Glad I went

Got off to a late start thanks to some GI foo,  but checked maps online and saw that there was ample free parking near the convention hall, no need to walk a mile from the first parking garage. Take Desert Inn Rd instead of Flamingo, and come in from the north instead of the south. And now I know even better - Twain is even closer.

So I took my $85 reserved lousy seat ticket and went to the Rio, in time for a panel consisting of two guys who designed and built the ships for the series, and one of the more prolific directors. They were pretty interesting and mostly retired.

And then, much to my surprise, at around noon  (I had expected him in the evening instead) came this guy:
  
90 years old last March, William Shatner was as animated as a 20-year-old. He spoke clearly and loudly, and was enormously entertaining. He started by telling about swimming with sharks on Josh Gates' show Expedition Unknown. I had seen that episode recently, it was during Discovery Channel's shark week and was called Shark Trek. He regaled us for about half an hour, then took questions from audience members lined up at mikes off stage left and right. The protocol is to take one from column A and then the next from column B. He actually walked across the stage to within a few feet of the audience member each time. The first question was from a very old woman - "when is your next movie coming out?" He said he had just released one which she should see, called Senior Moment. After the first few questions, he would walk to center stage and sit in the very comfortable looking chair and give a long answer. And then back to the side where the next questioner was. He had a rule - before asking your question, remove your mask and tell him your name. Interesting because all through his presentation he would not be able to come up with the name of a writer or actor, etc.   and he would ask the audience for the name. There was always someone (or many someones) who knew. Alan Dean Foster (who wrote the story for the first movie) kept getting mixed with Jim Parsons of the Big Bang Theory.  It was a cool experiment in hive mind.

After his session, there was a 1-hour break and they said Kelsey Grammar was next. I do not know what Mr.  Grammar has to do with Star Trek, and I don't like the characters he played in Cheers and spinoffs. So I went to the cafe for a hot dog. That was a cluster-f. Four lines, 2 cashiers. The same room has a small stage and they soon did a Trek version of The Match Game,


which was not very good, stupid questions, they had both contestants answer at the same time (no A/B choices) and the panel was supposed to be impersonating the actual old time panelists, but except for the guy playing CNR, it was a bust. I left when the woman sitting next to me decided it was audience participation and the woman behind me cackled loudly at all the bad jokes.

I ducked into Kelsey's session long enough to confirm I don't like him.

After a quick visit to the way-too-large vendors' room, I went home.

I got my $85 worth.

Been on the computer a lot processing photos, which are here.

Watched Love Island, the final set of 1-on-1 dates. There was a pattern. The most-connected couple got a scenic copter ride around whatever Hawaiian island they are on, #2 got a speed boat ride (think drug smugglers) , #3 a sort of luau minus the food but with hula dancers, and #4 just got a couple of people with fire sticks. The invite suggested fireworks so that was a bummer.

Expedition Unknown and 90 Day Tell-all were both teasers. Gold Rush new season is starting early. Last year started late.
 
In theory I have the Raiders-Seahawks game on Tivo, but I kept seeing 49ers-KC when I was changing channels so maybe not.

Picked up a box from the mailbox storage, treats and cat grass. And Vitamin B.

Changed the litterbox

Tomorrow will be relax-a-thon
I do need to get my nails done sometime soon

Sunday sashimi

Watching the Raiders play the Seahawks somehow I got a hankering for sashimi, so I ordered two meals' worth plus edamame and a side of tempura shrimp. Door Dash, massive delivery snafu, the gate stopped working so I headed there to get my food, but as I was within a block, the gate opened and three cars came through. I made a u-turn and followed them, but they all turned off other streets. Got home just as the delivery guy was driving away, he had come from the wrong direction. And must have come through before the three others.

Got my food, it was good. One more meal's worth in the fridge.

So no salad. I figured the edamame made up for that.

Exhibition game, both teams were trying out new and rookie players. Raiders QB had been many years in Buffalo, and he was pretty good. Having a decent O-line helps. Kind of bittersweet how easily Las Vegas trampled Seattle, since the Seahawks are my team when they are playing anyone else.

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Breakfast banana & later a muffin. fruit and half the rice pudding for lunch, the other half for dinner dessert.

Packed up the fancy & too expensive Razer keyboard and asked online for an RMA. They are overseas somewhere it will be  a while. Put the Kensington keyboard (my wired backup) in place, did not want to mess with the Microsoft wireless. After much research ordered a Logitech G213 which is billed as a gaming keyboard but isn't. It is backlit, your choice of colors, but the keys are wider and not as trigger happy. It also has independent media keys.

Read the news. Good riddance to Americans in Afghanistan. Like Vietnam, rescue as many people as possible who helped our side, but if they really want an Islamic Emirate, let them. The real enemy are the Saudis. Obama should have done this within a year of his 1st election - he had promised. After Bin Laden was killed he had no excuse.

Still far too much news space wasted on covid. One reason I got out of journalism is the utter predictability of what is covered. 

Not much else online, no storm chasers. My only local streamer was playing slot machines.

Took the top sheet off the bed, thinking these red itchy welts are showing up after sleeping on it, so better wash it and kill whatever insect is biting me. While I was at it I threw in some towels and T-shirts and jeans shorts. Ran it once on warm and then again on hot.

Went to the Mayo Clinic pages and discovered this is probably not insects but prickly heat. Solutions: lower to room temp - so we'll try78 instead of 81. And ordered some cooling bamboo bed sheets. I've been happy with their pillows.

Tivo had more Love Island, and a long double episode of Expedition Unknown going deep into Siberia to solve a mystery of a student camping trip where they all died scattered a mile from their tent, in their underwear. Looks like they saw something they were not supposed to see and got taken out by the nearby gulag officers.

Saw one of the strays inside my sage bush, eating the leaves. So after dark tonight I put food & water out on the porch and he was right there. Spook was very interested, watching through the screen door.  Last night the golden one also checked out the porch, so it's for him too. If I see a raccoon I'll call Animal Control.

Oh we're having another thunder storm.

Plans for tomorrow:
call for a nails appointment, maybe also get a haircut. 
Garbage bins to the curb
Bring in the cat food