It's been a while.
So, yesterday was St. Patrick's Day.
Didn't do a whole lot, woke up, eventually wandered over to FQD. Drank water, hung out with the locals. One of the guys had some leftover Biscuit & Gravy from Frank's. Damn, that was some good white gravy. Time went by, people came and went, and Will started cooking. More people showed, more talking commenced, as did the drinking. Bushmills with Honey. Honey Vanilla Vodka. Car Bomb Cupcakes. And, of course, my Long Islands (a.k.a. Therapy).
I had a good time, went home, and packed.
Got up this morning, packed the car, started driving. Actually it was kinda nice. Southern Louisiana in the Spring is pretty. Listened to good music, a few podcasts, and bam, I was here. I don't know why ATL seems so much further away.
Anyway, did conference shit, sat in on lectures and discussions, blah blah.
Went to the Opening Reception, and this is when my bad mood started.
First off, it was at 'Minute Maid' stadium. Where the Houston Astros play. Now, I don't like baseball. It's like soccer without all the action and athleticism. The only major sport that is worse is Golf. Even Lacrosse is more exciting. They are usually somewhere cool, like a Museum or an Aquarium. So, boring venue. My work colleagues wanted to stand around and yabber about inconsequential crap. They decided to stand in a 2hr long line to go see a clubhouse or something. I don't know what it was, and I didn't care. I decided to hit up the food.
The pork Belly tacos were flavorless, dry and boring. As were the pork rib sliders. The ahi tuna sliders were so covered in some sort of mayo, even if there was tuna in there (I suspect there was not) it could have been canned for all I knew. I heard no less than a half dozen people wondering openly if we could go on the field. By the way there were a dozen cops actively keeping people off and the way there was no one else on the field, most people would have been able to deduce that little puzzle, but the Sherlock Homes types this convention gathers would not be swayed by such obvious evidence. It was obvious. TOO obvious.
The only drinks were coors light, bud light and woodbridge wine (And water and cokes). Fine, I don't expect much. There were a few caricature artists and air hockey and fake tattoos. Most of all there were doughy, middle-aged white guys (And a few women). Mostly what there was was bland. There were bland drinks and bland food for bland people with bland minds and bland interests. I try not to judge people, but I fail.
I got bored and left. Went back to the hotel. Wandering through the lobby, I heard loud music. I decided to check it out.
There was an open room, convention goers wandering in and out. Doughy men and women wandering in and out. I wandered in, and no one gave me a second glance. I'm guessing I am white and middle aged and doughy enough to pass for any convention. I had no idea what it really was, and there were only a couple of hundred people. I did notice how there were three bars and they were serving hard liquor. I covertly watched, but no one getting drinks needed badges, bracelets or tickets, which is usually the case. Could it be? An open bar?
Bacchus smiled upon me and dripped his cup upon my head, for it was so. Better yet, the bastards there weren't fucking tipping. Now, I may have not learned much in 35 years, but I know service industry people. Working an event with an open bar, everyone is rude and doesn't tip...I wandered up with money in hand, got a whiskey and coke. Tipped two bucks. Even if I should have had to have had a bracelet or a badge, the guy didn't give a crap, he was gonna give me whatever I wanted. And lots of it.
For the next hour or so I drank drinks that were more alcohol than ice and mixers combined, and made friendly like with the convention goers. It probably took me 10 mins to notice all the cop stuff and "correctional facilities" stuff. After I left, I checked the sign. "Probational Officers of Texas" or some shit. Had to leave because I started talking to people and they kept wanting to know what company/facility I was with. Hard to like cause there were only a couple hundred people, and any place I said surely had people there nearby.
Anyway, that cheered me up.
Didn't do a whole lot, woke up, eventually wandered over to FQD. Drank water, hung out with the locals. One of the guys had some leftover Biscuit & Gravy from Frank's. Damn, that was some good white gravy. Time went by, people came and went, and Will started cooking. More people showed, more talking commenced, as did the drinking. Bushmills with Honey. Honey Vanilla Vodka. Car Bomb Cupcakes. And, of course, my Long Islands (a.k.a. Therapy).
I had a good time, went home, and packed.
Got up this morning, packed the car, started driving. Actually it was kinda nice. Southern Louisiana in the Spring is pretty. Listened to good music, a few podcasts, and bam, I was here. I don't know why ATL seems so much further away.
Anyway, did conference shit, sat in on lectures and discussions, blah blah.
Went to the Opening Reception, and this is when my bad mood started.
First off, it was at 'Minute Maid' stadium. Where the Houston Astros play. Now, I don't like baseball. It's like soccer without all the action and athleticism. The only major sport that is worse is Golf. Even Lacrosse is more exciting. They are usually somewhere cool, like a Museum or an Aquarium. So, boring venue. My work colleagues wanted to stand around and yabber about inconsequential crap. They decided to stand in a 2hr long line to go see a clubhouse or something. I don't know what it was, and I didn't care. I decided to hit up the food.
The pork Belly tacos were flavorless, dry and boring. As were the pork rib sliders. The ahi tuna sliders were so covered in some sort of mayo, even if there was tuna in there (I suspect there was not) it could have been canned for all I knew. I heard no less than a half dozen people wondering openly if we could go on the field. By the way there were a dozen cops actively keeping people off and the way there was no one else on the field, most people would have been able to deduce that little puzzle, but the Sherlock Homes types this convention gathers would not be swayed by such obvious evidence. It was obvious. TOO obvious.
The only drinks were coors light, bud light and woodbridge wine (And water and cokes). Fine, I don't expect much. There were a few caricature artists and air hockey and fake tattoos. Most of all there were doughy, middle-aged white guys (And a few women). Mostly what there was was bland. There were bland drinks and bland food for bland people with bland minds and bland interests. I try not to judge people, but I fail.
I got bored and left. Went back to the hotel. Wandering through the lobby, I heard loud music. I decided to check it out.
There was an open room, convention goers wandering in and out. Doughy men and women wandering in and out. I wandered in, and no one gave me a second glance. I'm guessing I am white and middle aged and doughy enough to pass for any convention. I had no idea what it really was, and there were only a couple of hundred people. I did notice how there were three bars and they were serving hard liquor. I covertly watched, but no one getting drinks needed badges, bracelets or tickets, which is usually the case. Could it be? An open bar?
Bacchus smiled upon me and dripped his cup upon my head, for it was so. Better yet, the bastards there weren't fucking tipping. Now, I may have not learned much in 35 years, but I know service industry people. Working an event with an open bar, everyone is rude and doesn't tip...I wandered up with money in hand, got a whiskey and coke. Tipped two bucks. Even if I should have had to have had a bracelet or a badge, the guy didn't give a crap, he was gonna give me whatever I wanted. And lots of it.
For the next hour or so I drank drinks that were more alcohol than ice and mixers combined, and made friendly like with the convention goers. It probably took me 10 mins to notice all the cop stuff and "correctional facilities" stuff. After I left, I checked the sign. "Probational Officers of Texas" or some shit. Had to leave because I started talking to people and they kept wanting to know what company/facility I was with. Hard to like cause there were only a couple hundred people, and any place I said surely had people there nearby.
Anyway, that cheered me up.