Loscon

Oh fangs - I just finished up a ten paragraph con report and accidentally hit whatever hotkey someone's got on this system that closes the browser. I can't find the thing intentionally, more's the trouble.,

Went to Loscon. Started out by wandering into the dealer's room and bought a small black snake-dragon (no legs) with red wings which I stuck into my hair for most of the rest of the convention. I named it "Baskek" because of the colorscheme (ask Vicky for details). I was pleased to note multiple book sellers; after all this IS a science fiction convention, not a jewelry show. Not, you understand, I have anything against the pretty stuff too. There was one dealer doing rather impressive historical costume vests, coats and so forth. Much of it suited to pirate style costumes. While CaliFur is doing a pirate theme, it quickly became apparent that if I dress like that in Southern California in May I will die of heat prostration. Accordingly I'm going to make a light vest to go over what'll probably be one of Dress Like a Pirate's poet shirts, a pair of pants, a nice long sash, and buy a pair of boots.

I also got some tshirts in the dealer's room including the "English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar." Pegasus Publishing as usual - they do have .. entertaining.. shirts.

I got a Kelly Freas illo proof at the Art Show for $20! I shall have to go to the art supply store soon - that makes four things I really need to frame RSN. (Mind you I still haven't gotten around to framing a picture I intended for Vicky's room as a kid - and she's 19 and will likely move out before I get to it. Maybe I should just give it to her and let HER frame it.)

Ran into a number of folks I hadn't seen in awhile, including mdlbear, flower_cat and chaoswolf. More locally, I ran into mooglepower. Some of the San Diego contingent including Pearl Stickler (Pearl, do you have a lj?), and caprine, also darrelx who was serving as party maven. Probably did well - leastwise I didn't see any problems with the parties.

The main evening features were pretty good; the Shindig convinced me I really should get around to watching those Firefly DVDs Nicolai picked up - I think I kept missing in-jokes. Though not all of 'em - the evening was a hoot all around!

The next night's Masquerade was also good - I particularly liked the "Quiddich Accident" - a Slytherin with a broomstick stuck through him, who was holding up the Snitch, triumphantly. Also the kid who came as "Puss in Boots" from Shrek 2, and the Van Helsing group.

After the masquerade, everybody headed for the elevators. Alas, the one I got into shut the doors, then refused either to move OR reopen the doors... Fortunately the elevator telephone worked just fine and the hotel called the fire department to let us out. Which they did. At least we were on the ground floor. I don't normally run to claustrophobia but I was considering it. One stuck elevator per con is my limit - I walked up the stairs to the party floor on the 17th floor. The "Lucky 13" ConDor party was notable, complete with all sorts of "lucky" decorations and nearly unreadable miniature "8" balls. I walked up and down the halls to all the parties, then retired to the back of the furry party to watch Madegascar. I was sufficiently tired to take a chance on the elevator on the way down. It worked fine.

The last day of the con I decided what with all the pirates on evidence (what IS this with pirates lately? The long term influence of Pirates of the Caribbean or something?) I might as well join the party, so I wore black pants, my "I Am The Dread Pirate Roberts #73249. Ask about franchise opportunities in your area." t-shirt, and a sash, tied a scarf around my head, put my hair down, wrapped the dragon around my shoulder so it could "perch" there more or less, and stuck my plastic pirate pistol into the sash. Got more attention than I had the night before in my technomage costume.

Stray memories of note - the Steven Brust concert on Sunday, the fencing demos on Friday and Sunday (including Tadao Tomomatsu demonstrating how one uses a war fan), showing mdlbear my Cloak of Engineer Detecting (my technomage cape with appropriately arcane symbols - I'll try and put a picture of it up here sometime). Filking, especially walking into the filk room as Barry Gold was singing Tom Digby's "Do You Envy the Wind". The common sense shown by the con in simply moving the filksing across the corridor to another room upon being informed that it had been put between two noisy functions. Eating dinner in "Latitude 33" Friday night and finding that the $16 Japanese rice/veggie/meat dish was very good, and trying it again Sunday night to find that the veggies were still quite good but that this chef didn't understand what "rare to medium rare" meant as well as the last one. (Reviews of this restaurant are mixed - I came in early Sunday night, but while I was seated immediately, the waiter took so long to appear that I was visualizing the waiters drawing lots in the back room to see who got stuck with the single diner party. And they didn't warm up the bread before putting it on the table. OTOH, once I did order, it didn't take long for the food to appear and I did enjoy it.)

Alas, I managed to lose a costume ring Saturday night - most likely I left it in the bathroom when I washed my hands. It's silver colored with a split separating ring, and has a sort of "moodring" stone in a pattern like a human eye. I'd like it back if anybody found it. Meanwhile, I'll probably volunteer to catalogue the lost and found box for the con and see if perhaps it was in there after all. That and see if I can get them to put the result up ON the website for a change. This is the third year in a row I've lost something at Loscon - hope it doesn't remain a trend.

All things considered I enjoyed the con. See folks next year!