Kitanzi's Colloquium

Last convention I went to, I said "I don't think I ever had quite so much fun at a con that I saw so little of." I can't really say that about this one, but it did have one thing in common - the fun I had didn't have much to do with the convention.

I never had been to Galacticon before, but ACat assured me it was a nice, fun little convention with a good literary track, an entertaining Klingon theme, and a strong filk presence. It was only a couple hours from home, so we didn't have to burn any vacation days for it, and it sounded like a good way to have some fannish fun on a spare weekend - especially with Echo's Children for the filk guests!

Well, it seems to have changed a bit in the years since he was last there. Echo's Children was wonderful, as usual. I'd go pretty far to see cflute and catsittingstill sing School House Rock, never mind their usual polished performances. (Come to think of it, I'd love to see them do School House Rock!) We also got a welcome chance to spend time with quadrivium and several other friends we don't see enough - in fact, we got to go out for Indian food on Saturday with the filkers. All twelve of us at the convention, in fact.

Galacticon's subtitle on their webpage is Klingon Spring Break. I think they have those backwards. In fact, I would have just called it Spring Break, except for a few rather nice costumes. It seems to have more or less evolved into two cons in the same hotel on the same date - or perhaps just one massively loud, massively drunk party around the open bar with a dozen people off in a small room nearby making music. We also found out the filk track is apparently been written off entirely by most of the concom (the one apparent exception is passionate about it, but doesn't seem hopeful) and frankly I don't think there will be any filk track for us to go back for next year. I had a good time - but all the things that made up that good time could have been had easier and more pleasantly and likely even cheaper by pooling our money to bring CFlute over and finding a way to let everyone crash at someone's house for the weekend. (Well, I guess that would rule out paying $5 to have ACat put in the stocks, but he enjoyed that entirely too much anyhow!)

For damn sure I wouldn't have had to listen to a drunken Klingon wannabe tell me that it didn't matter that he was massively drunk and hypoglycemic because hey, he was putting his own blood in his drinks!

*happysigh* You know, I don't think I ever had quite so much fun at a con that I saw so little of.

( What I did with my weekend )

OVFF was wonderful, but we came home with concrud (nasty head cold, could have been worse) and between that and intensive training at work I've been mostly coming home and falling over. I haven't posted about the con, but if I don't soon, I just won't. Again.

Just random bits of goodness from OVFF last weekend: many, many hugs from many, many people I missed. I like hugs. Also lots of amusing and gratifying reactions to my Friday Tshirt, which said "Bi, Poly and PICKY!" I figured if there ever was a good place to wear that, this would be it. Also entertaining was trying to explain what it meant to someone who wasn't quite sure. The fact that I wasn't sure what her reaction would be, and did care, didn't make it easier. I've never worn that information on my sleeve before, so to speak, though none of it's been secret for years. The music was wonderful, of course! I always love hearing the Pegasus concert, and it had a particularly satisfying ending with Andy Eigel's Uplift. I am not sure which songs I actually voted for, since I always vote just as soon as possible (saves forgetting) but I'm pretty sure I chose that one in that category. It was a particularly good year in all fields, though, and I don't think anything was nominated that I would have been sorry to see win. The new system seems to work very well.

Let's see... swimming party was marvelous, Mongolian BBQ was delicious as always (yes, I'm skipping around, I'm sick, humor me), I got kidnapped/stolen by cadhla at least a half dozen times but it never seemed to stick, we ran into delennara unexpectedly at the airport on the way home and got an extra hour of socializing out of it (besides, I got to monopolize her at the banquet! I'm telling you, she LOOKS quiet and shy, but once she relaxes she's got a wicked streak of humor! >:) ), Mad Hatter party was lots of fun - some good pictures out there, especially one of me and nrivkis. I don't usually like photos, but I like that one. There was also a very snuggly cuddle pile in the consuite that I collapsed against (maedbh7 makes a great and very patient pillow, wish I could have stolen her home). Did I mention the music was great? It was, even though between swimming, socializing and exhaustion I never did make it to a single open filk circle. Lots of really great performances, but the standout in my memory was Lady Mondegreen. I missed their first couple songs, though - anyone have a recording?

What else, what else... yoga class with quadrivium and several others, the dealers room (of course!), confusing the hell out of the guy at the Mongolian BBQ with my Safe Snacks Tshirt ("Shouldn't we use a condiment, dear?") and of course getting to talk with and snuggle with and enjoy so MANY people who live too far away. Oh yeah, and the Interfilk Auction! I don't know how much they wound up making, but Ohio requires a professional auctioneer to do the actual selling, and after last year he's apparently learned enough to know to sic Erica Neely on people by name! >:)

I'm forgetting stuff, lots of stuff. I didn't even metion the excellent con suite, for instance, or the end-of-con breakfast we had with kyttn and filkergem but I'm tired and it's time for more cough syrup. I had a great, great time, and a wonderful 2nd anniversary. I don't think there could have been any better way to celebrate. Hope I see everyone at Gafilk in a couple months! (Please?)

Well, I went to England, and to Quinze. I meant to actually take notes and do a proper conreport for once, but I slacked off on that some time in the middle of the con, so I know I'm going to forget something and kick myself for it later when I'm reminded, but here it is anyhow.

( This will be long, even though it's just pre-Quinze. )