Saturday
We headed out to the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe. Now normally, we would avoid this all together like the plague. We do not like this fair and we have gone maybe twice in almost 14 years. Anyways, Melissa being the amazing photographer she is, entered the photo contest at the fair. I am extremely proud of her for not only taking amazing pictures, but stepping out of her comfort zone and putting her self out there where everyone is critiquing her in every minute detail.
I am so proud to say Melissa got three first place ribbons and an award in excellence. These Award Of Excellence ribbons aren't just handed out to everyone. I actually think I am going to enter next year. I feel like I have a good couple pictures and it would be fun. After the surprise, we got some fair food. We got some fresh made scones, some crispy corn dogs, funnel cake and an elephant ear. The elephant ear was really good.
What kills the fun for me is the price of everything. The elephant ear was $6.50, parking was $10, each entry fee would have been $10 a piece if we wouldn't have gotten a buy one get one free. All together we spent like close to 60 bucks. two pops for the road was another 6 bucks. It's just too expensive to really enjoy it. I'm glad Melissa and I got some time together.
Saturday night
we were invited over to Melissa's brother's house for dinner and a movie. Free food and a movie, I'm there. after the awkwardness kinda, sorta went away, it was time to watch Godzilla. We watched it on a 100 plus inch, high def, projection screen. What amazed me even more then that, he was playing it from his Raspberry Pi computer! That has sealed the deal on me building mine. I am definitely going to build both Raspberry Pi's I want to and it will be worth it. He was running Plex though and it seemed to be running really good. The only snafu was a picture slide show was playing, then all of a sudden Star Wars was playing in the background. But there was still no stutter coming from the Raspberry Pi. After the movie, we headed home and watched some more Big Brother After Dark.
Sunday
we had our normal house stuff to do. Sunday night we got to relax and watch some shows. Monday morning after a long night of trying to get sleep. We woke early to get ready for PAX Prime. We got our Starbucks Coffee and some McDonald's breakfast and we were on the road. We got to Seattle about 10:15 ish and we had to try and find parking. Obviously we knew parking was going to suck, but we had to circle the block to find parking. We finally found parking and it was 15 bucks okay fine we're parked. Now we have to try and find the convention center. We have no clue where we are at and luckily we saw some other people with PAX badges and we followed them. We crossed the street and entered in the convention center. My anxiety shoots through the roof. I have been tot he convention center numerous times for work, but I just felt so overwhelmed. Our friends got there before us, so now we had to try and find them. We were on the fourth floor and they were on either level two or three. Well somehow they thought they were on three so Melissa and I, went to the third floor, then all of a sudden they're on the fourth floor and we pass each other anyways after a couple of useless escalator rides we found them. They wanted to check out the fourth floor and we just followed them.
When we were walking on the sky bridge, I almost passed out cause of my anxiety. I literally felt like I was going to faint and I couldn't breath. It took a couple of minutes before the fainting feeling left and that I fully aught my breath. That is some scary shit. I couldn't even imagine if I would have passed out. I was questioning my sanity at that point and I wanted to push everyone over to get out of there as fast as I could. The crowds were way bigger then what I thought and saw online. It was so stuffy and claustrophobic. We could barley hear each other and it took so long to move like 10 feet. We walked over to a couple of booths and were checking everything out. We saw a couple of huge swag bags and we wanted to get them. I was finally calming all the way down and was on the hunt for swag. We saw the bags at the Nintendo Wii U Sonic booth and we found out you had to play the game before getting the swag bag. We decided we were gonna checked it out and get this bag. An hour later, no lie it was finally our time to play the game. My back and feet are already killing me, Melissa is feeling it and we just got to the convention. I sat down at the game and this was the first time I played a Wii U. I will say I will buy a Wii U when Animal Crossing comes out for it. I will charge that on a credit card so damn fast the cashier with think I was in fast forward.
I loved the feel and control of the game pad controller (as Nintendo calls it). It actually is way lighter then it looks, I would have to get used tot he button layout, but that's on every new console. I played for like five minutes and I was set on getting my bag. After Sonic I'm actually drawing a blank, but I do know there were crowds and lines. One of our friends wanted to play WOW and we decided to split off. We finished roving around the fourth floor. Tucked in the back there was a video game booth that was selling used video games. This took my mind off off crowds and anxiety and everything. I started searching for some old gems. I was searching for some NES Zelda or SNES Zelda or some GBA Zelda and no go. I asked the guy if he had any gold cartridge NES Zelda. The smirk/laugh kinda answered it for me, but he said they sold out in 10 minutes of being open on day one. I did have fun looking for things though and they had import games too, but I don't have consoles other then PAL so I wouldn't be able to play any of them. I looked on the cluster fuck of the map they provided and we decided to check out the sixth floor. I saw the OUYA booth and we were on the way.
We got the sixth floor and what do you know, the layout didn't match up to the map. We wondered aimlessly. We checked out a couple of booths and saw things we wanted to buy, but it wouldn't have been worth it later. We kinda bumped into the OUYA booth. I'm glad we checked it out and played one of the games they had. The controllers actually feel really good and nice weight to me. Now I do really feel like buying an OUYA would be worth it. After the sixth floor, we headed down to the Cards Against Humanity area. In here you could have a personalized card made, buy expansion packs and have the creators sign your stuff. Our friend got a card made and I bought an expansion pack. We scored some buttons and some condoms that say Condoms Against Humanity. After we found our way back into the convention center from the crazy Cards Against Humanity exit, we headed back up the fourth floor to find our friend who wanted to play WOW. He still hadn't played yet. He waited two and a half hours to play that game. He was done playing and wanted to check out the sixth floor. I felt sorry for our friend cause she was already there with us and now her boyfriend wanted to check it out.
I saw the Hyrule Warriors demo and plopped my ass in line. I saw Alien Isolation and I wanted to try that also. Melissa said she would go sit in that line for me while I sat in my line. Over an hour passes and I move two spots. Two fucking spots in over an hour!! Really!! I looked over at Melissa and walked out of my line. I had enough, I got her and we walked out of that line too. We both were tired and sore. We called our friends and said we're out. They went back to get their customized card. Melissa and I, headed to the Paramount for the swag bag. We started walking back to meet our friends. I don't know how we were roped into it, but we stood in line for our friends custom card while they left. Another hour passes and we finally have the card, we are finally leaving this convention and what do you know, some asshole is standing on the street, asked me how the card turned out, I said fine and he handed me card that said "go fuck off!". Thanks Seattle, I will fuck off and you too. That was the icing on the cake. If I wouldn't have been in so much pain and been so tired, I really think I would have said something to that guy.
So all in all I'm glad I went to PAX, I am not glad I went to PAX for the crowds, people and waiting in line. I will never go back to PAX or another convention in my life. Seattle can fuck off. If I ever see Seattle again it will be too soon. I feel bad because Melissa didn't even want to go and she went for me, but I hated it. I can't help it, I hate PAX and I hate the convention center and Seattle.
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| Waiting in Hyrule Warriors line I got this random video game fact. |
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| This was the only picture I took. |
The last thing I will say about PAX is, if you go bring patients and a chair. But what I will really tell you. Do not ever spend your money for PAX or any other convention, it is not worth it. I hope you had a good weekend, till next time.
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