Gen Con Day 1 -- Cold Water, Human Traffic Cones, and Spit Takes

I started writing this post at 5:30 a.m. I've been adding to it whenever I stopped back at my room to drop off purchases or before heading to some other event. So the following are just thoughts and reactions to Gen Con as they happen:

• Woke early so I could take a shower, grab a bite and prep for the day. Shower was short, as there was NO HOT WATER. Took a shower before bed last night. Maybe I used it all up? (j/k - will bitch at the front desk later about it)
• Head over to the center about 1.5 hour before official opening. I have never seen more kilts before in my life -- and I've been to a Highland games event. I doubt the Scottish heritage of some of these folks...
• While thumbing through the Gen Con program, I got a bit of a thrill seeing my name listed next to the games I'm running. I'm mentioned in the same book as gaming's stalwarts.
• There is nothing more annoying than a loud-mouth attention grabber who isn't nearly as funny as he thinks he is. Dude, we weren't laughing at your shouted comments. We were laughing at the braying jackass making a public idiot of himself.
• Gen Con attendees are almost universally the nicest big-ass group of folks I've ever encountered. Nearly everyone has been down-to-earth, helpful, and friendly to a fault. And I struck up a 20-minute conversation with a random stranger about Bunnies and Burrows. Try doing THAT at your local mall.
• I don't carry a watch, but I do carry a phone so I know what time it is. Left it in the room. I was that "'Scuze me, what time is it?" guy. Sorry for the annoyance.
• With all of the inspiration around me, I'm coming up with all kinds of Mutant Future inspiration, jotting furiously in a notebook every 3 minutes. One to share: In my world, the survivors who roam the wastes will now refer to the Final Wars That Ended the World as "Apocalygeddon."
• The convention center needs a better AC system. 30,000 gamers = 30,000 BTUs.
• Finn just walked by carrying Jake. Missed the photo op.
• "Abnormality Atlas," "Deviant Database," or "Miscreation Manual": Which do you prefer?
• I swear, the next human traffic cone who stops dead in front of me because he suddenly saw something shiny is gonna get a backpack swung at his head. I've already collided with three of these sudden-stoppers. Please, move to the side of the aisle and out of the traffic lanes before slamming on the brakes.
• I'm staying at the Canterbury Hotel. Discovered a door on the third floor that said the Center Mall was right through the door. Walked through, and found myself in the Food Court on the other side! It appears I won't starve for the next four days.
  
• At noon, I zipped over to the JW Marriot to play in The Tower of Gygax - a 24-hour, 4-day, on-going old school adventure. Walked in and was asked to pull up a chair. During the game, I was joking and kidding around with the barbarian player at the table. At some point, one of us said something funny enough to cause the DM to do a good old-fashioned spit-take. The game stopped while everyone laughed their asses off at this. Turns out the barbarian I hit it off with was Luke Gygax -- Gary's son. Good to meet you, Luke!
  
• Hit the OSRG booth and got to talk with Joseph and Suzi for a bit. I think I bought one of everything they were carrying. Joseph said, at the rate he was selling, the booth could be empty by Saturday afternoon! He was also good enough to take a handful of Savage AfterWorld business cards from me to slip into the bags of anyone buying Mutant Future material.
  
• Picked up a copy of Cheers Gary at the OSR booth and had it signed by Gail Gygax and editor Paul Hughes. They were recording testimonials about Gary for their website, so I did that too. I also picked up a Tower of Gygax t-shirt while there, as well as made an additional $20 donation to the Gygax Memorial Fund.
• Good lord, I think I'm crippled. It's 4 p.m. and I'm in my room eating a Food Court burrito. I needed to stop by the front desk for aspirin (forgot to pack any) because my back, feet, thighs, and neck are killing me. But after a power nap and drinking three or four 5-Hour Energy shots, I'll go back out tonight to see what's what.
  

And now, some random pictures of whatever I pointed the camera at:A picture of people taking pictures of the D&D display at one entrance.

Cardhalla is already in full swing this year.

Me shaking hands with a life-size ogre statue. I have named him "Brittany."

Taken 5 minutes before the official opening of the doors to the dealer hall. Picture this mass behind me and to my right as well. A huge mob of folks.

James Ernest of Cheapass games throws the ceremonial first die of Gen Con and we're underway!