GenCon in Indy

Ahhh . . . it's that time of year again . . . GenCon, the annual gaming convention, is back. Don't get me wrong, I don't actually go - I just sit on the Circle at lunch and see how easy it is to pick out the conventioneers.

Although my karmic debt is now off the charts from all the sanctimonious judgment that I allowed for myself, I'll take the hit for seeing one more 40 year old virgin (duh, told you I ran up quite a karma bill). Not too many people dressed as Obi Wan Kenobi (that's what happens when you're out of sequels and no new game releases), but we did see a lot of people that would pass for clients of the Leaky Cauldron. I must say I was a bit disappointed, because we never did see anyone who surpassed the woman dressed up as some Paladin replete with chainmail bra from a few years back.

Perhaps more disturbing was the realization that some people in the "Socialize not via a computer game? Is that possible?" crowd find GenCon'ers to be pretty amateurish. There are conventions for more specific aspects of gaming/fantasy - like anime that consider themselves to be the real geeks. Which is a bit of a logical quandry and self-esteem issue - how do you manage to be an outcast of other geek groups?

Just when you think the US has the diversity of a Golden Delicious Apple, you find a whole other world out there. Let me stop before, I am reincarnated as a protozoa.

State Fair 2007

Well, it's been awhile (I think 4 years), but Patty and I made it to the State Fair this year. For those reading this, who do not know what a State Fair is, I really can't do it justice on a blog - it's something you really need to experience first hand. However, we did make the NYTimes for our deep fried Reese's peanut butter cups.

The cheapness in me came through, so Patrick and I rode our bikes to the Fair to save $5 in parking. They also gave us a $1 off coupon for the entrance tickets - cool.

Besides making fun of people and counting how many people have mullets, the other past time is eating food that's really bad for you. In that spirit, we had a grilled cheese sandwich washed down with a chocolate milkshake. Followed by a relatively healthy veggie gyro for me, and a quarter of duck for Patrick. While walking out, we grabbed an elephant ear - so I think we kept our caloric intake to under 4000 calories each.

We did run into Joe and Michelle Grabczak with Morgan and Mason in tow (yes, they have a lot of people in their family that starts with the letter 'M'). And even more surprising we ran into David Everett and his parents. I had not seen David since the 6th grade, when we went to Grandview Elementary School together. His parents haven't changed a bit.

I think that was about it - besides looking at very large pigs and little bunnies. We were a little short on time, since we had to get our bikes out of hock by 8PM.

Only in Indiana

Or should I say, "Only in Carmel".

I had a strategery retreat kind of thing for the Humane Society Friday and Saturday, so I had to go up to Carmel to some country club. Usually I don't go to Carmel after dark, but this was an exception.

I can't remember the name of the country club, but it did remind me of a exburbia house farm - like bad finish and unmitered work on the fake gabled windows. Regardless, this is what I find in the men's restroom - flat screen TV's over the urinals. I figured you thought I would be lying if I didn't have a picture to prove it.

I must admit, I had an incredible urge to change the channels to "Lifetime: The Channel for Women", but it would have required touching the TV controls - and in this particular case, I knew where those TV controls have been - ewww.