Trip Report Already? 2 broke guys for 2 more days of Music & Mickey! Live-ish!

Yes, yes, I know we just got back. We went in the middle of December, then again for Christmas, then again in the middle of January, and now - our third month in a row…

When: Feb 2-4
Where: All-Star Music, and All-Star Music (you’ll see.)
Who:

Tony

And Brian

Wait, wait - that’s not right. Pretty close, but not right. Let’s try again.

Tony

And Brian

OK but those were reject “blooper” pics from our last TR. Here’s one where we’re overdressed:

That’ll do.

And…Mickey.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Atlanta hotel (called “EVEN”) is green and clean, and half the price of the Renaissance where most attendees are staying.

There’s workout stuff in the room(!) in addition to a decent gym.

 

[RememberWhen]

Woo! I’m glad you made it on! Had me nervous there for a sec. There are more seat-like seats available if it’s the weird position that Brian wouldn’t like. Also I’m sure there are lots of volunteers here who would go with you!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I should have rented a car for $50/day. Already 3 x $50+ Lyfts on day one.

 

[littleroo]

I hope you Tu have fun!!

 

[93boomer]

Another CM appeared from behind the line. She took just the four of us who were in front over to the other track - but that didn’t seem to be moving, either, and now there were two people ahead of each of us.

Another announcement…

And then the people in front of us went!

I guess since no one died, we were next! Finally!

By now, I had had a slight chit chat with the kid who would ride next to me, who was probably born after Men At Work’s career was already over. That made me more comfortable.

The ride…was nuts! I don’t think this was a simple, easy coaster! Half in the light, half in the dark (very cool) no corkscrews or completely upside down (I don’t think) but certainly very sideways and quite fast!

I kept thinking #1 my glasses are going to fall off and #2 I’m going to fall off! Not knowing what was coming made me more anxious, and by the end, I realized I was sweating! (I never sweat unless the sun is beating down or I’m in a sauna.)

It was fun! It will be more fun next time when I know what to expect.

Brian would have died. He is not going on Tron.

For me, it will be a once in awhile solo thing.

And as much as I hate to admit it, was the hour saved waiting in line worth $16? Yes. That got me 3 rides, really: Tron + riverboat + CBJ.

Alas, I broke the ride! As I walked in a circle, completely missing the exit ramp, @Tuvalu texted me the ride was down!

And so it was.

D’oh! Good thing I went 1 minute early vs 40 minutes into the return window!

Tron
A hint of motion disruption (not sickness) towards the end, but doable, fairly wild, and not too short.

I think the long wait is awful! I got more and more nervous. I was so nervous that after the ride, my legs were wobbly! But, I loved it.

 

[rshell68]

I live in Fort Lauderdale! Flying to ATL for what’s called the “Music Biz” conference.

Oopsies, my bad. I think I forgot about that portion of your trip.

Top priority: talking with label execs to hopefully finalize a fairly well-known artist coming to visit our store this month! Hope to be able to announce on Tuesday.

Hmmm very curious! Will it be someone worth a 3 hour trip and tolls???

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Oopsies, my bad. I think I forgot about that portion of your trip.

Hmmm very curious! Will it be someone worth a 3 hour trip and tolls???

Maybe for 15-25 year old girls(?) (not Taylor, though!)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Our room number is 312. Why not my perfect number 313?

We had dinner with Brian’s best man last night. Great catching up. Too much beer!

Someone I’ve become friends with over the years just from these events (she’s in my phone as her name + “conference buddy”) texted last night.

She had beaten cancer about ten years ago. It came back pretty aggressively last year, we had some long talks about it. Her treatment was aggressive and tricky.

I replied to her text to say I had been thinking about her that day - here I was at Music Biz without my conference buddy.

She said, “I’ll be there tomorrow, bish! Obviously Mother’s Day with my kids today!”

I’m very excited to see her later today.

And she moves over to my hotel on Wednesday. (That host hotel is too darned expensive!)

Hotel breakfast (as $$ as WDW)

Lunch coming up in an hour.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Where was I? Tron accomplished, feeling self-satisfied, easy to get stuff back out of the locker…and almost out of time.

I could play games and try to stretch it out, but I was not in the mood for last minute dramatic airport arrivals today.

My parting shots:

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Without dragging this out, and with no more trip pics, I took the bus back to ASM. I did the massage chair, figured I was too full and there was nothing compelling to eat there, claimed my bags (no issues) and took a Lyft to the airport in plenty of time to catch the train home.

Brian texted about halfway through my trip that he had just gotten home from work. I thought he might come pick me up at the train station, but when I got home, he was sawing logs - much like he is right now in Atlanta.

All this fun stuff - eating out, drinking - takes a toll on old bishes! One of my distributors took us out to lunch a little while ago. Good chat, and I had a “spicy pear cosmo” with cinnamon but the food was mundane. Hence, I slept through a 2pm presentation (in my room, not in the auditorium.)

Next Disney trip: I’m not sure! I was supposed to go to Orlando to display at the record show in June, but I’m not sure if the guy saved me a table, and his website is showing a waitlist for tables. (Honestly, I’d rather just go to WDW!) We’ll see.

 

[93boomer]

Without dragging this out, and with no more trip pics, I took the bus back to ASM. I did the massage chair, figured I was too full and there was nothing compelling to eat there, claimed my bags (no issues) and took a Lyft to the airport in plenty of time to catch the train home.

Brian texted about halfway through my trip that he had just gotten home from work. I thought he might come pick me up at the train station, but when I got home, he was sawing logs - much like he is right now in Atlanta.

All this fun stuff - eating out, drinking - takes a toll on old bishes! One of my distributors took us out to lunch a little while ago. Good chat, and I had a “spicy pear cosmo” with cinnamon but the food was mundane. Hence, I slept through a 2pm presentation (in my room, not in the auditorium.)

Next Disney trip: I’m not sure! I was supposed to go to Orlando to display at the record show in June, but I’m not sure if the guy saved me a table, and his website is showing a waitlist for tables. (Honestly, I’d rather just go to WDW!) We’ll see.

Honestly, I’d rather you go to WDW!!

 

[Tiki Traveler]

The ride…was nuts! I don’t think this was a simple, easy coaster! Half in the light, half in the dark (very cool) no corkscrews or completely upside down (I don’t think) but certainly very sideways and quite fast!

I kept thinking #1 my glasses are going to fall off and #2 I’m going to fall off! Not knowing what was coming made me more anxious, and by the end, I realized I was sweating! (I never sweat unless the sun is beating down or I’m in a sauna.)

It was fun! It will be more fun next time when I know what to expect.

Brian would have died. He is not going on Tron.

I appreciate the detail because I think DH and I are the only ones who haven’t ridden Tron yet! (And I don’t love heights!) Oh well, someday!

 

[cgersic]

So glad you got to experience Tron! I'm not a fan of Guardians (too much spinning around screens) but Tron is definitely my new favorite. Thanks for the fun and we'll see you on the next one!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

OK, Canoe restaurant in Atlanta even one-upped Jiko. The chef is Australian, and yes, the table shared a (gasp) kangaroo appetizer!

(It’s the one in the back.)

And a stunning lamb dish!

 

[rshell68]

kangaroo appetizer!

Does it taste like chicken?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Does it taste like chicken?

more like a cross between venison and beef. Always like to try something new, but I was a little bit squeamish about it. They’re cute!

And delicious.

 

[Tuvalu]

I hope you Tu have fun!!

Oh we did!!

 

[93boomer]

Oh we did!!

View attachment 858864

That’s the cutest picture

 

[MickeyCB]

I do not have much appreciation for country.

You know what you get when you play country music backwards?
You get your wife, your life and your dog back!
(Sorry old mom joke)

 

[Swissmiss]

You know what you get when you play country music backwards?
You get your wife, your life and your dog back!
(Sorry old mom joke)

And your truck too