Robin's Daytona '08 Thoughts, Reflections and Pictures

I sit back and reflect on the wonderful time that was Daytona 2008. This was my third consecutive year going to Daytona. My first year was strictly as a participant and was great fun - especially getting to know Adam of 8ballpythons (who was sorely missed this year) and others who I'd grown to know and love on the forums in my first year. I even brought home two girls from the show as well as a girl from Vaughn and my het pied and het hypo's from Adam. It's also the first time I got to meet "my" Kara! :hug:

Last year I got to see a glimpse of the "inside" of Daytona when Kara asked me to help NERD set up their table. It was really neat helping out and watching the vendors interact with each other and come to each other's tables to get sneak peeks at new animals and share the industry news/gossip of the day.

THIS year - ahhhhh....THIS year was special! This year I had the honorable distinction of being able to represent this great site, this site that is made up of all of YOU! Even those of you who couldn't go - I was so proud to be part of a community of YOU and to share you with people at the show!

The comments that we received from most of the vendors was favorable, to the point of being told quite definitively that BP.net was their FAVORITE online forum, even if they didn't post. Trust me guys - a lot of people are reading this fine forum, a lot of people who may never post, and they come back again and again - because of all of you, all of us! I can't tell you how many people said they considered BP.net their home forum - whether they posted or not. They are referring people to us, because we truly are the "Friendliest online community for all your herping needs". And people see that, and they appreciate this site for what it is. A place to share, a place to learn and yes, maybe even a place to fight now and then. But in the end, this is for me is a site to love!

So this year, Daytona 2008 was about the people - definitely about the people - more than the animals!

Here we go!

Thursday night at Legend's Bar in the Hilton. The wait staff was truly un-prepared for the volume of people - and woefully inept. :( BUT the company was great!!!!

Carrie and Ed
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...dandCarrie.jpg

Judy and Christie
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

The "Ghetto Pixie" aka Kara, with Carrie and Ed
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...arrieandEd.jpg

Karl and Christie - True Love Reunited! :love:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

Kara giving Christie a head rub (that looked like it felt wonderful by the way!)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

My favorite New Hampshirian/Texan!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...raandRobin.jpg

Friday was all about setting up the show:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...Thebanners.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../TheBanner.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ilesBanner.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../Settingup.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...SettingUp2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...02008/Site.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...SettingUp3.jpg

Taaaa Daaaa!!!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ingTouches.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ngTouches2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ngTouches3.jpg

Friday evening was a Staff Dinner for BP.net to thank our staff for all the hard work they do through the year. We went to Aunt Catfish On the River (thank you Shaun for the recommendation) - SOOOOOO good! And of course, we get seated by Brian and the Chew Crew and Sean and Celia and their crew! Fun times!


I don't know who this goofy fella is:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../GoofyKarl.jpg

Laurie (Raul's wife), Raul and Judy
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...aulandJudy.jpg

Deb and Christie hiding in the shadows
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

Emily
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...2008/Emily.jpg

And wow - I didn't get many pictures there! :tears:

GREAT post, GREAT pics, GREAT people... just great!!!

It was so nice to finally meet alot of the members here whom i consider "Friends" Daytona was a blast and i look forward to going next year!

whoops hope i dont mess up your post lol

The big day rolls around and we are ready for business!!!

Raul and Nate
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...aulandNate.jpg

Nater Tater
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...02008/Nate.jpg

Ed's Fan Club
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../EdandFans.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...EdandFans2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...EdandFans3.jpg

Saturday evening was all about the fun and the silly! We were tired, we were exhausted, the thought of going out to eat somewhere wore us out, and we were punchy! So we all pitched in for some pizza at the Hilton and hung out until the last person left!

Oh my!!!!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...08/Whatthe.jpg

Shaun and Jamie
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...aunandJami.jpg

Raul and Nate
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ulandNate2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...landNate-1.jpg

Ed, Carrie and Shaun
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ieandShaun.jpg

Shaun and Ed get cozy
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...uangetCosy.jpg

Rum Runner!!!!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...8/Christie.jpg

Ed's just Chillin'
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...%202008/Ed.jpg

Ed's so cool - don't you think?
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../EdandKarl.jpg

Brian Rockin' the BP.net shirt!!!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ockingtheT.jpg

Tim's Shiner
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../TimBailey.jpg

Tim and Monica
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...nicaandTim.jpg

Monica
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...nicaBailey.jpg

And the Nate Montage:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndHisDrink.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...dHisDrink2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...dHisDrink4.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...dHisDrink5.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...NaterTater.jpg

Haha! There is a new bucket man! Strong work Nate!:rofl:

lol... i was thinking the same thing. Boy it looked like Nate had one heck of a time :D LMAO

And finally - the animals! Now don't laugh - there aren't many at all! LOL

Christie's gecko that everyone wanted to buy:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...08/Crestie.jpg

And the snake that made me want to cry - THIS is the next co-dom morph that gets me excited (I think it's co-dom - it may just be dominant).

But the Desert. Oh my! When I saw the Desert/Enchi aka Tiger - I was all in! LOL

It's a subtle morph, but I find myself pulled more and more to them:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...008/Desert.jpg

Here's Albey's Desert (which I remembered he had when I got home).

http://www.albeysreptiles.com/desert07_1.htm

Here's the Desert/Ench aka Tiger
Adult
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...2008/Tiger.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...008/Tiger2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...008/Tiger3.jpg

Baby
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9.../TigerBaby.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...TigerBaby2.jpg

And thanks to Albey for pointing me to these exciting threads with Desert combos:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583128,1583128

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583115,1583115

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583112,1583112

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583114,1583114

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583089,1583089

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583100,1583100

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1583103,1583103

Great Pics, looks like everyone had a fun time :)

Nate is going to hate you so bad for posting those:P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

Nate is going to hate you so bad for posting those:P

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I'll just kick his butt - he'll be ok! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Shaun and Ed get cozy
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...uangetCosy.jpg

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:love: The buttery goodness was drawing me in!!

Christie had geckos on display? :weirdface :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

Christie had geckos on display? :weirdface :P

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Christie is everywhere, geez!! :P:D

eh... that's OK. That was a good bucket o' booz. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nate

eh... that's OK. That was a good bucket o' booz. :D

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That's what I was talking about...but I got crap about it for months after Daytona! Maybe you just put off a more girly vibe. Haha!:8:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Karl and Christie - True Love Reunited! :love:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

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Love this pic! :wuv:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Kara giving Christie a head rub (that looked like it felt wonderful by the way!)

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Well after I got my heart to stop racing, it was heavenly. One second she was next to Ed, and the next she was behing me ... gotta keep your eye on that girl. :giggle:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Deb and Christie hiding in the shadows
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ndChristie.jpg

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Like two angels! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

And finally - the animals! Now don't laugh - there aren't many at all! LOL

Christie's gecko that everyone wanted to buy:

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:O Emily you better send me that gecko now... it's mine! Robin said so. :yes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

:love: The buttery goodness was drawing me in!!

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Is that what you're saying now? :rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

Christie had geckos on display? :weirdface :P

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Yup, you heard her. :giggle:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

Christie is everywhere, geez!! :P:D

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Apparently I've got skillz too! :wuv:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jknudson

That's what I was talking about...but I got crap about it for months after Daytona! Maybe you just put off a more girly vibe. Haha!:8:

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Ahh, Nate and I dealt with that all weekend, let em talk, thats what I say, that was good stuff!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Apparently I've got skillz too! :wuv:

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No comment :colbert: (LSS :snake:) *inside joke*

I am finally home and after cleaning rat and snake tubs then going to pick up my new babies that my buddy Jon brought home for me and setting up quarrantine I should be posting pics soon.

It was agreat time and made me very proud to represent my second home here at BP net.

Glad you had such an awesome time! Hopefully next year I'll be able to get in on the action.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

No comment :colbert: (LSS :snake:) *inside joke*

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:O :ohmygod: :colbert: :bolt:

wow there are some killer dessert combos. i think i may need one :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

Christie had geckos on display? :weirdface :P

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That darn CRS kicking in again (mutter, mutter, mutter)!

Of course it was YOUR gecko, silly! I was just playing and seeing if you were paying attention! (Yeah, we'll go with THAT excuse!)

What a wonderful thread Robin! I love it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

What a wonderful thread Robin! I love it!

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Thanks Jo! Can't wait until YOUR first Daytona!!!

Fun thread, Robin!! I'm not going to need to post any pics at all...everyone else is posting the same ones I have. :P

Robin,

Great post! I wish I had taken a few pics... I'm a proud bp.net member and it was nice to have your table "represent'en" :)

Justin

Awww Robin! What a great thread :) The Booth looked awesome... so did Emily's! Great photos of some great peeps! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Thanks Jo! Can't wait until YOUR first Daytona!!!

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You and me both!

Very cool looks like you guys had alot of fun ,,, but i also see ALOT of booze in all the pics haha :absolut::carouse::carouse::carouse::puke2::puke2:

Quote:

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http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...uangetCosy.jpg

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BP.net newest couple, how cute! :P :8:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

BP.net newest couple, how cute! :P :8:

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As you see, he wasn't resisting my advances! ;)

Awww! I loved those pictures, Robin! I'm sad that, yet again, I didn't make it. One of these years...

You all look like you had a great time! Congrats on the BP.net table--looks like it was a huge success!

Much love.