I'll be there ladies and Gentlemen


P.S. are ther Junior entries ever really stunning?

Here's a link to some of the junior entries in Phoenix in 2004 and
Atlanta in 2005

Thanks AJ, but the second one didn't work

In the word of the great philosopher, Homer, "Doh!"
My bad, it works now. Some extra code in the link.

I AM HERE!!!! Vendor area was dizzying with so much to look at! Models are arriving slow and sure with some nice entries competing.

I've met Tankysgal and Jackhammer81 and MiamiJhawk and Hollowpoint and Blackwater and other nice people. Everyone is so friendly and I've really enjoyed myself so far.

Went on a few driving excursions with Tankysgal, her son Brad, and Jackhammer81.

Enjoyed a GREAT meal at Tomfooleries!!! WOW and double WOW

cant wait to see who i'll meet and what happens tomorrow!

Glad you made it and had a chance to say "hi!" ... after spending almost the whole day on the registration desk, I know I'm going to bed early tonight. And to think that today was probably the "easy" day of the convention.

There are already some very nice models on the contest tables. My stuff will be there tomorrow. I'm only bringing a few things -- my DUKW, M-10 and M-7 Priest. The DUKW and M-7 medaled at the AMPS Nationals, so we'll see how they do in at the IPMS Nats. I'm not expecting much -- the competition is awesome.

And the vendor room -- man, oh man. And it's not finished -- they open a vendor room "annex" tomorrow with even more folks peddling their wares. There is plenty of potential to drop a ton of money in there ...

I'm easy to spot at these events -- always wearing a Green Bay Packers hat and my avatar resembles me.

So far Nationals is Great....We have definately been enjoying ourselves as we settle in and get ready for the main show to begin.

Tomfooleries....omg..anyone looking for a great place in kc to eat..check it out..

Big storm coming in right now ... Maybe it will knock down the heat.

If you want good food not far from the convention, check out Jack Stack at 22nd and Wyandotte. http://www.jackstackbbq.com/default.asp It's the best barbecue in KC, IMHO, but I'm sure others will disagree -- most people in KC are very nice, but fistfights break out during arguments over BBQ.

OK Folks at 1030PM 08/02/06 I decided to book a flight from Detroit to KC to attend. Many people were hounding me to go and since the price at the last minute were actually unchanged from when I looked a few months back I decided to go for it. I will be arriving around 1130pm Thursday the airport and then travelling to the hotel so it may not be until mid Friday when I wake up and start meeting people!!!!

I will second JackStack. While I am stuck here in Indiana, I was born in Kansas City. If they are still open, I would definitely look up Haywood's...Hayword...Haywards...? (can't remember), their sauce is amazing! I heard they were having financial trouble a while ago though so I'm not sure if they are open. If I remember correctly they were located in Overland Park (where I was born). But its been over a year since I've been to KC.

Jeff

Keep the updates coming folks, those of us like me who couldn't make it enjoy hearing about everything! A friend who arrived Wednesday morning called another good friend last night and told him the vendor room is an armor modelers paradise. (that from a winghanger ) Even though I couldn't make it another friend has a shopping list for me! Everyone have a great time!!

Cheers,
Mike

Mary and I attended Anders' seminar on sculpting basics. It was very nice to be able to have a question/answer forum as he went along his presentation. There was also an exchange of tips if someone had one to share.
after the seminar we hit the vendor room again, mostly eyeballing things and making mental notes for what we might want to take home. then we cruised the displays - people are still coming in with rubbermaid containers, fixing last minute casualties of transport at the repair stations, and talking models as if they were comparing who has the biggest scar. " oh yeah, well you try building X at such and such a scale..."

I'm actually "napping" right now in my room. Last night's rain and lightning was something to break up the norm but it's back to being blue sky with fluffer clouds dotting the sky. I might have to break down and have a coffee or something. Monday night i slept probably 1 hour on the plane, Tuesday night up till 3 with the gang talking, and last night, up till 3 again! but this time... with the addition of passers by that would stop and talk models. Again, everyone is very friendly with an interesting story to tell.

Little bit more resting and i'm going to venture out to see who i can meet. Still looking for the faded HD shirt/ hat... maybe i should look up at the people instead of having my head down searching thru the kits!

Glad to hear you are coming, Alan! Lots of Sherman stuff to look at (and any other modeling subject you can imagine). I'll keep an eye out for you!

We had an interesting impromtu "Armorama dinner" tonight at the Crown Center food court. Getting the 10 (?) of us to walk over there was like herding cats, but we all managed to end up at a cluster of tables. Had a nice visit with NATO308 and his wife, as well as GIBabycakes. GeneralZod and I had the sprues of his newly-purchased Dragon Firefly IC all over the table as I explained a shortcut for fixing the open-backed idler wheels ... people walking by must have thought we were nuts, but who cares?

A couple of the registration computers were having trouble today, so I took some time off and I ended up spending too much in the vendor room, but ran into some old IPMS buddies from the Wisconsin and Chicago areas.

Two more days to go!

I've been enjoying it.
Had my Armorama shirt on all day & only met Chad/Zod, although I did see Rick Brownlee speed by once ..
Got to hang around front area till I find Bob Kerr ...

John

it was a great time! good food too, at d'bronx deli! Zod looked like he would give his eye teeth for some snips and a bottle of glue at the table. imagine giving advice over a build, not in a forum, but in person! that's what was going on tonight. hollowpoint was picking up Zod's kit and gesturing to different areas and how to proceed with the build!
Nato and wife were very nice as well as other modelers we had at our table, Kris and Scott. Continuing to have a great time, meeting lots of interesting people (IPMS webmaster, handy for role with my local chapter, magazine founder, sculptors and the odd drunk fraternity brother walking by while we are deep into discussing war movies or giving sean connery accolades, - [dual conventions going on here... ]and it's just getting better every day!
I still want to meet people! i will be wearing black short sleeve shirt and blue jeans tomorrow - red hair and of course, my very cool and very official name tag i am sooooo digging it. kudos to the local clubs putting on this convention. i KNOW you are all working your tails off.

WOW..what a day at the Nationals...i have to say i am having the most fun that i have had in some time. It was really great getting the group of us together..as Bob said...it was kinding like herding cats but it all worked out in the end. Zod was totally great (just as you would expect)..just wish he could of followed us all into the bar at the end of the evening after dinner. I have to say we had an awesome time building new friendships, talking shop talk, joking with the fraternity boys, rolling in the hood for D batteries..hehe..and just getting to know one another. Sitting in the lobby area after they have kicked us out of the bar is also a nice end to the day..although i think the maid is starting to hate us!!! Of course ..we probably should go to bed before 3 am..lol..
Anyway...its about 5 am..and time for me to catch a nap before i get up at 830 in order for me to make it to the Dragon table to be the first in line to get in on their next round of Smart Kits that they are bringing in for sale..sooo...later...

*starts acting like Grampa Simpson*

Those two women are evil I tells ya!! EVIL!!!!! :-) :-) :-)

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Hey folks I guess it's my turn to check in. My 3 hours flight took 18 hours from Detroit to Minneapolis to KC. The flight in Detroit was delayed and by the time I reached Minneapolis the last flight to KC was gone. NWA put my up in a nice hotel and at 10am Friday I took off for KC. Well my luggage was on the NEXT plane from Minneapolis to KC so I had to wait. Finally at 130PM I arrived.

First person I met was GI Babycakes followed my Tankysgal and Jackhammer81. Later I caught up with Zod, Nato308 and his wife. Ran into Hollowpoint briefly as well as MiamiJHawk.

After a whirlwind of shopping in the vendor room and examining all the entries we hit a local place Jackstacks. OOOh was the BBQ good.

We are all about to head down to the hotel bar.

BTW Zod was right about the two ladies.....

Finally met JRatz and Shermie today ... John had to run off to a judging thing and I left Alan as he drooled over Formations offerings. I managed to restrain myself in the vendor area today (but there is still tomorrow ... and the last minute sales).

I worked a brisk registration desk all morning and part of the afternoon. Last count I heard was 2,200+ models and nearly 800 entrants. We also had LOTS of visitors today and will probably have more tomorrow -- one of the local TV stations came by and that publicity should bring in some walk-ins.

No registration tomorrow, so I get to sleep in, then come in in the afternoon to help finish up the show.

BTW the icon for Hollowpoint looks a lot like the Bob!!

Right after I visited the Formations booth I headed over to our pals at Horners Hobbies and picked up a Tamiya M4 Early for a good price

OMG...another day is come and gone at the Nationals...Time is just flying by. Last nite was a really fun night as a group of us took over the hotel lobby/walkway outside the hotel bar. We sat and drank, talked , and just joked around till about 330 am. Which has been the standard for our little group since day one. Last night was our biggest gathering to date i think.. We even managed to pull Anders Heintz into our mix last nite. . We all are probably definately feeling last nite as we try to stumble out of bed this morning!!!

We were able to talk to one of the judges from the contest last nite, and although he wouldnt tell us who was winning what...he did tell us that they had some very hard decisions to make..competition is pretty fierce i would have to say,

I just wanted to take the time to let you all know My wife Wendy and I had a great time meeting and visiting with everyone. I must apologize for having to leave early yesterday, it was not in our plans to do so. When your parents are in there eighties sometimes as we all know we have to make some concessions... Everything is fine with them.

We had such a great time with GI babycakes, General Zod, Shermiesrule, and of course our great friends Kevin & Mary. What more can I say, Good times, Good Friends, and good modeling adventure!

I'm so glad I took the plunge and decided to attend nationals this year. I had fun and learned a lot, too. I was bummed out Saturday afternoon because I didn't want it to end. loooooong plane ride back starting at 11 am Sunday morning. Got to Chicago and they couldnt get the jetway to attach to the plane. While we sat there and contemplated using the back stairs or deploying the slide for our departure, we got the treat of being serenaded with a hymn by 2 18 yr old girls, members of a singing troupe, going to orlando for a competition. in the seat in front of them, an older man turned round joined in (a member of a barbershop convention that had also been in KC). it was beautiful and ended in applause, but the calamity of not being able to get off the plane paired with spontaneous harmony made me think of Airplane! I passed the time in Chicago by finding my gate and treating myself to a bacon ranch salad and an apple walnut yogurt salad from Mcdonalds. (ok truth is I was weak and also got chocolate TCBY). I finally got on plane for Seattle at 5pm. Now, I like the window seat because if it's light enough to see, I'll take pictures. But I think not having to climb over someone to go the bathroom might be gaining in popularity with me. The woman I sat next to had a glass of wine, and a glass of water, along with her glasses and digeplayer set up. As soon as she got up to go, i jumped over her seat and ran back to coach to go, too! Changing planes in Seattle wasnt fun because I had bulkhead, plus I was severely starting the downward spiral. I tried to keep legs elevated but every way i sat didn't give any comfort at all. I actually ended up with knees on floor facing chair with elbows on the seat finally the plane got in at 12 05 am. and NO.... I wasn't able to make it in to work today; lazed about and unpacked and looked at the 12 kits I brought home!!! wooooooooooooooo! I can't wait to start planning my club's show in October and to get a new kit going!