For the fourth time in almost two years, I am sitting in a hotel room in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania. As some of you may know, DR Strings is part of the Valley Forge Guitar Convention, and it's happening tomorrow and Sunday. I really enjoy being here but today I almost didn't get to make it.

As I'm driving out of the parking lot at my job, I smell something that resembles anti-freeze and then my CHECK BATTERY light flashes. "This is not good" is all I thought, so I turned the car around, asked a couple of guys in the office what was happening to my car. Fortunately there's a mechanic next door to us so I went to him, all the while my hood has smoke coming out of it. I keep my cool but in my head I yell "HOLY SHIT!"

Turns out, some anti-freeze leaked out and got my timing belt wet, which caused the battery to act all funny. The mechanic cleans out the radiator, puts new anti-freeze in it with water, and then all is normal. WHEW! Now I can make the trip down.

Driving down the turnpike, I see an 18-wheeler go off to an exit but then the driver decides, "I think I'll change my mind." Fortunately, I happened to be looking up when I saw this big-ass truck ready to collide into me, so I swerve and miss it. Thankfully, there was nobody in the other lane when I made my move. The whole trip down was nothing but absent-minded drivers. It's any wonder I'm sitting here typing this.

Make my way to the guitar show and I'm told, "Well, your boss didn't supply his security code when he paid by credit card so you can't set your booth up yet." HUH? Can this day be any more NOT SUCKING? With quick thinking, I happened to have a copy of the receipt with the security code and off I went into the show. Setting up my booth took about 2 hours or so but once I was settled in, I could finally decompress and enjoy the rest of my day.

Strolling past the Roland booth, I see my friend and fellow Ibanez endorser Gary Lenaire. We got to talking about all things metal and guitars, so that put me in a good frame of mind.  I'm hoping to see my other friends that run the Roland booth, who also happen to be Ibanez endorsers, Paul Hanson and Rob Marcello.

Tomorrow begins Day One of the guitar show. The last time I was here in July, the show itself was slow, not a lot of foot traffic but somehow DR Strings did really well with sales. I am hoping that tomorrow and Sunday will be great days. But another vendor mentioned something to me about a strike that happened in Philly, regarding mass transit? I hope whatever it is got resolved or else tomorrow is going to shit the bed.

And what would a guitar show be without me perusing for Ibanez guitars? I saw a 1987 swirl RG with a price tag that says "Bello can't afford this." I managed to get a pic of me holding it, and I'll get to upload that when I am home. Another booth had nothing but Ibanez "Lawsuit" guitars, but the vendor wouldn't let me take any pics. Fine with me, I can dig that.

Again, I wish I was born rich instead of handsome today.