Wow, what a great experience, I could probably type for the next hour straight and still not relay all of the great things about my great convention experience. So I will try to hit highlights, and hope not to forget anything or anyone. There is so much rattling around up in brain right now that processing it all, and making it coherent might be tough.

First things first, I probably would not even have come to the convention if it had not been for the help, encouragement, and persuasion techniques of one DENNIS SHOOP. Dennis not only convinced me to come, he convinced Kim that we should come, and then helped us out by getting us cheap rooms. Then Dennis and Nancy made us feel like family while we were there, taking us places, eating many a good meal with us, and in general making sure that this was our best trip to Vegas ever. Thanks buddy!!!!

2. Mike and Dawn, I really enjoyed my first convention, THANK YOU for all of the LONG hours and HARD WORK!!

3. Thank you to all of the members we met who made us feel welcome at our first convention. I would name you all individually, but I am afraid of forgetting someone. You all made Kim and I feel right at home, and I will never forget that.

4. Thank you John R. for the Got Riv Raffle, which provided Kim and I with, show tickets, and the following beauties.

5. Some highlights of our trip outside of chipping included Shoop and I finishing 2nd and 3rd in a Riv poker tourney, my big 4 of a kind win at the Let it Ride table, finally seeing the Freemont Experience, and a great Blackjack tourney even though I did not make it out of the first round.

6. Now how about some chips!!! I had several specific goals in mind for chips at the convention, and they were: Bucket of Blood, finish my rack of Luxor 1st edition $1, add to my HR, Palms, 4Q, and Silver Nugget collection, and then find stuff that is cool with a high GP (graphically pleasing, credit Rick Armstrong) rating to me. If you want an example of GP rating on a scale of 0-10 the new HR $1 has a GP rating of .0000001. All of these goals were accompished and then some. Here are just a few, more to come tomorrow.

7. Non chip purchases included a print of Carlos's painting, my first chip frame, a Mike Goddard framed print, and a Lady Luck mirror!

Kim and I had a wonderful time with wonderful people, thank you all for making this trip so wonderful. I think Kim might have caught a little bit of the chip bug, she had me buy a few chips she liked, recieved a chip as a gift from Rick Armstrong, and also made a trade while I was out of the trading room.

Thanks again to all the people who made this convention a success and one heck of a vacation for Kim and I!