Thanks to everyone who helped to make the 7th Annual CCGTCC Convention such a pleasure. Having been close to convention planning in the past - We were able to observe how things flowed and appreciate what was accomplished by the chairman and his "crew" in what we realize was A FULL YEAR of planning and work PRIOR to June 16th and the first attendee even getting off an airplane.

Everything went so smoothly... and all by VOLUNTEERS who obviously love this hobby so much. Your hard work was evident and very much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who made me and my wife (newbies to the MAX!!) feel like a part of your group.

HIGHLIGHTS:

MEETING GREG SUSONG - What a prince of a guy!! He is the kind of fella you would love to have as a next-door neighbor. I never saw him without an ear-to-ear smile for everyone he came in contact with. If you have never met him, he is everything positive that you have imagined and more.

THE 1ST ANNUAL POKER TOURNAMENT - Robert Pardue did an OUTSTANDING job of taking his initial posting on this board and turning it into an event that will continue to grow and become a FEATURE at future Conventions. Sitting across Table 6 from Travis Lewin was a treat!! He was not at all like you guys would have a person believe.

GETTING MY FIRST ILLEGAL CHIPS - Thanks to Gene Trimble for selling me my first illegals from Kentucky. (I just MUST decide what I want to specialize in!!)

THE SWAP SESSIONS & THE SHOWROOM FLOOR - It was so GREAT to match up faces with the names I see on this board, mailings, and other links. C.T. and his famous hat, The Baileys (who were celebrating their 1st wedding anniversary), Bob Whiteman, Don Loueders (and those great 80 chip wallets!), Ralph Meyers, Chuck Smorse, Dave Harber and the baby, Spinetti and his boxes and boxes of foreigns, and all the rest of the great folks.

THE ORLEANS - A comfortable, large room and good food.
And the towels were so large and fluffy I could hardly close my suitcase!! **

RENE - I imagined Rene to be around 45-50 years old. What a nice surprise to meet him in person! He's very personable and young enough to be the son of 90% of the rest of us!! (Although he POSSIBLY MIGHT have been exageratting his stories on the NUTT to keep other collectors away from the place.)

REGRETS:

NOT MAKING A CHIP RUN TO THE NUTT: For all of the macho stuff I had read on this board for the past 3 months - I figured that the NUTT would have to cease their table games after the convention until they ordered new racks to replace all of their missing chips. I couldn't get ONE person to commit to making a chip run WITH me!! (I'm bold, not stupid..) If that place burns down between now and next year - you all will be kicking yourselves!!

NOT MEETING EVERYONE - I had a list of people that I had never met who I wanted to seek out and say hello to.. It just did not happen. Bob Orme, Andy Hughes, and on and on. It will happen next year.

NOT HAVING A SHARPIE WITH ME - Gene reminded us to bring a Sharpie, but I didn't. I will hopefully get a Fiesta chip and have it autographed by Archie NEXT year.

IT WAS GREAT!! I feel fortunate and blessed to have stumbled onto such a fine organization and great bunch of people.

Thanks for a wonderful time.

Steve Snowden

WARNING!!! I have heard that Whiteman and Susong have a photo that they are CLAIMING to be of me. They are doing this in a cruel attempt to embarrass me. IT is NOT TRUE!! There were NO PHOTOS taken of me at the convention. Please do not be mislead or fooled by them. They are like chimpanzes. Very lovable and nice when there is just one of them but you know how they are when you put them together....

** <<GG>> A very OLD joke by Henny Youngman. Travis, you remember him, don't you?