Hi, my name is Paddy, and I have a problem. I can't write... well I could once, but now I fear I have lost my ability to do writeups. I'm working at it, but I can never seem to get everything together in a timely fashion.

I was getting stuff together for my HBOMB writeup, and I found a bunch of PAX stuff I never posted to the forum. I did the smart thing and posted pics to Facebook immediately this year, but there's still a ton of video and shit that has been dashed upon the altar of procrastination... and life commitments I guess...

So, I'm gonna be better with this, and that starts here....

Padraig08's Mostly Pictures, But Some Words Too, Kinda Late, But Not Really (In The Grand Scheme Of Things) PAX Prime 2013 Writeup and Good Times Bar & Grill

So it starts in the likely place, PA. My 3rd year of going to PAX, my third year of knowing these strange and wonderful internet people I love so well, my third year of spending otherwise investable amount of my income on going to another coast and seeing friends I still can't quite explain. What baffles me more, is why these people seem to like me enough to welcome me into their e-family. [insert claude speech here]

Flew in early this past year so I could soak up the Brorgs (gotta think of a better moniker), met up with NsU, Ben Simon, and Kermit. I believe we flew in too late to attend the Pre-pre-PAX fun at Wing Dome, or as it came to be known as: The Wingening.

The next day we went to the EMP Museum, which is a fun wonderland of Sci-Fi and music. NsU, Ben Simon, and I decided to make a new fantasy land of our own by forming, and forming, and forming. Then me and Kermit checked out the history of rocker babes... and women in rock and roll. We went to leave and ran into the first rain I've seen ever in Seattle, and it wasn't pleasant either. It was really end of the world, torrential rain type of stuff. Then I snapped this gem.

Then that turned into this gem.

Then I tumblr'd it up.

(Reuse for future fun and jokes. #thelaughskeeponcoming)

That night we were invited to the 2nd annual RukarBQue invitational. Much laughs and drinks were had... and chocolate. Again with the chocolate? Next year I'm hoping people bring sandwiches from their local deli so I have a fighting chance, but then I would have to change my name to Lars... maybe it's not worth it. As last year proved, the Lars Cup is an event to be reckoned with. I didn't know Norway had so much beef with Germany, must be cheese related I'm sure.

MFW NakedEli tries to kill Kermit

Anyway, I always love these intimate community events, even if it wasn't meant to become a super meetup originally, Rukari has always been a grand and humble host. Long live the King, Long live the Chocolate, Long live RukarBQue.

Let's Play RukarBQue 2 (1 of 1)

One sleep went by and then it was time for actual PAX... but I'm going to cover that briefly. The show itself is a mystifying swath of color and excitement. Because of this it often becomes a menagerie trying to remember what happened on the show floor each day specifically. So I will cover some of it in the following bullets:

-Played Saint's Row IV, DAT DUBSTEP GUN

-Slowa broke the sound barrier:

-Got to use an Oculus Rift, it's effin' cool.

-Watched the Wolfenstein trailer like 20 times in line. Love the concept, but the game seems ok by comparison to what I imagined.

-Went to the ocremix panel, 30 years of VG music panel, Pitch a Game panel, Mega64 panel, and Roosterteeth panel. All were very good. The Mega64 guys are literally insane though.

-and many more!

That night we few, we chosen few were invited to the roof of the Hard Rock Cafe to chill with the swank daddies (and mommas) of game dev hustle. Of course I speak of Bungie, perhaps you've heard of them. (Author's Note: look at the address bar.) A personal dream was fulfilled that night, getting to shmooze with Bungle folks, open bar, still spending an obscene amount when the bar became unopened, hanging with my community brethren. Truly I was on Olympus. Many good talks were had, gushes were gushed, and I may have talked DMiller's ear off about Halo 3 and my mad Chopps.

He smells like brilliance.

https://twitter.com/Bungie/status/373677378419298304

The next night after the show we all met up at the DBO Meetup at Lunchbox Laboratory. I feel slightly responsible for what led to an overpopulation at the laboratory. Apparently those prudes have a limit on how many people can cram into a place and worry about fire code and blah blah blah.... So when the Ready Up Live crew rolls in with 20 something people, they weren't very happy. They found another DBO Meetup with blackjack and hookers, so they were fine. At any rate, fun was had, I was drunk for the 2nd or 3rd straight day in a row, and burgers were fantastic. We even got to play some Cards Against Bungie.Org, I won't give it away, but Public Ridicule was matched quite well with Podtacular. Sorry DustStorm.

Look at all the fun we're having

Such fun here

Not too much fun now

Fun cleanup

Duncan threw a mighty fine shindig, I even got to talk to Pat O'Kelley, the executive producer on Destiny. And I'll tell you I had lots of relevant insight to tell him that will no doubt make him consider my ideas for Destiny. Chopper, here we come.

The night didn't end there however, Schooly, Tex, Mig, Kerm, Newman, and I went to a sweet little place to do some late night karaoke. To continue my booze cruise all Schooly and Tex could whip up was a 12 pack of Miller Lite... it would have to do! It was Bryan Newman's 21st birthday after all, and as midnight ticked over we made sure he had a good one... full of karaoke and good laughs.

So sing us a song, you've a Killionaire...

Levi has seen too much

The next day, we hit the show floor again, then a few of us met up at the GameWorks arcade across the street from the convention center. Newman was slamming the dino coin game from 90's era chuckie cheese...

and TDSpiral and I ran a game of Rambo 3....

this Rambo 3:

And... umm... this racing game. TD had to go fast.

TDSpergal's Too Fast, Too Furryous

Afterwards we headed down to the Halo 4 Championship Final which was about to begin. I don't watch competitive Halo, I never have, but the Final game was actually very close and tense to watch. I got excited by the end, but maybe that was just the use of concussion rifles. #datnoisemachine

We stayed for a little bit in the Halo... Hallway, and saw our community compatriots as well as Pistola, the newly crowned champion. People got swank UNSC hoodies at the shop, drinks were had, Xbone travel mugs were acquired and all was good with the world. On our way out, I saw a piece of Halo swag in the trash. It was a copy of the new Initiation comic. Finders keepers I suppose. CrazedOne read it on the way to our next location, the popular and aptly named Dick's Burgers.

Our entire Halo/Destiny/Bungie.org/whatever battalion rolled up into Dick's expecting nothing but a normal meal. We descended upon the burger stand like a horde of apocalyptic locusts. People everywhere, commoners ran in terror, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.

I have to hand it to Laird for throwing this little event and TDSpiral collaborating both Halo and Destiny posters to give out to the Halo/Bungie faithful. You internet friends are too kind to me.

much <3

so luv

And you think the night would end there, with liver and wallet somewhat intact. Nope. Went out drinking to some nice little bars on upper Pike St. with my besties, Schooly and Tex. What we didn't realize was PAX weekend was also host to Bumbershoot, a hippie music festival or something. So, when last call came and the bars emptied, the streets were packed with people. Such a peacefully belligerent crowd those hippies.

Thus began the final day of PAX, the day where you get all the swag and play all the games you put off til lines were shorter... Well, they never got shorter.

I know I said I talked about the show floor in it's entirety earlier, but that is a lie. There is one part I saved for now. That is the Miracle Hour, the last hour of PAX. Anything can happen in this magic timeframe. Swag that once took hours to acquire could be yours, lines diminished, a synchronized feeling of fleeting freedom and urgency. I got a ton of swag, I played games, I truly lived.

After the end of PAX, we said goodbye to a few off to their own life adventure and sought to regroup with our community proper. Word on the street was that the Old Spaghetti Factory was where dinner time was happening. So the Lord Kermit and his young squire Paddy went to get some old spaghetti.

But I wanted new Spaghetti

Alas, this was last great meetup of PAX, sads were had, emotions and memories, and of course, group pictures.

Which I apparently don't have.... please tell your friends about his writeup.

After heartfelt goodbyes, me and Kerm headed to our hotel by the airport. We still had the rest of the next day to burn, as well, but most of it was on our own.

Kermit and I went to Jack in the Box, of which there are few over East, well my east anyway. We spied a thrift store across the street and I proceeded to tell Kermit about the game my buddy and I played at home. We call it, Goodwill tournaments, the rules are simple. 1) Paroose the shirt isle of Goodwill and find the most hideous shirt possible. 2) Compare shirts to see who's is more offensive to the soul. 3) the loser has to buy the winner's shirt and keep it.

Needless to say, I lost....

I lost big

But at least I was a runner up:

And they sold VCR's and SDTV's by playing Star Wars and Indy on them in the store. Touche thrift store, touche.

From there, me and Kerm ventured to sacred ground, the Old Bungie studio and the now 343 studio. I had heard legend of this fabled building and now at long last I could see it with mine own eyes. We were actually heading to the Starbucks about a stone's throw from the building to meet BSAngel, who had been at the Halo 4 tourney and busying all weekend. Many of the still remaining Halo community showed up, and much like the rest of the weekend, crowded the poor Starbucks. From then Jess asked if we wanted to move this to the 343 studio.... the short answer was yes, the long answer was more like YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSOMGYESTHANKYOUJEBUS.

We hung around in the hallowed halls and saw some 343 guys bustle to and fro from the halls. After a little bit of praying at the altar of Halo, it was time we head out. So, Heartfelt goodbyes round 2 and it was time for me and Kerm to head to the airport.

You know the rest from there. I am so very blessed to call all you my brothers and sisters in combat. I just hope I don't have to wait a whole year to do it all again. (Please flip over to Side B: HBOMB)

----------Here's the excess media I used and didn't-----------

The whole Enchilada with Guac and Sour Cream:
http://imgur.com/a/KtXe8 <---Much Pictures! Wow!

Video too:
Extra stuff that goes no where else

P.S. This was not supposed to be this long, but once I get started, it ends up how it ends up. Like those HBOhio videos, or that Schooly video... oh you don't know about that yet... just wait til the HBOMB writeup 2015.

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Ah, the SHIRT. I've dreamed of little else but embroidered AK-47s and Mary Jane ever since.

Paddy, you are a fine travel mate, and I look forward to more adventures.

I guess you could have done a lot worse.

Around Christmas time, Straight No Chaser was in town, and one of the singers said he had checked out Fisherman's Wharf. The Paramount itself was cringing.

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I'm excited to see these beautiful faces again!

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But you're 3 months early this year!