It started at 8:00 a.m. and a 3 1/2 hour road trip across I-70 to St. Louis and the airport Hilton.  I arrived at the hotel at about 11:30, checked into my room and immediately went to registration.  Once I was all official, I headed to Lani's table to see him and Jean.  They were set up in the hallway outside the meeting rooms next to all the other guests.  Lani was wearing his "Lost Weekend" shirt and was easily recognized.  I ran into Jeff and Mark, fellow PrairieScapers and we chatted with Lani and Jean for a while.  I picked up my special print of Lani's from Jean and then ducked into the charity auction where I bought a one of a kind sketch that Lani had done at the con.  It was great to get an original Lani Tupu and one that is unique in all the world too.  He actually sketched it from a photo that Jean had taken at the Gateway Arch earlier in the week.  Anyway, after the auction I went into Lani's second panel of the day (his first was earlier in the morning before I got there).  He spoke about his art and went over the inspiration for a few of his favorite pieces, his general process for painting and a few funny stories.  It was really great to be in such an intimate setting listening to Lani talk about something other than Farscape.  He's a really passionate artist and that passion shows through when he talks about it.  I just wish I could afford one of his original oils because they're beautiful and I'd love to have one (or two) for my house.

After Lani's panel, a few of us went to dinner in the hotel restaurant.  It was a nice relaxing time and I got to chat with a few folks I just met.  It's always nice to meet new people, especially fans.  When our nice leisurely meal was over we Mark and Jeff headed out and I sat in on the art auction.  It's about 8:00 p.m. and I'm getting tired but Lani had part of a piece that was going up for auction so I had to at least see how much it would go for.  See it's a tradition at Show Me Con to have the guest artists do a "collage" of sorts and then that piece is auctioned off.  Well, Lani did a drawing of the Sydney opera house and the Gateway Arch together and I HAD to have it.  After a brief but heated bidding war with one of the art show coordinators, I got the piece for a good price.  The woman I bid against was not happy about it but oh well.  All she had to do was bid higher and it would have been hers cuz the price I got it for was about $10 more than I had intended to spend.  Anyway, I have it and it'll make a nice addition to my collection of "Lani Tupu originals".

That was about it for the evening.  I was tired from the drive and all so I turned in for the night.