Greetings from, uh, sunny-ish Upstate NY

[jaerdaph]

Binghamton! My parents live outside of Binghamton in Endwell! My father was an IP lawyer for IBM for 30+ years and we ended up there from NYC when IBM was still around. I went to Seton Catholic Central in Binghamton many, many years ago. I've been living in NYC again though for quite some time now.

Welcome to the Guild, fellow Southern Tier gamer!

BTW, is Fat Cat Books still around? That was one of the greatest game stores on the planet.

[Nonsequitur]

We Southern Tier gamers are a rare breed, Jaerdaph. I've actually toyed with the idea of creating a local Gamer Society (with a more creative name) and posting ads at BCC and BU (hell, even at Davis) just so that I can have a pool of cats to run games with.

Fat Cat still exists, though it moved a couple blocks to a slightly bigger location. Apparently the old property changed hands and the new landlord was a total dick, so they found a better place to set up shop. I try to give them as much business as possible. My only beef is that they don't have enough used stuff, but overall they're a great shop. It's amazing that they can survive in Johnson City.

Great quotes, btw.

[GM's Apprentice]

Welcome aboard!

My wife went to SUNY-Binghampton. I've some rather fond memories of the place. I think I even remember Fat Cat, although that was a while back....

[Nonsequitur]

Thanks, man.

Binghamton (and the surrounding area) is still a pretty nice place. Its economy has had to make the conversion from manufacturing- to retail-based in the last fifteen years or so. Not such a great thing, but I imagine it's a pretty common problem for urban centers these days.

Where are you guys located now?

[jaerdaph]

That's a shame about Fat Cat having to move - that was such a beautiful old building.

I'm living in Astoria (in Queens) in New York City now.

Yeah, Binghamton's manufacturing sector never really recovered from the Reagan/Bush Sr. recession of the late 80s early 90s. IBM left the area, so did GE, I believe. Is Singer Link still around?

The No. 5 is still an excellent restaurant, though.

[jaerdaph]

Oh, and BTW, having lived there almost two decades of my life, I *totally* knew you had to be from the Southern Tier before I opened the thread by the "sunny-ish"!

[Nonsequitur]

Yeah the No. 5 has some great food. I'm also a fan of the Lost Dog -- really good selection of beers and excellent atmosphere.

Not sure about Singer Link, actually. That's another Endicott manufacturer?

Nine months of gloom, maybe three months of sun. If you're lucky.