Yesterday, Easter morning, I spent it in Boston going to a gaming convention with two of my more geekier (but still adorable) sons. And I had a blast.
Spencer and Griffin had specifically come home from college to not only grab an Easter basket, but to go to PAX East. A three day celebration of all things-games. Each morning at 7 am, they and Marc left for Boston and didn’t return until well after 10 pm. If you are at all into games (Spencer has a gaming blog (which is an amazing story in itself), and Griffin wants to work in the gaming field) then this is the place for you. Beta games are rolled out, there are demos of just released games and tons of gaming “swag” (like buttons and codes for downloadable games or items for games.)
It is a gamer’s paradise.
Which is why I, who even stinks at Tetris, was very happy to hold down the fort in New Hampshire, while they all went. I mean, I like me a good game, but I tend to steer toward games like Apples to Apples, Farkle, and that old favorite board game: Masterpiece (Played it over and over and over and I credit it for some of my art education.)
Griffin with a chick *not* from our flock.
But then Griffin, who talked to Eka (Chandana Ekanayake – his Good Egg interview is here) of Uber Entertainment makers of the world’s best game: Monday Night Combat, told me that he was given two exhibitors passes by the Uber crew. Eka wanted to meet me (and truth was, I was also dying to meet him.)
Eka, along with the good folks at Monday Night Combat, are the ones who immortalized one of our chickens – Chickey Cantor in their video game. If you don’t know the story, it’s worth taking a few minutes to read it. It’s a story filled with selflessness, overcoming adversity, a company who does the right things for their fans, and a kid who found a community that fully embraced him. (Here is another part of the Chickey story.)
It’s all good.
Which is why I couldn’t say no to the the passes.
So Easter morning found me on a bus heading to Boston instead of making an Easter breakfast for the kids.
It’s fair to say that when I got there, I was blown away. PAX East is amazing! It’s like a video arcade on steroids. Massive displays, tons of free stuff for the truly devoted. A playground like no other. There is something going on everywhere.
Seriously Spencer? Live long and prosper with a Teddy Bear?
Griffin took me over to meet Eka, Ryan Gaffney, and John Combs at the Uber Entertainment (MNC – coolest game ever) booth.
Handshakes were not appropriate for this team, I hugged them all. These guys have become true members of our flock and I welcomed them from the West Coast – to our roost here on the East Coast. Because we were there before the show actually started, I was able to talk to them and let them know how much excitement they’ve created by acknowledging and encouraging the fan who is Griffin.
I tried to let them know that they are living a stand-up life by doing the right thing which includes looking out for a member of the gaming flock. I hope my words were able to convey what I felt in my heart, but there’s a reason why I’m a writer and not a public speaker.
When it was time for the event to officially being and the doors opened and thousands of fans entered the exhibit hall. For some of the more popular games, people had to (very happily!) wait in line for hours.
Although Griffin and Spencer still had miles to go before they slept (both figuratively and literally as they both had to go back to college later that afternoon) on that final day of the convention, after a short tour of the hall, I was ready to go home. I loved that I finally got to meet Eka, John, and Ryan (and guys, anytime you are in the area – me roost es su roost) Not to sound like an uncool mom, but bombed-out buses, rock monsters hanging from the ceiling, blinking lights, sounds of explosions, and enough 5-hour Energy drinks to power a nuclear station – although all exciting, were not enough of a lure to keep me from going back to New Hampshire to celebrate the rest of the holiday with those members of our flock who were at home.
Happy Easter from the PaxEast(er) Bunny.
