What I Did On My Summer Vacation

[jjreason]

Okay, so I just got back from a bit of a whirlwind tour of the American midwest. The trip lasted 6 and a half days and included 5 states: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The primary purpose of the trip was to visit my younger brother who lives in Minneapolis and, in the process, have a short family vacation. The secondary purpose was to bring back a near-vanload of my carp that had accumulated at his house over the past 3 years (I use his address as a mailing spot for tards who will not ship to Canada for one reason or another).

The trip was interesting. We stopped in Chicago on the way there and again on the way back. I was able to see Soldier Field firsthand and couldn't have been more impressed by all the tributes to the military personnel on the grounds. In fact, the entire "Museum Campus" or whatever the fuck they call that acreage by the lake was indeed very beautiful. From Soldier Field I ventured to Wrigley Field using public transit. The train system worked quite smoothly and I found my destination quite easily by following the, oh let's say 200 or so Cubs fans who used the same mode of transport to get to the game.

Walking around and finally into Wrigley was majestic, like being awake and dreaming at the same time. It's an old dump of a fucking ballyard, but the ghosts walking around that place had me close to tears missing one of my old best buddies who loves baseball so much... we used to talk about wishing to go there frequently (well, Cory, if for some reason you're reading this.... I fucking made it). 2 innings and a good few laughs at the left field bleacher Creatures later I was out of there to meet back up with the fam.... too soon. Altogether too soon. Keeping with baseball for just a second longer I was proud to give the finger to the other 2 ML diamonds I passed on my travels: the HHH Metrodome and US Cellular Field. FUCK those guys, right in the ass.

On the way to Minnesota I was within a short jaunt of a multitude major NCAA football cities - a veritable rundown of all things Big 10 plus Notre Dame. It's really amazing, once you get within a stone's throw of Chicago, how many of those places could be reached on a one-day roady if you live in the right place.

Whilst in Minneapolis I visited the Museum of Science, which may not interest you at first mention, but may when I add that the traveling exhibit of Star Wars props was on display there at the time. I got a bit of work done by a couple of old friends (pic to follow, and I'm quite afraid that a number of you might become jealous at the viewing - I apologize in advance).

Oh, and as for Snigtad's stupid goddamned question, yes I do like Cold Stone. Much better, in fact than that shitty frozen custard they served me at Culver's. If any of you EVER see me headed towards another one of those establishments you may kick me in the balls as hard as you want - even if I'm pissed drunk.

So that's that. I see nary a mention of "Where the fuck's JJ????", but in case anyone was wondering now you know.

[anarky]

You've been popping up sporadically, so we knew you weren't runned over.

[Senor JabbaJohnL]

Ah, Culver's. After seeing it many times while visiting family in Minnesota, my dad and I got their "Butterburgers" a few years ago just to see what in the absolute fuck a Butterburger could possibly be. It was kind of "meh" and not as, well, buttery as you'd think.

We were going to go up to Minnesota to see that exhibit, but time and my job and everything put the kibosh on that. Was it pretty cool?

[RoIIo Tomassi]

Butterburger sounds nasty to me, so I asked them to clarify when I went into a Culvers. Turns out its the BUN thats buttery. And fuck custard in general.


PS I assumed JJ was on some important undercover assignment.

What kind of three years worth of shwag did you get?

[jjreason]

What did I get? Well let's see here. I managed to repatriate 3 of my most prized possessions - but that's a very important story for another thread. I brought back 4 of the great big Ultra Battlepacks from Target that came out last year. I brought back a repainted ARC 170 and the accompanying Battlepack of flight crew that came out either last year or the year before. I brought back a grey TIE Bomber that I'm not sure what to do with along with some free figures Hasbro sent me for being their Q&A contact for the Canadian collectors' site. That might be it... Patrick was able to bring most of the non-huge stuff with him on his trips to Canada.

The exhibit was really neat, but I was done there within in hour. I'll try to list the stuff they had, though I'm sure I'll shit the bed on some of it:

CENSORED (pics to follow)
Han, Leia, Chewie & Tusken costumes from ANH
The life-sized Landspeeder
A Falcon model (that was truly in scale with the figures - now that I've seen it, the BMF can suck my cock)
X-Wing and TIE models (and holy shit, Hasbro did an AMAZING job on the newer, larger X-Wings)
An R2 costume used in the OT
A C3PO costume created for ROTS (all golden)
A Tusken female costume
A life-sized replica of Bizarro The Grin's big, black dick - somehow I failed to get a pic of this
A Jawa costume
A model of Sebulba's pod that was at least 6 feet long
Costumes of Tarfful and another Wookie that were created for ROTS
A model of the Tantive IV that was 4 or 5 feet long
A model of a Star Destroyer that was about 2 feet long
A small model of an AT-AT
Stormtrooper and Snowtrooper costumes from the OT
The Wampa costume used for the shoot of the new scenes from the Special Edition of ESB
Lots of hands-on stuff regarding magnets & other stuff for the kiddies
A movie with animatronic droids that took place in the belly of a sandcrawler - you actually had to walk between the treads to get in (the whole thing wasn't there, but the effect was still quite good)
And likely some other stuff. I'll keep working at it.

[jjreason]

All right, all right. I know I promised but I've really never been too big on having my pic up online for whatever reason.

In this case, though (like mabucon, just a short time ago) I feel an exception needs to be made. Further words won't matter so I'll stop typing and just show you all this:

[anarky]

My God.

JJ is wearing a PINK bracelet!

[jjreason]

Look closely - no TPBs = little to no stress... and hence no haggard appearance.

[Senor JabbaJohnL]

Holy shit, they had Jack Black on display next to FX-7 and the Deuce?

[Seven]

Well first of all, glad you made it back safe.

Sounds like an awesome trip. While I'm not a huge baseball fan, I am so with you to say FUCK OFF to all these new sports arenas popping up with names like Petco Piss Off Field, Safeco Shit Arena and the other two you mentioned. Those old stadiums have too much history to be replaced and I can really appreciate that history.

Second, and most important, I nominate you for another Deuce Award...

The one that was closest to the Deuce than any of us!

Finally, here's how I look at putting pics up of myself on the internet...people I don't know are going to see me walking around throughout my life everyday and so who the shit cares if they see me on the internet either.

You look handsome me thinks!

[Diabolical]

Second, and most important, I nominate you for another Deuce Award...

The one that was closest to the Deuce than any of us!

I also met The Deuce, but I was too scared to ask him if he'd mind taking a photo with me (I think he was a bit drunk and angry - he kept muttering racial slurs). So when he wasn't paying attention I snapped one of him and ran.

[Ran]

How about making a Witness of the Deuce Merit Badge?

[Seven]

Second, and most important, I nominate you for another Deuce Award...

The one that was closest to the Deuce than any of us!

I also met The Deuce, but I was too scared to ask him if he'd mind taking a photo with me (I think he was a bit drunk and angry - he kept muttering racial slurs). So when he wasn't paying attention I snapped one of him and ran.

Hehe, awesome pic!

two awards should be going out tonight to these fine fellows

Hey did you guys touch him at all? What's he made of?

[anarky]

What's he made of?

Distilled funk in metal form. Only Lemmy knows the procedure.

[Antropov]

Keeping with baseball for just a second longer I was proud to give the finger to the other 2 ML diamonds I passed on my travels: the HHH Metrodome and US Cellular Field. FUCK those guys, right in the ass.

You are a selfless individual my friend. From the bottom of my cold, black heart: Thank You!

Its too bad we weren't able to meet up in Michigan somewhere, though it sounds like it would've been extremely inconvenient for either of us to go to where the other was. I'm assuming you used Port Huron to cross the border?