Nationals Part 3 (it finally ends, really)

We're finally down to one last day of the tournament and one day of travel. The end is in sight.

Kind of like this, but with less Cameron
and more Dread.

There were only two bouts on Sunday, so we managed to wedge in a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago with the teensy bit of morning time we had free. We had to squeeze a lot of art into an extremely short period of time, but my father, the retired painting teacher, will be pleased that we at least got to see A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. You're welcome, dad.

Oh right, this awesome weekend
had to end at some point. Damn.

We scrambled back to the venue in time to catch 90% of the battle for second and third place between Philly and Gotham. Once again the quilt was unmolested and I got to spend plenty of time chatting up people who were taking photos in front of it. If any of you are reading this blog, I'd love to get copies please! Thanks for the blog mentions, by the way. :D

We watched the championship bout and screamed and flipped out when RMRG came from behind and won by one point in the last jam. I couldn't decide who I actually wanted to win that one (again, I'm in love with Gotham), but got what I wanted: a bout during which lead changed hands several times, with a nail-biter of an ending. Can every bout be like that from now on?

I can do this by myself.

After the main crush of the crowd left the venue I was given a step ladder and some help courtesy of the UIC Pavillion staff. The quilt came down in about ten minutes with minimal mess and absolutely no broken limbs. I'm thrilled that I've changed hanging methods since this summer.  The rope-through-a-tube-in-back method is both durable and easy to install/deinstall. I'm totally keeping it attached so I don't have to tear my hair out the next time I want to display this monster.

It fits. I am awesome.

We shuttled our way home, somehow wedging the quilt into a seat that needed to simultaneously be occupied by two adult human beings and a hundred square feet of fabric. By this point I was so grumpy from eating only popcorn and cheese all day that I hovered between needing to cry and wanting to bite the nearest person I could get my hands on. I tried to spare those who aren't stuck being married to me this hunger-induced-Hyde personality, as I'd prefer my friends only see the Jekyll. It didn't quite work, so I'm counting on the inherent niceness of my league-mates to save me on this one. Sorry guys.

When I don't eat I hate fun.

We ate at Hot Woks, Cool Sushi and had our first genuinely decent meal of the trip. While searching for that link I just discovered that this neat little restaurant is actually a small chain. The food snob in me feels a bit less hip. Oh well. The Obama-nami roll was delicious, so there.

Aaaaaction! [makes hand movements
like holstering guns a la the Action Man]

Much like other nights, Pelvis was all about the after party and I was all about suddenly becoming grumpy and shy after a long day. Notice a pattern here? I left the after party, but he stayed and enjoyed the fine company, packed dance floor, and crazy "action shots" being taken. Before you think he's some crazy party guy, he's not. He just likes to dance more than most people I know, which makes him exponentially more awesome.

All the engineering in the world
won't convince me that this is all
that's between me and a 37k foot
drop to my death. Sorry.

We flew back the next day, and once again the plane's powerful engines kept us alive. Next time I need to see what I can do to correct this whole "FLYING JUST FEELS IMPOSSIBLY WRONG" problem I have. I swear these two flights aged me about ten years just due to the stress, but dammit, I'm not going to allow myself to be limited to locations within drive-able distance anymore.

Terror aside, though, this weekend made me really, really, really want to display the quilt again, and as often as possible. I suppose I should start saving my pennies and hope that I get further opportunities to display the quilt at next year's round of tournaments and events. It certainly beats leaving it folded up in my attic studio all the time, eh?

Any thoughts on where this giant quilted beast needs to be seen next? I think I can handle a few more plane rides if that's the cost of having another weekend like this one.