Sacrifices for PAX

MasterHelios

Any of you have to give up something to be able to go?

I actually had the choice of going to PAX this year or going to Costa Rica for two weeks.
I picked PAX, I figured if I went I would regret it the whole trip and just be thinking about "Hey, I wonder what's going on at PAX...man I wish I had went."
This pissed my family off considerably but it's all good cause we're going to Cabo 1 week earlier instead.

What're your stories?

Caelesto

For PAX I am giving up approximately a month's pay, my sense of safety and comfort (God damned planes scare the shit outta me), and a considerable number of brain cells (Bar Crawl here I come). The rewards are numerous. For example, last PAX I bunked with some of the most powerfully cool gamers I've ever known. Here's to you BA, Recruit, Moe, and RandomGuy, you're the reason I'm going all out to come back again for a second round.

So, what would YOU do for a PAX-Bar?

Mystral721

Last year at PAX I pinched a nerve in my back right before the con. Standing was agony and I missed out on a lot just resting up in the hotel room.

This year I'm giving up fattening foods and my slovenly ways, exercising and losing some weight so I have the strength and stamina to walk and stand in the lines/concerts/exhibition halls. Goodbye, Oreo Frostys.

Moe Fwacky

Oh man, I pinched my sciatic nerve AT PAX, or more specifically, walking from the QFC to the hotel carrying 5 2L bottles down that steep hill for half a mile. For the entire rest of the weekend, and the drive back, I just thought my ass was sore, it wasn't until about a week after I got back that it started getting a LOT worse. Oh man, that was brutal, especially since I had to start classes after I got back.

This year, I'll be skipping 5 days of work and three full days of classes.

TheLawinator

Mystral721 wrote: »

Last year at PAX I pinched a nerve in my back right before the con. Standing was agony and I missed out on a lot just resting up in the hotel room.

This year I'm giving up fattening foods and my slovenly ways, exercising and losing some weight so I have the strength and stamina to walk and stand in the lines/concerts/exhibition halls. Goodbye, Oreo Frostys.

God damn I love those.

Toxic Toys

The only thing I'm giving up is sleep and time. I'll let you know if it's worse when I get back from PAX.

Seattle Thread

Bumbershoot.

Hahahaha, I'm totally kidding.

TNTrooper

My payed vacation time and probably some school time that I am not going to find out I am missing till me school tells me at the last minute.

whypick1

Last year I lost about $450 from taking 3 days off work (internship = no vacation days). It would've been 2 days, except my car decided to die in Seattle (better there than on the way up, I suppose), so I had to wait until Monday for it to get repaired to the tune of $500.

This year I only expect to lose 1 vacation day and liver health (something I wanted to lose to deal with said car problems, but...bah, I'm not going to bring that up again).

Squirminator2k

I'm a Temp, so I'm losing a few days worth of pay.

b0wser

Moe: you can admit to sacrificing some sanity, since I know we lose a bit every year we do this.

I'm going to sacrifice sleep, sanity, and likely take some time off the expected lifespan of my liver.

Jaydo

Inadvertently: a five-year relationship.

Well, it might have stayed lost whether or not I went, regardless I had tons of fun.

Plus, my new girlfriend is a lot more game-savvy and will be joining me for '08.

I consider it a trade-up.

Haikufrenzy

My first year was actually so last second it hurts. My friend called me up the Wednesday before, telling me he couldn't hang out that weekend because of PAX. I didn't know about it, so I asked, and he told me of a wondrous experience. I told him it sounded like fun, but I wasn't sure a day would be enough to properly go. However thankfully for me, he convinced me to go. So with my work's paycheck in tow. I left on Friday, having called in sick and losing a day's pay. I also had to call in Saturday sick. Which sucked but not as much for me as it was for them. Since I worked at a rental car company at the time and that weekend was going to be HECTIC due to a big marathon in Oregon called the Hood to Coast relay.

So if it was any other job, I would've felt guilt about leaving them high and dry when they needed me most. But since they treated their employees like shit... fuck them. I've since quit, but I remember that week vividly as my first sampling of PAX (I had to leave Saturday night, you can only call in sick twice before you have to have a doctor's note.), but I also fucked over work so badly since when I came back... all the hard work was over with.

All in all I lost about $133.60 in pay, about $300 overall in money, and my dignity having brought a PSP and no DS... that's a mistake I never plan on repeating.

Squirminator2k

Not so much of a sacrifice as a necessity - I was going to be exhibiting at Comic-Con this year, but I'm on the Infinitely Long Waiting List of Peril. I decided to spend my money on something I could actually go to instead.

Qs23

I honestly don't know what I'm going to be sacrificing for PAX when it rolls around in August an it's a little scary.

Haterot

First time going to PAX, no sacrifice is to great.

neuroslice

I ended up with about ten blisters on each foot, due to buying new shoes shortly before PAX.
Lesson learned. If you have to spend three days walking on hard surfaces, wear older, comfy shoes.
I also missed a few days of class.

Foxy_Roxy

The 300-500 dollars I would have made that weekend at work, all my girly friends, two of my guy friends (sharing a hotel with them, I realized I couldn't stand them!), and my pretty feet.

Regicid3

Now that I'm buying a computer with free money, I actually think I might be able to save up money and go to this.

TimeCruiserMike

i sacrificed my car on the West Coast Super Trip in 06 . . .

Firegauntlets

Im coming from the UK and im only turning 18 this year so im not yet on good pay.
I will be sacrificing about a 1/5 of my yearly pay (including my whole bonus which is 18% of what ive earnt this trading year) im losing out on my 18th birthday paty cos the day after ill be headed down here in the morning in total the main loss is money, around $1800-2000because of flights ::D

Liger

I've dropped 25 lbs since this time last year (15 lbs since PAX 07) in an attempt to better sacrifice my time and sanity to PAX 08 - 3 days of 18 hours each wooo! Sacrificing a lot of gas money and the well-being of my car to move to Seattle 3 months before I graduate (and therefore commute 250 miles each week for 11 weeks to finish school) and get a job early so I can collect some actual vacation time before the end of August.

Tonkka

I'm missing a beer pong tournament.

Oh well.

ploogle

It's not a matter of what I will give up to go to this, but what I might have to give this up for...my family is going camping, and depending on my dad's work schedule we might be staying an extra few days...right through PAX. I'm trying desperately to convince them to not extend the vacation...

Sable

I'm giving up about a week's worth of work, like as not TONS of sleep, and driving my new (to me) Audi.

Worth it?

So, so very yes. On a stick.

Fooswashere1

I am giving up about 8 days of leave to go since I am doing the SSCT. I already got my leave request in and I should be set and ready to go. I am also turning 21 about a month beforehand so I will be breaking in my liver some more.

Moe Fwacky

SSCT?

Qs23

Moe Fwacky wrote: »

SSCT?

You know exactly what he means Moe... Did you not notice that he posted in the CCST thread?

Shade

I quit my job for '06 because they said they'd give me the time off then when it came around said they weren't going to give me the time off, and then I went a month without work.(I win)

I blew a hole in my transmission in 07 half way there(150 miles to go) bought a couple gallons of fluid and stopped every 10 miles to fill it on the way there and back. a 3.5 hours drive turned to 9 hours

VThornheart

Wow, crazy. You're a dedicated man, Shade.

Fooswashere1

I am dyslexic. luckily the Coast Guard doesn't discriminate against it. :P

Moe Fwacky

Haha, it's all good. Just don't do like one car did leaving a waypoint and follow your GPS onto 90E instead of following the rest of us onto 90W. ;-)

Fooswashere1

I have driven cross country twice. Just keep staring at the sun in the afternoon and you will be good.

mavrick88

last year I gave up my girlfriend for PAX(Boy was she pissed). it ended badly for me cause we broke up the day before and I was kicked down their and slapped in the face.

This year im single so no worries...expect im gonna be sleeping for a day after PAX is over from exhaustion.

Squirminator2k

Y'see, I pre-empted that eventuality by breaking up with my girlfriend a year and a half ago. That nipped that problem in the bud right there.

YaYa

5 days of school very close to assessment time, a free trip to America for as long as I wanted, and my normal sleep pattern.

Totally fucking worth it.

Haterot

mavrick88 wrote: »

last year I gave up my girlfriend for PAX(Boy was she pissed). it ended badly for me cause we broke up the day before and I was kicked down their and slapped in the face.

This year im single so no worries...expect im gonna be sleeping for a day after PAX is over from exhaustion.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for PAX?

Sl1pstream

One full paycheck and then some.
My ability to move while I spend approximately 15 hours in the air (twice).
A week of work, although I'm taking up vacation days so that doesn't really count.

dyaballikl

just leaving work for a few days.

Royale Wih Cheese

Sacrifices to PAX, hm . . . hadn't even thought of that . . .

Where can you get a bull and some incense around here?

Squirminator2k

Go with a lamb, Cheese. They don't struggle so much and their blood is much less likely to leave permanent stains (although this is less of an issue if you've put a blanket or some newspaper down first).