Technicon 2005
I’ve always liked Niven’s Laws. I don’t slavishly agree with them, but they are an excellent source of topics to ponder.
This leads to the fact that I’ve just deleted a lengthy rant about SF/fantasy fans who, despite entreaties from their favorite authors that they start thinking for themselves, are still want to be told what to think and what to believe. The only thing we humans got that the rest of the animal kindgom didn’t is a more complex brain. It’s way past time that we as a race consider trying out some of its higher gears, just to see what happens, you know?
Ok, wow, Technicon report, cool.
We got on the road nice and early on Friday morning, and traffic was light enough that we felt we wouldn’t lose much time by giving in to a sudden craving for pancakes. Once we got back to I-64, the rest of the drive was smooth and uneventful, and we still made good time.
The hotel was… interesting. A bit awkwardly laid out, but nothing too troublesome. The weather issues were more troublesome than anything else.
Pete Abrams is very nice, and quite cool. I got a sketch from the ones raininva traded for, and she got a signed book. Pete’s assistant thyla is also a neat person who was a lot of fun during Whose Con Is It Anyway? and mentioned Rain on the front page of Sluggy Freelance 🙂
Lois McMaster Bujold is also interesting to talk to; I actually avoided discussing her writing too much, since I figure she gets to do that all the time, and tried to talk about her other interests. I can’t be sure, but I think she enjoyed that!
Gave rattrap some DVDs I thought he’d like, and saw some clips of “The Court Jester” in kittykatya‘s video room (one day I will see that whole movie). Finally had the chance for a proper conversation with madwriter, though it had to be cut short because I was looking for someone. Rain joined vileone‘s Fae LARP and seemed to have a great time, eventually burning the Royal Castle to the ground in a power struggle.
I got to chat about the new Doctor Who series a bit with rubinpdf, and before I knew it it was time for the Friday night panels I agreed to run. I’m not sure if this is the place to discuss them, and if I do it will be in a separate entry, but suffice it to say I thought they went very well (and I received further compliments over the course of the weekend). Thanks to shrewlet, platypusgirl, fishy1, Laura, Meche, Bert, and anyone I’ve missed who contributed assistance, advice, and moral support. I think we bent colleenk‘s brain a bit 🙂
Got up Saturday and took my laptop into the Main programming area for wireless access. Rain checked in with the LARP, and I had fun until time for my panels with Rain and jsciv on the game industry because I Am An Expert Now. Seriously, all three of us had lots to say and I think they were good panels, although an attendee at the second panel didn’t seem to like our opinion that a series of wargames on American military blunders wouldn’t sell well. (“Hitler never played Risk as a child… you can’t hold Asia. Seven men every turn but you can’t hold it.”)
Next I was supposed to play Whose Con with Pete and Barb and maybe even southernsinger, but ndkid let me know that there was some competition for the slots, and frankly, I’d been sick all week and hadn’t had much dinner on Friday, so I let him talk me out of my spot. Caught the last half of it though, and some food and downtime was just what the doctor ordered.
Into the evening programming I marched, letting nius use my laptop as a guinea pig for QuickTime Broadcasting from the sound & video table. Pete and ranchonmars joined me at the Judges’ Table, and I left my laptop running the video feed because our angle on the “stage” wasn’t that great. Bambi’s group performed their bellydancing show, then she joined us to judge the Costume Call. I’ll just say that tadamakimacun‘s performance was quite nice, and I can now add “Raise Pants Shields” and “Activate Emergency Pants Hologram” to the list of phrases I’ve never expected to hear. Didn’t get to hear as much of Keith’s performance as I’d hoped due to the judging, but the crowd seemed to like it a lot. I think that between “The Dragon and The Lady” and the Vile One skit, Pete may have started wondering what kind of nuts he was hanging with.
What happens in the Room Party, stays in the Room Party. But Rain looked great in her corset! Too bad I was too low on energy to do much at the dance, either.
Sunday we awoke way earlier than normal, for LARP reasons. I don’t remember much, though, until it was time for the Auctions. Jerry and rockbender did a great job, and they ran smooth as silk; congrats to yubbie for winning the 2006 FanGOH. Rain completed her arson, and we left the con for a quick late lunch. We swung by Fun-N-Games for the end of the MechWarrior qualifier, then to the con dinner at India Garden (no heartburn or other tummy troubles this year! Yay!) We stayed in Blacksburg overnight with rhaps and Cindy, then headed leisurely home on Monday, stopping for the IMAX show of “Robots” at the Virginia Air and Space Museum. (Cool screen. Nice animation. Pedestrian, predictable plot. I’m coming back for the aerospace hardware exhibits, though!)
And that’s the T-Con report. Now you see why it took a while!
Tags: conventions, costuming, doctor who, fandom, filking, food, friends, gaming, movies, rain, technicon, technology, travel
Call me a ghoul, but now I want to hear that rant.
I’d forgotten about the Emergency Holographic Pants. I’ll be over here snickering now.
It was definitely fun chatting with you both on the panels and at dinner Sunday! I hope it was at least half as much fun for the handful of people to listen to us as it was talking on the panels, because if we hadn’t had other stuff to do I’d have enjoyed chatting more. 🙂 Definitely a plus from the weekend.
What happens in the Room Party, stays in the Room Party.
But…. but…. I heard there were pictures, and I need physical proof of certain events in order for my brain to believe them!!!! 🙁
BTW, I’ve been playing with putting stuff on my PSP’s memory card — the best anyone in the office has been able to do is 400MB for The Incredibles (they lied before) and that version loses sync to the sound after about 10-15 minutes. I’ll let you know as I discover more.
Yes, indeed there were pictures…..
You know, I’m sure there had to have been times after this, but I’m wondering if the last proper sit-down conversation we had was when I was attending your Shadowrun games umpteen years ago!