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I have been looking forward to PAX East since they announced it, but the snowball kept rolling as more and more Bitmobbers said they were going. It started off with Derek and Brett announcing that they would be going, Rich McGrath, Mike Minotti, and a huge chunk of the community. Well, we had to have a meetup.
It was probably before or after a recording of the Pixel Revolt that we realized a lot of people were going to be there so we should throw another community get together. Now, when I say "we" what that really means is that Brett just got some swag from Shoe and I didn't get in the way, meanwhile Derek planned the whole thing. Which worked out good, because we were all playing to our strengths Derek organizing and planning community stuff, Brett — uh — being close to free stuff, and me doing nothing.
Now that I can look back at the whole weekend it is obvious that we put the right man in charge. The Bitmob community meetup was by far the best meetup I attended. I may be biased, but it was the only meetup with an area roped off for the community members — let alone the fact that we had a big enough area for all 30 – 35 people. It also had good prices and a friendly staff, which not all the other meetups can claim.
It was Brett's birthday and all he wanted was for us to sing him a heart-wrenchingly good version of happy birthday — like they do at Chi-Chis. Instead, he got this:
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1WiVaal_Z0 ]
We got moving to the meetup after some time on the floor.
This is what Disney is afraid will happen to the Jonas Brothers if they let them take off their Promise Rings…
Nolan Earl works at Kombo and Tony DaSilva is working at MTV games. Nolan let us use his hat for the swag giveaway. Tony let us use his awesome to make the party better.
Everyone tries to get a beer. The service was wonderful. The whole bar was a great experience thanks to the glowing white man in the foreground.
Giguere, Killham, and Ngo. The classiest mother effers in the bar.
Happy Brett Day, Birthday boy! Also, Petro-Roy!
I always catch him threatening somebody. "You will die," Brett says with a smile.
At first they were like…
… but then they were like.
I took a picture while they were eating which was mean, so I took this good one immediately after.
Eric says, "Whaa?!"
I think I told this to Rich, but I got that same shirt from Target! Eff yes, thrifty!
Alex Bader in the Kombo shirt, Nolan Earl, and Tony DaSilva. Meanwhile, glowing like an angel in the foreground is Brian Petro-Roy.
So, then we started giving away prizes. Almost all of the stuff came from Shoe's apartment, which everyone felt appropriately awkward about. However, that didn't stop us from having a great time giving stuff away.
Chris Whittington won our first prize. The Diner Dash apron! Glad the Squadron of Shame could show up!
Matt Giguere won the Deca Sports DS game and companion kerchief… stylin'.
He was very pleased — that is just how he shows appreciation.
Tony's girlfriend was a really good sport. She didn't seem at all overwhelmed by our nerdage.
Chris Minotti almost went Super Sayian after winning this Instant-Anime costume.
We were disappointed that it wasn't a wig he could wear immediately.
He acts like we were being loud or something — there were only like 35 of us.
Tony DaSilva was very happy to have won something to read, now he has a reason to learn how! Zinged.
One of the only decent things we gave away came from Brett. The other decent thing is in the bottom left corner.
Eric Majkut: Paper Crafter
Pete Davison wore this shirt on Sunday. On the train home Monday someone told me how they saw someone wearing a "Kick-Ass" shirt and they thought it was cool. Bitmob is to thank.
Jon Downin from Castmedium won something from Shoe's "portable-gaming-room."
Ryan Gan — writer at Sidequesting — won adhesive bandages that he will need when Naruto Legends turns him into a cutter.
I think Brian may actually be a model… here he is showing off the latest in Hudson spring-fashion.
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz3fqaxSSiM ]
He was legitimately happy.
I think Alex may have been faking gratitude.
Then we came across KORG DS-10. Brett asked me if we should give it away to someone who is musically inclined and that sounded like a great idea. Only two people were interested so Brett said, "how about Paper-Rock-Scissors." That wasn't nerdy enough, so we went with Bear-Ninja-Hunter.
A.J. Minotti (left) faces off aganst Matt Giguere (right), while Chris Duennes teaches them how to play. In the shadows, Beige and Ryan Gan look on.
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NorFMMjP8I ]
We have a winner!
David says, "Ngo way!" to Little Mac… I'm sorry. But this was one of the few items that actually got some interest.
She traveled into town with the Minottis, which I think is all the explanation this picture needs.
Brian won a Katamari shirt.
Now he won't have to rent a tuxedo t-shirt for the Spike Videogame Awards!
From the left: Eric Majkut, I don't know, Tony DaSilva (way back there), Harold Burnnett (black guy with hand), Matt Giguere (scruffy guy with brown beard), Jeff Grubb (white guy with fist), A.J. Minotti (stripes), Brian Petro-Roy (back), Chris Davidson (thumbs up), Jonathan Downin (hip hat), Brett Bates, Derek Lavigne (point hair and beard), David Ngo (leather jacket), Rich (shirt from Target), and Evan Killham (slick hair).
This is only a portion of the people that were there. Most had left for concerts, other meetups, or because the bar had kicked out younger folk.