…and this is a 
And a pleasant evening was had by all
Category: Personal
Posted on: November 11, 2007 9:19 AM, by PZ Myers
This is going to be a big problem. I'm at this gathering of bloggers, which means they're all going to be posting stuff about our meeting here at Americans United, and I'm outnumbered — I can't keep up. I had dinner with Blue Gal, BAC, DCup, and One Pissed Off Veteran, and some of them already have pictures up.
And after dinner we had the combined Pharyngula/Bad Astronomy gathering, which seemed to have a majority of BA fans, to my chagrin. I think more failed to show up because they know I shoot laser beams out of my eyes. We also got a surprise visit from Tara and an Evil Monkey. The ScienceBorg Collective was out in force, trying to collect souls for the Empire — we leaned on Phil a bit, but he is stubborn. Clearly, it's time to deploy the fully operational…but wait, I've said too much.
Anyway, anyone who was there should speak up in the comments, and feel free to leave a link — it will simplify my efforts to keep track of everyone.
Oh, one guy it'll be easy to keep up with is Phil, who is still unconscious up in the room. I guess he needs his beauty sleep.
Comments
I wish we could get y'all down here in Darkest America, aka The Deep South!
Posted by: Jeb, FCD | November 11, 2007 9:26 AM
PZ it was a pleasure meeting you last night. I'm so glad you could join us!
BAC
Posted by: BAC | November 11, 2007 10:03 AM
Last night was fun! It was great getting to meet you & Phil.
Posted by: Jewel | November 11, 2007 10:20 AM
I had a great time at the little meetup last night. I actually did expect more fire and brimstone and burning of religious people at the stake coming from PZ... But it turns out that he is actually a rather reserved, professor-type who sits back and takes it all in.
His lack of current geeky cultural knowledge is a bit troubling however.
I will have a couple of pics later on my site.
-corsair
Posted by: corsair the rational pirate | November 11, 2007 10:28 AM
aka Tony Gill here,
You always wonder how the actual person will square with the great edifice you cobbled together from their collected prose.
...I'm a member of the DC Science Writer's Association, and I'm certain they'd be delighted to host you the next time you're in the area.
Don't be a stranger.
Posted by: caynazzo | November 11, 2007 10:49 AM
Yup, I was there! Pleasure finally meeting you in person PZ, after so many years since originally meeting you on talk.origins ... gosh ... how many years ago? Maybe five?
Please do something like this the next time you're in DC; I'll be sure to bring some of my friends to boost your tally.
Too bad I don't have pictures though. I didn't bring a camera, so I at least hope I ended up in someone else's pictures ..
Posted by: Cyde Weys | November 11, 2007 11:18 AM
I was there too.
The meetup was lots of fun. Hope there are more to come.
Posted by: Michael I | November 11, 2007 12:13 PM
I was there too, even though I believe this may be the first time I've ever left a comment here. It was well worth the trip down to DC.
Posted by: Paul Kuliniewicz | November 11, 2007 2:11 PM
OK, here are a couple of pics of the event last night:
Click for pics
Posted by: corsair the rational pirate | November 11, 2007 2:17 PM
Thanks for the link corsair. I'm glad you posted photos. It sounds like the evening was a lot of fun.
Posted by: LisaS | November 11, 2007 2:37 PM
I was there, I had good beer and good conversation, and took crap photos.
I also take responsibility for making PZ sign everyone's copy of Phil's book. Sorry about that.
Posted by: arensb | November 11, 2007 5:49 PM
arensb - Was Phil sleeping standing up? I know he must be exhausted after just getting his manuscript to the editor for Death from the Skies!
It's funny what looks the camera sometimes catches.
Posted by: Paguroidea | November 11, 2007 6:06 PM
Ha! Those aren't laser beams. These are laser beams:
http://metamagician3000.blogspot.com/2007/11/laser-beams-from-my-eyes.html
Posted by: Russell Blackford | November 11, 2007 7:32 PM
Paguroidea @ #12:
While that's one of his many talents[1], the fact of the matter is that Phil, too, can shoot laser beams out of his eyes. He has his eyes closed in that picture because I'd asked him not to ruin my camera.
[1]: He also entertained the table by juggling, improvising a series of 26 sonnets each of which lacked one letter of the alphabet, and recreating the Big Bang in an empty Guinness glass (while PZ demolished Haldane's dilemma, folded some proteins, and evolved a new type of life from our dinner leftovers). But they're just regular guys: at one point, we asked them to stride the earth like colossi, and they could barely make it to K Street.
Posted by: arensb | November 11, 2007 9:43 PM
The gathering was fun, but I spent the rest of the night in jail. (More about that when I get some sleep.)
Posted by: bullfighter | November 11, 2007 11:33 PM
It was nice to meet you, PZ, and the end of the table where I sat. And it was too bad that I didn't get a chance to talk to the Phil end of the table. Maybe another time. Anyway, what an odd chance that I happened to be in DC at the same time as you lot.
Posted by: Barry Leiba | November 11, 2007 11:49 PM
Well, I'm back in Iowa now, but I also had a good time! Too bad we're old and had to leave so early...
Posted by: Tara C. Smith | November 12, 2007 9:56 AM
Old? Young! We can guess why you had to retire early, wink wink nudge nudge knowwhatImean.
Posted by: PZ Myers | November 12, 2007 10:41 AM
Yeah, to digest our cake! Oh, and obligatory picture link.
Posted by: Tara C. Smith | November 12, 2007 3:38 PM
Enjoyed meeting the expected and the unexpected the other night, and right in the nabe.
Posted by: David James | November 12, 2007 4:01 PM