Well, it's 4am and I'm both awake and bored. I arrived here in Carbondale/Marion by train yesterday and the trip wasn't all that bad. I ended up sleeping most of the way and the accommodations are almost almost unbelievably large and spacious when you're used to flying in the equivalent of a tin can the size of a coffin. I was actually able to lie down across a pair of seats and at least mash my upper body into the space well enough to sleep. A friend from TD was good enough to give me a ride to the warehouse where I got to take my first look at True Realm. The outside of the place looks like the final fight to the death scene in some action movie set at the remnants of some sort of steel mill. The inside is spacious and, well, also looks like it could be the scene for bloody murder in the shadows. Things were definitely taking shape though as people scrambled around trying to build or fix or otherwise set up the needed materials for today's event.

After a stint at the warehouse, I got a lift to the hotel which was also pretty spiffy. It was filled with TD people milling about and after I got myself settled, I went down to the lobby to find everyone there swilling free liquor at the hotel's evening reception. I ordered myself a rum and coke, took a couple sips, and seriously pondered whether the bartender had perhaps made a mistake and added some rubbing alcohol by mistake to my glass. I ended up setting the rest of it aside and gave the rest of my drink coupons for the remainder of my stay to Jeff (Smackdown) who seemed to be collecting them. I figure he has enough by now to plow himself under each night if he so chooses.

Munched some cheese nachos. Had a handful of popcorn. Chitchatted a bit. Then it was off to the Token Buyer's Dinner. I owed my attendance to Jeff, who had a spare ticket he was gracious enough to give me. Considering that, it was the least I could do to help him stun his liver each night.

We went to a local BBQ place where we proceeded to gorge ourselves on ribs and chicken. I ended up sitting with Linda (Jammies), (Roarry), Jim (Jim C) and some other guy whose name I have forgotten yet again. All I can recall now is that he's one of Donald R's crew supposedly. Anyway, dinner was fine and the conversation was lively and entertaining. I got a chunk of it on film so I'll be uploading all the video and pictures at some point.

Soon after dinner ended, many of the volunteers had to head back to the warehouse for their DM training. I guess I could have tried to see what everyone else was doing and try to get a bead on what sort of gaming or other social activities were going on, but it had been a long day and I was tired. I got back to the hotel room and ended up watching the second half of Troy with Eric (Incognito), the roomie. The movie then replayed itself and I dozed off somewhere before the point where I had started watching it the first time around. The movie seemed pretty spiffy from the parts I did see and I had always been a huge fan of Greek mythology when I was a kid. Too bad the greeks seem like such dicks nowadays.

Anyway, after a shower it was soon bed time and I conked out pretty quickly. Of course, now it's 4am and I'm freaking up again. There's notta to do but tap tap tap on my laptop off in a corner and wait for dawn to roll around.