We can meet, impromptu fashion, just to get acquainted, before the holidays. I vote for a meet at Borders or some other establishment where they may serve liquid estimulants at budget prices. We can meet and talk and show our cameras to each other and then decide whether that particular piece of gear is really worth buying.
Ken Ford and I have met a few times for nice, long conversations about gear, life, photographic projects, experiences and the like. Very pleasant! And one day I had a long telephonic chat with Jeremy (now infatuated with a Konica S2), when we were thinking about getting together on a Saturday last Spring, at 10 AM, at Central Camera for a bit of a shoot. 🙂
I think by not going that day, I missed meeting Liam in person. In any event, I'm here, 65 miles West of the loop, but have a train station in Elburn, some 18 miles East from here, that will take me safely to downtown.