of “free” things including membership in car rental companies (Avis, Hertz, and National) and reimbursement for enrolling in “Global Entry”. This is supposed to get you through immigration faster, but since I’ve only been through the Portland airport from Narita lately, shaving time off a 5-minute process is probably not going to happen. But whatever, I signed up. So that means I have to travel to a DHS office and get interviewed and the closest one is at Sea-Tac, three hours away on a good day. Since I already started this mess up, I’m driving up tomorrow for my scheduled appointment.

I haven’t been to Sea-Tac since my aunt, uncle, and cousin’s kid visited about ten years ago so I’m not sure I’m gaining anything but I do have a chance for a minor adventure. I suppose that’s good enough for me.