EsCon local gaming convention

Sunday was busy.  We started off at the local Kitten Adoption event at PetSmart, where we semi-volunteer semi-regularly, and we got to meet Toast, the rescue of the season.  She was found seriously burned in a homeless camp up north somewhere but after a few months of rehab and some surgeries, she's a bouncy little cat who doesn't seem to mind the remaining handicaps.

After that, we went over to EsCon, which is a board gaming convention right here in Escondido, run by a guy named Steve who has a collection rumored to be 4000-5000 board games and bring a few shelves of games to the Escondido Charter School auditorium so everyone can get together and play.  Basically, pick a few games, pick a table and grab a sign saying "Players Wanted", and there's a fair chance that people will sit down and start gaming with you.

I was planning to just try some new games with Anne, since the setup was just perfect for grabbing any game off the shelf and seeing how it works ... but the table next to us was setting up for a game of Wyrmspan (which we had just seen at B&N a few days before).  So I got through it with Adam and two other people.  I'm so bad with names.  Will write about that separately.

Just as we were putting the pieces away, the fire alarm went off and we all waited around outside for a while.  Then cars started leaving and yeah, we were tired.  So we took off.  But the next event is in July and we will be better prepared for it.

There were tables of give-away games and tables of games for sale. We also talked to Steve about maybe donating some of our more expensive and complicated games to the con.  We won't be playing them, and selling games is a pain in the butt these days, they're too much for the Boys & Girls Club, and we just want to get them to players.  And clear some space at both of our places ... for more games.

We were only there from about 1 to 3:30, but it was good to see such a big turnout right in our hometown.  In the chatter that filled the room, it sounded like almost everyone was part of a local gaming group of some kind.  The conversations were about 20% real world stuff and 80% alternate game worlds and realities.  Everyone was pleasant.  Gamers can be quirky, but that's half the fun.

I didn't mean to leave Anne all alone while I played a 90-minute game, but she enjoyed looking at games, gaming on her phone, and introducing people to Dory.  Then she won a gift card to a game shop in Vista we have never been to.  We assume it's for $25.  Either way, it worked out perfectly.  More to explore.


We would have taken more photos and talked to other players about local game groups,  but it was cut short.  Also, I try not to take pictures with people in them without permission,  and the place was packed. 


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