Griffin's BotCon Adventure (non-news bits).

[Burn]

And this is just his first day! By the time this is over he'll have a printable novel that will have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation.

[Bartrim]

And this is just his first day! By the time this is over he'll have a printable novel that will have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation.

I'll wait for the movie to come out

[griffin]

I hate it when you type up a lengthy post and you lose it all because the computer suddenly decides to close the window you were working in. Stupid Microsoft.
This shorter retype will probably make most of you glad that I'm not rambling on again...

Spent today juggling between hotels, to get into the other one which has covered access to the convention center (in case it rains this weekend as forecast), and is about $17 per night cheaper.
I don't get a refund from the full amount the Hyatt charged at check-in for up to 3 days, so will have to temporarily pay out another $700 for accomodation, which I may not get back in time for the convention (and if I did, there aren't many in the dealer room who take credit cards).
Still can't get a hold of Saintly to let him know that I have switched hotels, so have to work out a way of catching him when he arrives 'some time on Thursday night'.
Had a bit of a recon of the convention center today, and it is huge. Saw three of the Botcon staff (Brian, Pete, Rik) on my way over there, and it looked like they had some of the convention toys with them (don't ask, I didn't try to look at them - I'd like to enjoy the unveilling to the masses and feel the crowd's excitement like BotCon of old - and I haven't been following who the extra BC toys are either).
Walked around the city CBD, because their busses don't go south of the river (the state border about half a Km away), which left only 2 stores of interest that were reachable by bus, which wasn't worth the time and expense of checking out (I'm not after much at retail at the moment, so not too fussed about missing the opportunity here). The next two days should be fun enough to make up for it.
Couldn't find the grocery store that the internet searches said should be nearby. So no big sampling of American foods like in recent years (I get so fascinated by all their unhealthy breakfast cereals, and wanted to post some back home this year (wouldn't be enough time to eat them here)).
I found an outlet that sold Gyros (didn't know what they were, but remembered it from an episode of Seinfelt), they ended up being like a cross between a soft taco and a kebab.
Also found a pathetically small music and DVD store nearby, but didn't find anything I really wanted (like certain cartoon DVDs that are heaps cheaper here than in Australia).
I also realised that I don't have the means to transfer photos from my camera to this computer, so will have to take as many as I can with my phone in addition to the better quality ones on my camera.
I'll leave you tonight with some photos so far from my phone, and will hopefully be back online in about 24 hours in the other hotel.
The first is from my seat in the plane watching the engine being pulled apart (no, not paranoid at all... ) and the second is the convention center from my room.

[Burn]

This shorter retype will probably make most of you glad that I'm not rambling on again...

Ramble to your heart's content! I was actually quite engrossed in your first update, despite the lack of paragraph usage!

So Cincinnati (that's where it is isn't it?) isn't that great of a city?

[MV75]

and I need to get up early tomorrow morning to check out some hotel details - the second hotel that was offered, is indeed closer to the convention centre (now that I know for sure where it is), as Saintly had suggested to me. And it has an undercover walkway to the convention centre, to protect all the toys from the rain that is forecast for the convention weekend. THe Botcon website gave me the impression that the first hotel was part of the convention centre (said it was next to it), but is actually on the other side of a four way intersection. And it is more expensive than the second hotel, the better hotel.

Should have used Google Earth to look it up.

Also get some food pictures. I like that sort of thing the best from your trips.
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No2 vaporizer

[griffin]

The aerial maps I did look up didn't help me work out for sure which building was the convention center, and didn't show the walkways that go over the roads, so I wouldn't have been able to see that part of it was uncovered between the Hyatt and the Convention Center. Saintly seemed to be sure that the Millenium was closer, but word has been floating around that the Millenium isn't too good with quality. But who cares if it gives up more spending money on toys and I'd be too busy outside of the room to care.
I'll try to get some more food photos, but it looks like I won't be able to get to a Burger King this year
None within accessable walking distance. Haven't seen any Mcdonalds in the CBD either, which is odd. I found a Wendys Burger though, which is my second favourite franchise behind BK/HJ.
Burn - yeah, I'm terrible with long paragraphs and sentences. Oh, and I find that most US City CBD's (downtown) are mostly for business and hotels, unlike our capital cities that have a lot of retail shops in the CBD. So most BotCons have required a fair bit of travel away from the hotel to do any retail toy shopping. If I had a second day for toy shopping, I would probaly get a taxi out to some of the more interesting stores that are south of the boarder into Kentucky (busses from Cincinnati stay inside Ohio).
Tomorrow is the first pre-con tour, including a stop at a huge comic shop and toy dealer store, both about 15kms north of here.

[Pulse]

It kinda feels like the calm before the storm.

& the fact that you "will have to temporarily pay out another $700 for accomodation" sounds like more & more funds are being eaten up on non-TF purchases. How does that saying go? (the saying that shall not be spoken )

[Soundwarp]

Gah too much reading mate, i'll just come over and annoy the hell out of you when you get home!

[dirge]

I found an outlet that sold Gyros (didn't know what they were, but remembered it from an episode of Seinfelt), they ended up being like a cross between a soft taco and a kebab.

I remember having one of those in (I think) New York. It was like a cold kebab!

BTW if you cross the Ohio river, all the music stores will only stock bluegrass music

[MV75]

I remember having one of those in (I think) New York. It was like a cold kebab!

BTW if you cross the Ohio river, all the music stores will only stock bluegrass music

"If you don't buy my albummmmmmm.....
.....then the terrorists win".
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ECOTEC