Basic Con Report
I don't have the time or the energy to go into the detail a report of FC would deserve, but here's a few words anyway.
I flew out early Tuesday and arrived at LAX about noon or so. I stayed a couple fo days with Ken Pick and Steve Corbett at their place in Anaheim, got to see a local used bookstore that put ever other one I've ever seen to shame (if only I'd had more money!) and ate in the local places. Very nice, warm, and sunny.
Then on Thursday it was out to the con. Most of the way up was driven in total darkness (we left early). As it's the start of the con weekend of course it's raining. What I could see of the countryside was lovely, especially the Pacific at a few points. It was the first time I ever saw the Pacific, and I was surprised at the amount of greenery along the way -- I half expected everything between LA and San Jose to be all desert and rattlesnakes.
The con hotel was nice, if a bit crowded in places. Ken and I got a heck of a shock over the prices for the con buffet -- $18 for hot dogs and hamburgers?? At least breakfast was a good meal for $15. We only ate dinner at the con hotel once, though -- the rest of the time we tried local places, during which I learn that Vietnamese soup leaves me feeling very gassy afterwards. Ugh.
The con itself was great. Nice dealer's den; I scored art from Heather Bruton, XianJaguar, J.L. Anderson, Terrie Smith, Tani Da Real, and Spunky/Jen Seng, whose website addy I just don't have right now.
I very much enjoyed the fursuits. One I haven't mentioned yet was Temperance/Oona the Victorian Vixen by Devon Jopling, who is simply amazing. I also met Godiva Skunk (she even smells like chocolate) and another of the Candy Skunks, whose name I didn't get. I'll probably be posting links to pics of at least some of the suits here on my LJ in the future. The costumes get more amazing all the time -- another few years and I wonder if you'll be able to tell it's really a costume or not.
I also met a few of Ken's fannish friends, like Terraluna the Orange Valley Giant Fruit Bat, who is almost completely recovered from a horrible accident of a few years back. He's still got some heavy scarring along his arms, but he's up and about and said he should be suiting again soon. I also met the very lovely Davina, a trained belly dancer and all-around nice lady. My sole complaint about her is that she's married. :D I just wish I could have slept better at the con, and that some of the panels I attended were better managed and had stayed to the point. Still, I attended more panels at FC than I have at the last 3-4 ACs. And why do they only play raver music at furry con dances??
We leave Monday and stop overnight at a little place at San Luis Obispo where Ken and I work on some of my writing (thanks again, Ken!). The next day it's back to LA where I get to eat at a local chain called In-'n-Out Burger. Nice food there if you're ever in the LA area.
Then it's back to Pennsylvania, save for a one-night stranding in Cleveland where I hardly dared to sleep for fear that I'd be robbed. Unrealistic worry, yes, but you try thinking clearly with something like 12-16 hours of sleep over the past five days.
So now I'm home, and I hope I can get back to FC sometime in the future. Thanks, Ken, Steve, and VulpesRex for putting me up over the weekend. If you ever have a chance to see FC, take it, you won't be sorry.
Best all.
I flew out early Tuesday and arrived at LAX about noon or so. I stayed a couple fo days with Ken Pick and Steve Corbett at their place in Anaheim, got to see a local used bookstore that put ever other one I've ever seen to shame (if only I'd had more money!) and ate in the local places. Very nice, warm, and sunny.
Then on Thursday it was out to the con. Most of the way up was driven in total darkness (we left early). As it's the start of the con weekend of course it's raining. What I could see of the countryside was lovely, especially the Pacific at a few points. It was the first time I ever saw the Pacific, and I was surprised at the amount of greenery along the way -- I half expected everything between LA and San Jose to be all desert and rattlesnakes.
The con hotel was nice, if a bit crowded in places. Ken and I got a heck of a shock over the prices for the con buffet -- $18 for hot dogs and hamburgers?? At least breakfast was a good meal for $15. We only ate dinner at the con hotel once, though -- the rest of the time we tried local places, during which I learn that Vietnamese soup leaves me feeling very gassy afterwards. Ugh.
The con itself was great. Nice dealer's den; I scored art from Heather Bruton, XianJaguar, J.L. Anderson, Terrie Smith, Tani Da Real, and Spunky/Jen Seng, whose website addy I just don't have right now.
I very much enjoyed the fursuits. One I haven't mentioned yet was Temperance/Oona the Victorian Vixen by Devon Jopling, who is simply amazing. I also met Godiva Skunk (she even smells like chocolate) and another of the Candy Skunks, whose name I didn't get. I'll probably be posting links to pics of at least some of the suits here on my LJ in the future. The costumes get more amazing all the time -- another few years and I wonder if you'll be able to tell it's really a costume or not.
I also met a few of Ken's fannish friends, like Terraluna the Orange Valley Giant Fruit Bat, who is almost completely recovered from a horrible accident of a few years back. He's still got some heavy scarring along his arms, but he's up and about and said he should be suiting again soon. I also met the very lovely Davina, a trained belly dancer and all-around nice lady. My sole complaint about her is that she's married. :D I just wish I could have slept better at the con, and that some of the panels I attended were better managed and had stayed to the point. Still, I attended more panels at FC than I have at the last 3-4 ACs. And why do they only play raver music at furry con dances??
We leave Monday and stop overnight at a little place at San Luis Obispo where Ken and I work on some of my writing (thanks again, Ken!). The next day it's back to LA where I get to eat at a local chain called In-'n-Out Burger. Nice food there if you're ever in the LA area.
Then it's back to Pennsylvania, save for a one-night stranding in Cleveland where I hardly dared to sleep for fear that I'd be robbed. Unrealistic worry, yes, but you try thinking clearly with something like 12-16 hours of sleep over the past five days.
So now I'm home, and I hope I can get back to FC sometime in the future. Thanks, Ken, Steve, and VulpesRex for putting me up over the weekend. If you ever have a chance to see FC, take it, you won't be sorry.
Best all.