With OwlCon 2015 quickly approaching, I have been thinking about  what I will be doing between gaming sessions.  Once in a while there is down-time or very occasionally, I will find myself without a game that I am interested in playing.  Knowing what Houston has to offer in the vicinity of Rice University, I like to have a contingency plan.  Here is my plan for 2015. 

5.  Head to the Movie/Anime Room!  
At almost all conventions, gaming or otherwise, there is a room dedicated to showing geek/fantasy/sci-fi/anime programming.  OwnCon is no exception, and I have retreated there before to relax, catch up on sleep, even watch some of the programming.  Sometimes, you can find a real treat to watch and do it with a bunch of other people just as enthusiastic about it as you.  It's like watching a movie with your closest friends, except you don't know most of them.  Sorta creepy, but am I wrong?  Last year, I was able to catch about half of a Monty Python movie before I decided to run off and do number 4!

4. Meet some gaming celebrities / authors.
Another thing that is present at almost all conventions are celebrity authors / game creators.  Again, OwlCon is no exception.  Steve Jackson, Jeff Dee, Alex Yeager, Sandy Peterson, and of course, Michael Varhola are just some of the major gaming authors that I have met at OwlCon.  In fact, it was Michael Varhola of Skirmisher Publishing, LLC who inspired me to take the leap and start down my own path to having my own work published!  Thank you Michael!

3. Check out some local Gaming Stores.
Houston is a huge city, and I have heard from friends that there are some fantastic gaming establishments in the area.  This year I plan to seek at least one of them out.  If you attend a convention regularly, like I do with OwlCon, you could make some new gaming friends that you could return to the following year, or hang out with when you happen to be in town as well!

2. Try to score!
NO, not that sort of "score".  What I mean is to try to score some cool stuff by looking for the local Half Price Books!  In San Antonio, where I live, all of the HPBs are combed through fairly regularly and by the time I get there, all there is left is a beat up copy of Song and Silence or Character Record Sheets.  New cities are new possibilities and you just never know what you could score if you go looking for it!

1. Hit the Exhibitor Hall!
What would a convention be without the exhibitors?  More affordable, that is what!  Seriously;y though, if you are like me, then you spend some serious dough on cool games and gaming accessories at conventions.  I like to try playing a new game during the Con and them head to the exhibitors and buy it!  

Honorable Mention:  Paint some Minis / Enter a Mini-painting Contest.
I thought this may be too closely related to actual gaming to put in the list, but almost every year, thanks to Reaper Miniatures, I paint a mini and get some much-needed pointers in doing so.

I know, this list is just my opinion of things to to at a gaming convention besides gaming, but if you ever find yourself with a canceled slot or no slot at all, think back to my list, you may be able to avoid some boredom.

What do you find yourself doing besides gaming at a gaming convention?  Post your comments below!