Also, time to do something productive with posts and talk about people impressions. Talking about what I did would take too long, but.
Halbarad - Great host and a crazy patient man. He took a lot of pains to make sure we were doing alright and being essentially our personal chauffeur for the better part of a month has to take a toll on someone - still, he did it and was a great sport. The Valkyria Chronicles 2 sessions with him, Tonfa and Grefter were high-class entertainment, too. Once again, thanks for the hospitality, and I hope we get to meet again. Also surprisingly soft-spoken.
By the way, your parents are also awesome. Your mother's cooking is the best, and the conversation over the map with your dad was good times. The Hello-Kitty plush you left in my suitcase is also great.
Grefter - Even though we got to spend a week annoying each other, I feel I didn't hang around him nearly enough, but that may be just Gref being one of my favorite DLers period. Grefter is a wonderful person to be around, especially considering that he's such a soft-spoken and level-headed fellow that his meanest times become even more awesome. Wish I got to talk more music with him, too, though having a new 2 gigs of music to sort through from him is good stuff as is. Also, tea. Cheers, hope to get more chances to talk to you about stuff in general. And thanks for the Jezabels albums as well.
Tonfa - True story: every time Hal and I were together waiting for Tonfa, he'd unceremoniously miss us and I'd have to poke him in order to get his attention. I don't get it either. Regardless, Tonfa -wins-. His accent is glorious, and he's just generally larger than life. Charismatic, hammy, just fun to hang around with. Ended up spending the most time with him by default through these two weeks, and there are plenty of funny stories to tell. The night chat where we were sniping each other both under Hal's nick while everybody went insane was one of the highlights. Also, great fun playing Dissidia with him, where his KAIN beat my KUJA multiple times.
Alex - One of the sweetest people at the con. Played a lot of board games throughout the trip with him, but not so much talking, sadly. Still, playing Apples to Apples with him was glorious times (Shakespeare! Always wins!), and watching him play games is also very impressive. Needs to disappear less when people are around, you're great.
Jackson/HY - Holy shit, he's hilarious. Loquacious, silly and just generally fun to be around. His reactions to Texas heat were very memorable. However, how can -anyone- eat marmite. No, man, seriously. Also, log more about the Melty Blood war stories.
Ciato - It's amazing how we basically hit it off instantly. I've always been fond of Ciato, but personally, she just immediately won me over. Spent tons of time talking and being around her, and it was great times. Also, trolling her on Mario Kart was great. Hey Ciato, how about BABY DAAAAAAAAAAAISY. Also, smuggling adventures, but I'll talk more about that when I get to mc. Good days, and Megaman/gaming talk was the best.
(Seriously, I loved meeting you.)
mc - Absolutely gorgeous. I think I should've spent more time with her, but I suddenly realize I -also- spent plenty of time interacting with the girl - smuggling adventure #2, the music video session with Grefter, just general farting around. Speaking of smuggling, it was hilarious that I got to be stuck in the trunk of a van with both Ciato and mc for a ten-minute trip where I'm not even sure where we were going. >_> I do remember re-enacting Pegasus' FAAAAAAAAAABULOUS speech on the way to whatever, and it was -glorious-. Hope you make good use of the Hello-Kitty charger, by the way, and I'll keep the Hello-Kitty glasses well-guarded. Loved it.
Elfboy - Also spent tons of time annoying him, which was kinda natural considering how much time I spent with Ciato. He humbly put me in perspective on how -many- people are far nerdier than I am in the DL, which is horrifying. I'm way too used to being the nerdiest person around in social situations, and that was refreshing in a sense. Also was great to talk with for general stuff - that late-night conversation with him, Zenny, VSM and Ciato was fascinating, to say the least. Elfboy is very warm and approachable in person, which is something I already infer from online, but just seems there from the get-go in person. Great individual. Also absolutely insane at games, but that we already knew.
super - Insanely cheesy force of nature. super was the person who actually got me to relax and enter social butterfly mode for the entirety of the con by talking to me once he got there. Also had hilarious times with the man, for all that he needs a good few thwacks on the head. Seriously, mailing Ko to Finland? That's below the belt. Great times at cards and general bullshitting.
VSM - Far humbler and gentler than he tries to make himself online. Also great fun to be around and generally charismatic. That self-esteem thing is within reach for you, man, reach for the stars.
Taitoro - I wish I could've talked to him more during the con, but I was just happy to see him, and he seemed to be in far better shape than the last pictures I saw of him. Soft-spoken as well and a nice fellow, was good times to be around at the museum on Monday. You're also insane for walking all the way from La Quinta to Hal's house under Texas heat, by the way. Stay safe, and I hope to see you many times more, man.
Gatewalker - Gate is great to be around. We didn't talk much at Schlitterbahn, but we had more opportunities to just toss conversations around throughout the time he was there. Some of my silliest moments were witnessed by him, and I can't get over how much I got him stammering from laughter in general. The Tax Deduction kid story is just hilarious, and the Mexican dinner+Utena movie were great times. Also, no worries about fearing sounding bossy, man. I've yet to see you make an unreasonable request. Also insane for walking all the way from La Quinta to Hal's place, but this has been mentioned before. >_>
Niu - Has to be seen to be believed. He didn't interact much, but when he did, he was absolutely amazing. The two of us meeting was honestly unforgettable (how do you do THE LAUGH, man?), and then there was the Hello-Kitty memorabilia reaction. It was great finally meeting you. Also, I can live in a world without Hello-Kitty, if under great pain, if this is any consolation.
Meeple - Didn't get to hang around him all that much, but was very present throughout the con. In person, he's -exactly- how he is online, which is quite impressive. Got to talk a bunch about Dissidia with him on the way to Freebirds, which probably deducted one point from Alex's sanity score. >_>
Zenny - Responsible for the big running meme about me in the Con. Fucking hipster is going down on memory for good, and there were generally good times to be had talking to him in general. You still look like a goddamn hipster, though.
Jim - Spent far more time with him than I thought I would, which was great. Somehow, we just happened to be together for a bunch of silly things, and his reactions to some of my bullshit were thoroughly entertaining. Also great to talk to, generally smart, approachable and fun to be with. I wish I could make some of those jokes. Also, you're welcome for the extra points racked up by adopting my bowling form.
Soppy - Didn't get to talk to him that much, but the Utena movie session was a great way to hang around. Also cool listening to the talk between him, Hal, Shale and a couple others. In person, his humor works near-flawlessly, and he's just great to be around.
Shale - Big personality all around. His humor and general coolness are hard to miss even online, but in person they just shine. Very funny and enjoyable guy, with great jokes and hilarious reactions to things in general. Much like Soppy and Jim, being with him for the Utena movie showing made things even better. I'm pretty sure he wants to kill me for the aiel/Sophia Esteed comparison and the vulva jokes regarding the car race in the movie, too. Pleasure meeting you, man. Also, your Super-Skrull is a mean motherfucker and I need to learn to fight him better. Also, I have to note I was around for two of the highlights he noted on the trip (You Don't Know Jack, which was indeed made of glory, and the Utena movie), but that's purely incidental, I'm sure.
Laggy - We missed you, man.
Dhyer - Just couldn't be around him more often, which was terrible. Dhyer is hysterical in person, that cattiness is glorious and he's just very funny. The times I got to be around him were great, too bad they were so few and far between.
Ashley - Speaking of few and far between, I sadly got to hang around Ash very little. Still was cool to meet in person, and got to play a session of Small Worlds with her, Gref, Soppy and Andy, in which Soppy did great trolling to Andy while Ashley quietly went to win the game while Andy tried to conquer the universe with lesbian amazons. That was a ton of fun and I hope to hang around more on the next cons.
Andy - Suffered a similar fate to Ashley in that I just didn't hang around with him enough besides the one game and some MvC3. Still cool to hang with when I could, and I want to do more gaming with him in future opportunities. Liked to strangle Sopko for no discernible reason, apparently. >_>
Xer - Generally quiet little fellow. He seemed quite uncomfortable at a lot of places, which was kinda sad, and I also didn't spend much time with him either. Hope that MvC3 gaming and the Utena movie helped bridge that gap some, and I hope he gets more confident with time. Crazy good at BlazBlue.
OK - Holy shit I love OK. His humor is quite hit-and-miss online, but in person, he's just wonderful to be around. Insanely funny and enjoyable, and had some of the craziest jokes. Very good times were had with him.
Tally-chu - One of those people who quietly just happened to hang around with me and just sort of left a mark. Very nice guy, if a bit quiet, and had some quietly awesome one-liners. Fun times were had in Schlitterbahn and bowling. "Saaaaaaaaandbagging" was great.
Yakko - Also quietly left his mark during the con. Talked to him about the 3DS, which he lent me to play a bit as well, which more or less solidified my purchase. Also was hilarious at Schlitterbahn, where he just couldn't agree with the tube in any way. Also played my one game of Settlers with him, Tai and Captain K, which was fun times.
Captain K - Didn't get to interact with him much besides the Settlers game and the bowling shenanigans, but was quite a chill guy. Seemed quite at ease with us at that point, which was cool times.
CmdrKing - Isn't girly in person. This is madness. Also hard to get him out of the shell, but when he -did- come out, it was great times. I have to note you're a goddamned pro at stalking, though - how did you take those pictures of me smoking? >_>
I may be missing people, which I'll make sure to correct once I realize it. Still, you guys are the best and I had a glorious time. Hope to see you people next year.
