YIKES! I've been bad.

Well it's been awhile. When last I updated it was in the middle of getting ready for the San Diego con.

Since then (1) I survived the trip (2) made it to Chicago (3) damn near pulled my hair out over the condition of the radio station and (4) started writing in ernest again.

Let's begin with San Diego...

Monday 7/11/05 - In a pouring rain, drove down to Paducah (by way of Metropolis) to catch my ride with Barry Buchanan (Western Gothic: Ballad of Utopia). We’re going to stay with a college buddy of his who lives near Nashville. Been awhile since I got to really catch up with Barry so we BS in the car on the way down to Nashville. We’re both a bit nervous about the trip since it’s the first San Diego con for both of us. At the house we try to figure out the weight of the bags using a bathroom scale so we make sure we don’t pay extra for going over 50 pounds per checked bag. (Weight of Barry holding bag – Weight of Barry w/o bag = weight of suitcase) I’m somewhat stunned/depressed that I’ve actually been gaining weight this summer rather than holding at 240. Wind up staying up until about 12:30am to download our boarding passes.

Tuesday 7/12/05 - We get up and around to catch our 9:00am flight at BNA. Flight is pretty uneventful. Arrived in San Diego 20 minutes early…time that’s lost as we waited an hour for the Radisson’s airport shuttle. The weather is fantastic. Mostly clear and 74 degrees. A nice change since we had left Paducah in the middle of a drought ending thunderstorm where temps stayed in the 90’s. We check into the room a find a lovely view of the 5 and a tarmac of the SD airport. Maps of the San Diego area are misleading in that everything seems so spread out. Actually everything is pretty much in walking distance…and brother were we in for some walking.About 1pm, made contact with Bob LeFevre. We walked over to his place in the Gaslamp to get some of the books for the booth before we went for our badges at the convention center. Barry and I joked about the number of bail bond offices we pass on the way. After getting 3 boxes each, we head to the convention center. By the time we arrive, I realize how much I’ll be looking forward to the shuttles. We get the badges and drop off the boxes at the DWP booth before we look around. It’s not even half assembled and it’s intimidating. Turns out we’re the only DW’ers who arrived Tuesday as Jerry Ma called Bob to say he missed his flight. No Tijuana trip I guess. We snag a late lunch at Hennesey’s Pub before Bob heads back to his place to finish up a page he was working on. Barry and I head back to the hotel to hit the pool. We’re both starting to feel the effects of the walking so the heated pool feels great. After an hour we relax in the room and about 9, head into Little Italy and grab a pizza at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. Word of warning: get extra cheese on the pizza at your own risk. We’re only able to eat two pieces each and take the rest to the room for Wednesday’s breakfast. Back in the room…I’m out like a light…a very loud light.

Wednesday 7/13/05 – Preview NightI get up about 7:30 and start getting around, finding the stuff I brought for the booth that I didn’t send ahead and calling David at the radio station. I wanted to make sure everything was still standing with all the rain hitting like it did and leaving the place in the hands of my part timers. David informs me that the ceiling tiles in the bathroom have given way but everything else is good. (we can't go in the crapper but we're on the air. Enjoy the trip.) Barry and I head onto the convention center to hang the DWP banner and try to get as much set up before GW Fisher arrives as we can. Bob arrives and we decide we’ll get the rest of the stuff from Bob’s after lunch. We hit Kansas City Barbecue (where the sleazy bar scenes in Top Gun were shot) and GW calls and says he’s waiting on the shuttle. We wind up going back to the Radisson to let GW into the room before went to Bob’s. With GW, start back to Bob’s and side trip to Ralph’s so GW can get a bite to eat. I stay with GW while Barry and Bob (with one of Barry’s rolling suitcases) go get the boxes. GW and I head back to the hotel to clean up for Preview Night and take the 3:30 shuttle to the convention center rather than drag GW’s handcart the 13 blocks. When we get to the center, Barry meets us with GW’s badge and shows us what’s left of the handle of the suitcase. While they were walking back, seems the weight and downhill direction combined to pretty much mess it up halfway between Bob’s and the center. Bob grabbed a “World Market” shopping cart to take things the rest of the way. Jerry Ma and tablemate Ken swing by to say hi and say they’re off to buy liquor. Other DW types start to trickle in as Preview Night begins. After it wraps up, we (GW, Barry, Bob, SteveO and his friend) all get together to grab a late dinner. We wind up at Dick’s Last Resort. Once Jon Malin has his room straightened out he joins us as well. Barry decided to stay out a bit as GW and I head back to the room. We go to the con center to get the shuttle but they stopped around 9:30. We take a Pedi-cab to the halfway point and walk the rest of the way. Barry came in around 2-2:30…seems Moose MacGillacuddy’s is comic friendly. He’s also decided he wants to stay out here.

Thursday 7/14/05 - This is where things start to get hazy. GW and I leave Barry to sleep as we head to the Convention Center. More of the late arriving DW folks arrive today including Tony Lee, Diana, Ryan (WYA) Ottley, Kody Camberlain, Devia and Mark C and family. While we didn't sell a ton of books for the show, I think we did better than the other publishers in our area. This is the slow day and sensory overload is already kicking in. Went over and briefly spoke with Scott Shaw! (of Captain Carrot fame). Day pretty much zips by and it's time for the DW dinner/drink up. We march en masse to Moose MacGillacuddy's to find it's already packed. Devia and her group splits off when the bar tables prove to not be enough space for the group. (Barry will later kick himself when he realizes "Joe" was inker Joe Rubenstein and he didn't get to gush.) Afterwards we head back towards to convention center and the Hyatt bar. Tony comments that he ought to give Ryan a call but he doesn't have the cell number programed into his phone. I offer to call and hand him the phone. This results in a confused conversation between Tony and Wya. (Seems he was thinking Stegman, not Ottley. We've got WAAAAY too many Ryans on the board.) By the time we've got it straight, I believe the words "Robert Kirkman" and "crossdressing wanker" were used in the same sentance. We find our way to Redfields (or as comic folks call it "Renfields...Don't point out the fly in your drink. Everyone will want one.") Barry and I eventually found our way to the shuttle. When we got "home" GW was finishing up a commission.

More Later