Weekend on Mars
Started off the weekend with a fever on Friday, caused probably by having to run around in the cold cold rain on Thursday. But I medicated the heck out of myself, and was well enough to travel with Starr to Williamsburg on Friday for MarsCon.
Most conventions are, for me, opportunities to socialize with friends I don’t often get to see. southernsinger, kittykatya, impink, geckoman, and stori_lundi were all there, as well as folks I get to see a little more often such as ptownhiker, fixitup, and torn757. Got to spend some quality time with Jesse and Dwight too!
Convention loot: a Devil’s Panties graphic novel (Jennie Breeden remembered me from Dragon*Con), character sketches from an artist in the dealer’s room, a Carcassonne expansion and an book of Paranoia XP modules, two White Plectrum CDs and a Coyote Run CD, some erotica from Helen Madden‘s table, and a couple of buttons. After spending the weekend avoiding the purchase of T-shirts, Starr and I were handed free ones by a local game store – now I have to get rid of more old ones to make space!
Next year, the con is supposed to move to a bigger location, and it really needs the space. MarsCon completely overflowed its host hotel, which is a shame, as I think it’s a nice place to hold the weekend. I got to hear some other VA con politics I didn’t want to hear about, but that’s the down side of having friends who are so heavily involved in things.
Speaking of being involved, this was the first time I can recall having my con badge paid for as a “Guest” presenter. I have to say I found it very cool, though somehow I had always imagined it would be for my Great American Science Fiction Novel. Still, the panels (which I talk a bit more about in the Lifestyle filter) were great fun, and I can’t wait to do them again next year.
We’d really intended to stay longer on Sunday, but despite finally getting the MarsCon Charity Chair Massage I’d been wanting to try for years, we had a bad case of burnout. Excitement, dancing, endorphins, and little sleep all hit at once, and Starr and I headed home around 1:30 to veg for the rest of the day. Still haven’t quite come down though. How long ’till T-Con?
Oh, by the way, for people who didn’t go see Cloverfield, or restrained themselves from visiting YouTube this weekend, here’s the new Trek movie trailer. Total geekgasm.
Martian Con Machines
I had every intention of heading over to the MarsCon Badge Assembly Party last night, but the world caught up with me and I ended up insensate on the couch for most of the evening, with both knees screaming of inflammation. It was something like a milder version of the saying “A sucking chest wound is life’s way of telling you to slow down a bit.”
If I don’t take it a bit easy this week, there will be little point in going at all; MarsCon is not the sort of SF convention where one wants to hit their energy limits at 9:30pm. I’m still kind of annoyed with myself for conking out at 1:30 at New Year’s.
Happily, I found geckoman and big_danny_t at the concert on Sunday, and learned that Gecko is chairing next year. He has some great plans for the con – I hope that even a few of them work out.
In unrelated trivia, I heard this morning about a funeral parlour which is making plans to warm the building with the waste heat produced by the crematorium. I was immediately reminded of the Fremen of Dune, who are driven to such severe water-conservation necessities that they extract the water from their dead to return to the public supply. I can’t seem to decide whether the parlour’s plan is logical or nauseating. (I suppose neither reaction is exclusive.)
Tweets for Today
- 08:01 Lovely evening last night. Great early Xmas present, good company, “Chicken Run”. Even got a decent night’s sleep! #
- 14:24 Randomly met two fandom friends at lunch… knew they worked here, but hadn’t seen them in months in or outside or work. Nice! #
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Tweets for Today
- 09:02 @snidegrrl: great job acing that final – woo! #
- 09:03 Humid and warm this morning. Will be claening the apt. tonight, but got TSO tickets tomorrow! #
- 14:26 I am indoors. It is 75 degrees outside right now. Why am I indoors? #
- 17:46 Thought my concert tickets had gone missing. Just found them again. BIG sigh of relief. #
- 23:11 Just watched Science Channel video of people doing repairs on the Empire State Building’s spire. Vertigo- and nausea-inducing. #
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