To market, to market, to be a party hog...
Home again, home again, jiggety jog. It was a fun con. Of course, I forgot my camera again. I think it is a sickness. Or possibly a giant laziness. Anyway, others had cameras, and I will link to/steal their pics as allowed.
We (myself, mikigarrison , bhagwanx ) left Seattle after picking shaolingrrl from the airport and eating lunch at Lenny's, and then hitting I-90 about 130 or so. We pulled off in Cle Elum for a potty break and a snack for me, and then, um, got a little turned around trying to get back onto I-90 (it is not a clear cut exit/entrance, and there was confusion, and these things happen) and we ended up on highway 10 to Ellensburg. It probably took us an extra 20 minutes or so, I'm guessing. But we got to where we needed to turn to another highway, and got to Pasco at about, er, was it 530? Anyway, dinner time. Could have been worse.
We met up with the LAW's Niece of Doom, and then everyone split up to get food separately. bhagwanx and I went to the local casino for dinner with some of his buddies, and they drank Very Large Drinks (TM). I did not. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you. The guys were watching games on the TVs there, and we conversed and had a nice meal. We came back for hanging out with folkses and parties, and a-wandring minstrel I. Or a wandring party-goer I. Something.
I found out at one point that the DJ who had promised an 80s dance hour on Saturday was feeling unhappy and not willing to do teh 80s, so was doing an unannounced "test-run" at 11 on Friday, and if people didn't dance, he wasn't going to do it on Saturday. Which was not in the plan! So I gathered up those I could, and the Niece of Doom and LAW and I went a-boogieing for an hour. (Miki, we totally missed you, but good thing you did not come, because you would not have been able to stop yourself from boogieing, and you would have hurt yourself.) It was hot and sweaty and filled with mineral oil smoke, which, um, what is up with mineral oil, people? It stinks and it's bad for your lungs. It might look cool in the air with all the lasers and blinky, but do we really need to give up our health for that? I must be old. Anyway, the DJ announced, in a sad panda, Eyore-type voice "Due to popular demand, we're going to play 80s music for an hour." Well, after *that* enthusiasm, I'm sure everyone felt like partying. But we boogied to the new wave hits (are they still new wave 20-odd years later? Am I really that old?) and the Niece of Doom had to admit she didn't know all of them, but she did know some, and I was heartened. She's more of a hard rock/heavy metal girl, and wanted them to play KISS and Led Zepplin, etc. I felt happier for the state of 15 year olds everywhere.
The dance floor did empty out a little, which helped with the smell, frankly, as it was the Very Special Look at My Lasers They're Just Like Swords boys who mostly left. But there was still a goodly number of people left to boogie, so I felt that Mr. DJ had no reason to complain of turnout. I hope he wasn't too put out by having to give in to fogies like me and play music we like to dance to at least sometime, but it made us all so very, very happy. I'm not against mixes of different types of music, and I personally do not need only 80s to dance, but I would like more than techno, please. Raves are not especially my thing, because the songs get boring. I need a little variance in my rhythm from time to time. I loves me the boogie, but I loves me all the varied types of beat, too. I also loves me some splat. (Random quote, don't worry about it.)
Up too late, tired and sweaty, we wandered around for a bit and checked out parties after the 80s boogie was done for the evening. Then decided that we were beat, and went back to the other hotel (we stayed in the hotel a 2 minute walk away) and crashed.
Next day more of similar - seeing folks I don't normally get to see, talking, having interesting conversations about how the brain rewires itself to compensate for lost functions and the nature of modern horror taking the place of gothic romance or not, as the case may be, and John Wayne Trolls and why they need their own access (never mind, long story) and just catching up with people and seeing how they are. It was nice. I got my sweetie some playing cards that weren't too lame for Valentine's Day. He surprised me all day with sweet little gestures and cards. That was very nice, too.
As for the later dancing, we were all set for the boogie. I got kind of dressed up, which - I forgot what it was like to dance in a "dressy" skirt. I probably won't do that again next time I decide to go boogie. It was kind of in the way. Although it is a pretty sweet skirt. But once again we gathered the masses of fogeys (and Nieces of Doom) and decended upon the floor of dance. And boogied hard. It was fantastic. And you should have seen Niece of Doom's excitement when they played "I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night" and "Get Down With the Sickness" and, um, something else very hard rockin', I forget. You should have seen mine when they played Boingo. It was boogalooarific.
Midnight was the usual of "Time Warp" and "Rasputin" and a couple other things. Then it was time for angrier music, and I wasn't in the mood for angry music. I was icky and gross - I'd worn a sweater with a cami (essentially a tank top) underneath, and taken the sweater off to dance. Also the kick-ass boots, because I didn't want to quite kick anyone's ass, or fall down. But I was really, really sticky after dancing for over an hour, and so I walked back up to the Small Press room and used their bathroom to freshen up a little. I think I shocked poor Blunt out of year's growth, wandering around in the cami without the sweater. Poor boy. Good thing he's already tall. I did feel a little obvious, but considering the location and my condition, I figured it wasn't such a big deal. He made some comment about my walking around in my underwear. I guess it looked a little like I was undressed - but I had on as much or more clothes than anyone. Maybe it was my tomato face... He now denies saying any such thing, of course. But I totally heard him. Poor, innocent Blunt. ;p (I'd link to him, but I don't know if he has a livejournal...)
It was a good con for me, although I did not participate in or go to any panels. I haven't been going to panels for awhile at cons. I'm not required to, because I don't sign up to be a pro. The reasons for that are that I am manifestly not a pro - I have yet to sell any fiction, despite working on that. Besides I really hate public speaking - I know, shocker. Write abhors public speaking. Also: sky reportedly blue. But it is an issue. A weak, I should work on that and get over it issue, but an issue nonetheless. So far I haven't wanted to enough to try to get on any panels. Someday when/if I manage to sell a novel, I dread the whole giving readings/doing panels/talking to strangers thing. If it comes to that point, I'll make it work somehow, because that will be the point where I need to suck up to the new set of problems related to being a writer and be professional and quit yer (my) whining. But internally, I will whine a lot. Also probably stutter and not look at people and blush and talk too quietly and drop things. But there you are. (Also I'm just too dang lazy to get somewhere on time when I feel like these gatherings are a way for me to relax and not have any responsibilities other than seeing my old friends and meeting new friends. This I suppose changes significantly when you're trying to market yourself. So far, I am merely hanging.)
Anyway, enough introspection for one post. Yesterday we got a late and lazy start and hung around the Small Press room some more and helped out some with them getting packed and gone. Then had a very late lunch at the Atomic Brew Pub in Richland, handed the Niece of Doom back to her parents, and meandered our merry way home. Lori drove part of the way, and then in Cle Elum, after Dairy Queen (with chocolate soft serve, yay!) I drove the rest of the way. It was snowing for awhile in the pass, and it got really heavy for a bit. I felt much better when I could see the lane lines again.
Home, dropped off mikigarrison and bhagwanx , and shaolingrrl and I crashed at my place. Up early to get the LAW to the airport, and I came home and crashed hard. Didn't get up again until after noon sometime. Wow. I think I must have needed that.But the weekend was fabulous. Pictures to follow. When other people get around to posting them, as their time permits. :)
We (myself, mikigarrison , bhagwanx ) left Seattle after picking shaolingrrl from the airport and eating lunch at Lenny's, and then hitting I-90 about 130 or so. We pulled off in Cle Elum for a potty break and a snack for me, and then, um, got a little turned around trying to get back onto I-90 (it is not a clear cut exit/entrance, and there was confusion, and these things happen) and we ended up on highway 10 to Ellensburg. It probably took us an extra 20 minutes or so, I'm guessing. But we got to where we needed to turn to another highway, and got to Pasco at about, er, was it 530? Anyway, dinner time. Could have been worse.
We met up with the LAW's Niece of Doom, and then everyone split up to get food separately. bhagwanx and I went to the local casino for dinner with some of his buddies, and they drank Very Large Drinks (TM). I did not. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you. The guys were watching games on the TVs there, and we conversed and had a nice meal. We came back for hanging out with folkses and parties, and a-wandring minstrel I. Or a wandring party-goer I. Something.
I found out at one point that the DJ who had promised an 80s dance hour on Saturday was feeling unhappy and not willing to do teh 80s, so was doing an unannounced "test-run" at 11 on Friday, and if people didn't dance, he wasn't going to do it on Saturday. Which was not in the plan! So I gathered up those I could, and the Niece of Doom and LAW and I went a-boogieing for an hour. (Miki, we totally missed you, but good thing you did not come, because you would not have been able to stop yourself from boogieing, and you would have hurt yourself.) It was hot and sweaty and filled with mineral oil smoke, which, um, what is up with mineral oil, people? It stinks and it's bad for your lungs. It might look cool in the air with all the lasers and blinky, but do we really need to give up our health for that? I must be old. Anyway, the DJ announced, in a sad panda, Eyore-type voice "Due to popular demand, we're going to play 80s music for an hour." Well, after *that* enthusiasm, I'm sure everyone felt like partying. But we boogied to the new wave hits (are they still new wave 20-odd years later? Am I really that old?) and the Niece of Doom had to admit she didn't know all of them, but she did know some, and I was heartened. She's more of a hard rock/heavy metal girl, and wanted them to play KISS and Led Zepplin, etc. I felt happier for the state of 15 year olds everywhere.
The dance floor did empty out a little, which helped with the smell, frankly, as it was the Very Special Look at My Lasers They're Just Like Swords boys who mostly left. But there was still a goodly number of people left to boogie, so I felt that Mr. DJ had no reason to complain of turnout. I hope he wasn't too put out by having to give in to fogies like me and play music we like to dance to at least sometime, but it made us all so very, very happy. I'm not against mixes of different types of music, and I personally do not need only 80s to dance, but I would like more than techno, please. Raves are not especially my thing, because the songs get boring. I need a little variance in my rhythm from time to time. I loves me the boogie, but I loves me all the varied types of beat, too. I also loves me some splat. (Random quote, don't worry about it.)
Up too late, tired and sweaty, we wandered around for a bit and checked out parties after the 80s boogie was done for the evening. Then decided that we were beat, and went back to the other hotel (we stayed in the hotel a 2 minute walk away) and crashed.
Next day more of similar - seeing folks I don't normally get to see, talking, having interesting conversations about how the brain rewires itself to compensate for lost functions and the nature of modern horror taking the place of gothic romance or not, as the case may be, and John Wayne Trolls and why they need their own access (never mind, long story) and just catching up with people and seeing how they are. It was nice. I got my sweetie some playing cards that weren't too lame for Valentine's Day. He surprised me all day with sweet little gestures and cards. That was very nice, too.
As for the later dancing, we were all set for the boogie. I got kind of dressed up, which - I forgot what it was like to dance in a "dressy" skirt. I probably won't do that again next time I decide to go boogie. It was kind of in the way. Although it is a pretty sweet skirt. But once again we gathered the masses of fogeys (and Nieces of Doom) and decended upon the floor of dance. And boogied hard. It was fantastic. And you should have seen Niece of Doom's excitement when they played "I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night" and "Get Down With the Sickness" and, um, something else very hard rockin', I forget. You should have seen mine when they played Boingo. It was boogalooarific.
Midnight was the usual of "Time Warp" and "Rasputin" and a couple other things. Then it was time for angrier music, and I wasn't in the mood for angry music. I was icky and gross - I'd worn a sweater with a cami (essentially a tank top) underneath, and taken the sweater off to dance. Also the kick-ass boots, because I didn't want to quite kick anyone's ass, or fall down. But I was really, really sticky after dancing for over an hour, and so I walked back up to the Small Press room and used their bathroom to freshen up a little. I think I shocked poor Blunt out of year's growth, wandering around in the cami without the sweater. Poor boy. Good thing he's already tall. I did feel a little obvious, but considering the location and my condition, I figured it wasn't such a big deal. He made some comment about my walking around in my underwear. I guess it looked a little like I was undressed - but I had on as much or more clothes than anyone. Maybe it was my tomato face... He now denies saying any such thing, of course. But I totally heard him. Poor, innocent Blunt. ;p (I'd link to him, but I don't know if he has a livejournal...)
It was a good con for me, although I did not participate in or go to any panels. I haven't been going to panels for awhile at cons. I'm not required to, because I don't sign up to be a pro. The reasons for that are that I am manifestly not a pro - I have yet to sell any fiction, despite working on that. Besides I really hate public speaking - I know, shocker. Write abhors public speaking. Also: sky reportedly blue. But it is an issue. A weak, I should work on that and get over it issue, but an issue nonetheless. So far I haven't wanted to enough to try to get on any panels. Someday when/if I manage to sell a novel, I dread the whole giving readings/doing panels/talking to strangers thing. If it comes to that point, I'll make it work somehow, because that will be the point where I need to suck up to the new set of problems related to being a writer and be professional and quit yer (my) whining. But internally, I will whine a lot. Also probably stutter and not look at people and blush and talk too quietly and drop things. But there you are. (Also I'm just too dang lazy to get somewhere on time when I feel like these gatherings are a way for me to relax and not have any responsibilities other than seeing my old friends and meeting new friends. This I suppose changes significantly when you're trying to market yourself. So far, I am merely hanging.)
Anyway, enough introspection for one post. Yesterday we got a late and lazy start and hung around the Small Press room some more and helped out some with them getting packed and gone. Then had a very late lunch at the Atomic Brew Pub in Richland, handed the Niece of Doom back to her parents, and meandered our merry way home. Lori drove part of the way, and then in Cle Elum, after Dairy Queen (with chocolate soft serve, yay!) I drove the rest of the way. It was snowing for awhile in the pass, and it got really heavy for a bit. I felt much better when I could see the lane lines again.
Home, dropped off mikigarrison and bhagwanx , and shaolingrrl and I crashed at my place. Up early to get the LAW to the airport, and I came home and crashed hard. Didn't get up again until after noon sometime. Wow. I think I must have needed that.But the weekend was fabulous. Pictures to follow. When other people get around to posting them, as their time permits. :)