... you should drop in on the Friends of Old Time Radio convention in Newark.

It sounds as if it might be a complicated trip, but a train, bus, or other ride to the Newark Airport will put you just a free shuttle's ride away to the Holiday Inn North, 160 Frontage Road, Newark, New Jersey 07114 (973) 589-1000. (The hotel shuttle comes into the "Hotel Pick-Up" area at P4, just past Terminal C. The airport workers are amazingly cheery and helpful when it comes to finding the right spot, and the shuttle runs frequently.)

In any case, for an idea of the event, check out the FOTR website, which includes highlights of past events. Hit the link to the 2007 event to get an idea of the planned programming and the cost to attend. There'll be an X Minus One reunion, Bob Hastings (who played Archie Andrews -- and performed in many of the X Minus One scripts), Rosemary Rice (who played Betty) and more, more, more. (I don't mean that any of the credits I've cited are all that the folks have done. In fact, part of the delight of the annual event is what more there is to learn about this almost-forgotten area of pop culture.) My daughter and I will appear in a re-performance of a My Friend Irma script on Friday, and so on. Seriously, check it out.

(Part of the intrigue of Old Time Radio is the lack of concern about how much things cost. Whereas in our field, there's an aspect of obsession with the price of collectibles, in Old Time Radio the entertainment often limits itself to the experience, rather than ownership. On the other hand, I did manage to pick up a Straight Arrow booklet at one event, so who knows what you might find that's fun?)

It's a small crowd -- which means you get to meet people you admire, if you love OTR. See you there?