“If the Penny Arcade Expo has a star, it’s not Gabe or Tycho. It’s not special guests like MC Frontalot or Wil Wheaton. It’s not even veritable champions of nerdery like PAX ’08 Omegathon winner Joey Gecko. No, it’s geeky culture itself. And when we gather to celebrate our own, wackiness invariably ensues.”
– GeekDad Z, Wired’s GeekDad blog.
“Best Thing About PAX: Ownership. PAX is everyone’s so everyone tends to add their bit, creating something new or innovating. It’s just part of the makeup of this demographic that things don’t get left alone. I think that’s what I like best of all, is how most of the con goers think of it as their convention, not just one they attend.”
The night before I left for PAX, I hardly got any sleep at all (thank you, ribacge, for picking Thursday night to hurt like a bitch) so by the time I got there on Friday afternoon, I was already down to single-digit hit points, and taking a -5 on all my rolls.
But an unexpected thing happened as soon as I set foot in the convention center. As explained by the quotes above, this weekend is our time. It’s Goonie time, and the moment I walked in, I got +10 to all my stats and was restored to maximum HP.
Sometime on Friday night, though, I failed a critical save vs. ConSARS, and by the middle of the day on Saturday, I was feeling pretty terrible. I think I played though it pretty well, but I missed the concerts on Saturday night, and felt a little “off” for the first 15 minutes of my panel on Sunday, until I picked up another +10 from the ohmygodstandingroomonly crowd. By the time I got on the plane to come home yesterday, though, I was hovering around 2 HP, and I’d picked up a familiar I’ll just call Wil’s Sinusital Ooze (Level 4 Disgusting Annoyance. Gives owner -8 to all abilities, -15 CHA, and -6 to all reaction rolls. 5 successive Fortitude saves ends.)
I’ll have to give a full report when Wil’s Sinusital Ooze isn’t launching Slimers out of my head every five minutes, but I think I can sum it up in five words I repeated dozens of times during the weekend: “This just keeps getting better!”
You sound just about as useful as myself at the moment.
You twitter comments made me laugh all weekend.
Feel better soon. Also, if you really want some relief do this:
1) Boil Water
2) Slice up a few slivers of Ginger Root
3) Slice up some lemon
4) Get some honey or brown sugar
5) Grab a few dashes of cayenne pepper.
Mix all together and let steep for a couple minutes. Drink and repeat as often as necessary.
That may be the greatest usage of RPG terms to real life of all time. Who says there’s nothing real about d20?
You know you’re a great writer when people enjoy reading about your cold 😉
I have a couple of friends who would recommend this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neti_pot
Ugh sorry you caught the plague, that sucks big time. Hope it clears up soon. Yuck. Anyway, here’s the link to my Flickr PAX set, featuring my horrible photography skills! YES! http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwc_orca/sets/72157607059046513/
Thanks so much for being your awesome self through the pain and phlegm inhabiting your sinuses. It was great seeing you again, and we loved hearing your Star Trek piece at the panel.
Also, I’m starting to write today! I don’t know if it’ll turn out interesting to anyone but me, but I’m going to try, and no deleting this time! 🙂
Hope you feel better soon.
BTW, Am I the only one who noticed that when you wrote ‘thank you, ribacge’ you misspelled ribcage? Funny though, kind of like ‘fucos’ from days of yore.
Man…sucks that you caught the convention bug, but I’m really glad you had a good time! My girlfriend and I are anxiously awaiting PAX-East Coast…we like living in Maryland but it keeps us from all the best cons 🙁
http://www.livingwithanerd.com
p.s. Buy a couple of packs of the “back”-style icy-hot patches…just make sure you get the “hot only” type. Wrap your torso in them and bask in the enjoyment of a warm cage that has a little bit of extra support.
The Bengay brand ones stick to your skin better, but don’t get as warm.
This make three for three in events that you were in attendance and I missed stopping by to talk. I had brought out my 8 year old son to his first ever convention of any type and I wanted him to meet a real, live writer in the wild. But alas, our time on Saturday was short and the initial line was capped pretty quickly. I had a list of some killer vege eateries I wanted to pass on to you too. One was right around the corner from the convention center as well (http://cyber-dogs.com , if you like hot dogs that is)
Sorry to hear about the ribs and Denibian Slime Devils inhabiting your head.
I had a great time but I was really disapointed when at 5 to 3 my daughter and I went to get in line to say hi and buy a book. They had already cut off the line. which struck me as being a bit lame on their part.
Hey Wil,
Just wanted to tell you that I went to PAX specifically to see your panel on Sunday and you were awesome. (I was one of the standing-room-only people). The stories were great and your delivery was too, wouldn’t have guessed you had a cold. Wish the line hadn’t been so long to meet you afterward, but then again I probably would have had a Kevin Smith moment and not been able to talk at all. BTW my husband wanted to tell you he’s sorry for having a “Shut up, Wesley” button back in the day and wished he could have told you that in person. Thanks for a great time at PAX, see you next year!
I really wanted to see more of the con this year than I did last year, so that meant I needed to reduce my booth hours. I honestly thought that three to four hours each day would be enough, but I clearly underestimated the number of people who wanted to come to my booth, Eric, and I’m so sorry you didn’t make it past the cutoff.
Next year, I’ll extend my signing hours a bit more so that I can meet more people.
If you’re local, I’ll be back in Seattle for Emerald City Comic-Con next year, and I pretty much park it in the booth for the entire show (when I’m not on a panel.)
The couple times I met you, and when I saw your panel, I didn’t notice that you weren’t at 100%. You apparently rolled will on your bluff checks.
I agree with the neti pot (sinus irrigation) – it has saved my Mom from sinus surgery and helps me reduce my allergies. In addition, when I do get sick it cleans all the icky stuff out of my sinuses quickly.
I highly suggest you check it out!
It’s awesome and terrible that both PAX and Bumbershoot take place in Seattle at the same time. There was a bizarre scene on my flight back from Seattle to Las Vegas (coming from Bumbershoot — I don’t have enough geek cred for PAX) where a drop-dead gorgeous young woman in platform heels and a short dress showing genuine interest in the three pimply, be-spectacled geeks talking with her for two-and-a-half hours about Penny Arcade. Great exchanging of cultures there.
Oh yeah, I have a neti pot and already used it this morning and last night (I think I’m not supposed to use it more than twice a day, but my doctor is still at lunch and I can’t get an answer for another 30 minutes.)
And thanks for the potion suggestions, Jules. I’m going to make a Whole Foods run and put that together when I get back.
I was fading out before Freezepop went on stage and left without seeing JC (although I got to say a quick word to him after his panel).
And I went home and took a nap right after I saw you on Sunday.
Speaking of which, why didn’t they put that huge game room on the third floor on the map? I was on the second floor most of the weekend and didn’t find the room behind the Serpent theater until I was secretly ushered in their by the enforcers when I showed up too late to get into your panel on Sunday morning.
Busted ribs and ConSARS and yet you kept smiling and remained the nicest guy ever. Thanks so much for being there and doing everything you do.
Any future plans to return to Seattle or perhaps further north to Vancouver?
I came down to PAX specifically to see you on Sunday and the border lineup meant we arrived after your panel (missed it entirely). Then a severe need for food meant we missed the line ride to your signing as well. My plaintive cries and puppy dog eyes to the Enforcer in charge of the line went fully unheeded. Understandably of course, as it looked like there was no way you’d even make it through the existing line in an hour — your cold must’ve made it doubly difficult.
(To add to the comedy of errors of my day, I also missed out on Felicia Day & Kim Evey sightings… making my PAX experience consist of paying $30 to see Jenga played live. LOL.)
So just curious when my next opportunity for a meet n’ greet or book reading might be.
Wil, “FTAGN!” is not a good sneezy noise. 🙂 I second the neti pot, especially with the drops you can get that have zinc and other stuff in em. It feels like when you do a somersault in the pool and water goes up your nose, but there’s something vaguely pleasant about it even so. One day I’ll get to a con where you are.
Oh, simultaneous posting! So Comic-con is the next viable opportunity for us Northerners? I’ll have to consider it.
Unrelated note: is there any archive of the old Soapbox or was it totally borked? I’ve been hankering to read my old arguments about the start of the war on terror and have some immature ‘I told you so’ moments.
Oh geez, it’s gotta hurt your chest when you sneeze! A double whammy! I do hope you feel better SOON! You’ve suffered enough man!
I’m glad, though, you had an enjoyable weekend at PAX. Don’t know when your next public appearance is going to be, but make sure you get plenty of rest for sinuses and ribcage in the meantime.
I might have to start a small convention of some sort here in the foothills of NC just so you famous folk can come by! *chuckles* Nuttin’ ever happens around here! *sniffles*
Love and Hugs (gentle ones of course)
Okay this is going to sound really bad, but I’m glad you’re sick. That means I don’t have to be disappointed with my experience with you on Saturday, there’s an excuse! I met you in ’07 and was SO impressed with how personable and well-spoken you are with anyone that approached you. This year after waiting in line and shelling out $30 for a skinny book (after I’ve read it now I feel like it was worth it, but at the time I was a little incredulous) I was trying to introduce myself as a long time blog fan and commenter (like you asked us to do in your pre-pax blog), but you didn’t seem to be having any of it. I felt rushed and unappreciated, after you talk so much here about how much you try to appreciate those that come to see you… Anyway, I was pretty put out until I saw this entry. I’ll keep holding out hope, maybe next year I’ll catch you when you’re not dying. 🙂 Thanks for coming anyway, it’s so cool to see so many people coming together to celebrate dorkdom.
Yeah man, as second to last in your line Friday, you looked like you were hurtin by the time you got to us last two, lol.
Thanks for taking the time to still chat with me a smidge and put up with the photo. You were a highlight for my 1st PAX.
*coughs* Bring more copies of Just A Geek next time *cough*
I just have to say that I love it that you said “it’s GOONIE TIME!”
squeal. I am saving up to go to PAX next year for sure. 🙂
p.s. have you seen the youtube of Bad Horse singers sniping Felicia Day at PAX? It was fabulous!
Oh, man. I’m really sorry, angelkirie. I started out feeling okay on Saturday, but by the middle of the day I just felt terrible.
It’s no excuse, but I am human, and have human limitations that occasionally overwhelm my desires to exceed them.
I’m really sorry I let you down. I promise you it wasn’t personal, and I hope you’ll accept my apology.
As one of the lucky ones that got to meet you on Saturday afternoon (they re-opened the line around 3:20), I can vouch with you not looking as if you were sick.
According to my kids I acted like a total “fanboi”, so sorry about that 🙂 I had meant to ask about the ribs, but all coherent thoughts left my head once I got to the front of the line…
We are already planning to attend next year’s PAX, so if you could bring some “Just a Geek” and “Dancing Barefoot” I can have an excuse to meet you again – and complete my book collection.
Get better RSN!
I went on Sunday, specifically to see your panel and was very sad to learn when I got to the theater that it was full. I stood in the hallway to hear what you were saying for a bit, but got shooed away politely by the Enforcers. I know it’s not your fault that I got there too late, but I was disappointed. I just wanted to say that you asked people to come see you, and I tried!
If it’s any comfort, you’re not alone! Don’t know if you keep up on PAX forum threads, but I’m part of the “Twitter Shitters”, about 80 PAX forumers who follow each other, initially to keep apprised of impromptu PAX events, but now just because we’ve become friends.
A good percentage of us are also coming down with ConSARS, according to all the tweets this morning. I don’t think any of us would have missed it, even if we knew for a fact we’d get sick – it’s just too awesome an event!
It was great to finally meet you, too. Thanks for signing my Scalzi book, I think he’ll get a kick out of it! And as an added bonus, while waiting in your signing line I got to see JoCo get Bad Horsed! I saw a pic on the forums that they got you, too. Wish I’d stuck around to see it. Hope you feel better soon!
Skip the cayenne pepper, and go for a wasabi eating contest with your wife.
Make sure it’s the real wasabi, and not the fake green horseradish stuff. Always clears me out like charm… excruciating, but exhilarating! 🙂
Oh and while you’re at it, drink some saki while you’re doing the wasabi shots. Just for ambience….
@Wil You’re welcome. Let me know how it works. Whenever I get anything sinusy or chesty, it makes me feel a million times better.
Sorry to hear you got sick from PAX! I guess it’s a good thing we didn’t rush up to you in a flurry of *OMGThatsWilWheaton* Saturday night @ Dinner? We were seated about 2 tables away from you 🙂
Hope to see you at PAX09!
So sorry to hear about the ConSARS! 🙁 As short as your signing hours were I’d just like to thank you for the time you DID put in. For those people who weren’t at PAX or who didn’t check the line length at all the signings Wil stayed at least an hour to an hour and half past his official cut off time at every single signing so that he could try to get to everyone. There were 50,000 people at PAX this year and everyone wanted time with the Commodore of the USS Awesome. I didn’t even realize you were coming down with the ConSARS on Saturday. Thanks for pushing through it and not letting it affect you, imho.
Feel better soon! And thank you!
No hard feelings at all. I replied via email but I don’t want anyone to think that I hold it against you Wil. Sh*t happens. I’m glad that my first impressions in ’07 were correct, that you freaking rule. Thanks again.
Get better soon!
And ‘Commodore of the USS Awesome’ — that gives me design ideas. Now, I just have to get over pneumonia (funny how lungs don’t like breathing grout)…
So, I discovered something about myself when I got to meet you on Sunday…
You often write about how your mouth seems to have a mind of it’s own when you meet people you admire… Well, I seem to have the opposite problem… Deer in headlights!!!
I managed to ask for a shirt and book, and had two friends with me (one had his brain unstuck and took a pic with his iphone)…
Any advice? I was so worried about not nerd-vomiting that I think my brain just shut off…
Anyway, I’m reading Sunken Treasure and enjoying every word. And thanks for the pic. I look like a total goof ball, but my wife saw the pic and said “Look! He’s doing The Rock eyebrow!!!”…
http://picasaweb.google.com/beowuff/Stuff?authkey=J5SSJIYoT98#5241563057350067298
Thanks!
beowuff
Aw, that sucks that you got ConSARS on top of your broken rib. If it makes you feel any better at all that was the best use of RPG terms ever in a description of a cold.
It was amusing, and accurately described how crappy you were feeling all at the same time.
I hope you feel better soon.
I was amazed by how upbeat you were Sunday when I got through the 2-hour line to buy books and give you Cheapass swag. . . I was close to passing out from missing lunch, and there you were being friendly and funny with everyone! 🙂
It was a great pleasure to finally shake your hand. If you have time around Emerald City next year, I can totally get you into the best nickel-ante poker game in town. 😉
I met the dying version of you Saturday evening. However, I could hear how sick/tired you sounded from way back in the line, so I could fully appreciate how hard you tried not to sleepwalk through my few minutes at the booth. You even complimented my shirt, so I came away quite happy. Not to mention snagging the super-limited Sunken Treasure. Yay!
I thought you did an awesome job at the panel Sunday. For the first few minutes, the subdued reactions really were because we couldn’t hear you! The mic was too short, nothing personal. 🙂
And I still can’t believe you rickrolled a live audience. “Poetry reading”… psch. Nice.
Well I’m pretty sure you didn’t get the ConSARS from me, but either way you sure put up a good show. I met you on Friday (shortly after loudly mentioning that I stalk you on Twitter – http://twitter.com/TheSquirrelKing), and you seemed to be rolling 20’s for energy and intelligent conversation when we were chatting about Canadian-US currency differences and your status in the internet video world. And I would have never guessed that you were low on HP or mana from that awesome panel you gave.
Long story short, you handled things like a trooper, contributed a lot of the best parts of my PAX experience, and I just wanted to say thank you very much and get well ASAP.
Hope those sinuses clear up soon, Wil. Know how you feel. My head is near bursting at the moment with sinus pressure – ugh!
Wish I could’ve been at PAX. Sounded like an awesome panel. Do they ever do these things in Chicago?
I feel for you – I really do. Thankfully conSARS was only starting to creep in by the time I had to sing on Saturday night. But I blew my second FORT save and am off my feet. I hope the hoodie fits and I know you won’t take the “Worship Me Like A God” seriously!
PS – I am never going to hear the end about not introducing you to my girlfriend.
-Toren.
I will echo the general ‘Get well soon’ and ‘you totally made your bluff checks’ statements. Of course, I was another of the Deer in Headlights variety so I likely wouldn’t have noticed if you’d had live Slime devils crawling out of your ears. Or I would’ve just thought they were cool. 🙂
Thanks for being so totally generous with your time, Wil. The panel was awesome (what I caught when not chasing my two-year old), and I was one of the luckily folks who stayed in line hopefully on Sun and then you generously extended you time there.
PAX rocked. Next time, I will will do some LFG rooms as I had loads of fun talking with the folks in line to meet you – the Commodore 64 guy was right behind me – and I’d like to do more of that next time.
Hope you feel better!
I could have sworn you tweeted from the Thickets show.
Sad thing is…I understand your metaphor 🙂 lol Personaly, When I get down with a cold, A nice stiff glass of Earl Grey (mixed with a spoon full of honey) usually gets me through the day. Hope you feel better soon, man. I might have to go to my first PAX and grab me some books next year….
I was lucky on Friday and made it into the 3:00 line before they cut everyone off. I was impressed by how friendly you were being and spending so much time with people. Even going so far as to talk on their cellphones. Thank you again for the picture. There is an 80% chance we will use it on our Christmas card this year.
Hopefully the sinus gunk will clear up soon.
I’ll add my hope that you recover quickly to the mix! I can sure understand you feeling under the weather, and how hard it is to be excited and out and about when you feel that way. I brought (and wore on Friday) my Wil Says shirt, hoping for that big group photo of Wil Says wearers! I sure hope I didn’t miss it, but I haven’t seen anything about it anywhere, so I’m guessing you just didn’t feel like doing that this year. Maybe next year? I think it’s a very cool idea, and was (still am) excited to be a part of it! Good to see you at PAX again, Wil.
Wil, I feel like I should apoligize for giving you so much shit about doing the PAX DVD interview on Saturday night. I had been filming for three solid 19 hour days by that point and I let my attitude get the best of me. I really appreciate how friendly you were, and I’m hoping we’ll get that “Bad Horse’d” footage on the final cut.
Again, I look forward to seeing you next year.
“I picked up another +10 from the ohmygodstandingroomonly crowd”
Yeah, remember a couple days before the panel when you were all “I don’t think anyone will come because there are other ‘big’ panels on at the same time”… we showed you! All of PAX was packed, so I showed up 1.75 hours early and snagged a front row seat. And played some tetris on the ds with some random people beside me. It was awesome.
And you say you weren’t into your talk for about 15 min, but I didn’t notice it. All I noticed was that you sounded really really sick until you got into it. I saw a lot of people with the conSARS this year.
@GenXer Dude, I totally wore mine on Sunday thinking there’d be a big group of Wil Says shirt wearers there for the panel. But perhaps I missed the group picture, too. 🙂 But there is always next year.
Hey Wil,
This was my first PAX, came down from Toronto. Lined up to meet you on Friday and grab Dancing and the new book. Like I said, long time reader, never really posted.
The buddy I went with didn’t want to line up, just to see that “Wesley guy”. We ended up attending the Casual Gamer panel and you won him over. “Wil is pretty cool”. That was enough to get him to attend the “How can one person be a whole panel” with me. Later while I was slumming at the Omegathon finale he caught you playing Rock Band 2.
I don’t know if I had deer in lights syndrome, but I think I mumbled when I got to meet you lol. I don’t tend to get “star struck” (in my limited star meeting experience) but it was the highlight of PAX for me. Grabbing the signed books, and a quick picture. Also got to talk to people in line who were all pretty cool.
Anyhow, thanks for staying after your posted hours especially if you weren’t feeling up to it. Looking forward to your next project when you can talk about it 🙂
Hey Wil, as the last person in your PAX line Friday (as you were struggling to finally leave and see the keynote speech), I wanted to give my sincerest thanks for taking the time to talk to my girlfriend on the phone. She is a huge fan of your writing and getting the chance to speak to you will be a story she tells for many years.
Also, despite feeling sick, you even entertained me that night at the concerts when I approached you to show you her grateful text message. You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.