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Happy New Year.
Welcome to the New Loud Future.
more to come...
Been a long time. Hoping to be back regularly soon. In the interim, here is My Philcon Schedule:
Fri 10:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two (1 hour)
AUGMENTED REALITY (539)
Sat 11:00 AM in Grand Ballroom A (1 hour)
THE JEFF MACH APPRECIATION PANEL AND "CELEBRITY" ROAST (371)
Sat 1:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three (1 hour)
DATING AND FANDOM 201: WHAT COMES NEXT? (365)
Sat 4:00 PM in Plaza IV (Four) (1 hour)
TELEVISION WITHOUT TELEVISION (398)
Sat 10:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two (1 hour)
GAME + DANCE (642)
Sun 10:00 AM in Plaza II (Two) (1 hour)
ADDING SPARKLE TO YOUR COSTUME (554)
Sun 11:00 AM in Plaza IV (Four) (1 hour)
THE MAINSTREAMING OF SF: NOW WHAT? (410)
Sun 1:00 PM in Plaza II (Two) (1 hour)
AGE AND TREACHERY, YOUTH AND SKILL: OLDER AND YOUNGER FANS (372)
Howdy ROCK! Fans.
I’m fit, tan and rested from 5-Pi Con and Kicking Monday into submission with my leftover Con High.
5-Pi Con was a small, relaxed con, as described by the people running THE ONE table, where the con was actually run from. The Fan Guest of AWESOME (honor) was homeboy Hugh Casey and a large contingent of Philadelphia people came along to cheer him on. There was also representation from the PSFS.
Friday, after checking in at a distant hotel :-( , working out and getting registered at the con, I checked out the facilities, and the locals. Nice people, many complemented me on the ropework I was wearing. Had a nice discussion at the bar (over a couple of martinis) about various aspects of knotwork and lifestyles.
Speaking of Lifestyles, the con seemingly every other panel was about lifestyles and relationships. It was a real eye-opener, society is changing and a lot of people are lost and finding new ways of relating and loving. I attended the Polyamory and Relationship Communication Panels and got a lot of good info about different levels of loving relationships and how to love and (at least) forstall heartbreak. Poly seems to have good solutions for having both a stable relationship and maintaining “an active social life”. Of course that means more potential heartbreak, but you always have someone(‘s) shoulder to ride it through on. It all about love, peeps.
Saturday, I moved into the hotel proper, connected with local friend Nurse Nancy in the afternoon and prepared for VJing the Dance that Tim Binder (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) was spinning, I wore the "Tron-esque" jacket that Miss Woods and I worked on (pic by Tony Finan) with the sound activated inverter. It was a big hit, the jacket pulsing to the beat.. Skipping Ahead, the dance went well until Barfleet opened their party. We just couldn’t compete with free booze! Co incidentally, I learned 2 things about VJing: Don’t get too intense with the imagery or the dancers will get dizzy (Sorry Y’all), and Don’t get too intense in your head doing it for risk of going hypnogogic and into self-hypnosis
I did a lot of the more interesting activities, including :
The Pi-athalon, a very low energy non-competition (walk around the hotel at your own speed, solve puzzles, shoot a basketball free throw). Lots of fun and something that should be at all cons.
The Pool Panel, where we started off talking about junk science rumors in the hot tub and, as the panel grew, graduated to the outdoor pool. Pool Panels should be mandatory at cons with suitable pools!
In summary, a better inner experience that the other two cons I went to, more direction forward and of course the support of my friends, both old and new. The con itself was well run and I anticipate going to it next year.
- Mood:
devious
I'm in beautiful Enfeild CT. At 5-Pi con, a relatively small but very intense con up near the Massachusetts border. The programing is light but very heavily biased on relationships. There is also a big Philadelphia contingent. Always nice to be with friends in a foreign land :)
Last night there was great conversation and stiff drinks in the hotel bar with Guest of Awesome Hugh Casey. I also discovered that Riggers Gauntlets are very stimulating conversation starters... and people are not shy about appreciating good ropework.
Tonight, VJing with DJ Thorn spinning and I'm sure waay too much fun.
Take Care
ROCK!
- Where?:United States, Connecticut, Enfield
- Mood:
bouncy
It looks like there will be some clouds tonight but the Persied Meteor showers will be mostly visible.
New Hampshire really wants to sell you liquor, the stores have their.own turnpike stops.
I'm so far north, the road signs are bilingual, they speak kilometer.
More Later, Less Now.
ROCK!
- Mood: determined
Last two weeks, I've been Mr.Convention. See Facebook for general details. Although it's been an emotionally fraught time, I took a few notes on the Journey.
Otakon
Holey Moley, what an event. Evidently a fan run organization, this year drew 30,000 people of all ages for 3 days of very cool craziness. Saturday was interrupted by one of the most smoothly handled accidental fire alarm ever, the con moved out to the street for about an hour, turning into an improptu costumed street party. At Night, there was a heavily attended dance (Rave) which was packed both nights.
The Dealers Room was amazing and the programming, Obviously heavily anime based, was excellent as well. There was a masquerade with skits, and the HUGE crowd was very forgiving of the less capable performers. The good acts reminded me of Japanese Variety Television, very impressive indeed. This is very obviously the future of fandom, next year I hope to be on staff, VJ or DJ. It was a heck of a lot of fun.
On an interesting sociological note, three blocks from the Convention Center, my hotel seemed to be on the edge of the Red Light Distrct. On a late Saturday Night 7-11 hunt with a couple of mid-westerners, the first person we encountered in the next block over was a 6'3" black hooker in a blond wig. Earlier reservations at a closer hotel next year...
ReConStruction
Warren Buff ran a good con. I understand that there was a lot of turmoil in the staff close to the con opening that had a devastating effect on the operations. This was undetectable at the con, everything seemed smooth to me. The attendance was low, due to a number of factors, boy can I empathize with that. Programming was a little sparse also but the panels I attended were well done. I also was the judges clerk at the Masquerade, a novel experience and a lot of fun as well.
The two things that struck me were: The general age of the conventioneers. There were a good number of grey heads, not a bad thing in itself, but a distinct lack of significant numbers of younger people does not speak well of the future.
Secondly: Fandom still has a problem with race. There. I said it. A number of times, conversations stopped dead when I walked into the room. Disconcerting and Depressing. One guy called out "Hey, Look, it's the Old Spice guy!" and was oblivious to my polite but firm insistence that he was being the opposite of witty. And several people confused me with a Much Taller, Much younger, Bald Black Man named Chris. Persistently confused me. For Future Reference folks, I'm "the one with the hats and sunglasses". Sheesh.
So all in all, an OK time was had. Hung with my friend Neal and his hilarious daughter Melissa, Helped get him started podcasting, the plan is for his stories to be illustrated by her. Also all the organizations representing at the con were full of the nicest people.
That's all for now.
ROCK!
Here is a list of my appearances in August:
July 30 - Aug 1 OTAKON in Baltimore Maryland.
There is a strong possibility that I will be unrecognizable, but if I see you, I'll say "Hi"
Possibility of me VJing one of the dances, possibility of me hosting a PHILCON 2010 party.
Stay Tuned.
August 5 - August 8 RECONSTRUCTION in Raliegn North Carolina.
I will be at the PHILCON party as well as providing other suprises. As this is in the Family's Home City, Maybe I can get a roast pig or something equally delightful.
August 20 - August 22 PI-CON in Enfield Connecticut.
I will be supporting DJ Thorn for the dance as well as VJing behind him. Also supporting Guest of Awesome Hugh Casey.
Unfortunately this means that the Worldcon in Austrailia is out :-(. Gonna have to find another excuse to go Down Under later. Sorry Danjite, I was hoping I could pull it off...
- Mood:
anxious
'Cause just taking the canary to the kid would have been too boring.
SCIENCE!
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