DR Cillaliz - I, too, would like to be going to LA this weekend, but it's not a good time, work-wise and family-wise, for me to be away.
I am going through a little of what you did last week: I have an all-day training in Columbus on Wednesday which would mean leaving home before 7am, driving 2+ hours, sitting through a 6-hour class, and driving 2+hours home. The weather forecast for Wednesday is iffy, so I've made a hotel reservation and may go tomorrow afternoon. If the forecast clears in the next 24 hours, though, I can cancel my hotel. ARRGH, and I'll have to go through this angst again Dec. 17-18 over a trip to Cleveland!