This last week has been a whirlwind of wild events and hard work. I started by working 12 hour shifts on monday, tuesday, and wednesday last week to get friday off without using a vacation day. It's the way to go. Wednesday comes along and sure enough, there are 33 railcar samples ready to be taken, and 28 of those are for railcars on hold, waiting for the tests to run before they can be released. It's such an insane number since we can only do 3 tests per hour that it was mind boggling that they would even order that many railcars on hold. I was at work all the way till 7pm working my little tushie off.
I got Portal 2 on tuesday, which was awesome, and while I was at home I got to play some co-op with Justin and I linked my accounts and set it up so that I could start downloading it on my PC. The PC version is the one I really wanted, I may sell the PS3 version soon. Maybe sell it to Jake. I'm pretty pissed at him for flaking out on me this weekend.
Anyway, thursday rolls around, easy day at work, and then I get home, get to a semi late start after doing laundry and unhooking gaming equipment to take with me to the con since at that point it was looking like we'd have to populate the gaming room with all of our own stuff. Finally on the road, and this time with everything we intend to bring with us, tea, tea bags, game systems.. (the games were left behind tragically as I forgot to pack them). We got to Baton Rouge around about midnight and spent a little time chatting with Kevin, who introduced Sean and I to our first room mate, Shrek, who I informed would be playing Portal 2 with me for a few hours, mandatory. He did not seem to mind the required co-op hours before unconsciousness time hit.
Friday was the big day, woke up early, 6 am start, because I misunderstood Kevin. Sean did the waking up, we stood outside Kevin's door and chattered till Kevin greeted us, then work began. Went around having introductions made, getting to know the staff, etc, some faces from last year, some new ones for this year. I had two panels on friday, one of each of my origami panels and tea tasting panels. I think they went over quite well. I have enough teas that I can actually do 2 tea tasting panels and provide enough content to make them worthwhile to attend both and not just one.
They both went very well on friday. Around about lunch time I was off to get food on my own, no one else was free, or they had already eaten without me. I hate being surrounded by a crowd and feeling totally alone, so to fight the depression I went and ate at one of the nicest restaurants in the area, where I had a boneless duck served with an amazing okra and crayfish risotto. I was floored by how awesome the risotto was, and the duck was pretty delicious too, it was really convenient that it was de-boned. Evening time rolled around and I wasn't hungry enough to get dinner, I just hung around the hotel, the second night Evan and a lady friend of Evan and Sean's stayed with us in the hotel room. They all went swimming while I played online for a bit. Then we all just talked and goofed off till it was time to pass out.
Saturday was just as big as Friday, but with a little less effort on my part. I was running all over the place, and I was still trying to keep up with all my projects, and I hosted both my panels. The tea tasting panel was a success, but a smaller one because of the time of morning, and the origami panel was so packed full of people that I had to make an emergency paper run to have enough for the whole event to have paper to work with, but it didn't get there till after we'd had to resort to cut up printer paper. Oh well.
For lunch, I was again alone... I went to TJ's Ribs, and it was AMAZING. I mean, the ribs were just okay, I've had pretty similar bbq from the gas stations here in Texas, they were good, just.. nothing to really write home about, but the fried green tomatoes.... they were one of the best appetizers I've had in a long time. They were served in pairs with sauce sandwiched between them, with crab meat on top and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. I was in heaven. Then after that, and after more work back at home base, and more hanging out and music and relaxation, it was time for the VIP dinner. I wish I knew a little bit more about all the talent that was around us, because they all seem to be very cool people who were very enjoyable company. Not as cool as the guys I hung out with at the VIP dinner last year, but still pretty awesome, weirdly, this year, the guy I talked to the most at dinner was the MechaCon guy. Apparently our events head had taken a shine to him and he ended up.. everywhere after that. Hell, saturday night he was apparently recruited to bar tend the green room. It was a crazy night. Loved it all. He made some pretty decent strawberry mojitos despite being hindered by a lack of sugar available.
Sunday was nice and calm. No panels for me to attend. I went swimming, did some shopping, picked up some VERY cool stuff. Some of it I'd been wanting for a very long time, some of it I'd taken a fancy to while I was there, some of it was just pretty cool and I knew about it and saw it at the right price. All in all, it was a really nice day. Closing ceremonies, and then dinner for some of the guests and staff, and then home again, home again. Sean and I split the trip, it was a nice little drive. Thank goodness for Sean's driving. He is much better at going the speed limit than I am, and he stays awake easier after a good meal.
Downright incredible weekend. I am very much looking forward to a much more involved part in next years LA, and to the con as a whole.
Life needs more music.
Were any of your friends in costume at the con ? I really want to go to the event.
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