6/14-6/16 OMG!Con Owensboro, KY
Now, back to your regularly scheduled conventions. Owensboro on my part was something of a lark. I’d been waitlisted so I had no space at the show. But, if you’ve done as many shows as I have, there are always one or two vendors that drop out at the last minute due to illness, CAR PROBLEMS, or other things. I decided to stop just to see if I could get in.
As things turned out, I walked up to the vendor coordinator just when she found out one company had canceled out on her. She was about to ask the vendors if they knew anyone in town that could fill the space when I showed up. What a happy coincidence. Thus I got a DISCOUNTED booth to vend—double bonus!
In all, the show was nice. Lots of room for us vendors and folks to move around. Reasonable prices for decent food. Unfortunately not a lot of book lovers. It was more of an anime convention. I still made a profit but not like I expected.
6/16-6/18 Owensboro, KY to Norman, OK 719 mi
This trip went rather smoothly but followed some strange roads. I think Google maps got an accidental input of “Don’t drive on freeways, EVER.” So, I spent a number of hours driving on two lane state roads. And when I did get onto a freeway, the number of rest stops I saw in over eleven hours of driving was ONE. I think Kentucky and Arkansas don’t believe in them.
Once in Norman, I checked out the venue from the outside (first time for SoonerCon). Lots of room for me to park my beast.
I then checked on where I need to turn in my truck on the next day. Luckily, it was only five blocks away AND there was a Walmart just around the corner where I could park that night.
WARNING: Multiple whines coming (leave now if you are offended by whining).
I took my RAM eco diesel in for the exhaust filter problem I noted before. I unhooked my trailer on street parking just behind a fire hydrant (thus no one could park there and allow me to reconnect if the street parking gets busy.
I sat and waited while they checked out my truck (they said 2 hrs). They were “done” in an hour. This is where they told me that yes, my diesel exhaust filter was clogged and couldn’t be unclogged. It needed to be replaced. It was under warranty, but the part was on backorder and wasn’t likely to be delivered for SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. I replied, OK, not a problem, I’ll just deal with the slightly less fuel mileage and fix it when I get home. Oh, no. This is the same part that failed on me last year where if it were detected, it could give me the dreaded “We are turning off your engine in 200 miles” message.
They also informed me that they’d called around to everyone in the Oklahoma City area and northern TX area and no one had the part.
I took the part information and spent an hour calling around and found ONE single part about 200 miles away. So, I ask THIS station to get it from them. Oh, only if you pay the 10-30% fee they will charge us and the shipping (btw.. the part is about $4500). So, I told them to #&##*@!@@ off and arranged to have my truck taken in on Tues of next week at the place that had the part.
Note that I purchased a diesel vehicle because they were easier to maintain, required less preventative maintenance, etc. I went with RAM because of the research that said they were by far the more reliable truck. If this is reliable, I don’t see how anyone can afford to drive any other truck brand out there. This *&&^%^ truck has been in the shop more than ALL of my last three vehicles combined! AND there is still two recalls that haven’t been fixed because they don’t have the parts… I’m NOT recommending RAM or pickups. If I had to do it all over again, I’d buy a large Toyota SUV to pull my trailer.
OK, continuing my WHINEFEST… I left the dealer and went out to hook up my trailer, remember the one that I parked near a fire hydrant so no one would block it? Yeah, TWO cars parked there. No one knew who owned them. I eventually was so petulant that I called the police (who never answered the phone on their non-emergency line). So, as it was only two miles away, I drove to the police department where they hooked me up with dispatch. I gave them license plates, et al. I just wanted those unworthy individuals to get a ticket. Instead, the Norman Police sent out an officer who called each of the two people and got them to move. While I did want them punished, I got what I really needed. AND we saw that police can be decent sorts.
On to my final whine (I promise)…. On January 3, 2024, I submitted an application to Confluence on their website, a convention in PA that I did last year. How am I so exact on the date of submission? Whenever I submit something, I enter it into my spreadsheet.
Anyway, I noticed I hadn’t received anything back from them, so I emailed them. To their credit, they did respond right away… telling me that they hadn’t received anything from me and that the dealer’s room was full. So sorry. Nothing we can do for you. This put yet another hole in my schedule that already looks like a block of Swiss cheese.
This isn’t the first time a convention has said they haven’t heard from me despite me having a record of it. It just means that now, ALL conventions I do will be pestered by me monthly to give me updates. I love doing extra work to cover up for their shortcomings. Congratulations Confluence, on being the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.
END WHINES
My wife asked me if, despite all of the issues, I was still having fun. I honestly have to say “No.” It doesn’t mean I won’t do this next year, but it certainly puts this in the category of WORK. Don’t get me wrong. I love the conventions. The drama and pain in between have overwhelmed the good to make it an unhappy time… at least this year. Maybe that will change as things go forward, but I’m not so sure of it.
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