July 1st 2005
So, it's been roughly a week since I got back from the summit, and I've still not written a journal. I've had pretty decent reasons but it's still pretty inexcusable. 
I'm not going to write an extremely detailed account (diny's memory is intimidating) of the summit, mostly because I can't remember everything that happened, and also because everyone else has.
What I will do I say thanks to everyone I met and spent time with at the summit for making the entire week (yes, i stayed a week, you quitters) the most fun, and most memorable time i've had. I didn't meet a single person I didn't think was awesome - the atmosphere, the injokes, the semi-drunken chaos...it was all great.
I made true friends during my time in LA, and went away with memories i'll never forget. Sounds cliché as hell, but it's true. The furama crew were quite clearly the most awesome people who showed up, and i'm already missing you fine folks.
notable moments, in the order i remember them:
- running from terminal 4 to terminal 3 with bornghost so we can hopefully catch attila as he picks up his baggage and surprise him with a giant sign.
- in a similar vein, embarrassing damphyr with another giant sign in the airport, and watching an airport official ride in a wheelchair down the exit corridor, then hop out when he realised 10 people were chuckling at him.
- This. I'd say 'enough said', but what that photo lacks is the guy walking past the door, who saw what was happening in the photo and did a total double-take, to the point that he walked past, realised what he'd seen and walked BACK to give us the best example of 'wtf?' i've ever seen.
- amolerouth and damphyr are hot dancers.
- meeting precurser, one of my inspirations to enter the world of digital graphics online. EndEffect was one of my regular haunts.
- Dramarama.
- losing my luggage at LAX when i touch down.
thankfully it arrived at the hotel the next day. - pachunka and spyed's 'force five', and pach's 'history of deviantART á la Star Wars.
- sitting on the beanbags with a bunch of cool folks, wondering if we can manipulate deviants into fetching us freebies from around the summit by offering to make them senior members.
- and of course, CANADIAN BACOOOOOOON.
the stupidest, most hilarious joke ever.
It was funny. I ended up talking more to people I've never spoken to before, rather than the people I knew somewhat through IRC and the site.
- damphyr - is a truly awesome person. thanks for the memories, and you definately have to come visit some time. plus, i have your caridgan/fleece thing!
- bornghost - you're one of the coolest, most laid-back guys I know. and you have awesome taste in music. remind me to pick up some recommendations from you in future. :>
- phae - thanks for sticking around when i was panicking about my lost luggage, and for the fun us stragglers had on the last couple of days. :>
- knock - was good to be able to spend some time with you guys before you move away from portsmouth. i'm going to really miss you guys. :< expect visits when i have a job.
- anon-y-mouse - i had a great time with you, and i'll never forget it. It was awesome to meet you.
- ninjabrick - oh ninjaplick, we must truly elope! the oceans between us tear at my heartstrings, and i fear i cannot go on!
- dinyctis - was good to finally meet you, man. Was just reading the quote list - half of it's you and it's all hilarious. :>
- godofodd - is a funky guy. Thanks for the book recommendations; they'll keep my going for a while. Shame you had to leave so soon.
- Zeros-Elipticus - has an awkward name, but is a generous mac-lender. thanks for letting me get my IRC fix.
- CyniSteve - sorry for calling you the noob. but you're like...not even a subscriber, right?
Also, you're a crazy poker. - splat - is just as cool in person as he is on site, if not cooler. and is an excellent driver - thanks for the lifts.
- picard102 - still hasn't demonstrated the legendary 'canadian smackdown'. It was great to meet you first in the hotel lobby, too.
- amolerouth - is craaaaazy. but fun! i was unexpectedly spagacked more than once!
It's nice to see all the people who didn't come this time saying they'll come to the next one, now. But you guys should have come to this one and been a part of dA history.
The people whom I most would have liked to have met were Matt and John. Please, guys, try to make it to the next one. 
And if YOU didn't come, you should come next time too. theflat is the account the furama crew started once we got back. it probably won't make much sense to anyone else. but you gotta admit, it's got a cool avatar. :>
In other news, since I've gotten back, my harddrive was caught in a power surge during a thunderstorm and died. I lost about 4 years of unfinished graphics and artwork, my enormous collection of winamp skins dating from about 1999. On the plus side, I didn't lose my music, or my photographs. Still, time to burn some things to DVD i think.
Check out some of the cool summit photocollages:
2005 deviantART Summit Photos:
[attila Set 1] [splat Set 1] [precurser & kriegs Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4] [Frogboy Set 1] [amolerouth Set1] [bornghost Set1] [elorg Set1] [moonbeam13 Set1] [phae Set 1 ] [CyniSteve Set 1 ] [ninjabrick Set 1 ]
[attila Set 1] [splat Set 1] [precurser & kriegs Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4] [Frogboy Set 1] [amolerouth Set1] [bornghost Set1] [elorg Set1] [moonbeam13 Set1] [phae Set 1 ] [CyniSteve Set 1 ] [ninjabrick Set 1 ]
that's on IRC, folks!
:: pixel art gallery ::
:: definition of pixel art ::
:: Official deviantART FAQ system! ::
:: *britain, the dA UK news center ::
:: altDOTuk with imop ::
This means I have next to no-one to go out with, and am reduced to sitting here wondering what to do. To this end i recently attempted to take up Origami using a huge amount of net-based resources and some printer paper. Feeling somewhat masochistic, I decided to jump in at the deep end and make an 
