CAPCON and Car Chase
I spent most of yesterday at the Nepean Sportsplex for CAPCON. There were thousands of models throughout 69 categories, though only six were science fiction. Nonetheless, the category I submitted my two models to, Science Fiction - Space Vehicles, was packed with about 15 models. There were some absolutely amazing build-ups. Some of the non-science-fiction stuff was even more impressively done; a well-built and -weathered tank gets my attention as much as an equivalent TIE Fighter.

With all the amazing models, I was happy to win Third Place in my category for the Shuttlecraft Galileo, especially considering the skill level of some of the other contestants I got to know. I was rather shocked when the same model got the "Best of" award in Sci-Fi. More surprise came when I got back to pick up the model and found an invitation card: FineScale Modeler wanted my model photographed for their magazine. It was good to win on my first show ever. It was also good to talk to other modelers, share ideas, and have those "yeah, well in that episode..."-type discussions. Next time I'll have to come up with an even nicer model.

On the way home, I picked up Markus and Nathan to play some hardcore board games at Raf's. Markus seems to like to invent new ways of not boring himself every time we drive somewhere. This time, as it was dark outside, he decided to take flash photography of other drivers as we passed by. One guy (and his girlfriend) in a silver Civic got very angry and started tailgating up the Kanata hill. I swerved and took the March offramp hoping he would give it up. He followed and went ahead a little. I thought maybe I could still lose him by taking a sudden right onto March. He managed to follow. I went fast and zig-zagged through traffic down March, and took a sudden right at Herzberg. He followed, though with some distance. The light at Carling was red, and the only car in sight was directly across, waiting for the light to change. I stopped (more-or-less), turned right, looked in my mirrors, and saw the Civic hadn't rounded the corner yet. A sudden U-turn would lose him after he rounded the corner, I thought. However, unlike me, the idiot didn't at all slow down rounding the corner, and as I was at 45-degrees in the turn, I saw him coming up fast in my peripheral vision, followed by seemingly-endless screeching (I was just waiting for the BAM). It never came, though he was momentarily dazed. The light was just changing at this point, and I ran through it before it changed for the aforementioned bystander. Civic was forced to stop. Turned left down Richardson, and parked in the ex-Nortel parking lot, thinking he would go by. Unfortunately, I did it right under a light, and he spotted me, though he had to take the next exit into the lot. This gave me time to exit via my exit, turn right on March, and lose him through the Home-Hardware parking lot. This was all very dangerous, but very exhilarating. The nerve someone would have to chase us like that for a simple photo? Maybe he was just trying to be macho for his girl? As Nathan pointed out: now his ego's broken and he ain't gettin' any.

Today was the last day of EngFrosh 2005. The boat race had both the fastest and slowest designs I've ever seen. Good times...