American Numismatic Association (ANA) World's Fair of Money, Day 1

The Baltimore convention center is mammoth. It straddles two city blocks and goes up two stories. I enter the building and find it ... empty ... on the side closest to my hotel. I cross the length of the building, following signs that say simply, "Money Show." I realize that I'm headed in the right direction when I see a bunch of men and women in business-casual attire dragging wheelied briefcases behind them. It's weird having this numismatic radar; it's like having that fan radar you develop after going to SF conventions for a while. You just know what your tribe looks like. When did this community become a tribe of mine? (Business casual? Wheelied briefcases?) I still haven't figured it out.

( Getting acclimated and diving on in--cut for length )

The day concluded with dinner with setsyoustraight, stunning as ever, who picked me up in her purple Saturn and took me to a marvelous restaurant in the Fells Point neighborhood called Pazo. We shared tapas and drinks and gabbed like crazy. The ambience of the place was wonderful and all the food very, very good. I highly recommend it. We were together until about 9 PM--far too short a visit. I feel as though missing her is one of the prices I pay for living in Seattle. We live much too far away from each other. I missed her the moment she walked out the door.

Tomorrow, it's all smashed coins all the time. Can't wait! And now? Bed.