JEB writes...

Gathering 2008 Journal - Day Four and Four Plus One

Monday, June 30, 2008

Didn't have much motive to get moving earlier, so I didn't set out for the con areas until close to noon. I headed for the con suite with my card game, intending to try and demo it regardless of interest, but I found it was already closed up. So I picked up my Steel Clan figure and started asking around about the Navy Pier trip, with little in the way of definitive answers. I ran into Dracandros, Ed and Vince after the Blue Mug Productions panel wrapped up, brought my stuff back to my room, then went to their room to demo the card game to them. I wasn't able to drum up much interest, so we mostly watched episodes of Invader Zim instead.

Headed to the Closing Ceremonies, which went rather quickly - about 15 minutes - and mostly consisted of various awards which I am sure some other source will cover. I went to sign up for G2K8 (even if I don't go, they can use the money), only to find I was short on cash, so I went and retrieved my additional funds from the room safe. After paying, I hung out with Sarah the Great for a while and chatted, assuming the decent number of people hanging out in the Closing Ceremonies room were eventually going to the Navy Pier. I said bye to Aaron and to Emambu, and talked more with Sarah until a large group left, apparently for the airport. Sarah, a few others and I stuck around for a bit until heading for the lobby (Hobdemona's stuff was left there, but we made sure to tell him to grab it).

Hanging around the lobby, I saw Dracandros, Ed and Vince off to, I assumed, the Taste of Chicago, met up with Rob, and saw Phil off. Phil informed us that the Navy Pier trip was basically cancelled due to lack of interest, so everyone was going off and doing their own things. (One group went to the Field Museum, which would have been a rather good idea; Greg W. went somewhere with Patrick and Susan Leonard). So it was up to me and Rob to figure out how to use our now empty evening. We made one last run to the ninth, finding only one guy who was only there to retrieve his sunglasses. Rob and I resolved to meet later, probably for MUGEN, and in the meantime I updated my notes, did some Web sufing, took some pictures from the ninth floor (including the empty but still disorganized con rooms).

I ultimately met up with Rob for dinner, and we ate at a pizza place near the Hotel. Decent pizza, but a bit overpriced and with indifferent crust. We parted on our return (Rob had a cigar to smoke), but I later alerted Rob when I decided to hit Borders (figuring it'd be a good way to kill time until Dracandros and company returned - I was expecting to see a film with them, and the theatre was right across from Borders). He eventually met me there, and we talked a bit with each other and a young anime/manga fangirl before I bought a few items and we walked back.

I said goodbye to Rob, intending to spend the rest of the evening packing and sleeping. However, Dracandros and company finally returned, and they persuaded me to go see WALL-E against my better judgment. It was quite a good movie, but I was also correct in my suspicion that I'd return late enough to lose some sleep (I had to get up around 7 am to have time to catch my shuttle back to O'Hare). Regardless, I finished packing, spent a bit too long online, and eventually settled to sleep.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Got up, finished the last bit of packing, and got checked out and to the lobby with plenty of time. By total coincidence, I wound up returning on the Airport Express shuttle with Gside, and we chatted about various matters until we arrived. From that point, it's all airport stuff and plane stuff of little real interest until I returned...