We had planned and decided to hit the roller coaster at Primm again, as a send off to Nevada. We did, and the penny slots, and a few more rum and cokes for me, none for the drivin bruthah, and way too late we got back on the road.
The traffic was horrendous beyond horrendous. From Primm Nevada to Barstow, and the turn off to highway 58, we were hopping up and down happy when the car was able to go faster then ten miles and hour. But for the most part, hours and hours to get a few miles down the road. So it was hours and hours off coast to coast.
We stopped off in Barstow and had to avoid the same homeless guy in the parking lot of an am/pm for a potty stop, and hit the BK there as well. Also cheap and also good food that lasted us all the way home. I actually finished off the whoppers that my bruthah had a day or so later myself.
The journey back was excellent, with a major involved and excitable convo at the end of it involving aliens, Jesus, Christianity, the pathetic religions attached to the excellent ideas of a few people, all in all a good time and something that wiped away the sleepy bugs from our minds. Of course the positively riveting reading on the bathroom walls of the public restrooms was one of the high points. It’s funny, but bathrooms in rest stops actually have different vibes depending on the geographical areas you’re in. when we had headed up to Oregon I was using the facilities at a gas station and was not recognizing the slang on the bathroom walls. Being a California boy born and raised I figured it was something nasty and sexual, yet when I asked the station attendant he clarified that it was an ecological slight against the loggers of the area. And that, of course, just kind of blew my mind. After the trip I was pleased and comfortable to be back in the land of bisexual truckers and liaisons within the love gardens of the rest stop bathrooms.
We got in to the little town in which I dwell and the mist and fog were blanketing the area. It was nice to be back where the heat doesn’t get too crazy and the Vegasness is not so Vegas, but we both missed it and realized the other did as well. Hugs all around, the bruthah made a pit stop and I wandered around the living room, then walked him out to get my frop satchel out of my car and remind him to call me once he got home. I went in, and waited till he called, had a hit or two while I waited, then went upstairs to my family, my bed, and my life.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 15
I was a bit famished, so we headed up to the all night diner angle at the hotel and got a steak and egg breakfast for like 6.99. Not too bad really, but I remember the old Vegas with the 99 cent shrimp cocktails and the buffets for three dollars that stretched like roman feasts. But no more. It’s a “kid friendly” Vegas, of all things, so those days seem to be gone and dead. Now it’s the days of luau’s for 39.95 with a cheesy stage and pork shipped in precut. It’s definitely not the make a deal Vegas of old, but yet at night, when the moon is full (or crescent, or gone, or whatever) it’s still got that Vegas feeling that will never die. That adage that everyone knows, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” though I think if the tests from the clinic come back bad for you, whatever happened in Vegas followed you home.
I wanted to push the midnight oil lighting and burning, but we were both tired and the poor bruthah was going to have to drive the next day, so we hit the sack, foot sore and heart happy, but heavy as well for on the morrow we were back to our normal lives.
The next day was wakey wakey, but late enough to miss the shineys. They were heading back to the northern post they man (and woman respectively of course.) and so they were gone from Vegasness early. The bruthah and I headed down to say goodbye to the hotel and all her minions, after we packed the car, and for breakfast I had, for the Vegas goodbye tribute of course, two rum and cokes. When they say breakfast of champions, they mean a stiff rum and coke, or two. We penny slotted it and hung out for a bit, then moved out and down the road. We knew the day was still okay when Coast to Coast came back on, in the same spot, on ghost to ghost night. Gotta love that technology I tell ya. On the way out we hit a BK and got the cheapest meal we had had for at least three days if not more.
I wanted to push the midnight oil lighting and burning, but we were both tired and the poor bruthah was going to have to drive the next day, so we hit the sack, foot sore and heart happy, but heavy as well for on the morrow we were back to our normal lives.
The next day was wakey wakey, but late enough to miss the shineys. They were heading back to the northern post they man (and woman respectively of course.) and so they were gone from Vegasness early. The bruthah and I headed down to say goodbye to the hotel and all her minions, after we packed the car, and for breakfast I had, for the Vegas goodbye tribute of course, two rum and cokes. When they say breakfast of champions, they mean a stiff rum and coke, or two. We penny slotted it and hung out for a bit, then moved out and down the road. We knew the day was still okay when Coast to Coast came back on, in the same spot, on ghost to ghost night. Gotta love that technology I tell ya. On the way out we hit a BK and got the cheapest meal we had had for at least three days if not more.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 14
We wandered the Hilton hallways for a bit after the ice cream shop visit was done. Weird side note. They, the ice cream shop employees, closed the security gate without warning any of the patrons of their establishment. They actually closed it between a father and his young son, who then began to wail at ear piercing volumes because he wanted his father. Understandable of course.
We wandered a bit and then it was “pumpkin time” for Mrs. Shiney. We bid them adieu and just in case I didn’t get to say good bye I gave then the freaky love dog shakearoo. Once again Mr. Shiney was unnerved at his loss of footing upon terra firma, and that does I have to admit encourage me at times. Mrs. Shiney giggled like a little school girl and then it was time for them to sleep. During our good byes a younger girl with beautiful eyes came up and began to chat about bots and EQ1 and all. After we bid adieu to her and to the Shineys en masse, we wandered through the clinging and clanging of the casino. As we were hanging out there, a girl came up and began to ask about gaming and what the convention was and what we were doing. Then she asked if we wanted company. I had no idea what she was talking about and then realized that she was talking about Company with a capital….er…capital. We both said no, almost in tandem and I’m sure with a slight tremolo to the voice, and she moved on. Later I saw her talking to a lad in the corner. I hope she was safe and sane in her job. She also had gorgeous eyes. The cosmic Bruthah knew, so he said, what she was about but I had absolutely no clue.
We wandered a bit around the casino, then decided to mosey on over to the hotel we were staying at and played penny slots till our brains exploded. There we met a couple of guys that were at a postal convention for the non government postal services. He was what is called a moto photo journalist, which I guess involves motorcycles, photography, and journalism. From him I got the angle for the magazine circuit and what will pay for what. 25 cents a word for freelance and a dollar a word for larger publications. After reclaiming my mouth from the floor, I was ready to start writing for the New York Times, though I’d be surprised if they ever printed my musings and random recollections. Though they may some day, depending on the popularity of the book, whenever that thing gets released. He was doing a story on the west coasts piers and doing it from the back of a motorcycle, which really is the way to go. We chatted for a bit, then the bruthah and I moved on through the casino. We meandered a bit around the floor, played a few games, but didn’t go too crazy.
We wandered a bit and then it was “pumpkin time” for Mrs. Shiney. We bid them adieu and just in case I didn’t get to say good bye I gave then the freaky love dog shakearoo. Once again Mr. Shiney was unnerved at his loss of footing upon terra firma, and that does I have to admit encourage me at times. Mrs. Shiney giggled like a little school girl and then it was time for them to sleep. During our good byes a younger girl with beautiful eyes came up and began to chat about bots and EQ1 and all. After we bid adieu to her and to the Shineys en masse, we wandered through the clinging and clanging of the casino. As we were hanging out there, a girl came up and began to ask about gaming and what the convention was and what we were doing. Then she asked if we wanted company. I had no idea what she was talking about and then realized that she was talking about Company with a capital….er…capital. We both said no, almost in tandem and I’m sure with a slight tremolo to the voice, and she moved on. Later I saw her talking to a lad in the corner. I hope she was safe and sane in her job. She also had gorgeous eyes. The cosmic Bruthah knew, so he said, what she was about but I had absolutely no clue.
We wandered a bit around the casino, then decided to mosey on over to the hotel we were staying at and played penny slots till our brains exploded. There we met a couple of guys that were at a postal convention for the non government postal services. He was what is called a moto photo journalist, which I guess involves motorcycles, photography, and journalism. From him I got the angle for the magazine circuit and what will pay for what. 25 cents a word for freelance and a dollar a word for larger publications. After reclaiming my mouth from the floor, I was ready to start writing for the New York Times, though I’d be surprised if they ever printed my musings and random recollections. Though they may some day, depending on the popularity of the book, whenever that thing gets released. He was doing a story on the west coasts piers and doing it from the back of a motorcycle, which really is the way to go. We chatted for a bit, then the bruthah and I moved on through the casino. We meandered a bit around the floor, played a few games, but didn’t go too crazy.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 13
A few rum and cokes for me and a few Newcastle’s for the bruthah later, we were good and ready for the banquet. We headed back to the room; I was in need of a sock changing and a rest for a second. Got caught on the toilet in the room by the fam and talked till I dropped, but what I dropped will remain forever sewagized, and we made it to the Star Trek Klingon part of the experience as the shineys were getting off of it. We dug it with both hands and a shovel and got off to the Mrs. Shiney and a gut wrenching time. She had got motion sickness as it was a quite twitchy little ride. We moved to the banquet, where surly wait staff refused my need for a fork, but there was bitchin groovy EQer’s that gave up their forks and seats at their tables for us. I was the only one to eat, as the stomach issues of the shineys and the fullness of the bruthah respectively made it a moot point for them to want to eat. But since I carry with me a need for food and a bottomless pit for a stomach, I was all for it. The food was better this year then last year, but the lack of forks and my inability to eat my salad with a spoon, in conjunction with the staffs’ inability to find me a fork or even their willingness to bother to help me, put a slightly less then favorable slant on the whole endeavor.
The stomach of Sistah Shiney was still in turbulence so we all moved over to a little ice cream shop in the Hilton. I actually hung out a bit longer at the banquet, but as they began the public hazing aspects of it, I moved over to ice cream time.
Now of all the poultices and salves and remedies, nothing cures and upset stomach like a chocolate ice cream. As in evidence whence I arrived at the joint. They all were slurpin’ and lickin’ and having a general ice cream feeding frenzy of epic proportions. There had been a wedding reception near the banquet, so I watched the cute little eye candies making their way hither and yon. There were the inevitable weird drunken arguments, the bizarre dress and clothing, all the things that make a wedding unusual and eclectic.
The stomach of Sistah Shiney was still in turbulence so we all moved over to a little ice cream shop in the Hilton. I actually hung out a bit longer at the banquet, but as they began the public hazing aspects of it, I moved over to ice cream time.
Now of all the poultices and salves and remedies, nothing cures and upset stomach like a chocolate ice cream. As in evidence whence I arrived at the joint. They all were slurpin’ and lickin’ and having a general ice cream feeding frenzy of epic proportions. There had been a wedding reception near the banquet, so I watched the cute little eye candies making their way hither and yon. There were the inevitable weird drunken arguments, the bizarre dress and clothing, all the things that make a wedding unusual and eclectic.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 12
Today was the day we were going to do the Star Trek Experience, as it was closing and would be defunct by the first of September. So we went to get tickets and the line was around the block and out the door and halfway to Texas. So we all decided to hit a panel on the expansion to come in EQ2 and headed that way. Halfway through the guildhall section I became quite disgusted by all things Sony, the prices were crazy and totally geared toward the larger more uber guilds and like always Sony forgot about the smaller class of peasants in the game, so I headed to the outside of the joint and hung out and carcinogenated till my lungs were nice and brown. Heading back in I was greeted by the ohhs and ahhhs of people and their future possible stuff. And then the panel started in with “well, it takes a lot of work to figure out these things, so we’re not going to any time soon.” I think that one was in response to the epic weapons question and when it would occur. Friggin Sony. They never change, and yet I won’t ever stop loving and hating them in complete joy and sorrow. Beautiful bastards.
Afterwards we went and checked on the Star Trek thing and the line was somewhat less populous, so we got tickets and then a warp core breach and then headed into the Borg section of the experience. For those of you not familiar with the ride (again, read last years fan faire as this ride is a tradition.) you walk up a ramp that shows the start of the science of astronomy and space flight as it pertains to actual history, then they meld the Star Trek universe into it as you progress. All the movies are included and the series’, every thing was there and accounted for. We hung out waiting for the line to move along and then we got in. the Borg were tasty and assimilatory, Star Fleet was on its game as always, and we survived and were not assimilated into the collective.
Afterwards food was needed so we went to a cool Mexican restaurant in the Hilton and had nachos and food. It was excellent and tasty and totally hit the spot. That one to the left. As our shiney friends needed to go to the jousting feast thing they had going, and were hopefully going to be back by the time the banquet started, they left to get to their engagement and the bruthah and I hit the penny slots and that catchy tune from the B-52’s.
Afterwards we went and checked on the Star Trek thing and the line was somewhat less populous, so we got tickets and then a warp core breach and then headed into the Borg section of the experience. For those of you not familiar with the ride (again, read last years fan faire as this ride is a tradition.) you walk up a ramp that shows the start of the science of astronomy and space flight as it pertains to actual history, then they meld the Star Trek universe into it as you progress. All the movies are included and the series’, every thing was there and accounted for. We hung out waiting for the line to move along and then we got in. the Borg were tasty and assimilatory, Star Fleet was on its game as always, and we survived and were not assimilated into the collective.
Afterwards food was needed so we went to a cool Mexican restaurant in the Hilton and had nachos and food. It was excellent and tasty and totally hit the spot. That one to the left. As our shiney friends needed to go to the jousting feast thing they had going, and were hopefully going to be back by the time the banquet started, they left to get to their engagement and the bruthah and I hit the penny slots and that catchy tune from the B-52’s.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 11
So we made it back to the Hilton and saw the shineys to their bed, or at least the elevators that led at some point to their beds, and the brutah and I made our way out to the casino and the fun clinging and clanging that we love so much. I thought I was something special and ordered…water please. We hang out for a bit, then meandered up to the room, where even though we got into our respective sleeping platforms at a reasonable time, we still talked of things everquesty until three in the morning.
That night was brutal not only on my bowels for some reason, but on the rest of me as well. Every hour I awoke and used the toilet. Degraded it really. Then I got a bit of sleep and awoke bright and early at the crack of about eleven and was ready to go. After a monster or three. I awoke to the sound of my funk soul bruthah remarking on the ability one has to use EQ2 phrases in every day life. I was sleeping, he responds to a text message from the shineys that “ranger is medding”. And I was.
We ended up hooking up with our guildey shiney friends in their room at the Hilton and I passed on the shirts I had made for all of us to wear. There had been another guild that had shirts as well the night before, but they sucked and were made out of cheezy shirts and that weird gel squirt bottle stuff. Sure they looked cool for the night but I don’t think they would last for very long. Unlike my shirts, which I soaked in the dye for so long that the lettering almost didn’t show up. For that I slashed the prices and sold em for less. We all changed in the shiney’s bathroom, so I didn’t have to unleash the gutus on them, and we all were tye-dyed and beautiful. And on a side note, this was the first tye-dye to cleanse Mr. and Mrs. Shiney in their life times, so I got the tye-dye creator chubby.
That night was brutal not only on my bowels for some reason, but on the rest of me as well. Every hour I awoke and used the toilet. Degraded it really. Then I got a bit of sleep and awoke bright and early at the crack of about eleven and was ready to go. After a monster or three. I awoke to the sound of my funk soul bruthah remarking on the ability one has to use EQ2 phrases in every day life. I was sleeping, he responds to a text message from the shineys that “ranger is medding”. And I was.
We ended up hooking up with our guildey shiney friends in their room at the Hilton and I passed on the shirts I had made for all of us to wear. There had been another guild that had shirts as well the night before, but they sucked and were made out of cheezy shirts and that weird gel squirt bottle stuff. Sure they looked cool for the night but I don’t think they would last for very long. Unlike my shirts, which I soaked in the dye for so long that the lettering almost didn’t show up. For that I slashed the prices and sold em for less. We all changed in the shiney’s bathroom, so I didn’t have to unleash the gutus on them, and we all were tye-dyed and beautiful. And on a side note, this was the first tye-dye to cleanse Mr. and Mrs. Shiney in their life times, so I got the tye-dye creator chubby.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 10
Sony had booked the sports center thingy pavilion out near the airport and so the busses were waiting by 8:30 pm. We got a few rum and cokes for the bruthah and I, he was living dangerously that night, so we actually paid for a couple drinks, quaffed them down, and went to meet the busses and our guildy friends.
The line was great as we were able to bond with new friends and old ones; everyone was feeling a geek heavenly love thing. Lots a smiles and head nods. The line moved quickly and we got to our busses and into them. I suggested we hit the back of the bus, cuz that’s where it’s at of course. All those years in the public school system taught me that at least. So we got to our seats, and there was a barely detectable smell in the bus. It just happened to be in the back, where we were, and at first it was annoying but not as heinous, awful, poisonous, deadly, and brain damaging as it became. I personally got such a wicked painful headache that the only thing that could salve my ills was a heavy drinking binge, and Sony was about to deliver it.
They had go carts, they had rock walls, they had live karaoke (which yours truly really was going to do at some point, but the evening got away from me I swear!), they had batting cages, pool tables. They really had a good time and it was had by all, though it did pale in comparison from last years pool party that will live in infamy and shall remain seared in my mind for all eternity. Our shineys were there and we all raced and played and talked and babbled and had a generally good time. The drinks were something to be reckoned with though, as I was a cheeky bastard and when asked by the bartender to say when I turned around and he didn’t stop pouring. I was amazed and then went into strange epileptic like shock waves that swept through my entire body as I tried to force my physique to drink the noxious mixture. I have to say it, and for all the alchies out there I apologize in advance. The drink was too strong for me. There. It’s off my chest. I actually flung my water in my Nalgene from me and poured the mixture into it and then went and got two more normal rum and cokes just to cut it with. It’s still in my backpack, these many weeks later. I’ll get to that evil stuff soon I swear it.
The brutah was in rare form. Every so often he would come up to me and say that the smile he had on his face was one that had gone from happy and funny to sad and bewildered, though I only saw happy and fun myself. I still think that was in his head. So a good time was had by all, but a quick side note to the shineys. I knew you were only fooling the drunken talk, for the drinking did not consume you. I know. I really do I tell ya.
The line was great as we were able to bond with new friends and old ones; everyone was feeling a geek heavenly love thing. Lots a smiles and head nods. The line moved quickly and we got to our busses and into them. I suggested we hit the back of the bus, cuz that’s where it’s at of course. All those years in the public school system taught me that at least. So we got to our seats, and there was a barely detectable smell in the bus. It just happened to be in the back, where we were, and at first it was annoying but not as heinous, awful, poisonous, deadly, and brain damaging as it became. I personally got such a wicked painful headache that the only thing that could salve my ills was a heavy drinking binge, and Sony was about to deliver it.
They had go carts, they had rock walls, they had live karaoke (which yours truly really was going to do at some point, but the evening got away from me I swear!), they had batting cages, pool tables. They really had a good time and it was had by all, though it did pale in comparison from last years pool party that will live in infamy and shall remain seared in my mind for all eternity. Our shineys were there and we all raced and played and talked and babbled and had a generally good time. The drinks were something to be reckoned with though, as I was a cheeky bastard and when asked by the bartender to say when I turned around and he didn’t stop pouring. I was amazed and then went into strange epileptic like shock waves that swept through my entire body as I tried to force my physique to drink the noxious mixture. I have to say it, and for all the alchies out there I apologize in advance. The drink was too strong for me. There. It’s off my chest. I actually flung my water in my Nalgene from me and poured the mixture into it and then went and got two more normal rum and cokes just to cut it with. It’s still in my backpack, these many weeks later. I’ll get to that evil stuff soon I swear it.
The brutah was in rare form. Every so often he would come up to me and say that the smile he had on his face was one that had gone from happy and funny to sad and bewildered, though I only saw happy and fun myself. I still think that was in his head. So a good time was had by all, but a quick side note to the shineys. I knew you were only fooling the drunken talk, for the drinking did not consume you. I know. I really do I tell ya.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 9
Our friends from last year showed up and we all decided to stick with the group as we had it last year, but there were two slots open, for the shiny guildies whence they arrived. We started it and I was not as involved or even really into it as much as I was last year. For some reason this year was shaping up to be not so much the fan faire and much more the Vegasity of Vegasness. Then the bruthah arrived and there was a need for the intrepid informer. We had to sing a song or say a rhyme to Rodcet Knife for the completion of one of the facets of the live event, so it fell to me. The pseudobard, the freaky minstrel, the tye-dyed monkey. As I was enjoying a decent buzz from several different vectors, I came up with this little passage of prose:
“Rodcet Knife,
You give us life,
Your everlasting kindness,
“Sans” our blindness.
If we’re in need of a smoothie,
You make it especially groovy.
So in conclusion,
Cure our confusion,
And free us from our strife!”
I know. It’s like manna from cerebral heaven. So I went over to lay that piece a tasty on the NPC guy hanging out and about the convention area. I hailed him, he responded. I questioned, he responded. I went all prose monkey bug fish on him and he was awed by the pontification I must say. I got the image of Rodcet Knife that we needed (it resembled a small green alien rubberized figure) and transported it back to the group. We got the rest of the stuff (there were word searches. Sony got clever this year and actually put in a bug to the quest we had to do, so we were forced to search out the developers hiding on a bench and “fix” the issue. Good job Sony.) and turned it all in. During the live quest the guildies showed up from the northern parts of the north, and I did the love shake to em both. For a man of girth, my shiney buddy was very light. I think it was the stiffening reaction of his entire being to losing his footing and floating like magic into the air. Then it was time for drinking and …er…drinking some more.
“Rodcet Knife,
You give us life,
Your everlasting kindness,
“Sans” our blindness.
If we’re in need of a smoothie,
You make it especially groovy.
So in conclusion,
Cure our confusion,
And free us from our strife!”
I know. It’s like manna from cerebral heaven. So I went over to lay that piece a tasty on the NPC guy hanging out and about the convention area. I hailed him, he responded. I questioned, he responded. I went all prose monkey bug fish on him and he was awed by the pontification I must say. I got the image of Rodcet Knife that we needed (it resembled a small green alien rubberized figure) and transported it back to the group. We got the rest of the stuff (there were word searches. Sony got clever this year and actually put in a bug to the quest we had to do, so we were forced to search out the developers hiding on a bench and “fix” the issue. Good job Sony.) and turned it all in. During the live quest the guildies showed up from the northern parts of the north, and I did the love shake to em both. For a man of girth, my shiney buddy was very light. I think it was the stiffening reaction of his entire being to losing his footing and floating like magic into the air. Then it was time for drinking and …er…drinking some more.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 8
We got to their room, the frop was cleansed, loaded, and fropalized with great gusto. They started to fade, and as we had imbibed the great monster drinks that are at every monorail stop, we went on to penny slots and fun fun fun. After 2 am we finally got to our room and our heads hit the pillow and sleep over came us.
The next day we rose to a shower and yogurt. This was to be the day we would finally meet our guildy friends and we were both excited. I had met my shiny buddy in EQ1 and had inducted him into the guild we had had at the time. As the guild had grown and changed he had stayed with us, and had been one of the original to transfer over to EQ2. He had talked his wifey into playing as well and they make quite a serious ass kicking team. We had talked for many a year about many different things, from religion, to life, to kids. I was ready to give em a grab and a shake like a freaky tye-dyed love doggy. Which I did, but that came later.
There were a few things that my bruthah wanted to hit, panels that looked interesting and a live event, so until then we wandered the rooms and areas around the fan faire. The bruthah hit the bathroom for a midmorning dance, and came back out saying “You gotta see this”. We went inside and there were pictures of different girls above the urinals. Some were laughing, some were wide eyed and holding their hands far apart with a satisfaction, some had magnifying glasses and a finger pointing. It was excellent and wonderful, so I picked the one with the yardstick, and lived the fantasy for a moment. Got done early and headed out, past where the shoe shine guy was. I asked him, felling filled with the Vegasness of Vegas how much a shine was. Now my boots were hideous things abused at every turn, yet this gentleman, for five dollars I might add, brought my boots to life that would have made a drill sergeant weep at the beauty, then force you to drop and give him twenty. I paid the man six and went and broke one of the precious twenties, and went back and gave him another buck. I’m cheep, but he rocked.
The next day we rose to a shower and yogurt. This was to be the day we would finally meet our guildy friends and we were both excited. I had met my shiny buddy in EQ1 and had inducted him into the guild we had had at the time. As the guild had grown and changed he had stayed with us, and had been one of the original to transfer over to EQ2. He had talked his wifey into playing as well and they make quite a serious ass kicking team. We had talked for many a year about many different things, from religion, to life, to kids. I was ready to give em a grab and a shake like a freaky tye-dyed love doggy. Which I did, but that came later.
There were a few things that my bruthah wanted to hit, panels that looked interesting and a live event, so until then we wandered the rooms and areas around the fan faire. The bruthah hit the bathroom for a midmorning dance, and came back out saying “You gotta see this”. We went inside and there were pictures of different girls above the urinals. Some were laughing, some were wide eyed and holding their hands far apart with a satisfaction, some had magnifying glasses and a finger pointing. It was excellent and wonderful, so I picked the one with the yardstick, and lived the fantasy for a moment. Got done early and headed out, past where the shoe shine guy was. I asked him, felling filled with the Vegasness of Vegas how much a shine was. Now my boots were hideous things abused at every turn, yet this gentleman, for five dollars I might add, brought my boots to life that would have made a drill sergeant weep at the beauty, then force you to drop and give him twenty. I paid the man six and went and broke one of the precious twenties, and went back and gave him another buck. I’m cheep, but he rocked.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 7
As the night progressed, they continued to finish off their drinks and the orange Julius friend, she of the octopi arms and leaning grasp, began to have shouting and screaming sessions into her phone. It seemed her boyfriend (of three months) didn’t like the idea of her in Vegas. It seemed that he was a slightly insecure lad and was trying like hell to bring down her good times. She also shared her addiction to cocaine, that she hadn’t touched in many a year, and that of all things he hated it when she used her toys. After that statement she said she needed to find someone to have sex with, and we steered her away from us and to a less matrimonial section of the establishment. For some reason she didn’t get the point when we were waving our hands in the air and accenting our rings. As she left my bruthah turned to me and smiled the smile of happiness and safety. It was just one of the many times where we would turn to each other and say something tasty in response to a fine figured woman. Hmmm…Vegas. As she left my parting response to her was to be safe, in whatever she wanted to do, and we all parted company.
The couple from last year ended up calling us and guided us to another bar in the hotel, which we went to, and I indicated that I would love to take them up on the offer of some interplanetary frop. They acquiesced, and we hit the monorail to their room at the Sahara. As we were walking up to the monorail station I, and my bruthah, were both asked if the intake of said interplanetary frop was allowed. I laughed and said yes, he didn’t mind but as it was his car we took both last year and this year, it was unfair of me to transport frop in his vehicle. So after all that was settled we went to their room.
Now the amazing thing was that the security at the Sahara was psychotic. We were almost accosted, walking with our friends, as to where and how we were getting to the room. We all stated to her that we were with them, and she moved to attack others behind us. Thank god for security I say, but the stringent aspect of it was a little much.
The couple from last year ended up calling us and guided us to another bar in the hotel, which we went to, and I indicated that I would love to take them up on the offer of some interplanetary frop. They acquiesced, and we hit the monorail to their room at the Sahara. As we were walking up to the monorail station I, and my bruthah, were both asked if the intake of said interplanetary frop was allowed. I laughed and said yes, he didn’t mind but as it was his car we took both last year and this year, it was unfair of me to transport frop in his vehicle. So after all that was settled we went to their room.
Now the amazing thing was that the security at the Sahara was psychotic. We were almost accosted, walking with our friends, as to where and how we were getting to the room. We all stated to her that we were with them, and she moved to attack others behind us. Thank god for security I say, but the stringent aspect of it was a little much.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 6
As we exited the fan faire to get a drink finally we ran into the folks from last year. For those of you that don’t know what I’m talking about you need to read last years fan faire. For those of you up on the info, she had left him for him; they now were living together in Texas of all places. Other guy showed up as well, but Mr. intense wasn’t there, nor was the ex-beau of hers. And there ya go. They had all been drinking since at least 11am according to them, the lucky bastards, and as it was getting on eight of the clock for us and I was feeling slightly RABID for booze, a warp core breach to be exact, I disentangled myself from them and RAN not walked to the tastyness that is Quark’s bar, right by the Star Trek Experience. Now the sad thing is that that wondrous vibe of geekdom is going to be no more as of September first of 2008, and for that the Hilton gets a big ol’ shame on you from me. According to the rumor mill the Hilton was unwilling to allow for them to remain and didn’t even bother to talk to them about their lease options. Or lack of them that is. But we were not there for entertainment, we were there for BOOZE!!! And booze we got in the shape of a Warp Core Breach, courtesy of the surly lad behind the bar.
Now for those of you not yet initiated in the love of the breach, let me educate you. First you grab the fishbowl yes, the fishbowl. No no no, that other one, the ten gallon one. That’s it. Now, you pour in every possible version and variation of Bacardi rums and razzmatazz and some fruit juice or something or other, and dry ice for the bubbles. Now when the guy, bearing it with two hands that is, comes to your stool and drops this puppy off, make sure there’s more then one of ya to drink it. As there was the man who will forever be known as the Bruthah and I, we were good. So good in fact that I got quite a head rush and was slightly uncomfortable for a bit. Afterwards, with our head rush on, we retired to the penny slots and played the penny computer slots. Now there is one game my bruthah excels at and its all because of the music involved. It’s a game that uses the song “Rock Lobster” by the B-52’s. On the bonus round it has a guy with a thick eastern accent talking about introducing the lobster caught to some butter and that you got a good one. As my bruthah got bonus round mania, he began his bonus round dance. It involved lots of shoulder work and many a jiggle and jounce. There was a girl standing near by and she remarked that after he won a bonus round he had forgotten to dance. He then laughed, said “Oh ya!” and began to dance the shimmy dance of conquering. Her friend, who was quite inebriated, sat down next to him and began to lean and flirt. My bruthah, being the sweet guy he is, became very embarrassed and began the “I’m married and quite uncomfortable” lean. As he moved away, she would in tern move forward, so the lean of decency began. I merely sat and watched the festivities, but was unconcerned as I could step in at any moment and be the man my bruthah loves and respects. Namely the loud and fairly, when needed, obnoxious one. But at the time, and even later as she practiced her lean on me, I figured her being drunk was cause enough for a gentler and fairer hand. She had finished her DUI classes before coming to Vegas and so I was not at all worried for either me or my brother. They let us taste their drinks they had brought back from I think hooters, and they were delicious. One tasted like an orange Julius drink and the other tasted like a strawberry margarita, which it was, but it had crushed and blended strawberries in it and was the one I preferred. But since we were at the Hilton, it was all about the warp core breaches and serious inebriation.
Now for those of you not yet initiated in the love of the breach, let me educate you. First you grab the fishbowl yes, the fishbowl. No no no, that other one, the ten gallon one. That’s it. Now, you pour in every possible version and variation of Bacardi rums and razzmatazz and some fruit juice or something or other, and dry ice for the bubbles. Now when the guy, bearing it with two hands that is, comes to your stool and drops this puppy off, make sure there’s more then one of ya to drink it. As there was the man who will forever be known as the Bruthah and I, we were good. So good in fact that I got quite a head rush and was slightly uncomfortable for a bit. Afterwards, with our head rush on, we retired to the penny slots and played the penny computer slots. Now there is one game my bruthah excels at and its all because of the music involved. It’s a game that uses the song “Rock Lobster” by the B-52’s. On the bonus round it has a guy with a thick eastern accent talking about introducing the lobster caught to some butter and that you got a good one. As my bruthah got bonus round mania, he began his bonus round dance. It involved lots of shoulder work and many a jiggle and jounce. There was a girl standing near by and she remarked that after he won a bonus round he had forgotten to dance. He then laughed, said “Oh ya!” and began to dance the shimmy dance of conquering. Her friend, who was quite inebriated, sat down next to him and began to lean and flirt. My bruthah, being the sweet guy he is, became very embarrassed and began the “I’m married and quite uncomfortable” lean. As he moved away, she would in tern move forward, so the lean of decency began. I merely sat and watched the festivities, but was unconcerned as I could step in at any moment and be the man my bruthah loves and respects. Namely the loud and fairly, when needed, obnoxious one. But at the time, and even later as she practiced her lean on me, I figured her being drunk was cause enough for a gentler and fairer hand. She had finished her DUI classes before coming to Vegas and so I was not at all worried for either me or my brother. They let us taste their drinks they had brought back from I think hooters, and they were delicious. One tasted like an orange Julius drink and the other tasted like a strawberry margarita, which it was, but it had crushed and blended strawberries in it and was the one I preferred. But since we were at the Hilton, it was all about the warp core breaches and serious inebriation.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 5
The motif was Asian I think, though they did it with the flair that is Vegas to such a degree that you only get it in small doses. The Aisianess I mean. The rest is “where you from?” concierges and “cocktails?” from the well endowed waitresses. I am under the firm belief that there must be a cup size requirement for the waitresses there, for they were quite bouncy and efficacious. Yet there were those that, when asked of course, would REFUSE to get a poor man a drink. I was amazed. It seemed that there were areas, though it makes sense to a certain degree I guess, but it was evil incarnate at the time. And I think that they got wise to the penny slots angle my bruthah and I had goin last year, though at the Rio they were very fluid in their disbursements. Also last year. So we actually paid for drinks at many points throughout the weekend. I shed a single tear for the money wasted.
After we checked in and roamed the hotel, just a little, we headed over to the Hilton and the fan faire check in. we arrived to a Sony flub up as the name I had given them was not the name they had for me. As my character in EQ2 my last name is Sequoia, though they had me down as Serverquestaquoia. Kinda whacky, yet changeable. And so after a bit of noise and other flub up control was activated I got a little sticker thingy to put over my name badge, by a girl who had fairly straight hands I must say. She clipped the edges and stuck it on and the bruthah and I wandered the “shop” area and checked out the stuff. The choice that I belabored on whether to acquire the ranger Zippo lighter was taken from me as they had no lighters left in the ranger category. I’m sure that money went into a slot machine somewhere though, no worries.
They had the usual crap from last year. Multiple ads for all the new Sony stuff coming out, the swag bag area of course, and a little bit of renaissance faireishness by way of clothing and goblets and all. Seemed like the Faire prices were in evidence as well, though for the craftsmanship it wasn’t too horrible. Just slightly painful.
After we checked in and roamed the hotel, just a little, we headed over to the Hilton and the fan faire check in. we arrived to a Sony flub up as the name I had given them was not the name they had for me. As my character in EQ2 my last name is Sequoia, though they had me down as Serverquestaquoia. Kinda whacky, yet changeable. And so after a bit of noise and other flub up control was activated I got a little sticker thingy to put over my name badge, by a girl who had fairly straight hands I must say. She clipped the edges and stuck it on and the bruthah and I wandered the “shop” area and checked out the stuff. The choice that I belabored on whether to acquire the ranger Zippo lighter was taken from me as they had no lighters left in the ranger category. I’m sure that money went into a slot machine somewhere though, no worries.
They had the usual crap from last year. Multiple ads for all the new Sony stuff coming out, the swag bag area of course, and a little bit of renaissance faireishness by way of clothing and goblets and all. Seemed like the Faire prices were in evidence as well, though for the craftsmanship it wasn’t too horrible. Just slightly painful.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 4
We stopped in Primm Nevada, home of buffalo bills (and yes, it’s a big freaky buffalo) and the “DESPERADO” rollercoaster. If at any point I was to specify the Vegasness of it all, this was the time. We both strapped ourselves in, and began to scream not unlike the little girl children on their way to a social. Only with much more wailing and gnashing of teeth. Afterwards, there was no more fatigue with this little informer, nor with the bruthah, and there was much enjoyment and hemming and hawing of the merits of this spectacular jaunt in the land of Gee’s. We hung out for a sec, played a few games at their cleverly placed arcade at the exit to the coaster, and moved on down the road.
We cruised into Vegas on the wave of a balmy and singeing 110 degree heat that was awful and horrid, at least to me. As was to the bruthah, yet he said he liked the heat. I think that came later, after the Captain Morgan and coke though. So into Vegas we tripped, de-stuffified the trunk of the car, and made our way into the cool and beauty of an air conditioned hotel.
Our room was pre-arranged, all give props to the bruthah he of the planning and the information gathering. If he had been alive in the distant past he would have been a records keeper. A wizened historian that would know all there was to know on all things knowable. Ya know? As we waited for the room a tall Amazonian woman, sweet unlike those crazed woman of lore though, was in line behind us in a Vader shirt. I pointed to her and exclaimed “SWG?” and her response was…”What?” So began the explanation of the fan faire, and all aspects of that twisted and decadent Sony universe. She was altogether friendly and was interested, so I passed on the card, as I do so often, and told her she should check out the faire. I didn’t see her there, but that doesn’t mean anything as the fan faire was a very small part to our Vegas experience. After great giggling and laughing from the receptionist at check in we got our room number and the card keys to our rooms. With a wave to she of the tall stature, we boogeyed through the lobby with its clangs and ching ching chings and all that is Vegas and found the elevators that led us up to the air-conditioned goodness that was our domicile for the weekend.
We cruised into Vegas on the wave of a balmy and singeing 110 degree heat that was awful and horrid, at least to me. As was to the bruthah, yet he said he liked the heat. I think that came later, after the Captain Morgan and coke though. So into Vegas we tripped, de-stuffified the trunk of the car, and made our way into the cool and beauty of an air conditioned hotel.
Our room was pre-arranged, all give props to the bruthah he of the planning and the information gathering. If he had been alive in the distant past he would have been a records keeper. A wizened historian that would know all there was to know on all things knowable. Ya know? As we waited for the room a tall Amazonian woman, sweet unlike those crazed woman of lore though, was in line behind us in a Vader shirt. I pointed to her and exclaimed “SWG?” and her response was…”What?” So began the explanation of the fan faire, and all aspects of that twisted and decadent Sony universe. She was altogether friendly and was interested, so I passed on the card, as I do so often, and told her she should check out the faire. I didn’t see her there, but that doesn’t mean anything as the fan faire was a very small part to our Vegas experience. After great giggling and laughing from the receptionist at check in we got our room number and the card keys to our rooms. With a wave to she of the tall stature, we boogeyed through the lobby with its clangs and ching ching chings and all that is Vegas and found the elevators that led us up to the air-conditioned goodness that was our domicile for the weekend.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 3
So the ride is on. We listened for awhile to show tunes, some light and airy conversation occurred and then the question to start the voyage…”King Crimson?” I guess his kids didn’t really dig it, but when I asked the girl child requested to listen to it. The bruthah acquiesced, and we rocked out to “Discipline”. There was one slight moment of “What is this?” but it was drowned in the sea of music that flooded like water to my parched mind, devoid of all things “Crimson” for oh so long.
Sing with me! “Thela hun jin geet thela hun jin geet!” Love that album.
So, the kids were carefully and readily ensconced at the home of my bruthahs Honored Madre, the woman of his birth, and I broke out the “Art of War” in her driveway. We were ready to begin the major push to Vegas and had finished all f atherly activities for days to come.
I don’t exactly remember the entire passage, but it’s a tradition that I started some time back. At the beginning of a trip, a hike, a journey, even when it’s only me, I take a passage from the Sun Tsu’s book and find many instances in which the journey shows that certain passage to occur within reality. Or at least the reality of the journey we’re on at the time. So the passage that sped us on our way was about the attacking of large and small forces, I think. My bruthah chuckled as I gave him the “wow that’s trippy and intense man ya man ya” nod with the raised eyebrow and we entrenched ourselves in the seats for a long and anticipatory ride to Vegas, and what it would bring.
As we traveled my bruthah, the man among men and the true captain of all that is bitchin’, put on for our listening and grooving enjoyment, coast to coast AM. Now these weren’t any C2C, these were ghost to ghost episodes and none of the ones he had were ones that I had acquired. So we grooved and watched the arid desert and watched the thermometer on his dash board rise and rise and rise until the surface of the sun, at least to me, would have been a cooler safer place. But sometimes, so I’ve been told though I think it’s untrue, I have a penchant for the dramatic. So maybe not the sun. Maybe just mercury.
Along the way we stopped at a gyro joint that was pithy in their statements about themselves on the roadside billboards, but upon arrival the prices of the festive feasties were a bit out of our financial reach. We went outside for a bit and stood crisping in the desert sun. While there we saw a homeless guy stagger up with a slightly wet and empty container for water and a sweat shirt on. As the temperature was 109 Fahrenheit seeing this poor man, crumpled and ruffled and forgotten, it put into perspective my life with my wife, our children, and my entire existence. And also put into perspective how close to that edge most of America is. How we go from paycheck to paycheck, barely surviving, always on the perilous edge. We both needed to let loose the golden flow, so we used the facilities and moved on down the road.
Sing with me! “Thela hun jin geet thela hun jin geet!” Love that album.
So, the kids were carefully and readily ensconced at the home of my bruthahs Honored Madre, the woman of his birth, and I broke out the “Art of War” in her driveway. We were ready to begin the major push to Vegas and had finished all f atherly activities for days to come.
I don’t exactly remember the entire passage, but it’s a tradition that I started some time back. At the beginning of a trip, a hike, a journey, even when it’s only me, I take a passage from the Sun Tsu’s book and find many instances in which the journey shows that certain passage to occur within reality. Or at least the reality of the journey we’re on at the time. So the passage that sped us on our way was about the attacking of large and small forces, I think. My bruthah chuckled as I gave him the “wow that’s trippy and intense man ya man ya” nod with the raised eyebrow and we entrenched ourselves in the seats for a long and anticipatory ride to Vegas, and what it would bring.
As we traveled my bruthah, the man among men and the true captain of all that is bitchin’, put on for our listening and grooving enjoyment, coast to coast AM. Now these weren’t any C2C, these were ghost to ghost episodes and none of the ones he had were ones that I had acquired. So we grooved and watched the arid desert and watched the thermometer on his dash board rise and rise and rise until the surface of the sun, at least to me, would have been a cooler safer place. But sometimes, so I’ve been told though I think it’s untrue, I have a penchant for the dramatic. So maybe not the sun. Maybe just mercury.
Along the way we stopped at a gyro joint that was pithy in their statements about themselves on the roadside billboards, but upon arrival the prices of the festive feasties were a bit out of our financial reach. We went outside for a bit and stood crisping in the desert sun. While there we saw a homeless guy stagger up with a slightly wet and empty container for water and a sweat shirt on. As the temperature was 109 Fahrenheit seeing this poor man, crumpled and ruffled and forgotten, it put into perspective my life with my wife, our children, and my entire existence. And also put into perspective how close to that edge most of America is. How we go from paycheck to paycheck, barely surviving, always on the perilous edge. We both needed to let loose the golden flow, so we used the facilities and moved on down the road.
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 2
It was the day, early in the day I might add, and the lack of sleep the night before in anticipation of the event had yet to abuse my system. The meet place was an insurance company’s parking lot in a small town, that is actually slightly larger then the small town where in I reside. We, the fam and I, got to the parking lot before the bruthah man, and immediately the wifeykins is thinking he won’t show, or the time was wrong, or..or..or… I love her, but she makey me psycho at times. So he shows, dressed in a tye-dye of all things, along with his daughter. Now a quick side note to the daughter of the sistah and the bruthah.
Long before your tye-dyed informer bred and propagated, he was sucked in to his sisters’ pregnancy. I would pants her in the street outside her house, cuz that’s what brothers do. At least this freaky brother does that. So at the time I was working noc shift and was sleeping away the daytime hours as much as possible. But on the day of her arrival, I woke up, totally aware I might add (which is a feat in and of itself), and immediately called the hospital. I knew the number of the room, as I had visited my sis in her domicile of birth, so I dialed it up real quick like and sat at my table in my trailer of the time and waited for the answer. And waited. And waited. After my leg was jittering so hard and the wait was killin me, I leaped into my clothes and vaulted into the truck I had and sped on down the road. I arrived to a little girl child, the first I might add in the family, and was anxious about touching her. I was a smoker back then and was looking for the sink to be able to wash my hands and my moms says “You’re not the first uncle that smokes.” Seemed like words of wisdom at the time, so I reached out and grabbed her little hands and so began my life as “unca”.
But then there was VEGAS!!!!!
Long before your tye-dyed informer bred and propagated, he was sucked in to his sisters’ pregnancy. I would pants her in the street outside her house, cuz that’s what brothers do. At least this freaky brother does that. So at the time I was working noc shift and was sleeping away the daytime hours as much as possible. But on the day of her arrival, I woke up, totally aware I might add (which is a feat in and of itself), and immediately called the hospital. I knew the number of the room, as I had visited my sis in her domicile of birth, so I dialed it up real quick like and sat at my table in my trailer of the time and waited for the answer. And waited. And waited. After my leg was jittering so hard and the wait was killin me, I leaped into my clothes and vaulted into the truck I had and sped on down the road. I arrived to a little girl child, the first I might add in the family, and was anxious about touching her. I was a smoker back then and was looking for the sink to be able to wash my hands and my moms says “You’re not the first uncle that smokes.” Seemed like words of wisdom at the time, so I reached out and grabbed her little hands and so began my life as “unca”.
But then there was VEGAS!!!!!
SOE Fan Faire 2008 Part 1
SOE Fan Faire 2008
The Fan Faire Strikes Back
Ahhhh…Vegas makes me do that. Let loose with a tasty and altogether yummy exhalation of breath with the reminiscence of a Vegas well done.
Once again little monkeys, the fan faire has come and gone. New friends were found, old friends newly met, old friends reacquainted, many cards passed out, and tye-dyes worn and distributed. Yet to truly give a decent accounting we must part the veil and stretch ourselves back into the distant reaches of…er…bout three months ago.
The conversation between my bruthah from der uthah muthah:
“Duder! You excited about your trip?” (he was going to parts away and semi-known with fam in tow)
“I can’t wait for Vegas man.”
And that had been it for months. Mental preparation for crazy lack of sleep and excessive drinking and mass geek outs till dawn came again over that sere (that’s for you, and you know who you are!) landscape and blinded our geek filled eyes.
This year was the year we would head to Vegas for the “full Monty” as they say. We were going to take our geek fest to the limit of common geek decency and then take it a little bit further. For those of you that have perused my odd narratives before, specifically the previous Fan Faire, you remember that we didn’t get into Vegas last year till late Friday evening. This year we weren’t going to loose out on anything Fan Faireish, so the plan was leave at eight in the morning and be there and be square. So as the time ticked ever closer, ever closer, the fever pitch of our geek fest rose and rose. My cosmic broskotomie tried to keep it under control, as he is a fairly controlled kind of guy, so of course me being me I had to unleash the freak out whenever around him and whenever possible. And then the wait was over.
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