So, I'm safely back home (or as safe as you get when you're as clutzy as I am). Thursday we moved stuff into our awesome new shop, and started on getting things settled in a way that we find to be pleasing. Friday I got my new car (A 2 door 99 grand am, bright red), and immediately proceeded to shove a bunch of stuff in it and drive to Ames.
We picked up Eric from the Ames shop, and headed for LaCrosse. 6 hours, 14 accidents--including a jack-knifed semi and dead people on both sides of the road--, and a treacherous, snowy, detour through some very steep bluffs later...
We arrived at Shades of Blue, and ran like hell into the convention center, where we talked to the health department guy and proceeded to get licenced and set up for piercing.
I'll admit, not a lot of work got done, especially that night. Around 11 we checked into our hotel, and then headed for the bar-Coconut Joes. There was a lot of dancing on a pool table, flinging of jello shots, whipped cream fights, and really, the usually when you throw half the staff of LastingImpressions/Permanent Collections into a bar and give us nearly unlimited jello shots. Brian licked Jason's face. We showed off white boy dance moves, including but not limited to, the moonwalk, the lawnmower, the sprinkler, and the robot. Eventually, I went back to my hotel room and passed the fuck out.
The next day was 'boobs' day in the Lasting Impressions piercing booth, where Eric and I did no few facial and navel piercings, and about 6 sets of nipples. Not to be outdone, one of the ladies at the convention showed us her chestpiece, which involved flipping her dress down to her waist. And the lovely Christi from Wingnut also flashed us. I'm not sure why, but I approve! In between all the boobs (figuratively speaking) I mingled with other piercers and Eric and I chased people around with a sheep hand puppet that made sheep noises.
Afterwards, we adjourned to 707, where there was beer, followed by a lot of noise, at which point we chose to tactically retreat to Coconut Joes again. A few jello shots later, we all did the robot for no obvious reason, mingled a bit more, and then Brian and I adjourned to the whirlpool in our hotel room before I fell the fuck asleep.
Sunday, check out, and the last day of the convention. It was mostly uneventful until about 3:30, when I got suspended by my KNEES! HOOKS IN MY KNEES! I was very excited, and there are lots of pictures, some of which will be emailed to me! A few hours later, we packed up for the ride home, and I cursed Maren a bunch because she skipped town before going to dinner with us. We made it home in 4 fairly uneventful hours, and went to Brian's work party, where everyone was real drunk, and some crazy mexican told us how much he thinks brian is awesome and emphasized it by smacking me in the knees repeatedly, which I did not appreciate.

Overall, it was a good time. We spent too much money, drank too much, and I got to swing around from my knees and buy more jewelry for the shop than I probably should have, but still not nearly enough to make me happy!

For photographic evidence of our weekend, see my myspace, and keep an eye on Laura's, as she has all the drunken revelry pictures since I cannot be trusted at a bar with my own camera.