Marcon report
May. 26th, 2009 10:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendyzskiGot up at the ass-crack of dawn on Friday to head to the airport. Flew United this time because it was actually cheaper that Southwest, even with the $15 for my bag. Got to Columbus early but waited almost an hour for Arch Transport - they are supposed to be hourly AND I had a reservation, but they never showed up so screw them. Got to the hotel around 11:30 local and fell over zzzzzz.
Got up about 4 and was on the con floor by around 5. I was in the Art Show when a green suit of power armor wandered by and waved at me. Now being me, and this being Marcon, I pretty much assumed that anyone in a suit of power armor was probably someone I know. But after a few minutes I wandered back and said "So, you gonna tell me who I'm waving at?" and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rwgreyden finally took his helmet off.
I was sitting down in the construction-ized food court trying to sort out how to send her a text message whenladyariyana, jaredthorne and family wandered in. Good lords Princess Breena is BIG now! That was the only time all weekend I actually saw Xander.
Friday night's first panel for me waspeterbeerslayer's "ConSociology 101 - How to meet people at cons." ladyariyana and I brought visual aids - 'This is soap. This is toothpaste". But we also touched on a bunch of good issues, and I felt I contributed some good stuff. It also reminded me to get off my ass and actually MEET people. I did my homework! (And 'Hey, nice hat!' became the catch phrase of the weekend.) I even chatted up the Author GOH in the elevator.
Apparently I had a pass for the private Barfleet party that night but I never got it, so I hit another party briefly because I had to stay relatively coherent for my 11:30 panel "Scared Hot". We touched on religion and sex and kink and slasher movies and vamps and porn and zombie boyfriends…very odd but I felt I contributed good stuff. Then a few more drinks and a fairly early bed around 1-ish.
Got up around 10 on Saturday and meandered around for a while before my 11:30 panel. Only had 4 people at "Stage Presence and Presentation", and while those people had fun I think a lot of the same issues came up at "Put on the Costume, Put on the Character" the night before. Probably time to rethink/retool that one - I'll send feedback to the programming people this week.
I managed to catch parts of the Japanese Costume panel, but I was also running in and out getting things set for Iron Costumer. This year the Secret Ingredient was umbrellas, and the theme was "Who Are You?". We had some REALLY great work done, and theme stuff brought in Alice in Wonderland, Dr. Who, CSI, The Who and probably one or two others I missed. It was really tough from a judging standpoint but the green team won again. Still,ladyariyana and her daughter's team came in a close second and for a first showing steffikat3000 did really well - workmanship was awesome but just needed to use the secret ingredient more. I hope you had a good time!
At that point the smoothie from the ice cream place was just what the doctor ordered, with a nice long shower and a bit of a break before kitting up in my Steampunk gear for the evening. I was rather surprised to turn on the TV to the "Con Channel" (in house ch12) and see myself! Someone mad a mashup vid of "Waiting for the Masquerade Judges" at Marcon 33, which was when I directed the halftime show . Damn I was skinny back then. Need to touch base with the con folks to get a copy of that.
Got into most of the rig by myself but needed a bit of help tightening up the corset, but luckilypeterbeerslayer and Dave were 2 rooms over. Came back after I finished dressing, and Dave got a bunch of shots of both of us. I felt like I was getting ready for some really bizarre prom….
It was an extremely successful debut. Spent a lot of time chatting with other SteamPunkers with periodic interruptions for photo ops. A costume with sunglasses is the way to go if you're going to get that many photos done - no spots and glare! I look forward to seeing some of the shots, especially the ones of me,steffikat3000 and a lady in blue with a really nifty silver fob watch - The Ladies of Steam. In the green room I ran into a guy who posted some pics on Steam-fashion a week or so ago, but missed the big photo shoot in the lobby. We need to actually PLAN one next time. I think I convinced some people to come out to Windy this fall, which is looking more and more like a huge costume orgy. Go me!
Finally made it over to the Masquerade, and managed to get a seat about 2/3 back near an aisle. While waiting, I saw the Author GOH Simon Green again and went over to tell him "your book gave me nightmares and THIS is the result" and show him The Glove. I came up with the plans after I reread one of his Nightside books where the lead character is being pursued by magical constructs that look like people but have hypodermic needles for fingernails. Eeek!
Being on the aisle was also fortunate because when the first Iron Costumer model came out it was obvious that the MC had no idea what was going on. So I scurried up the aisle and the following whispered conversation ensued:
Me: Did you not get a briefing on these?
MC: Nope
Me: Would you like one?
MC: Just go ahead! *shove*
So I took the mike, did a brief "this is Iron Costumer" blurb for the audience, and then introduced each entry with as much as I could remember about it. Ended with a "if you want to play next year, please contact…." and then scuttled back to my seat. Good reaction time and masquerade karma FTW!
Then it was nice to just relax at the parties, show off my props, and bask. (When a guy kisses your hand, it's romantic. When a guy kisses your SteamGlove, it's kind of twisted) Found some pleasant companionship for the evening, and got back to my room about 3:30.
Note to self - you are too old to be getting into compromising positions in out-of-the-way hotel corners. You KNOW it's going to hurt your back later…
Sunday is for packing, and hugging, and goodbyes. Wandered the dealers room withladyariyana en famille, and managed to not strangle PrincessBreena, even when she was bouncing toy rubber dinosaurs on my boobs. 4 yr olds are weird. I was wearing my CostumeCon 28 shirt and got at least one comment "How do you have a shirt for a con that hasn't happened yet?" :)
Sadly I missed the SteamPunk panel because it was scheduled last-minute at the same time I had to leave for the airport. Managed to get through security again without undue attention to The Glove, and even grab a salad before boarding. It was MUCH colder in Chicago, but I maaged to get home eventually and fall over. Napped most of Monday and aside from my body having no idea what time zone I'm in any more I'm mostly recovered. Now for laundry…..
Got up about 4 and was on the con floor by around 5. I was in the Art Show when a green suit of power armor wandered by and waved at me. Now being me, and this being Marcon, I pretty much assumed that anyone in a suit of power armor was probably someone I know. But after a few minutes I wandered back and said "So, you gonna tell me who I'm waving at?" and
rwgreyden finally took his helmet off.I was sitting down in the construction-ized food court trying to sort out how to send her a text message when
ladyariyana, jaredthorne and family wandered in. Good lords Princess Breena is BIG now! That was the only time all weekend I actually saw Xander.Friday night's first panel for me was
peterbeerslayer's "ConSociology 101 - How to meet people at cons." ladyariyana and I brought visual aids - 'This is soap. This is toothpaste". But we also touched on a bunch of good issues, and I felt I contributed some good stuff. It also reminded me to get off my ass and actually MEET people. I did my homework! (And 'Hey, nice hat!' became the catch phrase of the weekend.) I even chatted up the Author GOH in the elevator.Apparently I had a pass for the private Barfleet party that night but I never got it, so I hit another party briefly because I had to stay relatively coherent for my 11:30 panel "Scared Hot". We touched on religion and sex and kink and slasher movies and vamps and porn and zombie boyfriends…very odd but I felt I contributed good stuff. Then a few more drinks and a fairly early bed around 1-ish.
Got up around 10 on Saturday and meandered around for a while before my 11:30 panel. Only had 4 people at "Stage Presence and Presentation", and while those people had fun I think a lot of the same issues came up at "Put on the Costume, Put on the Character" the night before. Probably time to rethink/retool that one - I'll send feedback to the programming people this week.
I managed to catch parts of the Japanese Costume panel, but I was also running in and out getting things set for Iron Costumer. This year the Secret Ingredient was umbrellas, and the theme was "Who Are You?". We had some REALLY great work done, and theme stuff brought in Alice in Wonderland, Dr. Who, CSI, The Who and probably one or two others I missed. It was really tough from a judging standpoint but the green team won again. Still,
ladyariyana and her daughter's team came in a close second and for a first showing steffikat3000 did really well - workmanship was awesome but just needed to use the secret ingredient more. I hope you had a good time!At that point the smoothie from the ice cream place was just what the doctor ordered, with a nice long shower and a bit of a break before kitting up in my Steampunk gear for the evening. I was rather surprised to turn on the TV to the "Con Channel" (in house ch12) and see myself! Someone mad a mashup vid of "Waiting for the Masquerade Judges" at Marcon 33, which was when I directed the halftime show . Damn I was skinny back then. Need to touch base with the con folks to get a copy of that.
Got into most of the rig by myself but needed a bit of help tightening up the corset, but luckily
peterbeerslayer and Dave were 2 rooms over. Came back after I finished dressing, and Dave got a bunch of shots of both of us. I felt like I was getting ready for some really bizarre prom….It was an extremely successful debut. Spent a lot of time chatting with other SteamPunkers with periodic interruptions for photo ops. A costume with sunglasses is the way to go if you're going to get that many photos done - no spots and glare! I look forward to seeing some of the shots, especially the ones of me,
steffikat3000 and a lady in blue with a really nifty silver fob watch - The Ladies of Steam. In the green room I ran into a guy who posted some pics on Steam-fashion a week or so ago, but missed the big photo shoot in the lobby. We need to actually PLAN one next time. I think I convinced some people to come out to Windy this fall, which is looking more and more like a huge costume orgy. Go me!Finally made it over to the Masquerade, and managed to get a seat about 2/3 back near an aisle. While waiting, I saw the Author GOH Simon Green again and went over to tell him "your book gave me nightmares and THIS is the result" and show him The Glove. I came up with the plans after I reread one of his Nightside books where the lead character is being pursued by magical constructs that look like people but have hypodermic needles for fingernails. Eeek!
Being on the aisle was also fortunate because when the first Iron Costumer model came out it was obvious that the MC had no idea what was going on. So I scurried up the aisle and the following whispered conversation ensued:
Me: Did you not get a briefing on these?
MC: Nope
Me: Would you like one?
MC: Just go ahead! *shove*
So I took the mike, did a brief "this is Iron Costumer" blurb for the audience, and then introduced each entry with as much as I could remember about it. Ended with a "if you want to play next year, please contact…." and then scuttled back to my seat. Good reaction time and masquerade karma FTW!
Then it was nice to just relax at the parties, show off my props, and bask. (When a guy kisses your hand, it's romantic. When a guy kisses your SteamGlove, it's kind of twisted) Found some pleasant companionship for the evening, and got back to my room about 3:30.
Note to self - you are too old to be getting into compromising positions in out-of-the-way hotel corners. You KNOW it's going to hurt your back later…
Sunday is for packing, and hugging, and goodbyes. Wandered the dealers room with
ladyariyana en famille, and managed to not strangle PrincessBreena, even when she was bouncing toy rubber dinosaurs on my boobs. 4 yr olds are weird. I was wearing my CostumeCon 28 shirt and got at least one comment "How do you have a shirt for a con that hasn't happened yet?" :)Sadly I missed the SteamPunk panel because it was scheduled last-minute at the same time I had to leave for the airport. Managed to get through security again without undue attention to The Glove, and even grab a salad before boarding. It was MUCH colder in Chicago, but I maaged to get home eventually and fall over. Napped most of Monday and aside from my body having no idea what time zone I'm in any more I'm mostly recovered. Now for laundry…..
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 04:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 02:58 am (UTC)The Sunday steampunk talk was interesting. Next year I hope it's more structured and at a better time.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 03:18 am (UTC)And yeah - wish I'd been able to make the panel, but I was on my way to the airport. I was writing websites in Johnathan's notebook at the Barfleet party the night before so I was there in spirit at least.
psssst!
Date: 2009-06-03 12:12 am (UTC)Re: psssst!
Date: 2009-06-03 01:41 am (UTC)Re: psssst!
Date: 2009-06-03 01:46 am (UTC)Not yet - I sent an e-mail to another friend asking him to poke his friend who might have some
Re: psssst!
Date: 2009-06-03 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-31 02:02 pm (UTC)Windycon might not be but there is a chance we might make capricon