Friday Before The Expo

So now we're at Friday.

Everyone from the Seattle had arrived and was busy doing something to get the show ready.

I got to spend the day in a hotel lobby greeting the guests as they arrived and handing out their badges.

It's a tough life, I know. But somebody had to do it.

The hotel was nice and there was lots of artwork on the walls.
That's probably whay it was called the Hotel Arts. Duh!

This piece was about 15 feet long and 5 feet high. I wanted to bring it home for Hotness, but it just wouldn't fit into my suitcases.

They also had cute signs on the doors for the restrooms and the stairway:




I'd been in Canada for about 2-1/2 days and I needed to exchange the rest of my American cash into the local currency. Also, I really wanted to go to Tim Horton's and get a coffee from Canada's version of Dunkin' Donuts.
As luck would have it, I had about an hour to kill before guests started to arrive, so I walked about 8 blocks from the hotel and found both a bank AND a Timmie's right next to each other.
I proceeded to swap my money for Canadian loot and then got myself a regular w/ two sugars and one cream. It was every bit as good as they say.

I walked back to the hotel with... well, let's just say I was carrying a LOT of money.
I had also exchanged Technogreek's and his brother's money as well. So I was holding on to some serious bankroll* in my pockets.
Luckily I wasn't mugged on my way back. When I got to the hotel, I stashed the cash away and went back to the lobby to perform my duties.

I told the desk clerks who I was and what I'd be doing so they wouldn't freak out about a strange guy hanging out in the lobby accosting their guests all day.
When I told them that some of the BSG actors would be showing up, I became a celebrity. Two or three times during the day hotel employees would come up to ask me about meeting the actors.

Guests trickled in a few at a time. Other volunteers were picking them up at the airport and shuttling them to the hotel where I'd greet them.

I got a text message from one volunteer who said "I'm bringing Terry and Robyn right now".
Oh snap! It was my day. Terry Moore and his wife Robyn were going to arrive shortly and I got to see them when they arrived. *swoon*

They walked into the hotel and as I was greeting them (thinking they may not remember me from ECCC back in '07) Robyn reached out and gave me a big hug and Terry said "It's great to see you again Tom!". *double-swoon*

I gave them their badges for the show and told Terry that I had some Dr. Pepper chilling in a fridge in my room upstairs. I'd bring it for him to the show and whenever he needed it, it'd be ready.
He was really happy about that and then he handed me his art piece for the Expo Art Book which was to be auctioned later at the show.

I took it up to my room for safe-keeping as they went to their room to get settled.

Shortly after that, Steve Rolston showed up.
I met him and told him that I had some Red Bulls that would be nice and cold and ready for him in the morning on Saturday.
The other guest next to him looked at him and said, "Chilled Red Bulls? How do you rate getting that?!"
Steve said, "He takes care of me at the conventions" and then smiled.
I like making the guests feel comfortable and it's fun knowing some of their personal tastes.

It was getting well past noon and it dawned on me that I hadn't had anything to eat so far today.
Just the Tim Horton coffee.
Thankfully Wade Schin walked by me in the lobby and said, "I know of a great place here in town that makes these terrific cupcakes. You want me to pick one up for you?"
FOOD AT LAST! "Yes, that would be wonderful. Thanks," I said.

He came back a few minutes later and I scarfed down a chocolate cupcake in practically no time at all.
Then he got out his laptop and hung out in the lobby with me keeping me company which was really nice.

Pretty much the rest of the day was just sitting and waiting until guests would show up. I'd give them their stuff and then it was more sitting.

I got a chance to talk to Terry for a while later in the afternoon, which was nice. He told me that the art I commissioned from him was one of his favorite pieces to work on.

Later that afternoon, I went to the convention center at the Stampede Park and helped out a little while also familiarizing myself with the show floor.

Not much else happened after that.
There was an impromptu get-together at the bar in the hotel.
The Seattle group got together and went out to dinner, but nothing very remarkable about that.
The food was palatable but that was about it. It was mostly just fun hanging out together.

We got back to the hotel and I went to the bar to chat with the few people still hanging around.
It was me, Wade Schin, Matt Stewart, and Dale Berry. We shared stories for a bit then decided it was getting late and we'd all better get some sleep before the show the next day.


Wow!
Okay, this is getting kind of long-winded so I'll wrap it up here for now.
I'll be back with exploits from the Expo.


* Also now known as "nagiri". Ask me when you see me and I'll explain it to you.