More Houston

The road trip to Houston was fun. We had Josh's video iPod plugged into his FM transmitter and we got good tunes from his vast CD library to carry us through. With a few bathroom stops at the DQ we charted a course straight through the middle of Houston to SPECS Superstore! Yeah, we got lost and had to call SPECS for directions. BUT WE MADE IT THERE! And we got some snackage and liquor for the night. Then we turned around and headed back to the con hotel. Yeah, we got lost and had to call the hotel for directions. But we made it there.

And that's when the trouble begain.

I'd been told to go straight to the front desk and get the room. So I did just that. I said, "I'm with AtsuiCon," and told 'em my name and they got a little odd behind the front desk. "Your room had been reserved since Thursday but since you didn't check in the room had to be released. If you like you can check in to your room for $90." I told the guy he was really funny and called the con guest relations head.

"There's a problem," she tells me. I tell her I already knew. "Come up to the Green Room and we'll explain it to you," she sez. We have no choice but to go to the Green Room.

So, we lug our luggage to the Green Room. There we hear the official word that they're out of money. If they don't come up with 12 grand the hotel will shut them down. So while the con asks for donations to keep the show going we're told to wait. And that's what I did. For hours. I really wanted to take a nap or take a bath or something but instead I sat in the Green Room. Bruce and Michael headed off to be in the BECK panel and Josh went around and took some pictures and Katie hung out in the Green Room and I had just finished driving like 5 hours and was really really tired with no where to crash.

And I didn't blame the con, it was their first year and they over estimated the number of folks who came to the con and they were dealing with it the best way they could. In fact I think they handled it better then most first year cons would have. They faced up and asked for help and the fans stepped up and helped out. It didn't bother me if I did a HELLshow or not. I just really needed a nap.

So, by the time they herded all the guests into Panel Room One I was mister cranky pants. They'd made their goal and the con was saved. But we still didn't have a room to sleep in.

By this time it was close to the scheduled start of OtakuHELL. So I go and get the gear and bring it back to the Panel Room. Everybody is still waiting for the Con Chair to come back or something. I guess I wasn't clear on the subject. Eventually I'm told that everything has been pushed back an hour. So, now HELL starts at 10pm. But they want me to set up to see if everything works. And so I set up and I'm ready to go by 9pm. Yeah.

Somewhere during this we get our room. I get the keys and start passing 'em out to everybody. Bruce and Josh and Michael show up with the cooler and we start moving chairs and letting people into the room. I start the intermission disc and we count down the minutes until showtime. Everybody got into that.

Next: Showtime.