My 1st convention is over, but boy did I have fun! Sorry I didn't get to the "Splashy Awards" on Friday night and meet up with the "Splashbar" folks. I had a situation arise where one of the credit cards I brought for the trip got sold, so the card became invalid. I had to cancel my dinner reservations at "Hugo's Cellar" because of it.

I finally got to meet alot of the folks who's posts I've only read. Tarl, (I talk to him alot in the chat room, He's a really cool guy!), Julie (Sorry we only got to meet for a brief time at the auction table), Aaron (He showed me where the SplashBar was), Terry Shaffer (Buy this man's software!!!), Doug Deems (Who sold me my prized Flamingo chip in the attached scan) Mr. Trimble (I don't care what anybody else says Gene, your still a gentleman) and many others who's names I recognize from here and .

I stayed Downtown at 4Queens. Freemont Street has really improved since I was there last. But I think next year I'll stay at the Riviera.

I got to take in a couple of shows: La Cage (My second time seeing it, Frank Marino came to meet us after the show. He sent me an email asking me why it took me 3yrs to come back. He also put me on the Preffered list for next time.), Ronn Lucas (My Mom worked for him. We all met after the show and he signed a t-shirt for me with all his character names.), Popovich's Comedy Pet Theatre (Got my picture taken with a cat!).

The 1st morning of my stay I had an argument with some "Silver Strikers" who had parked their arses at the machines. I believe these were the same folks who posted on the Strike Forum for "Stooges". I had waited at a machine for over 30mins til this one persons run was through. When he got up I went to move in, his friend came from nowhere and sat down. I said I was next. They claimed the friend just went to get change. I Blew up stating how those types of collectors are what spoil collecting for everyone else. Maybe I was over-reacting, but I still think etiquette has a place in this society, especially amognst collectors. One morning I was passing by the machine on my way back to my room. Nobody was there so I drop a $5 in. I hit a strike on my second roll. My roomate hit 4 of them after the convention was over. I also hit a Gold Spike strike on a $1 bet.

Did you know that the California is still using $1 tokens, as is the Gold Spike?

That's all I can think of right now...TTYL

==Mike==
R-5986