Chicagopex 2019... And So It Begins.

It hath begun in earnest.

I drove up from Downstate Sillynoise this morning, an uneventful drive, although rainy a good portion of the way. I bought a new car this year, and this was the first real extended drive, so I was curious to see how the gas mileage would be. I was moderately impressed: even with the cruise control at 75mph I averaged 54 mpg, which isn't shabby in the least. I've found that with hybrid vehicles, cold temperature really reduces your fuel efficiency due to how the cold impacts the battery system. Luckily it had warmed up from the twenties we had last week and it was roughly 50 degrees F today; based upon my experiences the last several weeks, it probably would have been 5-8 mpg lower had we still been below freezing.

Quite a few dealers arrived earlier than they usually have in the past. By 3:00pm there were already quite a few setting up or already set up for tomorrow. I got an opportunity to look through material from Denny Peoples, Eric Jackson, and Richard Friedberg, and greeted quite a few other dealers I knew as they were on their way in for setup. There's nothing like hearing someone call from across the room "Hey revenue guy, I brought some stuff for ya!"

With the things I've had held for me thus far, the frightening thing is that I've gone through about 40% of my show budget already and it doesn't even start until tomorrow... YIKES!

Tonight I get to spend a cozy evening cuddled up with a carton of French revenue stamps that Eric brought for me, and a stack of worked up revenue plate varieties and cancels that Stanley Piller graciously allowed me to take with me for the evening.

I think I'll order in some Chinese food for dinner and settle in. Tomorrow the real games begin!

To be continued...

Sounds like fun.

Don't get duck sauce on the goods.

I thought duck sauce was the best way to remove cancels...... :-)

How were you able to get on the show floor? Most stamp shows are very adamant that no one other than show personnel and dealers are allowed on the show floor before the opening time,

That's definitely true on show days, but this was before formal "setup" time when security was on premises and things were locked down as far as who could come and go.

Actually, duck sauce is perfect for removing self-adhesive stamps from envelopes.

I thought that was soy sauce.....

Hmmmmmm....so that's why all the good stuff is gone before Sunday.

I sure wish they kick the event back 1 week. We make the trip to Chicago every year for the Thanksgiving holiday to join family so we miss it by a week. Since I grew up on the NW side of the city I'm only about 20-30 minutes from Itasca.

There will never be a show on Thanksgiving weekend.

Think of all those grumpy old men desperate to escape tedious family gatherings - it could be a winner.

Think of all the dealers attempting to travel that weekend. It would be lucky if they were set up by Sunday.

Besides, that's why alcohol was invented.

Unless Thanksgiving dinner is at the brother-in-law's who is a Baptist minister.

Well then you don't have to share your booze :) Yes, I know it will never happen on Turkey day weekend and my Wife will never go for arriving a week early so I can spend money on something she doesn't like. So I'll wait for snowpex to hit Minneapolis and probably never make it to Chicagopex...