Travelogue 2: PR/NOLA
Note to rush hour cross-town drivers: please to be learning to drive kthx.
Now that I've been out with local friends and ready to start back to work (and subsequently have had a drink), I am much with the PR love.
Since some of you were privy to my ranting, raving and hand-wringing over this, the I swear, this wasn't supposed to be this hard. I'd made an extensive list of what needed to be done, when and how to do it.
Did anyone bother with the list? Nope. PITA, I tell you. \
The storage area was left unlocked and they took our pop inventory. Out of 100 cans, there might be 25 left. And yes, locking that room was on the list. Grr. The cleaning was okay, aside from ignoring where to put things and not returning the tables to the other Lodge.
Never will I schedule anything at a time I'll be off work. *huff*
ANYWAY.
I think one of the things I am more uncomfortable with is discussing HP with people who are a) not in the fandom or b) in an area where kids are around. Seriously, I work with kids everyday and I don't do HP stuff when there are kids around. (I know, I know, but yeah.) No one wants to hear about pervy stuff when there are little ears waiting to be filled, especially things HP-related.
Thursday meant the arrival of the freaks the majority of the PR folks. The DoD people didn't really know what to make of us, so it was hilarious to watch the non-fandom people try to figure out just what the heck was going on. I tell you, this is one of my favorite parts, watching the non-fandom people try to understand why anyone would wear a heavy woolen cloak on the streets of NOLA in the late Spring.
Beats me, too, y'all, I can't help you there.
So. The routine was settled; we took a nice long walk along the Esplanade and around the border of the French Quarter. Once you're outside of the main drag, things are so quiet. I can see why people would buy a place there to just hang out. We passed a humongous church and got to pet a couple of doggies while talking to the locals.
I haven't been anywhere else where the locals seem to be quite nice in talking to you. Yay nice people!
alissomora and I had some lunch at Johnny's Po-Boy and I ogled some of NOLA's finest as they came in for lunch. The fried chicken was almost as tasty as the guys. ;) Cheap eats, too.
Poor Liss crashed out in the afternoon; not even the arrival of avidbeader could rouse her. So Shannon and I went for a late meal and walked around Decatur for a bit, scoped out the Cafe du Monde for Friday's H/Hr meetup. Went to the common room and chatted up some folks there, too (nothing like a normal-looking chick talking about why she likes Snarry to a fully-costumed Pansy to start a con off right).
Once we were back, alissomora was conscious once more, so we headed out yet again for walkies and talkies. Then, oh then - there was redblaze talking to evelyn_oronar, and madam_minnie. MUCH SQUEEAGE AND HUGS ENSUED. We said 'lo to simons_flower and met dream_wia_dream as well.
Evening was the welcoming feast for all comers; I was in Bellereve House. Ended up next to a bunch of n00bs - this ALWAYS happens to me! - for the dinner. You know, the locals who just heard about the con and decided to show up, or a group whose only dithering in the fandom is via TLC or Mugglenet. Yeah, they had NO CLUE WTF WAS GOING ON.
I did run into someone who recognized me from either TWH or Lumos, but sadly I can't remember her name. Dinner was nice, house loyalty was established and the head of Lumien House was quite handsome (but knew it).
At some point, Liss and I kidnapped Kele and made her stay in our room. A++. :D
Finally, FINALLY got to chat with rlanto for a few, got the skinny, then headed to BED BED BED.
So I have to go back to work tomorrow and I've been drinking. Not tipsy, but not advisable to drink, EVER. *irons hands*