I’m here! I SHOULD still be sleeping, since the party didn’t break up until 1 AM…but the baby woke me up like clockwork at 6!
I had a great time! I knew it would be fun to get together with dopers, and it truly was.
Many thanks to gardentraveler for getting us all together!
Thank you for your concern bbs2K. We had probably moved to the local bar by the time you posted. We didn’t leave the bar until 12:30 local time. Which, now that I think about it, is 1:30, in my time zone, which is waaaaaay later than I’m allowed to stay up (normally) and which explains why I feel so fuzzy this morning. (And, on preview, hi rosie!)
Anyway…we had a marvelous time, judging by the fact that when we got kicked out of Giordano’s we still felt like talking and went to this cool little bar that magically crossed our path.
Haze has [del]the incriminating evidence[/del] pictures, but doesn’t have an internet connection at home yet, so it’ll be a bit before they’re shared.
Thanks to Mr. Bus Guy, Bus Wife, sugar and spice, Sarahfeena, BusKid, interface2x, HazelNutCoffee, and WhyNot for making me feel so welcome in Chicago. Sorry you couldn’t join us thirdwarning (I’m assuming the text message was from you; I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never texted anyone from my phone and when I went to reply it wasn’t intuitive - to me, anyway).
We all wish you had joined us VCO3; you should be there next time.
Anyway, it was a great time. It’s so neat to put more faces (and personalities) to user names. You ChiDopers should definitely get together more often. And invite me!
Hope everyone made it home safely.
GT
Yawn.
We made it home moments before 2 am, crawled into bed and an hour later had Cuervo up for the day and demanding play time. I sicced him on one of the other cats.
We had a great time, also thanks again to GT for shaming us all into getting together.
Wife loved everyone, all she did on the way home was ask more Dope questions.
I went to the car this morning to grab some things I was too tired to bring in this morning (earlier I mean…) and found the leftover pizza in the back seat. Oops.
Haze took a bunch of pictures, right?
Yawn
I don’t know which is more amazing - that I stayed up until nearly 2 am or that my son (babysitting) kept my daughter up so late that she didn’t wake me up until - 11AM! Sweet! I think she’s been awake and talking to herself in her crib for about an hour, but boy did she let me sleep in. I love that baby girl! (Of course this means no nap and rather cranky at bedtime tonight, but it’s worth it!)
Oh, I had such a good time. My husband was really happy that I had gone out - I haven’t intentionally met or hug out with anyone new in a very, very long time. It felt really good. I got a ride home from **Sarahfeena **(thanks again!) even though it was totally out of her way, and we didn’t stop talking each others’ ears off all the way home. I really do hope we get our kids together soon, that wasn’t just polite chat.
I move we make Mrs. Bus Guy an honorary Doper. She doesn’t have time to post, but boy, she would fit in perfectly here! Smart, sassy, a little tough, with a lot of wisdom and opinions. She’s pretty awesome.
Thank you so much, gardentraveler, for being the impetus and organizer for getting together. I hope the rest of your trip is as enjoyable, if a little more restful!
Mr. Bus Guy, in the harsh light of day, I’m almost afraid to remind you, but you did promise to link to pictures of Jezebel Margarita!
Ah yes.
The next day, I called the Vet for him to get neutered, I figured he was a man now.
Finally, a close up of the poor girl more recently.
Yes, the text message was from me. I was so mad at myself that I didn’t trust my voice. And it didn’t dawn on me until quite a while later that I hadn’t put my name on it. Sorry about that. And even more sorry now that I missed you people. Oh, well, maybe next time. I promise to check the schedule better.
wow, you guys kept the party going! Maybe I should have stayed out and have pulykamell [del]give me a ride[/del] come join us. Ah well, next time.
It was a pleasure to meet everyone! gardentraveler, I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit in Chicago!
I had a great time, as well, and was very to happy to meet everyone! Sorry if I was a little quiet, I get like that around people I don’t know too well (or at least don’t know too well in person). It was great to finally put faces to many names after all this time. This was my first ever Dopefest in six years of posting.
I was also disappointed that some people couldn’t make it (VCO3?), but maybe next time?
I think the most impressive part of the night was that a college student drove from DeKalb to Chicago to meet her Dad’s internet friends!
Each of you is welcome to Lisle any time 
Dang it.
I just found out about this.
…Dang it…
We should have Chicago Dopefests more often! Sorry I had to leave so early. Yes, I do have pictures, but they won’t be available for a while, since I don’t have Internet at home yet. I feel so bad I couldn’t make it to the bar with everyone - next time, definitely.
Tease! 
Wrap-up:
Haze’s pictures are finally here.
Pics of the rest of my stay are here .
I had a marvelous time in Chicago; between the Dopefest and the visit with best friend and her entourage it was easily one of my best vacations ever. I hope to be back soon (there are quite a few places I didn’t get to).
I’ll start a new Dopefest thread when I visit again and send out PMs to those of you who posted in this thread if you don’t see it right away…
GT
Thanks for linking to Hazel’s post! I don’t usually read the MMP, so I probably would have missed it.
Had a great time…we should do it again soon. Be sure you let us know when you’re in town.
(And P.S. Chicago dopers…we don’t HAVE to wait for someone to come in from out of town to get together, you know! 
)