Repeat Performance

After landing in Las Vegas I had a free day in my schedule, so I decided this would be my “sushi and play laser tag” relaxation day. First, a shout out for the AMAZING sushi at Jjanga Sushi. I am definitely returning to this restaurant next time I am in the area. Then it was time for a repeat performance, playing at several arenas that I had already visited previously. Why was I playing repeat locations instead of looking for something new? Well, I have only one arena of cushion before a friend is opening a new site, which I intend to make my 400th laser tag arena. So in the meantime I’m being careful to keep my arena count holding steady. This gives me the flexibility to make some repeat visits to places I have enjoyed before.

My favorite arena in Las Vegas is Battle Blast. I actually played here twice during this trip. Once on Monday and then again on Wednesday, so that should tell you how much I enjoy this site.

Playing Nexus is always a great time. Playing Nexus with this group was even more fun, kind of like playing with undercover agents.

We played with a group that included two young guys from Iowa who I want to give a shout out to. They earned some serious bragging rights that night! Guys, I salute you.

I also had a chance to revisit a couple of locations that would appear in my presentation the next day. The first was Lost Worlds Myth and Magic, which appeals to the “mother of dragons” in me. I am a lizard mama to a little leopard gecko, but she is not nearly as big as this creature!

Had a great time, then moved on to one of my “most distinctively unique” nominees, Flip N Out Xtreme in Henderson, NV. I really wanted a refresher on this site and to try to do a platform count. This is a really unusual arena!

I put on my Delta Strike Evo pack and went out into the game with a large group of teenagers.

So much fun!

Other repeat performance arenas along this journey included Laser Mania hosting Tag 4 A Cause (more on that soon) and Ultrazone Bensalem, where I spent an unexpected Friday night of AYCP tag.

While I was there they showed me their Tivia’s Top Ten arena contest People’s Choice ribbon on display. I love seeing the awards from this contest on display at the recognized arenas!

Something else I love to see is a briefing room with purpose. Check out these walls next to each set of briefing room risers.

I had a wonderful time playing this arena again. 

My last time tagging in Bensalem was during Armageddon nearly three years ago. It’s another great example of a balanced and really fun to play maze.

This arena is near enough that I should make more of an effort to get back here more often. It really was the perfect way to round out this “repeat performance” tour of some awesome laser tag sites.

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Looking Back on My Week (Cookie Part First)

I’m at home, exhausted but quite happy about everything that happened during my past week of travels. There is SO MUCH to share, that it will take a little time for me to put it all together, but there will be some good stuff on the way. That’s the middle part, like the double stuff inside the Oreo. For now, let me just give you the cookie part (meaning the start and end of the trip) with a little overview of what’s coming next.

This week could not have started out in a more unusual way. It has been (number of years redacted) since I last competed in a pageant, but I decided to throw my tiara back into the ring one more time. I competed for (and won!) my Rescue the Runway crown in support of animal rescue organizations with literally only two hours to spare before I was boarding a flight to Vegas for the Laser Tag Convention! 

So yes, rather than chilling and relaxing before the start of my trip I instead put myself through a personal challenge that requires layering on a ton of additional planning, packing and focus. What was I thinking, lol?

Well, I was thinking that this supports a great cause and gives me a chance to show a different side of myself. Here are a couple of pics from the competition that kicked off my tag trip.

Riding the high of having actually won the crown, I boarded the plane just a couple of hours later and the adventure really began.

I arrived in Vegas late on Sunday night, planning on having Monday as a cushion day in between. Monday was my designated “eat sushi and play laser tag” day and I went off to play in several arenas I had previously visited.

Let the games begin! From there the short overview of my week includes speaking at the Laser Tag Convention on Tuesday, attending the Amusement Expo International on Wednesday, visiting with Britany (one of my best friends since junior high) on Thursday…

…and rounding things out with a Tag 4 A Cause night in Utah. From there I would drive back to Vegas to catch a red eye flight home just after midnight on Friday  morning.

That much went according to plan and I’ll share more soon, but let’s pick the story up here with the flight home.

I never actually made it home on Friday. Long story short is some VERY heavy fog in Philadelphia (my connecting point) caused some flight cancellations, so people were being moved to other flights, which threw a wrench into my plans to get home. By the time I had been in the airport for a few hours I decided Philly is not so far away that I couldn’t just drive home instead, so I rented a car. However, at this point I had been on the road (or on a plane) going pretty much nonstop for about 36 hours, so I decided to stay the night in Philadelphia and drive home the next day. 

When in Philly, there is one place I know I must visit!

This is where I found my second wind and played tag all night long! Yes, I was ready to drop when I got to the hotel, but this was the best night of tag I’ve had in awhile. It felt like the old days at FJ and I just wanted to have that experience for as long as possible. After six or seven games I called it a night, but my thanks to everyone at UZ for helping me turn an unexpected stop in your city into a fantastic, full night of laser tag!

The next morning I was ready to drive home, but not before detouring for one more adventure. When you are a total fan girl passing through NJ you stop at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. I got an impromptu photo-op with “Cousin Johnny” John Willyung (aka Cohee Lundin) from Clerks, Chasing Amy, etc.

Whew! What a trip! I will share more of the highlights in greater detail soon, but for now I will just smile as I think about what an amazing ride it has been. :)

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

LaserTag.Net CEO Provides an Interview and an Update

Two weeks ago, the world was a very different place. 

On February 23rd I recorded an interview with Michael Obod, the co-founder and CEO of LaserTag.Net, who was sitting in his laser tag manufacturing office in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He was enthusiastically telling me about his company and the things they were actively working on, including an upcoming rebranding with the name Netronic. Literally 12 hours after that interview took place the Russian attack on Ukraine began. We had no idea how much everything was about to change.

Much like the rest of the world, I watched the images of Ukraine on the news, feeling quite helpless as I saw the terrible situation unfolding. My inclination was to hold off on publishing the interview at this time as I was concerned about whether the timing was appropriate in light what was happening. However, Michael contacted me this week feeing that it was important not only to publish the interview now, but also to add an update to it. I welcomed him to provide a first-hand account of what he and his team have been experiencing in Ukraine.

Perhaps it is a bit out of order, but I’m going to first share the update from earlier today, which you can see here.

https://youtu.be/j9ppt0yqnbo

LaserTag.Net is persevering through very difficult circumstances, but they are a strong company with a very dedicated team who are an active part of the worldwide laser tag community. You can learn more about them from this full interview recorded two weeks ago on February 23, 2022 and tagged with today’s update.

https://youtu.be/ish3sN6yGZY

Update - March 11, 2022:

I had asked Michael Obod about how people could help show support for his team and he provided an answer with some additional information on Friday, March 11th, which I promised to share. While I am not paid or affiliated with any laser tag company (and therefore I do not generally promote sales), Michael has provided this information as part of a donation campaign and a way to support LaserTag.Net and their Ukraine team during this time of war and so I share this information in that context.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4948911331856820&id=939679069446753&m_entstream_source=timeline

I would like to extend my support to all the people of Ukraine and particularly to those who are part of our global laser tag community. Our thoughts and prayers are with you for peace for your nation and our world.

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Catching Up on My RePlay Reading

It was such a nice surprise to start reading this month’s RePlay Magazine and discover that I have been mentioned in two separate articles! :)

This is the Vegas Bound Expo Showbook edition, which arrived in perfect timing. The Laser Tag Convention, which is co-located with the Amusement Expo International, is about a week away, so I am finalizing all the pieces of my operator’s class presentation titled “Exceptional Arenas Make a Lasting Impression”. If you are attending the show please join me for this session. I am quite honored to be on the schedule alongside some well-known veterans of the laser tag industry. The full convention schedule can be found online at http://www.lasertagconvention.com/general-information/schedule-of-events or you can read all about it in RePlay’s March magazine. 

I only have two words…Vegas, baby!

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Celebrating with Lasers

Is it considered birthday bashing if it’s your own birthday and everyone in the arena is over 21? …asking for a friend. Lol, seriously though, what better way to celebrate my birthday weekend than going out for sushi and laser tag.

Visiting an arena I haven’t been to in quite awhile was a great start. Playing the system that used to be second nature to me was even better. For the first time in literally years I once again picked up a red Rift pack (don’t knock my first!) and played once again with my favorite pack name from back in the day. Yes, I got to play again as Legend.

Different place, different space, but it still fits like a glove and felt very nostalgic to have this phaser in my hands again. Of course I love playing on newer equipment, but there is just something about your first love. Technically I first played on Infusion, but I didn’t truly love the game until Rift. Don’t even talk to me about it in comparison to others (remember I named my gecko after Helios), but on this day it didn’t feel like I was a year older. It felt more like it was eight years ago and somehow the hands of time had actually gone backwards. Such a great night!

The tag celebration continued out in Albany with a night out with friends.

And afterward we sat down for drinks and dessert and were greeted by a server I know who informed my group that “she’s kind of famous around here!” Aww, they always treat me so well at this arena, but really this was such a nice way to make a girl feel special on her birthday weekend! Thank you to everyone who sent along birthday wishes. I had a great day celebrated with some great laser tag!

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Laser Tag Day is One Month Away

International Laser Tag Day is exactly one month away! That means now is a great time for laser tag operators to plan how their facility will celebrate the 38th anniversary of laser tag. I chatted with Erik Guthrie, curator of the Laser Tag Museum, about the history of Laser Tag Day and how it is being promoted this year.

https://youtu.be/PbDtwYG4X-U

Want to get the official International Laser Tag Day poster? It’s available as a free download at http://lasertagconvention.com/2022-international-laser-tag-day

And while you’re checking out the Laser Tag Convention site, here is the seminar schedule. I look forward to presenting the 3:00 class, “Exceptional Arenas Make a Lasting Impression”.

http://lasertagconvention.com/general-information/schedule-of-events?fbclid=IwAR1UbmuW8pQURpBTvAocEXxSeXZ-TSjQzwKaNhtsmAaWyD1DJdz_xyBHpVM

So much laser tag activity happening in the month of March!

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Tag 4 A Cause is Headed to St. George, UT

Tiviachick’s Tag 4 A Cause is heading to Laser Mania Family Fun Center in St. George, UT! The next Tag 4 A Cause night will be held on Thursday, March 17th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Laser Mania Family Fun Center. Donate to the cause, accept the challenge and earn the medal!

We’ll have a high score trophy contest taking place and laser tag 5K medals will be available that night for anyone who participates by making a donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities and accepting the laser tag 5K challenge.

More info at:

https://www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com/rmhc

As always, if you can’t join us in St. George you can participate virtually and complete the challenge on your own from any laser tag arena, anywhere and receive the medal by mail.

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com