I had planned to walk the exhibit floor today but other than attend the debate between Gura and Helmke I spent nearly the entire time socializing. Mostly it was with bloggers but I did spend probably an hour of pretty intense face to face time with NRA Board of directors member Scott Bach (and here).
Scott told us a little bit of some of the behind the scenes stuff at the NRA and how he thinks things will shake down after the McDonald case comes down. Since he lives in New Jersey there was a particular emphasis on his home state. The application of the McDonald case will be particularly interesting there and in California. There is tremendous opportunity to gain ground but there are lots of things that can go wrong too.
I was pleased to meet some gun bloggers I have read for the first time and see others again. I screwed up and did not get a picture of Rick even though we met and talked quite a bit this morning and throughout the day. I will try to remedy that error tomorrow.
I met Breda for the first time. For some reason I expected someone much smaller.
Alan also took some pictures of Breda at dinner but she said she would kill him if he posted them.
Honest, it had nothing to do with Say Uncle making a comparison to a porn star. That was much earlier in the day.
I have five pictures of Jay G. These two suck the least. He also posted on the afternoon and evening activities.
This was my first time meeting him. But I have talked to him when I was on Vicious Circle and listened to him even more.
This was the first time I have met Weer’d Beard. He is a frequent commenter here and on daughter Xenia’s LJ.
I first met Denise and Yosemite Sam at the NRA meeting in 2008.
I got in trouble with Barb for not attending Sarah Palin’s speech so maybe Denise’s post can get me almost back in good graces at home.
I first met Alan at Boomershoot 2009 where he helped make the targets as well as shoot them.
He also is the ringleader of Vicious Circle.
I first met Mike W. at the NRA meeting in 2008. He is also a frequent commenter here.
He says I’m a celebrity so I need to keep reminding Barb that she sleeps with one.
Say Uncle and Alan decided they had to expose Breda and me to southern food. A group of ten of us went out to dinner. Say Uncle recommended the shrimp and grits which I did enjoy. Breda liked the greens and said, “I could eat these forever!”
After dinner was over, about 22:30, I was just coming alive and ready to talk until 2:00 or 3:00 but everyone else was a wimp (and mostly on east coast time instead of west coast like me) and said they were headed back to their hotels for the night.
Tomorrow, I really will get out on the exhibit floor and take a bunch of pictures.
sure is weird to see what all these bloggers look like. in my imagination, most male bloggers look like rugged mountain men an all the women look like beautiful rugged mountain women. my imagination aint too far from reality haha
Joe, Thanks so much for posting those pictures. I feel like I’ve met them now too, some of whom I’ve had quite a relationship with over the last year or two.
I agree with Mike W., a rare occurrence, I might add. You are a celebrity.
Thanks for the pictures, Joe – us poor schlubs who cannot be there appreciate them.
… some of whom I’ve had quite a relationship with over the last year or two.
Mike, you’ve had the same “relationship” with gun bloggers that a baseball has with a Louisville Slugger.
Joe, it was a true pleasure meeting the man behind Boomershoot. My only regret about the convention is not having more time to talk to all the great folks I’ve been reading for years.
Thanks for posting these Joe. Wish I could have been there.
Nice quote Dixie.
Nice to be able to put some names to faces. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it to the next convention and meet some of you all in person.
I guess my picture could have been worse after nearly 24 hours with no sleep. I look unhappy to be there, which is not the case at all.
Great to see you again, and sorry to hear your Boomershoot duties will keep you from making it to Pittsburgh.