Well, I've spent 2 weeks in Seattle, 3 days of those 2 weeks at PAX, 3 more of them at pre- or post-PAX events, and am now back home. I miss PAX.
What did I do?
My pre-PAX events included the Magical Mystery Tour of Seattle, featuring a Duck Boat ride, the EMP museum, an underground tour of Seattle and the Science Fiction Museum, as well as a Whisky tasting evening organised by my husband and the Pre PAX Dinner. My Post-PAX day was on the SchlitzKrieg - a tour of 12 microbreweries in 14 hours. I also went to the Girl's Brunch on the Sunday morning.
At PAX I played video games to my hearts content; went to the Keynote; asked Jerry and Mike to come to England; and played some table top. I had fun with Johann Sebastian Joust, Sonic and Journey.
I also played Cards Against Humanity. I was quite good at it. No-one expected that!
I hung around with friends, played the Assassin's Ball - managed to kill one person, and survived this time! I gave away my Assassin's swag to a friend, as he likes Assassin's Creed.
We travelled all around the Seattle area, went to Boeing's Museum of Flight, almost to Canada, and on the ferries to the islands.
I got very little painting done, as I was too busy having a good time, but I did manage another Assassin's Creed character. When I find it, I'll post an image of it.
I had completely forgotten just how bad jet lag is - 8 hour time zone difference - and have been a bit ill since I returned home.
I'm also missing hanging around with my friends, not having to explain to anyone that "Yes, I'm a gamer. Yes, I play games. No, not Angry Birds on my phone, proper games. Yes, I know I'm a woman. Yes, I'm old enough to be your mum. Yes, I'm disabled.". It's such good fun just being able to get on with it and play. It doesn't matter that I'm slow, that I can't manage all the buttons on the controller - shoulder buttons were made for people with normal sized fingers on both hands, not 1" long on one hand - I just get to play and have a brilliant time; to talk about levels in Limbo that I got stuck on, how amazing Shatter is, the stunning artwork of Journey ...
I'm almost better now, which is a good thing, as I'm off to Eurogamer in London next week. I'll be able to get a good dose of game playing - I'm travelling down on Thursday, but will only be at Eurogamer on Sunday. LewieP will plot a route for me to encompass all the games he knows I'd enjoy playing, fitting in chatting to the very lovely Devs I know who will be there, and showing me some games that I might manage to play at home with a bit of ingenuity - I play Wii games by taping the controller or nunchuck to my leg so I don't have to hold it as well as press buttons/move the stick!
Then, I'll have to deal with post-Eurogamer blues.
If you're going, watch out for a woman with a stick and crutch, that will be me! If you spot me, come and say hello.
I'm going to try to get some more of Guitaroo Man Lives done before I go, I'll update as I do.
