Kevin Standlee (kevin_standlee) wrote,
Kevin Standlee
kevin_standlee

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Quiet Friday Night at SiliCon

It appears that almost everyone in the Bay Area seemed to be trying to drive I-880 this afternoon, and I got to the Doubletree too late to register for the weekend, so I bought a night badge in Con-ops and can cash it in toward the cost of a full membership tomorrow. Honestly, it's only because I don't like ghosting and because I'm trying to support the cause that I sought out badge sales, on account of I really didn't need a badge to go where I wanted. In fact, because there was no way to buy a badge during the hour or so between closure of Reg and the opening of Night Reg in Ops, I went to the dealers room and the Meet the Guests wearing only my Nippon 2007 committee badge.

Turns out parking is not free after all, but a discounted rate of $3 does apply.

It's very quiet here. I set up shop at one of the vacant-in-the-evening fan tables near a power outlet to take advantage of the free wi-fi. Chatted for a while with SiliCon Fan Guest of Honor Craige Howlett and with other people wandering by. Some people assumed I was in charge, because I was sitting behind a table with a computer and looked like I knew what I was talking about.

One guy came by with a question that could be answered by Ops, which is located in the "traditional" location on the second floor of the hotel. I told him, "Ops can handle that."

He asked, "Where is it?"

"Up on the second floor, in the usual place." I realized that it's wrong to take for granted that everyone here knows where things are usually located, so I said, "Have you attended other science fiction conventions in this hotel?"

"Lots of them!" he said, rather testily, as if I were patronizing him, which was not my attention.

"Okay, well, it's in the usual place on the Party Floor," I said.

He looked grumpy, "I guess I'll have to take the elevator up to the second floor..."

"...Or take the stairs," I suggested. He looked blankly at me, then wandered off. So either he hasn't been to the "lots of conventions" here, or else he's managed to attend many cons in this hotel without twigging to the fact that unless you're unable to use the stairs, the pool stairs are the best way to get to the second floor of this hotel.
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