Well, I'm in for the convention. But if Rudy can go for two nights, that would really help. That would reduce our costs to about $65 a head (assuming the room is $100), which is workable.

We should ask Peter if he wants to go, too. He's seemed interested in conventions lately, and that would bring our costs down as well.

I will be poor and will expect to basically be making myself sandwiches the whole time, but I'll be there.

So let me tell you guys a little about my roommates. When I first checked out the place, there was a Player's Handbook on a shelf in my room, which I made an off-hand comment about; I figured it belonged to the guy who was moving out, or something. But actually, it seems that I have inadvertantly moved into a house full of gamers. I've got three roommates and they all love D&D and Call of Cthulhu from way back.

When I pulled up in my U-Haul, my roommate Scott was around and he helped me moved in. I mentioned to him that the two huge Sterilite containers housed my board game collection. Well, his eyes just lit up. I mean, literally, golden beams shooting out of his eyes. The containers were in the garage for the first five or six days I was here, and every time Scott saw me he said, "You know, I don't want to rush you, but whenever you want to open up those boxes, I'm there."

Scott, Allen, and a couple of their friends used to play tons of Axis & Allies, it seems. Scott even has the new version. (Scott's wife, Heather, is also a D&D player, but as a board-gamer is more the Scrabble type.) So a few days ago Scott and I hauled up the containers and I taught Scott how to play Battle Cry. He really liked it, so last night we taught Allen how to play as well and I ref'd them through the First Bull Run.

Ironically, I think that they would both really like Blood Bowl! It almost makes me want to pick it up at some point. I definitely think they'd like Space Hulk, and for some reason I have a good feeling about Necromunda as well.

So, yeah, that worked out.

(The obvious question is: do they want to go to GenCon? I don't think any of them can afford it--Heather and Scott are a one-income family, and Allen just bought a TV and PS2 so he probably doesn't have much to spare. Oh, well.)