And another not real update...

No, not dead, as followers of my Twitter feed are realizing, to their sorrow, merely knocked out by a combination of major computer problems, medical irritations and massive fatigue. (And since we all saw the results of the last post, which resulted from fatigue, I think we can agree that just perhaps stepping away from the internet until I could tell the difference between my notes and actual blog posts was a decent idea.)

Still not entirely sure when, if ever, the main computer will be back to full functionality (or, any functionality) but I should be back to blogging, with con reports, trip reports, cat reports, and Leverage reports sometime this week. Possibly even tonight. After Best Buy tries to do more voodoo on the still under warranty and less than six months old computer. Grr. "Restored to factory condition" indeed. Grr.

Gen Con report part one...getting there

Part one of the catching up on blogging begins, as I finally work out how to get my trip notes off the iTouch and more or less into the temporary and overworked netbook computer. Grr.

5:00 pm Effort to start journey with a bite to eat at Burger King severely derailed by refusal of Burger King to serve us food.

5:05 The McDonald's across the street tries the astounding business tactics of taking customer's orders and money and serving them food. This works well.

5:06 S corrupts nearby small children by blowing straw wrappers at me.

6:10 Light, happy rain becomes massive, heavy, unhappy rain.

6:12 Rain ends.

6:19 Torrential rain returns. Welcome to Florida.

6:20 S confesses that the rain is maybe just possibly, because of his earlier rain dance, done to save Florida from a drought. We are not impressed with the timing of his selflessness.

7:30 I begin to sing along to Police songs with varying voices. This is not as appreciated as it ought to be.

7:50 Stephen Lynch CD inserted into car player. Everyone cheers up.

9:00 Rain in Georgia.

9:15 Rain, flooding, construction, construction flooding in Georgia.

9:16 Clearly, Georgia hates us.

9:17 We are honestly not sure what we ever did to Georgia.

9:55 Angst at Georgia causes us all to butcher Billy Joel songs.

11:35 Assure everyone that since traffic is finally moving and since my feet are propped up in the back seat I should be able to push just a little further.

11:45 Traffic stops dead.

12:45 am, Wednesday: Still stuck in same traffic jam, barely moving. "Atlanta's exciting," C says, in entirely unconvincing tone. "My favorite part of the trip so far."

12:46 am Move directly under underpass during great comedy bit on Sirius radio, completely missing the punchline.

12:47 am S and I are no longer as fond of Atlanta.

1:05 am We finally collapse at a hotel, having accidentally missed the exits to cheaper hotels. I cannot find myself caring much.

8:19 am I explain in calm and reasonable tones that if I am not given coffee, death will occur.

9:06 am I refrain from buying a Singing Hat at Cracker Barrel. For the safety of my companions, of course, even companions claim this is for my own safety.

10:34 am Another traffic nightmare alleviated by sarcastic Oz buffet songs!

10:35 No one else in car thinks this actually alleviates the traffic at all. "BUT IT'S OZ!" I protest.

10:36 I am alone in my Oz love. Not, alas, alone on the highway, where apparently the entire state has decided to congregate, just for fun.

11:20 Tennessee! We love Tennessee! Nobody will be driving as much in Tennessee!

11:21 I am as always overly optimistic.

1:50 pm Pass a guy in an all white Chrysler PT Cruiser, optimized with all white tinted windows and a gleaming white bicycle. C delighted that he can pass someone and make fun of their dorkiness while he is on his way to a gaming convention.

2:30 S asks what one movie character we would want to hang out with.

"Aragorn! Though that's more seeing than hanging out with..."

"Character or actor?" asks S suspiciously.

"Oh."

C picks Tony Stark.

2:35 Since I am unable to answer the hanging out question, I am instead asked who I would want as an evil overlord. This is a problem. I have several issues with Darth Vader's efficiency – after all, the dude lost not one, but TWO expensive Death Stars under his watch, not to mention losing those valuable prisoners Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia (twice), Han Solo (ok, this is slightly arguable but let us at least say, let Han Solo be taken to a not at all secure area where he was easily revived and rescued) but on the other hand, if you have to have an evil overlord at all, your chances of living might be better under an inefficient one, but on the other other hand, that death toll on the Death Stars was pretty high, so...

2:36 Accused of overthinking this.

2:46 The U.S. has a...National Corvette Museum? What I learn on drives. Do we really need this?

3:15 It becomes increasingly clear that Kentucky drivers, as a group, are not good with the concept of the passing lane.

5:39 pm WE ARRIVE!