Sunday, November 16, 2008

ASL Expo, Funny Stuff

Earlier Saturday, I went with Jamie out to the ASL Expo at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. We arrived just before noon due to a previous engagement.

I thought it was interesting that it was in arena near a horse stable. Usually, most expos like this are crowded, but this one wasn't as crowded. It looked more like a demo and social sort of event, more social than sales/demo. I managed to pick out Deaf Sherlock out of a small group in the arena seating what with his shiny head and text him. It took him a minute or two to find us. Maybe he should have worn that Sherlock or PSU hat of his?

The vendor tables were fewer than before, with T-Mobile, Viable, Sorenson, and a few other well-known places as well as other smaller vendors selling various things. The place could easily have held at least twice the crowd we had for the stage shows. Interestingly enough, facing the stage was an area for kids entertainment, making stuff or just plain playing some.

For the $10 admission, things could probably have been better even though we left a bit early.

There's bound to be days when someone pops out a oneliner to a lecturer's serious question and causes the entire audience to fall over laughing. We've heard of the biology instructor who answers the question of why semen tastes salty in Snopes' Salt of the Mirth.

But in this case, Jeff Carlson posts something called Funny Thing Happened in College. Ah, total hilarity. Just something I did awhile ago that killed my entire class in my Bringing Down The House post.

3 comments:

hat said...

HEY! THank oyu for sharing your input. I dont really know what is happening. However, I do know # of crowd has been declining. ASL expo was in Orlando. I was told approx. 300 showed up with only ten booths. Mpls. has about 700 show up with about 16-20 booths. Buffalo, NY. had about 500-600 showing up, however, about three hundred or less waited for the drawnings. There were only 12 booths. SOmething is definitely wrong. Sorenson has been known to hold alot of spaces, including HOVRS, CSDVRS [who was a no show at Buffalo], Viable [another no show], and SPRINT. At Buffalo, Sorenson + HOVRS had only two booths while SPRINT had one. Yet, DEAF NATION continues to draw two to three thousands and huge number of vendors. Is ASL EXPO dying? I am not sure. I think ASL EXPO charging $5. for advance and $10. is hurting them or are they charging admission since ASL EXPO are not bringing in vendors like they hope. MAny questions. Many speculation and no clear answer. I do note ASL EXPO ahs one more scheduled for Austin in TX. IS that their final EXPO? I note 2009 schedule has not been announced.

RLM said...

Too bad, I missed out on Deaf Sherlock at the ASL Expo!

I would love to meet Steve in person!

RLM

Unknown said...

Sherlock to RLM: I did come to ASL Expo. But the floor was so warm, I could not wear my famous hat. It was too much. Everyone on that floor complained about the heat. Truth is, the heat was a switch from last year's bitter cold day in Frederickburg's area. It was also a location where many people didn't either google to get to or what I don't know. But, over all I did warn that I was coming to ASL expo. Sherlock.