OK - Here it is.....my story from today's adventure in New Jersey!!!!! (Sorry it's so long, once I started typing I couldn't stop. I felt like I needed to document everything so I don't forget).
When we got to the hotel this morning we ate breakfast and then me and Gianna (my friend’s 9 year old daughter) went out to my car to get a copy of the convention schedule that I printed the night before. On our way out the door, I noticed a car with a piece of paper in the window that said “JUDGEâ€. We went to my car, got the schedule and then came back. Before we could even get in the door, Stephanie came running out of the door (she had been waiting for us inside) pointing excitedly to her right. I looked and there was Christopher Judge coming out the front door. He walked behind the car with his name on the window and was asking someone who worked at the hotel which car was his. I don’t think the guy knew so Christopher was kind of looking around so I said to him, “This one’s yours. I saw your name on the windowâ€. Of course, I was snapping pics the whole time. Then Stephanie pushed Gianna towards him for a picture. Stephanie asked him if he would take a picture with Gianna and he turned and took the picture with Gianna. A few other fans had followed him out of the lobby and were standing there snapping pics. He looked tired. We’re guessing that he was up late with Michael Shanks drinking. You never know, it could be true.
When we were let into the convention we shopped for a little while ( a very little while). This would be because they really didn’t have that much merchandise. I was expecting TONS of merchandise. There was only one room with vendors and they weren’t even all Stargate vendors. There wasn’t that much to choose from (no jewelry, pins, patches, etc,). They had mugs and shot glasses but they were ugly (they were fatigue colored with the Stargate patch logo on them). I had A LOT of money burning a hole in my pocket. Sadly, I brought most of that money home with me. I only bought a shirt, a Michael Shanks photo plaque and 3 comic books.
When we were done shopping we went to see Teryl Rothery’s Q&A. I got some pics and then Gianna and I got on line for Shanks Photo Op (we were 20 minutes early) so we were close to the front of the line. We were keeping an eye out for Shanks because we didn’t know which way he was going to come from. I spotted him as he walked by the end of the line. I told Gianna, “There he isâ€. And I started snapping pics. We both kept snapping as he walked past us and then of course we snapped the obligatory “butt shotsâ€. NICE!!!!! The line moved pretty fast. Everyone was sitting with Shanks for their photo, but no one was really touching him (except to shake his hand when leaving). When I sat next to him, I moved in close and threw my arm around his shoulder (so we were almost cheek to cheek). The photographer looked away from his viewfinder and looked at me with a surprised face. Then Shanks said, “Jump right in!†and laughed. After the pic was taken I planted a kiss on his cheek and heard someone say “Ooooooo†(I don’t know if it was the photographer, or the handler person - at that point I didn’t really care). Hey, I paid 40 bucks for that pic, I wanted it to be WORTH IT (and of course, it was!!!!!). Gainna sat and took her pic, but she chickened out of kissing him. She is only 9. Maybe next time she’ll be brave enough (we’re still training her in her “stalking†skills).
Stephanie and Gianna then got on line again to take 2 more pics with Shanks. I walked around for a while and from the 2nd floor I spotted Hammond in the lobby below (his bald head just stood out from up above). I ran down there and took a pic with him. I also got a pic of Tony Amendola. I got back on line with my pals and told them what just happened. We hoped they would still be there when we were done with the Shanks photo. So, Gianna took another pic alone with Shanks and then we took a shot of all 3 of us with him. In the group shot, Gianna sat in the chair next to Shanks. Myself and Stephanie were behind him. The photographer told us to lean our arms on the back of the chairs. Of course, I never listen. I leaned with my left arm and put my right hand on Shanks’ right shoulder (I’m a very touchy-feely kind of person). The second I put my hand on Shanks the photographer made a funny comment (I can’t remember what, it was something like “Oh Boy!â€). I guess they aren’t used to people touching the talent. Oh well, I enjoyed every second of it!!!!!
We waited outside the photo Op room for Shanks to come out and head towards the speaking area. Gianna was at one of the room’s doors, I was at the other and Stephanie was down the hall (ready to take a pic of me and Gianna following Shanks - This is “Stalking 101". Yes, we are CRAZY!!!!!) So, he came out of the door by me, so after snapping pics, me and Gianna walked right behind him. By the way, Gianna is 9 years old and all she did was snap pics of Shanks’ “butt†as we walked down the hall. VERY FUNNY!!!! And Shanks could definitely hear the camera clicks and winds (disposable camera) behind him. Anyway, Stephanie got a pic of us walking behind him. She said to Shanks as he passed, “I wanted to get a shot of the stalkers behind youâ€. Then he laughed. We followed him to the entrance to the speaking area. It was really cool. By the way, his but is a lot smaller that it looks on TV. But, VERY NICE!!!!!
By this time Hammond was not in the lobby anymore so we went to our seats for the Shanks Q&A. Of course, we ran to the front with everyone else to take closer shots. Then I spotted some empty seats in the 5th row, so I pulled Gianna over with me and we sat down. We got to see him from up close for the whole time. I got some really close shots with my zoom lense (I hope they come out ok). Gianna kept going back and forth in the aisle and was sitting on the floor even closer than me (she also took pics which I will get copies of and post). Shanks was really funny with the Q&A session. And there were a lot of references made to the Christopher Judge Q&A (by both Shanks and fans). It went way too fast and before I knew it, it was over.
We went to the restaurant dining room to have lunch before leaving to go back to Long Island. We sat down and as I am talking to Stephanie I noticed Hammond sitting alone in the restaurant reading a book while waiting for his order. I brought Gianno over to take a pic with him. He was very nice. During our meal, we saw a few people come up to him and he was very nice to them, even when he was eating.
All in all, it was a GREAT day!!!!! The pics will be back tomorrow and I will post a link so everyone can see them. I think between the 3 of us we took about 150 shots. Probably about 20 of those are of “Shanks’ buttâ€. (I’m sure there will be plenty of these convention pics being posted over the next few days). Something I learned....I need to upgrade to a digital zoom lense camera. That will be my goal for next year’s convention. Until then.....I’d love to hear other people’s convention stories (from this convention or any others). Later!
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