Every year I look forward to attending the Orlando International Guitar Convention. For one thing, it’s in Orlando. For another, it’s a guitar convention. You had me at guitar. Regardless, every year I drag my wife to Orlando and she shops in one of Orlando’s many outlet malls while I go to the convention. It’s a nice getaway – we stay overnight in Orlando in a nice hotel, go out and have a nice dinner, and attend to matters that are none of your business.
But this year, due to scheduling conflicts, I’m here alone. Which is not as much fun, but it’s still neat. The convention is at the Orlando Fairgrounds in the middle of nowhere, but I’m staying on International Drive where there are a billion things to do. This year I’m staying at the Embassy Suites on International, one of my fave hotels because it has an indoor pool and an indoor jacuzzi. After the drive over, I couldn’t wait to check in and climb into that jacuzzi…
CLOSED. It was closed. SHIT!
Fortunately they had another one outside, and it was plenty hot and felt plenty good. After 15 minutes of that, I felt tons better. So what next? Sit in my hotel room alone all night? No. I walked around and went into a cheesy souvenir store and eventually ended up at UNO’s for dinner, which was good. I like deep dish pizza every once in a while.
Right now I’m sitting in the spacious hotel lobby, typing my blog entry and looking cool. Sadly, no one has walked up and propositioned me, but that’s for the best anyway – I am very happily married and I would politely turn them down. Place is fairly empty, anyway.
If you’re going to the Orlando International Guitar Convention, the best plan is to go to Orlando the night before it opens to the public, so that you can be there at 10 am when it opens (or shortly after 10.) That way the best deals are still there. The convention has a deal worked out with a hotel near the fairgrounds, but it’s a Hampton Inn. Do I look like Hampton Inn? Child, please. I like nice hotels. Not that Embassy Suites qualifies as a top tier place, but it’s nice to have a suite.
They have a Dave and Buster’s near my hotel, so I think I’m going to go over there and play some video games like a dork. Or should I just go to the bar and drink? Decisions, decisions. It might make sense to just go to my room and catch up on all of the YouTube videos from NAMM that I haven’t seen. I see John Mayer and PRS teamed up to produce an overpriced amp that they say is inexpensive. They mean it doesn’t cost 10 grand. I like John Mayer, but he’s like Eric Johnson – he claims to be able to hear really small details that most of us wouldn’t hear. Good for him. I’ll stick with my Bassbreaker.
Time to go. I bet you can’t WAIT for part 2. The one where I actually talk about the convention after I’ve attended it.
