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JohnT
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Capitalist
Mar 1999
time: 00:30
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We met at the Varsity ~5:00pm, the Mr and Mrs JohnT's arriving first. Looked around for any white college guys (not too hard to spot in the ethnic atmosphere of the Varsity). I didn't see anybody matching that description so we waited for a few. Didn't wait long until Victor showed up, then Q, then Straw and finally Imran. Imran was a bit late as he took the highway (  ) south to the exit and we had begun to order by the time he showed up.
Impressions:
Victor - Very pleasant and friendly, in many ways not at all like he posts on the board - imho, more aggressive on Apolyton, more agreeable in real life. Still, a lot more intense than
Q Cubed - who was very laid back and chilled once the initial akwardness (did I spell that right?) wore off. My wife even commented on his friendliness later on (no telling on who she thought was the best looking  ).
Straybow - Not a college student, probably about my age (36). A little quiet, though I admit that he was seated furthest from me than any of the others, with my wife and child between me and him... and toddlers are hell with the noise.  Oh - Stray has a beard, which for some reason struck me. Go figure.
Imran - Just like he sounds on the threads. Confident, willing to talk issues, able to take a joke and dish them out.
It wasn't much of a debate as to whether the lack of the +1 was dumb or not, it is. The question is why the policy and I don't recall we reached a consensus on that - but I think it's so that spam rates will increase on the other forums on Apolyton. Why should the OT be the only active forum?
We were there until ~7:00, whereupon we and Stray had to leave cause of other obligations.
The food agreed with me just fine, Imran - all that curry your mom forced upon you has obviously weakened your digestive system.
And the idea of looking for "vegetarian" in the Varsity just cracks me up. Talk about looking up the wrong alley!
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JohnT
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Capitalist
Mar 1999
time: 00:30
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The convention was a major disappointment for me, a little bit so for Laura. I did not know it at the time, but when we met I had spent all the time I was going to spend at Dragoncon, with the exception of an hour on Sunday.
When I used to go to Dragoncon in the 80's, one of the things I looked forward to was buying out of print books - Jack Williamson, Clement, Heinlein, etc, books that were unavailable at the two used book stores in my township. There was a strong literary presence there, which was fine by me because I prefer my science fiction written, not filmed. Hell, the last one I went to (89? 91? It's been a while), the headliner was Harlan Ellison, with David Brin as a "featured guest." Oh, Star Wars/Trek were well represented as were comics, D&D, etc. But it was the books and the authors that ruled the day, and that was fine by me.
No more. Now it's all audio-visual stuff, TV shows and rock bands and Wicca/Witch (both sides of that debate were represented) and just a bunch of SHlT that has little to do with science fiction, and nothing to do with the written word. Even the old warhorses, Star Wars and Star Trek were overwhelmed by the Buffyites, the Gothers, the X-Philes... hell, even Pirates of the Caribbean had a good showing. Anne McCaffrey was there at least, but not being a Pern fan (as far as I'm concerned it's too close to being fantasy for my comfort) I didn't bother to attend any of her stuff. But she was the only one*.
But not books. The only books you could find to buy there were first editions or signed by the author. There was this one vendor who had 1 miserable little 3 foot high shelf devoted to old paperbacks... but by that time I was too depressed to make even a token defiance to the travesty this thing had become.
And the really pissy thing is that this formula is successful. If there weren't 15,000 attendees, I'll... well, I'll do nothing. DragonCon was far larger and more crowded than any of the ones of my youth, very substantially so and there's no incentive for them to change.
*Worldcon (in Toronto) was also this weekend, and had Larry Niven, Spider Robinson, Robert Bloch, China Mieville, Robert Silverberg, Hal Clement, Robert J. Sawyer (dammit! I like him a lot!), Connie Willis, Robert Charles Wilson, Jack Chalker, Fred Pohl, dammit, that's where all my authors went. 
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Straybow
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SG(2)… gone but not forgotten
Jan 1970
time: 23:30
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I was going to post this picture, giving all of Apolyton the benefit of having a person with a practiced eye and a skilled hand to render the event with stunning life-likeness. (Making corrections)
 Attachment: atlanta2.png
This has been downloaded 108 time(s).
Last edited by Straybow on 02-09-2003 at 06:30
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Straybow
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SG(2)… gone but not forgotten
Jan 1970
time: 23:30
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It was good. I loved meeting you guys (and the gals). Sophie moves too fast for the camera to do her justice. Unfortunately I was at the tail end of a massive overworking / sleep-deprivation / Civ-a-thon week. I did have some trouble following the conversation because it is a very noisy place. Sophie was no problem since that kind of noise is pleasant to my ears.
I have 2 jobs, working night shift at a motel (normally an easy thing that enables me to watch movies on the tube between reading all those wonderful authors who were enjoying the cooler Canadian summer) and grunt work for a tree service (I am a lumberjack, and I'm OK…).
The motel was packed due to a massive multi-state children's soccer tournament (so much for stress-free reading time) and I had a big job to do with the tree service. I was also trying to finish a Civ2 game on the Spanish Forum (for those who don't habla Español let's say 60-80 cities, 100+ Engrs, building and delivering ~30 Freights and 2 Advances a turn, constructing a 4 module Space Ship in 3 turns…). On top of this I had not slept well Thursday before my night shift plus waking up early for the drive to ATL. But enough about me.
Q talked some about Korea, and I had little to add since that isn't a topic I've kept up with. We talked about not playing Civ3, and what other uses the decorative tin served. And not playing MoO3. And not playing CTP. And not playing RON (except for Q, who gave it a try and liked it for RTS).
Q enjoys stomping the heck outa the AI on Chieftain when he can't be bothered to work hard at a mere game. Before CTP was released Imran enjoyed harrassing the CTP forum about how much CTP was going to suck. He was right. Victor enjoys aggravating his father. JohnT has a family, which necessarily involves lots of stomping, harassing, aggravating, etc.
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01-09-2003 00:38
. On second thought a BBQ burger would have gone down better (and been better on the wallet as well 
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