Balticon recap!
I'm home from work today, getting back up to speed after this weekend.
So, Balticon...
Got there on Friday afternoon around 3pm. The Hunt Valley Marriott is a hotel designed to look like an old hunting lodge, which gives it a kinda cool atmosphere. This also means that it's only three floors tall and is spread out over several acres, which is a real pain when your hotel room is at the point in the hotel furthest away from where anything else is going on! On top of that, my room had no air conditioning. Thankfully, the hotel WAS able to switch me to a room with two doubles rather than one king, which is very nice as I really had NO desire to share a bed with nelilly.
And since I can't remember everything in any semblence of order, I'll just make random comments about the weekend!
* Had a wonderful time hanging with
elionwyr,
nelilly,
radiofreerlyeh and his wife Tina, as well as Danitra (whose LJ name escapes me!),
systris,
stakebait(still as lovely as ever!),
mikekn and his wife
violet_amy, a very under-the-weather
vonbryan, his wife
kathy_the_geek,
klingonguy,
notshakespeare, (who was WAY too lucky for his own good this weekend!)
snugglyevil (I didn't get NEARLY enough hugs from me, apparently!) and a bunch of other people who I'm probably forgetting (sorry!), or don't have LJs. I love meeting up with my friends in person. It's much better than on the computer. It's more... personal. *grin*
* Neil Gaiman is da bomb. Really. He's like some sort of geeky/gothy rockstar! He did a reading of three stories, including a new, unpublished one called "Orange" that had the audience laughing in the aisles. (Read it once it coumes out, if you can find it!) He also gave some very nice info about the upcoming movie version of "Stardust", and also the film version of "Beowulf" that he wrote (it will be CGI, using the same systems that they did on "Polar Express", but a better iteration). "Beowulf" sounds very cool... according to Gaiman, Grendel will be played by Crispin Glover (who, as Gaiman put it, "... is so far over the top he's on the other side!"), and Grendel's Mother will be Angelina Jolie!
* Also there was Peter S. Beagle, author of "The Last Unicorn". Something that I never knew was that Mr. Beagle has NEVER gotten any money from the movie version of "The Last Unicorn". And the production company, Granada Films, owes him a LOT of money, but they refuse to honor Peter's 1979 contract. And if you scroll down on that page, you will find out how you can help a talented author who's work has touched millions of people get what it rightfully his. Please do so.
*
elionwyr needs to quit telling people that I touched a weiner. And
klingonguy needs to stop telling people that I raped a kitten. The rumors about me do just fine on their own, thank you, and they don't need your help! *grin*
* There was a performance on Sunday night by Lorraine A' Malena, who are WONDERFUL! Afterwards,
notshakespeare (who had been drafted into being their assistant for the con... rather funny, that, as he describes himself as a "Neil Gaiman Stalker", and Lorraine (The FABULOUS Lorraine! (formerly of The Flash GIrls)) is also Neil's assistant in her day job) asked
mikekn,
violet_amy, and myself to a party that Lorraine and Malena were having in the con's green room. Also with us were my friends Chris and Christine from Griffon's Claw Armoury (go to their site and buy swords and knives and stuff! They are beyond resonably priced!), so they came along, too. So we got to spend the evening at a great party with wonderfully talented and beautiful people! I love my life! And at this point
elionwyr is probably jealous as all hell of me. (Chris actually asked me, "So, do you ALWAYS get invited to parties like this?" I told him not very often, but more and more lately. *grin*)
* Yes, I had a great time. Nora and the BSFS people put on a great con. I'm gonna try going again next year... Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are going to be the guests!
I will be posting pictures later for people to check out, if they wish. LJ cuts will be liberally applied.