MA Convention Report: Burning Rubber!

Original report published "elsewhere" but enjoy!

June 12th 2000

Hi there!! I am lucky to be alive after that convention, talk about burning rubber!! It was so hot, I felt like a french fry or burnt toast!! I hope next year they get an airconditioned place!! So many people just dying from the heat. Thank-goodness there were plenty of places to sit down though. Most seats were taken most of the time so you would have to wait to sit. People just fanning themselves with their programs.

Any ways, I did wear my bedazzling crown and got loads of compliments on it giving them my little story and lots of laughs. Had to correct many people on my Royal rank though, they only thought I was a mere princess, I told them I was promoted (self promotion LOL) from Lady Laughsalot to the Queen of Inkland on a whim. Yep, self appointed and self crowned like Napolean. LOL

I only did my business and tried to look at samples, saw a few demos but was so hot and bothered, I don't remember to much due to "fried brain" and "heat exhustion".

We were going to go back to the show on Sunday AM but when we left our hotel, it was so hot, humid, and hazy out, we couldn't bear the though of getting fried again since it was so hard to breathe!! (Please remember I had my paperdolls with me and the Duke of Dies and Dyes, they only came along for the hotel pool!!) Besides that we were all up early and it would have been hours for us to wait till the show opened and with 2 kids to entertain (pool opened late at 10 am), this would be too much for them to wait around. So we went home where the weather was 30 degrees lower and much more agreeable.

I did meet Sara from Sara's Expressions who says hello to all. She said that her puter was sent to the company to be repaired (hence no postings from her lately) and it was lost on the return shipment. She sends hugs to everyone and we both agreed for all of you to pass the hug along to others, sort of like a chain hug.

I also met and chatted with Estelle from Stampsmith, we had a few good laughs. She recognized my name from posting on another list. (so did a few others)

Suze did her magic pot* demo's with the UTEE. Pretty amazing. (*can't remember if this is exactly what it was called but it was Suze magic)

Saw a new company called Renaissance Designs who sells very nice elegant old world images. Dropped a few royal coins there for prosperity. LOL

Spent most of my gold pennies (LOL brought some chocolate gold coins, which did not melt cause I had them in a tiny cooler in the carriage, baby carriage that is) at Stampers Anoynomous, Stamp Camp, Stamp Out Cute, and then a few others here and there.

I didn't trade any of my 100 pins I made, and I was prepared but the heat and the excitement plus time constraints (cause we got there in the afternoon), so I had to be quick and efficient shopper before closing and before the kids started to act up. Most people said they were extremely well behaved but why was it I could hear the 2 year old "Prince of Wails" all over the place???? So distracting and it is bad enough I have lost all ability to focus and concentrate anyways.

Well in August there is another stamp convention in Manchester NH and that is only 40 minutes away instead of 2 hours. I can trade pins then and go by myself without the extra peeps. LOL I am calling them up and asking them if they have air conditioning though. August heat is a killer here!!

Anyone care to comment and tell of your experiences, I would love to hear it as well as others.

Jean - Queen of Inkland

I got this email from someone and posted this repsonse to it so I thought I would share it with the rest of you. LOL >>>Oh Jean, Your talent is wasted - you should write a book. I love reading about your "goings-on" - gives me my laugh for the day. Keep it up, you are better than anything that the doctor could prescribe. Hugs, Lyn<<<

Thanks Lyn, Consider my job as Queen fulfilled when you laugh (or "exercise" while sitting at your puter) at my wacky yet whimsical adventures. Yes I should write a book of some sort. I thought of "The Queen's Pages" but some people might think it was some steamy hot erotic romance novel to spice up their meager dull lives. Must think of a new title and theme. LOL would give new meaning to "hot off the press." LOL

I am still in survivor mood here and having nightmares of walking around as a lonely french fry wearing a little black beret with a crown pin. My recommendations for that oven (convention center) would be some sort of recessitation booth (with all the necessary emergency fixings) and a hose down shower of some sort right on the premises.

So many others complained too. Someone asked, "How dare Heirloom Productions have a convention with out air conditioning at this time of year, they should be ashamed of themselves." Hey they were the crispy critters or tater tots of the group!! They suffered too. Talk about sizzling BBQ's!! Yes they were grilled.

I wonder if vendors lost a lot of business. Imagine the expense of having to ship so much back when you have come so far.

Well, looking on the bright side, at least my gold coin candy didn't melt. LOL

Oh yes, and next year, I will have my very own booth at the convention selling T-shirts saying "I survived Springfield 2000" or "Stampers Bake Off 2000 survivor". How about, "I survived the Heat Blast at Springfield 2000", "Hot Pressed in Springfield", "Convention Meltaway Springfield." and "Burned Rubber and left tracks in Springfield" "Sizzled in Springfield", you get the picture. LOL Might sell some cheesy plastic crowns with imitation jewels for all the wannabee Royals as a sideline.

Jean - Queen of Inkland (evidently still suffering from delirium due to excessive heat exposure and fried brain.)

If Elvis did chocolate instead of drugs, he would still be alive today.

Update: 4.20.01

Just wanted to reminisce. LOL
Preparing for another steamy adventure in June. LOL
Supposedly, they got a place with air conditioning.
I am surprised that the rubber did not melt last year.