A Fanatical Devotion to Admiral Maddox
Speaking of cons, tonight Starr and I were doing just that (speaking of them, that is). Thomas Atkinson friended me back on Facebook today, and when I told Starr that I had an old costume skit of his on VHS, she begged me to dig it up.
That tape, dating from RoVaCon 15 back in 1990, also contains one of the most elaborate Starfleet Vice skits we ever did. The performers for this installment included myself as officer Stubble, Heather McLaughlin and Valerie Brugh as “Dirty Pair” Kei and Yuri, time_shark as a KODRA Dreadlok, markush as Doctor Whizbang, Tom Monaghan as officer Paisley, Mike Layne as officer Harold, and Beth Lipes as officer Ruth. The camera operator for the con spent most of the skit focusing on the skimpy anime costumes Heather and Valerie wore.
Many of the jokes are esoteric, but some of them are still fairly funny outside of the late-80s Starfleet context. This little performance would be a good candidate for my first test of the new video-to-computer setup, right? I think we all want to see this posted.
Starr says I’m much better looking now than I was when I was nineteen. Any doubts as to why I’m in love with her?
Shiny!
The observant reader of this journal may have noticed that I didn’t mention exactly what outfits I wore as my hall costume or Costume Call garb. There’s a reason, and I think pictures are worth quite a few words, to begin with. So, my Technicon 26 hall costume and evening costumes:
It’s my take on the current ‘steampunk’ craze, in lace and black vinyl; and the anime character “Sailor Mars” in PVC fabric as well. I’ve actually had the second outfit for a while, but only found the nerve to wear it at the Technicon final blowout.
So I trust you to see these, as the folks at Technicon did, and understand that this is just a geek having some fun. These pictures are of a nerd who kept himself repressed and emotionally shut down for decades, and is making up for it now by going a little harmlessly wild, and collecting smiles and a few seriously startled looks in the process.
Unfortunately, I can’t trust everyone out there to understand these things. Call me a freak with a grin on your face, and I’ll laugh along with you, but say so with fear or anger in your eyes, and we’re going to have a problem. This is my LJ, and I like it that way. If anyone’s going to put that much effort into finding pictures of me in a dress, let ’em.
I had loads of fun over the weekend. My friends in fandom are some of the most awesome people I ever met: for all of Saturday and well into Sunday I was met with pleased laughter, friendly teasing, not a few admiring remarks, and jokes about who really ought to be bidding on the silk stockings in the White Elephant auction. I live for all of that, and the fen at Technicon were remarkably obliging.
As the years pass, I know more and more friends who are afraid society will punish them for being the perfectly decent, if offbeat, people they feel they are inside. My lifestyle panels and my costume choices comprise my own little rebellion against this prejudice. I love the folks in fandom who offer me the chance to misbehave.
Thanks again, guys. I hope to be amusing and mildly disturbing you at many events to come!
Turning Out the Lights
I’m staying up too long again tonight, but I really want to write down my weekend impressions while they are fresh.
The clock read quarter-to-eleven before I could drag my carcass out of bed, which meant that Closing Ceremonies were only three hours away. No panels, no costuming, just time spent with friends today. I wandered the halls, trading hugs and saying hellos and goodbyes, until noon when the con auctions were to begin. My interest this year remained solely academic, as I’d vowed to spend no money at the con: the budget this spring wouldn’t support it.
The White Elephant auction at 1:00 contained many fascinating items, including Shadowrun gaming materials that almost tempted me. (I looked carefully, finding none of the books that my group has specifically mentioned searching for.) Soon enough, though, the Closing Ceremonies began, dragging on for almost three hours before everyone could tear themselves away. I joined jsciv and candidevoltaire for an evening of gaming that lasted until 11 with a dinner break; we played the new Battlestar Galactica board game for two hours, and I judged it worth playing but not one I’ll be purchasing soon, if for no other reason that it plays best with exactly five players. Now, I’m back in my hotel room, bleary and typing away.
Was the con a success? Indeed so, from my perspective. Rumor has it that attendance numbers reached average Technicon levels, which must be a good thing. I had a lovely time, as did anyone else I got to ask. Should there be one next year? I’m not as sure. I think this must be the last Technicon in its current form: future versions with or without the same name will need much new blood, and perhaps new ways of doing things, to attract college students jaded by DVD players and online gaming. I’ll always be available for the panels and performances I’m good at, but I have no interest in a strenuous staff position, and I doubt many other of the con’s veterans do either anymore.
I’d like there to be another T-Con; but I feel that forcing the issue would cause more harm than good. I’m comfortable biding my time and letting things take their natural course. And until I learn what that course is, staff members of SheVaCon expressed strong interest in having me present my late-night insanity at their event, which will give me something to do while waiting for Technicon 27 or Technicon Next Generation #1.
The Technicon 26 Show
Well, I intended to do the Saturday write-up last night, but by the time I got to bed, I was far too brain-dead to even try it. Not much better now, honestly, but I’ll still give it a go.
Health-wise, this year ran much smoother than the last. Woke up feeling all right, got a filling breakfast, and headed right on in to the con. Took about an hour to check out all the function rooms and say hi to the lovely people I encountered, then the 11:00 Costuming For Anthropomorphics panel started, so I donned my lynx ears and headed in. Kender detailed some fascinating info about building animal tails that I think Starr will be pretty interested in.
My noon panel actually started at 1:00pm, though schedule confusion meant that I wasn’t aware of that, nor were some of the attendees. We found out around 12:30, so we took a 30 minute break and restarted the panel! I answered some good questions, and didn’t make an idiot of myself in front of the Windows expert with whom I was teamed. Did a little bit to promote peace between the OS factions, too.
At this point in the day, I entered my ‘on stage’ mindset, and between costuming and presenting, I spent most of the day in that mindset. I enjoy the feeling: it’s exhilarating, but it takes the energy out of me. I didn’t really manage to come out of it until early the next morning, and felt heavily drained for most of Sunday. Wouldn’t have had it any other way, though.
The PC/Mac panel ended at two, and I took the opportunity to change into my hall costume. The con had no designated costume change areas, so I ended up doing so in the men’s bathroom; this process was nothing but awkward and uncomfortable. I would find a better method for my later changes, but undismayed, I did the rounds again and showed off the outfit a bit. To my happy surprise, I won a previously undisclosed Hall Costuming contest, receiving an appropriate reward; and one of the button-makers gifted me with a button reading “Gaseous Dihydrogen Oxide Non-Conformist”. (Steam-punk.)
Soon enough, I joined impink, southernsinger, and jameshroberts for the “Whose Con Is It Anyway?” improvisation hosted by kittykatya. I’m not sure it was my best performance, but our group grabbed enough good laughs from the audience to make it feel like a success. I changed back into street clothes, and from there, a bunch of us including Dwight, jsciv, and candidevoltaire headed to Macado’s for what was meant to be a quick dinner. Unfortunately, our group gave the kitchen more work than they could handle, and over an hour passed before our food arrived. I had to wolf down half my sandwich on an immediate drive back to the con, where I’d promised to be available for 7:00pm Costume Call judging.
I’d brought another outfit to wear as a judge, but when the organizer discovered that I’d be costuming again, he insisted that I join the Costume Call itself. I found an empty classroom in which to change, hoping all the while that no one of delicate sensibilities would barge in, and reported to the organizer. I think my choice of costume broke judge hippydippydncr‘s mental processes; it certainly provided some laughs during and after the presentation.
Sadly, I allowed myself to get far too caught up in good conversation and joking, and had to rush back to the hotel through fog even thicker than that morning’s to arrive at my evening lifestyle panels barely in time. No one had a key to the conference room, but I convinced the desk clerk that I belonged to Technicon and got us in. Of course, that report will be behind the lifestyle filter; suffice it to say that I’m not thrilled with the overall result, but I think our audience left generally satisfied. We wrapped up around 1:45, but I got into a late conversation with nius, zannyvix, and “Bad Andy”; including a bedtime call to Starr, I didn’t get to sleep before 3:30. But I’d managed at least two mediocre meals, and never felt sick or faint, so physically the day went well. I relished the feeling of finally being ‘off stage’, and fell asleep happy.
Cold and wet and just plain hungry
“Very much what I imagine a small college town with crappy weather would be like, back on old Earth.” – Captain Vanderdecken, Space Rogues
Yes, we’ve got nice thick fog, accompanied with that fine, voluminous rain that coldly soaks everything in no time.
I may not find my way to the con without leaning out the car window and yelping sonar pings into the blankness.
At least I feel pretty decent this morning. Yay getting up just before the end of the continental breakfast.
Technicon arrival
I’m in my hotel room in Blacksburg. The plan was to check in, and do a little shopping for a few things, but impink and kittykatya were in the hotel lobby, and we stopped to chat… looked up and half the con was there. The “Meet and Greet” started hours before the official panel time, but it’s cool, I got to see friends I haven’t seen since last Technicon, and others I haven’t seen in many years. I’m having a good time!
I has another Guest badge. I’m kinda enjoying my slowly-building collection of those.
Okay. Brain shutting down on it’s own. I feel better than I did this time last year, so fingers crossed that I don’t collapse tomorrow. Night!
Norf Wind Bwoah!
Somehow, Starr has lived this long without seeing “Duck Amuck” or “What’s Opera, Doc?“! Luckily, Turner Classic Movies put on a special Chuck Jones tribute tonight, and a Tweet from kittykatya alerted me to the fact. Starr’s cultural education is now increased.
Luckily, she’s the type of person who can properly appreciate a classic Looney Tunes short, and her reaction to each consisted of “This is my new most favorite cartoon ever!” The woman has taste. It’s amazing how funny a cartoon can be without focus groups, Nielsen ratings, a merchandise line, or a stream of “notes” from studio executives. The folks at Termite Terrace just made films they liked, and hoped other people would too. It worked.
I note that Daffy Duck used the “D’oh!” exclamation long before Homer Simpson. Also, Starr will never again hear “Ride of the Valkyries” without the word “wabbit” echoing in her head. Heh heh heh.
Ice skating with assault rifles
Shadowrun went pretty decent last night. We finished a big fight with some corp-type security guards, and the group is set up for the finale confrontation next session. The webcam link to Amy functioned pretty well, and there were albino gluten-free cookies for all. Now I have two synopses to type up 🙂 One pitfall which urban-fantasy GMs must always be aware of: while fantasy-game swords kill slowly, guns are instantly lethal, which can sometimes be a challenge to the game.
Our players arrived to a less-than-spotless house. Starr and I had a rare weekend where neither of us worked or had any social commitments, so we spent a lot of personal time together, which meant I didn’t do any cleaning in the living room or kitchen over the weekend. Last night I had to get the place presentable in about 90 minutes time, which I think I managed sufficiently. Luckily my friends aren’t Better Homes and Gardens reps.
Midori started the evening off fairly relaxed, but started panicking once the room filled up, and took a completely unprovoked swipe at Jesse’s face. Luckily, Jesse’s all right, but I’m pretty cheesed at our little evil bitch cat right now. MistyMina, on the other hand, cuddled on ptownhiker‘s and lewisw‘s laps all night, racking up cute points until time for all to leave.
That, by the way, is indeed the new kitten’s name. We tried Matisse, which didn’t work, and then we tried Misty, which almost worked. Starr suggested Mina, the name of a friend, and about then the kitten knocked yet another something over. So we named her MistyMina, for her criminal behavior, and that stuck.
Tonight will be Technicon travel prep. I feel like I know what I’m going to to be doing on Saturday night now, so my main jobs are laundry, repairing a prop, and picking costumes for the weekend. I have four candidates, and only two days of convention 🙂 Really looking forward to seeing everyone!
Inspiration finally showed up
Wow, I just had an idea for the 10:00-10:45 Saturday night panel that I wish I’d had three weeks ago. It’s better than what I’ve got, but will require more late-in-the-game recruiting. I’ll probably go with it though, if I can find some willing souls who are (a) staying up that late and (b) aren’t already involved with something else.
If you’re interested, aren’t on my lifestyle filter, and are fine with whatever weirdness might show up on my lifestyle filter, let me know.
In other news, we are definitely Shadowrunning tonight. Google Calendar is supposed to be sending out reminders, and my own reminder emails will be sent out as soon as I can do so. I’ll also have a synopsis of last session up as soon as it gets written.
