Okay, so I hopped on Theoryland chat right before I left for DragonCon, on Friday around noon. Frenzy said, “Call SP ‘Kitten’, okay?” I was scared to, so I didn’t. The trip to Atlanta was uneventful. I live two hours away, so I just drove there, screaming Garth Brooks songs at the top of my lungs. Yes, you read that correctly, Garth Brooks. I finally got there and found a parking place and began walking towards the hotel. I arrive at the Hyatt lobby to see people dressed up in the craziest costumes: Batman, Super Mario, Waldo, Boba Fett, and Storm Troopers beyond count. I phone SP.
Camel: “I’m at what appears to be the lobby of the Hyatt.”
SP: “Oh, you’re in the lobby? Okay, we’re at the airport.”
Camel: “I’ve got to register.”
SP: “Oh, okay, go register and all that and then call us again and we’ll meet up.”
Camel: “Okay. See you in a little bit!” (hah!)
Camel: “I’m at what appears to be the lobby of the Hyatt.”
SP: “Oh, you’re in the lobby? Okay, we’re at the airport.”
Camel: “I’ve got to register.”
SP: “Oh, okay, go register and all that and then call us again and we’ll meet up.”
Camel: “Okay. See you in a little bit!” (hah!)
So I go to a Dragoncon volunteer and ask where the registration is, and they inform me that it has been moved down to the Hilton. So I stroll down there and see a sign that says “On-site registration” So I follow the sign, fill out a form, and I can’t tell where to go next. “Hey Mr. Volunteer person, where do I go next?” “What do you have there?” “On-site registration.” “Oh, it’s over there, see that line over there?” “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Ho hum, I stand in line (incidentally, I was one row in the line away from WSB, but I didn’t know that at the time). Finally, after about an hour’s wait, I get to the end. I stroll up to the desk, and the guy looks at my form.
Guy: “Did you pay yet?”
Camel: “Uhh, I don’t pay here?”
Guy: “No, sir, you pay over in that line over there.”
Camel: “Thanks.”
I walked over to where pointed, and there was another line that was a good 30 minutes long. So I finally paid my $85 for my 4-day pass, and walk BACK over to the on-site registration. An hour later, I’m back up front at the same guy.
Guy: “Didn’t you come through here already?”
Camel: “Yes, but I hadn’t paid, remember?”
Guy: “Ohh, right. Hey, Jacksonville. Isn’t that in Florida?”
Camel: “I live in the one in Alabama.”
Guy: “Ohh, ohh, I see. That’s interesting.”
Camel: “How so?”
Guy: “I just see ‘Jacksonville’ and I think ‘Florida.’”
Camel: “……….fascinating, sir.”
Guy: “Yeah, I thought so too.”
Finally he shuts up and enters my information. I wait about 5 minutes for them to print out the badge, I triumpantly take it from the desk clerk person, and haul @#%$ out of the room. I called SP:
Camel: “All right, I’m done with registration.”
SP: “Great! We’re standing out in front of the Marriot Marquis.”
Camel: “Okay, great, I’ll see you soon.”
So I’m walkin and I’m walkin, and finally I get to where the Marquis is. I’d decided that I’m looking for a very specific, very cute, five foot tall girl with a foreign accent. Can’t go wrong there. I’m looking, and I’m looking, and alluva sudden there’s this guy basically jutting his chest into my face. I recover from the shock and read the badge. “Strange Package.” He had a questioning look on his face, like a gorilla who thinks he’s about to get a banana. I said “Hey, yeah, I’m Camel.” and he goes “I FOUND HIM!” and alluva sudden there’s like 30 people! (okay, 7) surrounding me. I immediately recognize Zaela, Hopper, and Isabel. Tamyrlin and WSB kept running their mouths at me like we had been in some sort of conversation that got interrupted. I’m not quite sure what they said, but it must’ve been interesting. I was too busy adjusting to the shock of the company of 7 people I knew, but had never met. If that makes any sense at all.
So then SP takes control of the situation (scary, I think) and leads us all back to the hotel, which was a Travelodge about a block away from the Hilton and Marriott. We packed into Zaela’s room, and discussed where we were going to go next, and what the sleeping arrangements would be. I wasn’t really paying attention there, either. I was focusing on trying to get used to not hearing a southern accent, which is harder than it seems. Finally, we start walking towards a bar that SP had recommended, called Max Lager.
Half a block away from the hotel, I notice my badge is no longer clipped onto my shorts. So I stop and look for a few minutes, because Tam had made a motion like something had dropped a few dozen feet back, so I went back there to see if that’s what had dropped. No dice. My badge was gone. I figured I’d go replace it later, since I had my photo ID and all my information was in the computer systems anyway. So we continued upon our way.
Tam walked beside me on the way there and asked a lot of questions, like where I’m from and what I’m doing in school and stuff. It was nice to talk about something I knew (myself) and not have to focus on figuring out what the hell is going on (which is 95% of the time). So, thanks Tam.
We got to the Max Lager, and we had this goofy looking, funny as hell waiter that was awesome. He was great. We got some sort of sampler platter. I tried very patiently to wait for everyone to get a couple peices of whatever, and once everyone seemed satisfied with whatever they had gotten, I grabbed the rest. What? I was hungry, okay? SP noticed this with great amusement.
I also got a video clip of Zaela downing whatever drink she had. It was kinda funny.
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