this post is about other things
The roommates: I reserved two rooms a few months back, figuring I'd be able to fill them with people, and the group far exceeded my expectations. We had a great mix of late night anagrams, early morning breakfasts, other meals together, sharing information about divisions 1 and 2, consoling each other and rooting each other on. I hadn't met tranonehalf before, but by the end of day 1, it was like he'd been a part of the group from the beginning. When etheridge2 showed up a couple of days in and got the room next door, it was icing on the cake (and he chivalrously offered me some space so that I could go to bed earlier).
The people: It's impossible to see everyone and spend enough time. There are many people I would've liked to get to know better or catch up with, but it just didn't work out that way. I dislike dinner groups of more than about 10 because it's too overwhelming, and I can't bring myself to play afterhours, so I tend to hover and wander, which doesn't provide much opportunity for quality time. Also, at the end of a long day of Scrabble, I tend to go to the comfort of the people I'm closest to rather than branching out and getting to know new people. I've gotten more comfortable with this as time has gone on, but I know that it means I'm missing out on opportunities to foster new friendships.
The food: favorites were Thai Star (family style, with excellent Tom Kha, pad thai, mango fried rice); Smashburger (smashfries, french fries and sweet potato fries all get thumbs up); Texas de Brazil (mmm meat); Buffalo Wild Wings & Potbelly Subs (nostalgia - I ate there all the time growing up - an early bw3 and the original Potbelly were both two blocks from my parents' house in Chicago).
The environment: I am a cranky person in the heat. Apologies to everyone who had to listen to me whine about it. I also hate industrial wastelands that are pedestrian unfriendly (even though I held my tourney in one). I hear Vegas is a possibility for '12? That would be awesome. It's a wasteland, but it's a fun one with constant stimulation. Vegas is a guilty pleasure of mine.
The steals: ADRIANBELTRE plus one blank; the shortest steal for AXOLOTL.
My butt/tailbone: The doctor is amazed at how much better it is (had a follow up appt yesterday). Apparently Scrabble heals all ills. Thanks to everyone who was looking out for my butt :)
Best anecdote, part 1: a story I heard second-hand about a certain expert player going up to the challenge computer by himself and typing in THIVAVARNVONGS (unacceptable), followed by THAVACHAI (also unacceptable), while another expert player looked on. They exchange glances, and expert 1 walks silently away.
Best anecdote, part 2: squeegman skulking up behind tranonehalf in the bathroom and whispering "penis" - only to realize that it wasn't tranonehalf after all.
Best closure: Driving away in a cab to the airport, only to see Nigel Richards turn the corner from the hotel on his bike, steering with one hand, his new board in the other. We wondered if he was biking all the way back to Malaysia, or if his bike might magically lift into the air at some point and allow him to bike away into the sky.
The people: It's impossible to see everyone and spend enough time. There are many people I would've liked to get to know better or catch up with, but it just didn't work out that way. I dislike dinner groups of more than about 10 because it's too overwhelming, and I can't bring myself to play afterhours, so I tend to hover and wander, which doesn't provide much opportunity for quality time. Also, at the end of a long day of Scrabble, I tend to go to the comfort of the people I'm closest to rather than branching out and getting to know new people. I've gotten more comfortable with this as time has gone on, but I know that it means I'm missing out on opportunities to foster new friendships.
The food: favorites were Thai Star (family style, with excellent Tom Kha, pad thai, mango fried rice); Smashburger (smashfries, french fries and sweet potato fries all get thumbs up); Texas de Brazil (mmm meat); Buffalo Wild Wings & Potbelly Subs (nostalgia - I ate there all the time growing up - an early bw3 and the original Potbelly were both two blocks from my parents' house in Chicago).
The environment: I am a cranky person in the heat. Apologies to everyone who had to listen to me whine about it. I also hate industrial wastelands that are pedestrian unfriendly (even though I held my tourney in one). I hear Vegas is a possibility for '12? That would be awesome. It's a wasteland, but it's a fun one with constant stimulation. Vegas is a guilty pleasure of mine.
The steals: ADRIANBELTRE plus one blank; the shortest steal for AXOLOTL.
My butt/tailbone: The doctor is amazed at how much better it is (had a follow up appt yesterday). Apparently Scrabble heals all ills. Thanks to everyone who was looking out for my butt :)
Best anecdote, part 1: a story I heard second-hand about a certain expert player going up to the challenge computer by himself and typing in THIVAVARNVONGS (unacceptable), followed by THAVACHAI (also unacceptable), while another expert player looked on. They exchange glances, and expert 1 walks silently away.
Best anecdote, part 2: squeegman skulking up behind tranonehalf in the bathroom and whispering "penis" - only to realize that it wasn't tranonehalf after all.
Best closure: Driving away in a cab to the airport, only to see Nigel Richards turn the corner from the hotel on his bike, steering with one hand, his new board in the other. We wondered if he was biking all the way back to Malaysia, or if his bike might magically lift into the air at some point and allow him to bike away into the sky.