up bright and early (my body won't understand that it's not on eastern time anymore-- or rather, it won't get off of eastern time). tried to pull everything i might possibly need into a duffel, and began work on today's setup again. had some software problems, but got them resolved and was off to the conference center by 7:30-- later than I wanted.

howie was there and helped me lay out my power cable; i remember that setting up the hardware wasn't difficult, but i had software problems and it's very, very hard to see an LCD screen in the new mexico sunshine, which didn't help.

people were really starting to arrive and the setup was not complete. i was very close to registration, which was getting busy. then i realized that the power cable that howie and i had so elaborately laid out and taped down wasn't working-- i didn't have power.

i called stephanie in a panic, requesting more equipment from the room, thinking i could run it off the car battery. then jan came along and immediately recognized the signs of lisa stress (he knows them well :) and asked what i needed. when i told him, he flew into action, obtaining the maintenance man for the conference center, and helping me re-route my power cable to an outlet that was working. jan rules :)

after that it was cake; i stuck one cam out of my sunroof on a tripod, one on a tripod in the conference center, up on chairs this year so the view would be good, and one in the gnome in the hatch of the SP, to catch people's faces as they contemplated my setup.

stephanie soon arrived with the stuff i'd asked for (which i now did not need). she didn't seem to mind though. here i think i should take a moment to say what a great roommate she was. always supportive and there for me, and we just had a good time hanging out together, and becoming better friends. i normally like to have my own space while travelling, but rooming with stephanie was better than being alone. i would not have wanted to do it any other way.

i spent the rest of the car show checking out all of the fabulous bugs, taking lots of pictures, and talking to lots and lots of people.

i decided to break down the cam setup during the awards ceremony, but i did catch a few-- gena lant with best in show, of course, cueball with best in his class, marcy and sky boo with best bud vase. tim came up to me after and told me that kirby had won best in class too-- shelley was beside herself-- but i was not surprised-- kirby is a really nicely done car.

after a lot of gridlock and waiting around in sweltering heat, we began the parade up and down main street. it was really something, a big ring of bugs reaching up and down several blocks, the local roswell folks out to greet us, and after our first pass a big honking symphony erupted. we made several passes and at one point i saw blue out in the middle of it all, risking life and limb with his camera on the ground getting what will probably be a really great shot of the action.

after the parade we had time to just chill at the hotel-- our first chance in quite a while to just sit and not be busy with something. then we got into costume, helped jim fashion an impromptu costume with a sheet of mylar and some elvis sunglasses, and he graciously drove us to the party.

ah, yes, the party.

well, heather had been telling me about her costume (alien belly dancer), the fact that she was taking belly dancing lessons, and kept mentioning the "alien suprizes!" that david had spoken of. and she told me that i should bring my video camera to the party. so perhaps i should have put all of that together, but i didn't. when she appeared on the dance floor and proceeded to do a belly dance for everyone i was just as 'surprized' as anyone :)

unfortunately, i didn't bring my video camera, so if you weren't there, you'll just have to use your imagination. but it was quite something. it should be noted also that she did this wearing a top that was too small and held together with safety pins. it could have easily come flying off in mid-dance, but she bravely proceeded with the performance. (howie, try to control yourself :)

there was also the part where david recognized everyone who had helped, the roswell high cheerleading sqad, and the costume contest.

the costumes were pretty great this year, but the clear winner were the blue monkey-people who were fully in character for the whole party, including a rather dramatic performance for the acceptance of their award. i tried to photograph them, but since they were constantly in motion this was rather difficult. i found out later that they had sewn the costumes while on the western caravan, in a matter of just a few days, forgoing a lot of sleep to get them finished.

earlier in the day, i had noticed tyler and tina ward's neice hanging around each other, so i wasn't too surprised when i saw her pull tyler onto the dance floor. everyone thought that this was really cute, and some folks even took pictures, but i decided i wouldn't do that to tyler, since it would probably be embarassing. suffice to say i think that r2k v.2 was a good experience for him.

toward the end of the party the mayor of roswell came and said a lot of stuff i don't really remember, but the gist of it was that june 16th is david allen day. which i think is pretty cool.

steph jim and i headed out to the after-party. we picked up some beer and decided to walk from our hotel. "a pink wig, beer, and mylar. that's all we need."

the after party was crammed into a rather small and sweaty suite at the sally port; things i remember are mike showing up with all of the mylar balloons from the party; langdon hill cramming a mylar balloon into the microwave; susan hester explaining her plan to get rid of her husband and marry a dying millionaire in order to be able to afford the bug of her dreams (i think that was the reason); jim wearing my pink wig; and the rest is all just a blur.

we walked back to the hotel in a haze of sleepiness.