Yee Gods, it's getting late, and I have to be at work tomorrow morning. However, The Herald MUST go to the printers tomorrow (I leave for vacation soon), so I am doing what GL member Greg Crane would doubtless bark at me: Soldier ON!

It's hard not to chuckle when I think of that phrase. That was our slogan at Origins, usually shouted when one person whined about being tired and was thinking of going off to bed. Well, the phrase was resurrected this weekend at Advance the Colors, where I was reunited with all those friends: the Origins gang and those from across the country I usually only seem to see at conventions.

ATC, itself, definitely DID "Soldier On" for the chapter, being our most successful and well attended yet. I had a feeling it might be a "break-out" year for ATC (all but one of my Sunday night gamig group was attending -- and normally it is only me who comes) and my premonitions were confirmed. The place was packed on Friday night and even more so on Saturday. The games were gorgeous, especially Brian O'Leary's stunning "Panape" tropical island, Chris Velas' new revamped scenery for "San Juan Hill," Jeff Love's "Ste.-Mere-Eglise" and many, many others. Actually, I feel bad singling out ANY for fear of not mentioning the other excellent efforts put forth by our GMs. Dennis Frank's DBA Tournament crammed them in, too, bursting the seams with 28 participants.

As always, though, the most enjoyable part of the con is the people. I met some people I'd talked to only via e-mail (like Darren Buxbaum of the Duneland club), and got a chance to visit with those I see at the cons. Oh, and yes, the Origins party gang got together, again, and stayed up late into the night, telling stories, laughing and drinking sodas. What? You don't believe me? Okay, so that WAS a Beamish Irish Stout in my hand and not a coffee (although it looked like it!), and Steve Smith WAS adding at least a splash of Crown Royal to his coke, and his wife Leslie's pink drink seemed a little, uh, cosmopolitan to be lemonade. And on Saturday night, we were joined by Greg, Doug and Doug, Johnson and Johnson. When Steve tried to wimp out early, he was naturally met by a resounding chorus of "Soldier ON!"

Ah, the good times. But it's late, time to put The Herald "to bed," as they say in Journalism business, and try to get SOME sleep tonight. I guess I'll be paying for it in the morning ... now, where did I say that to myself before?