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Your real TAM 4 highlights - post them here!

Chaos

Penultimate Amazing
Chaos
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
10,611
Kitten sat on my lap - however briefly - during the forum picture shoot. Now that´s a burden I would like to bear every day!

Kitten2 enjoyed talking to me so much she convinced her mom to ask me out for dinner. I didn´t know I had that kind of effect on women...

I had lunch with Dr. Carolyn "I actually AM a rocket scientist" Porco. It was really nice talking to her.

Professor Murray Gell-Mann took part in MY chocolate challenge. And he patiently explained us how to correctly pronounce "Xocolatl".

I managed to salvage enough of the geek-out in Nyar´s absence that we still had considerable fun. And I learned how to play Poker, too.
 
My biggest thrill was playing poker across from Phil Plait...then having him go "all in" while I was holding "the nuts".....(no I wasn't touching myself improperly...it's poker talk for best hand)....see I had a full house and nailed both BA and the other Phil.

Thrill of my life! I wasn't even sure I'd get to meet BA...then that! Gee...I hope he doesn't hate me! :D

-z
 
I found that I peed next to an amazing number of people whom I hold in fairly high esteem.

It was never planned. Just good (??) timing. Or maybe too much coffee.

And before you ask for details...I didn't check anyone out.
 
Very, very hard to decide which was the best moment amongst all the great stuff. Meeting the forum folks was definately a highlight but that was an on-going pleasure. I guess the biggest highlight moment for me was attending the Jamie Ian Swiss magic show. I got to sit in front of and chat with Dr. Shermer, and Mythbusters Adam and Kari. And then I got called up by Jamie to be one of 2 table people gawking at all of his card tricks. That guy's amazing and so smooth.

Out of a wonderful weekend of highlights, Saturday night was the best for many reasons.
 
rikzilla said:
My biggest thrill was playing poker across from Phil Plait...then having him go "all in" while I was holding "the nuts".....(no I wasn't touching myself improperly...it's poker talk for best hand)....see I had a full house and nailed both BA and the other Phil. . . .
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Yeah, that was a good hand by you. I was sorry to go out so early, but had a great time playing.

My conference memories right now is still all blurred together. It might take until next year to sort them all out, but some are given highlights every year. The speakers. The forum party. The general party.

Good times. Good times.
 
Actually, reconnecting with my brother who I finally convinced to come to TAM.

The first TAM I didn't know anyone. I was scared to even speak to Mr.RAndi.

This TAM, Mr.Randi is family.

Seeing my daughters enjoy and learn so much.

And seeing Kitten not only enjoying herself, but giving by working so hard the whole time for JREF. She took her responsibilities very seriously.

But you want to know what sticks out in my mind, and is in my heart.

Just seeing Moe again. And letting her know I love her.

She makes me proud.
 
OH and Brown let me be his Bond Girl while he taught me Pai Gow poker.

I totally could get into dressing up and hanging on the arm of a handsome man while he gambles. I wonder if it pays well?

Brown, Leno was terrific. But he didn't even compare to the joy of spending time with you.

(Girls, next year married ladies like me are out of luck with him. Better sign up for your date with him now! )
 
kittynh said:
And seeing Kitten not only enjoying herself, but giving by working so hard the whole time for JREF. She took her responsibilities very seriously.
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She was quite impressive on the Red Rocks tour. And Slick even called her by 3 different names! He called her Ellenore once, and then something else, but I can't remember. But most of the time she was Evelyn.
 
Best things:

Meeting so many people I had wanted to meet over the past year-Roadtoad, Randfan, Bruce, Supercorgi, LostAngeles, Buggirl, RSL, Rikzilla, Joshua...and that's just off the top of my head. Like everyone else I needed a month to really sit down and talk to everyone.

Firing a gun for the first time in my life. And thanks to Triangle Man for letting fire a few rounds from his 9mm after I had exhausted my Thompson Submachine Gun.

Finding out from a non-Forum member about the Atomic Testing Museum--a little hidden treasure in Las Vegas, not much publicized but a well-organized and enjoyable visit with an almost overwhelming wealth of information about the Atomic tests done within visual range (of the mushroom cloud) of Las Vegas in the 1950's and 60's (and hundreds of underground tests later).

Actually making all the coordinations for the airport with everybody arriving on-time (save Zep) and meeting up with no major problems.

Finally leaving Vegas ahead from the blackjack tables (+$170.00).

Winning two hands at the Hold'em tournament and not being the first one out.

Being corralled on Friday morning with Rebecca and Joshua(?) to have breakfast with Murray Gell-Mann!! And then trying to explain about "Quarks' Bar" and Star Trek to this noble gent.

and so many, many, many more.
 
I did not learn about the Atomic Testing Museum! That's like... right up my alley!
 
kittynh said:
Seeing my daughters enjoy and learn so much.

And seeing Kitten not only enjoying herself, but giving by working so hard the whole time for JREF. She took her responsibilities very seriously.
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Kitty, your daughters are amazing! Beautiful, intelligent, poised and nice - they certainly take after their mother. I was very impressed.
 
Hutch said:
Finding out from a non-Forum member about the Atomic Testing Museum--a little hidden treasure in Las Vegas, not much publicized but a well-organized and enjoyable visit with an almost overwhelming wealth of information about the Atomic tests done within visual range (of the mushroom cloud) of Las Vegas in the 1950's and 60's (and hundreds of underground tests later).
Click to expand...

Damn. I knew about this, and had even printed out directions. I didn't know that anyone else would be interested. I was going to suggest it for Monday afternoon, but then I forgot. I don't think it was all that far from the strip.
 
Interviewing the coolest people on the planet is one highlight. But my absolute favorite was the following interaction with Penn while I got my picture taken:

Me: Penn, is it indeed tricky to rock a rhyme?
Penn: It's tricky to rock a rhyme on time.
Me: I see.



(If you don't get the reference you weren't cool in the 1980's.)
 
Anyway, I think my TAM highlights were in my report post.

Is it necessary to say that the greatest highlight was all the forumites and people and famous people I got to meet? And the discovery of y'all's rockingness (of a rhyme. On time.)
 
LostAngeles said:
Anyway, I think my TAM highlights were in my report post.

Is it necessary to say that the greatest highlight was all the forumites and people and famous people I got to meet? And the discovery of y'all's rockingness (of a rhyme. On time.)
Click to expand...


You don't know how tricky it is.
 
My favorite moment, or at least, the funniest I witnessed, was when I was behind the book table during the Mythbusters interview. Dr. "I explored Saturn" Porco was looking at books while the Mythbusters were talking about rocketry equations. When Adam said "We're rocket scientists!" The look on Dr. Porco's face as she glanced across the room at the stage was priceless.

Mythbusters, you rock, but claiming you're rocket scientists when one of the premire rocket sicentists in the world is in the room is, well, anecdote worthy.
 
In no particular order, here are my highlights:

Sitting across the table from Murray Gell-Mann at dinner and realizing that I've never met someone that intelligent before. I know A LOT of smart people, but I was awed by the depths of this intellect.

Having Ed Lu insist on pouring my wine since one should never pour one's own.

Presenting BA with a very nice, hand made pen, then the next day having him write this (with that very pen) in my well-loved copy of Bad Astronomy:

"To TJ, You've already been reading this, so you know what a bunch of crap it is. But hey, I got a nice pen out of it."

The "Black in the Back" anecdote from Jas.

Sitting at a slot machine next to a gorgeous woman who said "I don't understand, Sylvia Browne TOLD me I would win!" A few moments later after watching me blanche because I was biting my tongue so hard it bled my head dry, this beauty identified herself as Duppyraces. Awesome.

Spending hours getting to know Sid Rodrigues. I love that guy.

Lunch (to second Chaos) and a subsequent conversation with Dr. Porco. Other than Randi, She was one of my 3 most important meets among the speakers, along with BA and Ed Lu.

Hal's speech. Throw stones if you may, but even as an atheist it was nice to hear his perspective on it; his acknowledgement that it's not rational.

Dr. Dennett's presence and conversational prowess.

Shaking hands and having a discussion with Christopher Hitchens.

Conversing at length with Fowl, TKingdoll and Phil (aka MR. TK).

Jas commenting on the Horrid hair of the Stardust 'winners'.

Breakfast with Renata, Rebecca, Jas, Mattfn, exarch.

Hearing the waitress snap at exarch for wanting water.

Fixing Loon's iPod.

The Mac King Show.

The Jamy Ian Swiss show

Listening to Julia Sweeney (behind me) giggle with amazement and glee and the Jamy show.

The wet, sloppy, goodnight kiss I got from...wait a minute, did that happen? Sorry, got caught up in my fantasy for a sec.
 
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I mentioned some of these elsewhere, but since this seems to be the thread for it...

• Following my lame-ass absence at TAM3, being nonetheless made to feel right at home by friends from TAMs past and new people I was meeting for the first time.

• Turning my business card into a topologically impossible object that stumped Murray Gell-Mann.

• Meeting a skepchick who's as much of a jazz piano geek as I am. (JB, have you joined the forum yet?)

• Realizing that Mac King uses the exact same method for ALL of his tricks: making the audience laugh so hard they can't see, at which point he can get away with anything he damn well pleases.

• Discussing infrasound with the guy who first sparked my interest in it, Richard Wiseman (for a whole two minutes before he went to hang with the skepchicks. Not that I blame him).

• Getting the seat that afforded what I believe was the best view in the house of Kari's legs.

• Realizing the random guy in the elevator with me was Ray Hyman -- yes, the Ray Hyman!

• Being schooled in the entirety of Russian humor: Four jokes, one punchline.

But of course, none of these can hold a candle to my true highlight, the stuff of every skepdude's dream:

• Being appointed as, and subsequently carrying out the duties of, the Official Pajama Party Masseur.

I would say I could die happy now, except that would prevent me from vying for the position again next year.
 
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