HW: trip report and stuff

[Arin Komins]

Whew.  am still working my way through the 6000 messages that were waiting
for me when I returned, so forgive this late-ish post.

(as usual this is far too disorganized and to indepth.  warning, warning,
etc.)

ye olde trip report:

Arrived on Wednesday the 11th.  Stayed in London with a friend, took the
opportunity to hit the decent sf bookshops (forbidden planet, new worlds,
and my fave...fantasy centre.)

Managed to find myself in Leicester Square as the premiere of LotR:TTT
was about to start.  Lurked in the audience hoping for a glimpse of the
stars, but retired a very disappointed fangirl ;-)

Off the next morning to Walthamstow (to check out the hotel I'd booked
everyone into ;-) ).

Hm.  Walthamstow has a taxi stand, but it was really really short of any
actual taxis.  Ah well, it didn't look too far.

After a longish walk (I walk slowly) later, arrived at the hotel.
Boy, Rik wasn't kidding.  It really was close to the Sainsbury's....being
in its parking lot ;-)

(...and that was lovely, actually, as that way I could load up on party
supplies fairly easily.)

Check in, angst over whether Denis is arriving early or not, chill for a
bit, then manage to catch a ride down to Brighton with Rik and Val.

(thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you)

Chat to various folks (mike, eric, keith (h. and b.), nick), end up
selling t-shirts for the evening.

Wasn't able to watch the show, but it sounded amazing.  Bring on
Walthamstow.

Finish selling t's, back off to the hotel.  arrange for a few more rooms
for unexpected stayers-over.  deal with a complete idiot at the desk.

Get back to the hotel.  Yay, Rich arrived!

Next morning: nervous.

Get up, do a quick scan for people.  No one around yet.  Find a sensible
human being at the desk, redo all the hotel finagling from prior night.

Head off to the Sainsbury's with Rich.  Try to guesstimate how much food
and drink to get, knowing full well that I'll probably get it wrong.

Angst.

Fun scene: Rich and I trying to figure out what alcohol to buy when we
both don't drink.  snicker.

Haul goodies back to hotel in shopping cart (yay hotel being in parking
lot.)

Bump into Merrick and Julie outside.  Much exchange of happy
hellos.  Press them into service to haul the goodies over to the gig
(many thank yous for volunteering for that, btw.)

Get inside, do the countdown for people arriving at the hotel.
Everyone who said that they wouldn't be late arrive except for 2 of the
couples.  Wave hello to lots of list folk.  Meet Ian Abrahams and his
friend Stuart for the first time.

Angst a bit over missing people.

Not to worry, though, as cut a deal with hotel over not getting charged
for one of those rooms.

Summon minicabs, then it's off to the gig!

Get to the gig, go to investigate party room.  Hey...nice room!
(thanks Rik for running interference there.)

Figure out how things are going to work.

Head off to the Bell for some socializing with the rest of the boc-l gang.
(which was much fun.)

Back off to gig.

Bliss out for the gig.  Wow.  All I can say is that I really really think
Arthur Brown did a great job.  For once in my life, I didn't hate a front
man.  cool.

(...and I fell in love with the rendition of Time Captives.)

Everyone seems to be exchanging tracks that they wish were retired.
For my part, I would like to see angels of death retired (well, and the
watcher, since I've never liked that ;-) )

Light show was fabulous.

Gig over, start looking around for party folks.  Told the hotel gang, and
the misc hawkfolk, looked around for the boc-l folk that were due to go,
but didn't spot Maxine (sorry!) and didn't see Roger post
gig.  Richard...you didn't make yourself known to me.  I hung around for a
while postgig, hoping that I'd spot you, but....

Alan D., if you were there, I didn't spot you :-(

(sigh.  next time, get people to identify *before* gig.)  I'm really sorry
folks.

sent Rich to get gear from Merrick's car, started setting up stuff
downstairs.

Whew.

party.

Thanks to everyone to helped out with it, and particular thanks to
everyone who contributed to the
"oh-christ-I-need-to-bribe-the-door-guys-so-the-party-can-continue-and-i-have-no-cash"
fund.

(yet another moral: always be prepared for graft.)

A zillion thanks to Kris and Rik for their general assist.

More people managed to find their way in than I was anticipating.  (Moral
of the story: always always always buy more beer than you think you will
ever need.)

Hopefully folks enjoyed themselves...

Party done, summon minicabs (spell of summon minicabs: +2 to int),
head back to hotel.

Dump stuff, talking and suchforth goes on 'til early am (eek.)

Eventually fall down and sleep.

Wave goodbye to folks in the am, head off to stanstead and off to newquay
to deal with stupid wedding venue crap.

Arin
(done blathering)
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Arin Komins                                   akomins at uchicago.edu
Manager of Web Systems Architecture
University of Chicago/NSIT                      tel: (773)834-4087
1155 E. 60th St. #302B Chicago, IL 60637        fax: (773)702-0559
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