Day 3

As the kitty melts into the sidewalk.... :) (Actually it's either cooling or I'm getting used to it the few times I step outside.)

Today, the con officially started. I got up rather later than I'd intended and went over to the con suite to discover that a) I was right that I was too late for the "breakfast" food and b) it didn't matter since "lunch" was a lot of fruit and cold cuts and things that made a perfectly good breakfast as far as I was concerned. Made it to the dealer's room at noon when it opened, and picked up an illustrated copy of The Wee Free Men, DVDs of the movies of Soul Man and Weird Sisters, a Mappe of Lancre, and a T-shirt reading "If you can read this I found your ring" in a sort of tengwarish script. Ran into Marty Massolia setting up his bookstall, and various other folks. I do like a dealer's room with lots of booksellers.

On a later trip to the dealer's room, I also found the person who made the amber pendant with the spider setting and the insect inside which used to belong to Cindy McQuillan and which I mentioned in here awhile back! Her name is Laurie Edison of Sign of the Unicorn, and she does perilously lovely jewelry. I also bought a stainless steel pocket flask with "Witches Brew" on it to carry during the Seamstress Guild party.

I made it to the Opening Ceremonies which were held with general fanfare. After a very long introduction, GOH Terry Pratchett entered with all due ceremony, including an honor guard provided by the Seamstresses Guild.

( See for yourself )

More fun, including an address by Sir Terry, and the presentation of a sword (ok, looked more like a letter opener from where I sat) by the aforementioned Seamstresses Guild. All the usually expected comments occurred. (In fact the speaker made so many bad jokes that she divided the audience into two - one to say "da dum!" the other "tshhh" for drum and symbols, respectively.)

I had received a nicely ornate ticket for today's Autograph Session, so decided to actually go - they also handed out numbers as you arrived, so you could go off and do other stuff whilst waiting. So I made it to the Pune session after all - a panel of guests made puns while the rest of us threw soft thingies (mostly bath puffs and a couple of nerf rockets) at the speakers, rented for the purpose at a dollar apiece. The audience also chimed in with the odd pun (self included), and sometimes got stuff thrown back at them. I left about the time the nerf axe got auctioned off for the same charity/ies that got the dollar (a fund for Orangutans and one for Alzheimers research I believe.) Got back just in time to get the illustrated Wee Free Men and my ticket (really pretty thing) autographed.

The Seamstress Guild Party was fun - I portrayed Nanny Ogg, Vicky cosplayed Aziraphale like she'd done all day (though given her badge folks could be forgiven for mistaking her for a dark haired version of Teatime. Oh well, I should talk - MY badge says Anansii.) Alas, her friend playing Crowley didn't have a membership (they were full up before the con), so while Aziraphale held forth at the party, Crowley was off in the pub. This DOES make sense I must say. One fan we talked to said in all the years he'd been to Pratchett cons, this is the first time he'd seen anybody cosplay Aziraphale, and he liked her costume so much that he presented her with a couple of plastic teeth - props from the movie version of The Hogfather! You never know who you'll meet at these things. Terry, bless him, had paid for all of us at the costume-heavy party who wanted photos to have them, only requesting that we have them taken in groups. Vicky and I did so - we get to pick them up tomorrow or Sunday.

There were also awards - one attendee, dressed as Twoflower had made a remote-controlled "Luggage" that was a delight. Other winners included a really flamboyant Nanny Ogg (presented, equally flamboyantly by Terry himself), Greebo the cat in human form, Cheery Littlebottom in drag, the Bursar (who promptly supplied Terry with dried frog pills), the Death of Rats, Moist van Lipwigg and Adora Belle. I think that's everybody - I'll go through the photos later - it's entirely too late. Good night!

Day 4

I wake up, go to look out the window and lo and behold, it's raining brickbats. It seems to have stopped now; I suspect we're in for a muggy day, but at least it's cooled down somewhat now. OTOH, I just heard thunder... Well, it IS the monsoon season. Hillel turned up this am so we've now got the whole complement for the room. I'm waiting for everybody else to finish with the shower. fabula_umbrae is off to her turn at the autographing session this morning. I wonder how Terry avoids terminal writer's cramp. More later.

More of Day 4

The rains stopped after a bit, though dripped now and then and amazingly enough it did stay relatively cool outside (relative to yesterday anyway).

Went to the Browsing the Bookstore panel - Diane Duane and Peter Morwood on "what do you read when you run out of Pratchett". Vicky brought Johannes Cabal The Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard to wave at the audience - "You have to read this book." It was my copy, which I'm currently reading and she's quite right. Some of the most delightful lines in the English language... I'd especially expect Pratchett fans to enjoy them.

Terry gave another talk; alas I was in the back of the room and couldn't hear very well - he'd say something, I'd miss a critical word, and the rest of the audience would burst into laughter, so I guess it was funny.

Oh, and I had a close encounter of the Sapient Pearwood Kind.
( here... )

None of my Maskerade pics came out I'm afraid - I was using the camera without the flash and I don't know how to do this and not get blur.. well, at least without a tripod. I'll have to bring the gorillapod along next time I do this and see if that helps. Oh well - the costumes were great (especially the Igor who won several prizes for workmanship, performance, and first place in the journeyman division. Well deserved prizes.) Nancy Freeman entertained as the judges deliberated with some mostly Discworld songs.. also mostly hilarious. I may write up more of this tomorrow, but right now there are parties! Bye!