Well, I guess it's about time for me to post my pix. I finally got well enough to hop on the computer and throw these up. Let's see if it'll let me post 'em all.
Ari and fuzzy Shelly at Mazzario's, this moments after I touched down.
A big tree while we were walking around in St. Pete
These people, undoubtedly, called their friends to say "I'm on a boat, mother (shut yo mouth)!"
Ari, as Wayne
-apalooza
Walking like an Egyptian
Peaceful garden @ the Vanoy hotel (where a friend of mine, it turns out, works)
You don't wanna know...
Chihuly chandelier in the Grand Ballroom at the Vanoy
Trying to make Al more attractive
Raffy doin' what he does
Ari, Scott and Nebby at CCB
Fitz, Ken and the rest of Ari
Colin has a tall head
Al with only a slightly fuzzy Shelly this time
My Chateaubriand from Bern's
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QOdWqEy_gZo/TQd-joRqDhI/AAAAAAAABFU/U3rXOBp_z60/IMG_6259.JPG
Jeff contemplating a redecoration of his home...
These need to be upside down and full, but I dug the shot
I took this picture while looking through a chain link fence
Tiffany light flanked by drop ceiling in the original dining area of Bern's
Macallan flight - 12/18/21
Bananas foster, just before conception
Bananas foster, just before consumption
I <3 Alex and his traveling Grado Museum (with a special guest appearance from Al's PS-1s and my RS-1s
The front end for our dynamic rigs, along with my Aripower
Audio Aero Prima DAC -> Balancing Act -> PS-1 -> Screaming Oranges
I want one...
My vote for budget rig of the meet (we're so jaded, aren't we?)
For DannyB
The Queen and her loyal subjects
Was this the 3rd meet room?
NIKONGOD with a CANON S90 - (He used his nikon powers to make it a little out of focus, I don't know how. He's good.)
Caption contest photo entry:
Vicki's gift from her gift exchange partner (from an obviously better photographer)
View from one of the rooms
This is how the world looks after an Ostrich burger with pepper jack and applewood smoked bacon (aka awesome (though seems some of the other burgers were so-so))
My friend Kim (well, my OTHER friend Kim)
Little place we went Saturday night
Postgame
Seriously, guys? This is a HORRIBLE job of setup
After one (three?) too many
This was the crowd around 3:30am, blowing off finals steam. This gets the nod for the 2nd least favorite place to eat of the weekend, right behind the hotel breakfast.
I hate when people wear headphones backwards. Wait, what's that, you mean Sennheiser DESIGNED them that way?
Carl with his portable rig and some Grados... while sitting next to an Exemplar 2900 -> BHSE -> O2s
Da boys
A boy and his (new) toys
Mmmmmm... menu with food
I SWEAR I didn't see "Quesadillas" on there til I looked at the picture. SO would have gone for a duck one
Some kind of bean dip/guac/queso
Sangrias all around! (Just imagine there were 5 of them)
Colin with a fancy background
Alex drinking a beverage I can't pronounce he went nuts over and had to call someone to tell them about it, then he started speaking in tongues, and I just zoned out a bit...
Duck tacos
Whatever-justin-had tacos
My duck tacos with the red chili jelly on the side (wasn't sure about it). Turns out it was soooooo deliciously tasty I just wanted to drink it
Something filet, or filet something deal... "make your own taco" kit, enough for us all
Alex's shrimp and duck tacos
Some pictures from the Red Mesa Cantina (where Toole, SO, Justin, my OTHER friend Kim (who shows up as the "who is the chick who isn't Vicki or Shelly" in the Bern's pics from earlier) and myself dined Sunday night)
After starting to feel ill, this is how things started to look for me (if you look in the center, you will notice a face on the back of that vehicle. I think it could be Jesus, or John Lennon. Or maybe Jesus Lennon, perhaps?
Gingers will rape your bottles and drink your women... or something like that. IDK, I was pretty out of it by then, going by the time stamp. Actually, I'm pretty out of it now (remembers to take lots of prescription drugs).
Wing/emergency exit seat. Last one with the extra legroom. Thanks for the heads up, Grahame.
I touched down to this. Some of you see this as a light dusting. Grawk sees it as summer. Chattanooga shut down schools yesterday, hour delay today. Some local schools were out today as well, with one surrounding county out until at LEAST Thursday...
I had a blast, guys. I got to see a bunch of old HCers I already knew/had met, meet some I had only dealt with online, and even ran into some Kims from my past. A ton of great food, lots of hanging out, and even a little music. I'm rather grateful to be a part of this community, it really is amazing the connections we've made over just one little hobby that is just a part of each of our lives. I can't wait to do it again. Now I'm going back to bed to shake this bronchitis thing.
Stay safe, Tampa.
**BRENT**