What a Party

Oh, the LAN was all that I ever wanted and more!

The decision to go was made hastilly but was totally worth it.  We started Thursday at 6am Leaving Harrisburg for the 11hr drive (not realizing that there was a 1hr difference between harrisburg PA and Chi-Town. but no problem....how bad could Rush hour traffic be.....famous last words. half way into the city and we were doing well, making ok time......then out the other side.....and we're stopped. 

an hour and a half later we arrive at the hotel (including a lovely exchange of words with a guy who drove a Lexus. He had dreadlocks and silver teeth and used several phrases I have only ever heard from the mouthes of 12yr olds on Xbox Live. but still we made it.

after checking into the room my wife rested in the room and I made my way to the bar where I introduced myself to the first group of gamers I saw (they weren't too hard to spot).  Turns out they were the exact group I was looking for. Rau, Lala, MnVikesFan, Tengu, and JohnnyCornholer....Hello 2Old2Shoot!  I bounced around a bit, then went back to the bar where a large group of us drank the night away (adding NoGame to the mix)

In the morning we went to the $13 continental breakfast, chatted with Caesar and T-Drag before meeting up with the remaining 2Old2Shoot members and heading to the LAN room. Through a large group of Physicists, Doctors and athletic medicine vendors we found our small room, began setting up and then to game.  occasionally we left the LAN room to get food, buy alcohol, or just terrorize the unsuspecting businessmen scattered around the hotel.  the games were as plentiful as the beer, (as were stories of the drunken events of the previous night.)

Then the Sale/Auction, all of us huddled around waiting for out names to be called, hoping we were the lucky winners of some awesome treasure.   My wife won a Gearbox chiristmas orniment and a Borderlands poster signed by all the developers. I won 2 different sets of T-shirts, and earlier bought a Games for Windows Live bar light, Forza 3 CE. and a few T-shirts.   All around a great event for charity.  

That is how the LAN went, meeting people I have only heard of on the site...LB75Player(with whom I had a very nice conversation), Eminent, Taxi, Kate, NunderWoob, Nipquad, and many others. Drinking to excess, sleeping it off, and gaming every available moment.    I have never felt more welcome or at home than I did there.   there were no awkward moments, no silences while people tried to decide what to say, it was like family.  We could be ourselves, for me it was one of the first times I could truly be myself without worry of backlash or ridicule.  I only wish I could have gone to this great event sooner. 

So, After a bit too much beer, and WAY too much Deep dish Pizza, it was time to head home, the wife and I packed up the car, had the erronious charges removed from our bill, and headed for home.....after 4 hours battling single lane traffic, stopped traffic from accidents, toll roads, and in Ohio one of the scarriest rest stops I've ever seen (more because of the people than the rest stop itself- honestly, who goes to a rest stop to buy 4 cook books, a giant bag of sunflower seeds, an umbrella, and a bunch of tabloid rags?).  16 hr later we were home, watched some TV and went to bed.

I can't wait to go to whatever it is that will be held next year.

So, a big Thanks to Doodi and DSmooth for organizing this great event!

I will post pictures when I get them up.

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