Marcon
I ended up wearing the Boot of Doom on Friday and Sunday, and bringing it and wearing cute, but sensible boots on Saturday during the day, and the Boot of Doom in the evening. I'm glad that I did, because my endurance is not up there.
Friday, I helped with data entry, and played with pondside and solomons_pond in a hall concert by registration. This was good practice for Sunday. I also signed Moonwulf's concert, which is always most excellent fun. I love the flying monkey song; it may be one of my favorite ones to sign, like, evar! 'Wulf said he would give me the lyrics and chords to his banjo song so that I could learn them. He also played Burton, and noodled a bit on a song he was writing about the Civil War, and said it pretty much confirmed for him that he'd have to record the song on mandolin or borrow a tenor banjo because it fit the period and mood.
braider also picked up Burton, and did some excellent picking that made me start to dance until my foot hurt with the first step. So I tapped my feet instead.
Saturday, I signed filkertom 's concert, followed by cadhla 's concert. Although there were bobbles, for the most part both went well. I had been working on harmonies by listening to vixyish sing and singing along. So I asked cadhla whether I could sing vixy's part on "Still Catch the Tide" and I did, and it made me very happy. I think it sounded nice.
I was short with a couple of people who were moaning about their low blood sugars and how they needed to eat, but wouldn't do anything about it. As a diabetic, perhaps I ought to be more patient, since I have actual low blood sugar incidents that can be scary. It just seemed to me that if one is hungry to where it is noticeable that your personality is changing, then DO something about it rather than inflict tempers, volatile emotions or expect everyone to drop everything to take care of an "emergency" that was preventable because you knew it was coming and still did nothing! I always feel cross with myself if I get shaky and someone else has to do something to get me through it; I don't want to be part of a crisis.
Cadhla and her friend Kate fed me nummies, the nicest brownies and cupcakes (actually provided by markbernstein ). This, balanced with the lamb and rice pies my husband made me for packed lunches and dinners kept me going very well. I did not run low, or too high all weekend.
The listener's concert Saturday went well, and I had fun. I kept my songs short, as I *had* been on stage signing the whole concert. (I certainly was not suffering from under-exposure at this con!)
Sunday, I was a bit late getting into the Art Show, because I nearly hit a dog, and did hit a rabbit. I saw the dog running, leash trailing, and heard the frantic yelling of the master as the beast darted in front of me. I slammed on the brakes, and heard a horrible little thump. I backed up a bit, and flew around the front of my car. I'd hit the rabbit the dog was chasing, and not the dog. The dog had picked up the rabbit and was thrashing the body back and forth, growling fiercely. I was a bit of a mess, but very, very glad I hadn't killed the dog in front of the owner. (Although, Cadhla told me a story later about her boa eating a little yip dog right out of her owner's arms, that made me feel better. Cadhla said the worst part was when the lady wouldn't even tell her if the dog was wearing a collar or not, so she'd had to get the snake X-rayed.)
I helped run sales in the Art Show before my concert with We're Not Koi (me, solomons_pond and pondside ) I think it went pretty well. It was funny though. In practice, we count, then start. On stage, we count, and then don't. The things an audience looking at you can do! I gave an audience member my copy of "I Will Stand Fast" which we did towards the end. I had noticed her wiping away tears as she heard the song. I can get another copy from D or J. They hadn't been very happy with how that one came out during the concert, so maybe knowing that it still really touched people will help. We're going to continue to play and practice together, and will play at ConFluence next. After, they'd actually gotten packed up pretty efficiently, so I wasn't there very late, and was able to get to the Dead Dog.
I also got to spring my FEED song on cadhla on Sunday, and sang it at the filk. It's tto cadhla 's "Black Death" and my song explains the virology of the zombie virus in the cadhla's Mira Grant FEED book. Because this information is background info to the story, it does not contain spoilers. Cadhla professed that it made her happy, which in turn made me very, very happy! And folks laughed in the right places for the references that I made to the book. Perhaps I shall post it later.
Due to con duties, I only got to hear bits and pieces of quadrivium 's concert, but I stood in the back at the end and signed "Legolas." I'm sure she wrote that song especially about me...and every other woman in lust with that elf! I also got to meet her mythical son.
I played Burton at the Dead Dog. I folded early Friday, and on Saturday, the filk ended before I got out of Art Show data entry duties, so I missed a lot of the circles this weekend. I hate that. I worry folks will think I'm a stage hog and too stuck up for circle. sweetmusic_27 played a few standards on the violin that I was able to do some playing along with on the banjo, along with many others in the circle, and I was very happy! peteralway , robin_june , tigertoy and I all played a song Peter wrote together, and it sounded really, really good! Making music together is so wonderful. I heard a lot of awesome stuff, too. mrgoodwraith had a good horror contest entry song, and peter started "Everything's Better With Harmony," but he'd written subversive verses for it about digging for brains with you - with helpful "freshness dates" on the tombstones.... I about died laughing when I signed it! Randy's song came in second to Peter's; that must have been very difficult to decide.
blackpaladin walked me back to my van. I was worried that the Boot of Doom, and dragging musical instruments and lugging bags might make me a target in the parking garage. Three or four cars from the con had been broken into and stuff stolen, all within sight of the attendants, so I was nervous.
I got home in time to tuck the kids into bed. Sparkle had a smile of contentment as I kissed her goodnight. Today, she was a leech. Good thing I was in the mood for cuddles! I made a decision to cut the Memorial Day parade, because it was storming so hard. I hope that didn't put the dojo out too much. I hope the parade was cancelled instead of people marching in the wind and thunder and lightning.
Friday, I helped with data entry, and played with pondside and solomons_pond in a hall concert by registration. This was good practice for Sunday. I also signed Moonwulf's concert, which is always most excellent fun. I love the flying monkey song; it may be one of my favorite ones to sign, like, evar! 'Wulf said he would give me the lyrics and chords to his banjo song so that I could learn them. He also played Burton, and noodled a bit on a song he was writing about the Civil War, and said it pretty much confirmed for him that he'd have to record the song on mandolin or borrow a tenor banjo because it fit the period and mood.
braider also picked up Burton, and did some excellent picking that made me start to dance until my foot hurt with the first step. So I tapped my feet instead.
Saturday, I signed filkertom 's concert, followed by cadhla 's concert. Although there were bobbles, for the most part both went well. I had been working on harmonies by listening to vixyish sing and singing along. So I asked cadhla whether I could sing vixy's part on "Still Catch the Tide" and I did, and it made me very happy. I think it sounded nice.
I was short with a couple of people who were moaning about their low blood sugars and how they needed to eat, but wouldn't do anything about it. As a diabetic, perhaps I ought to be more patient, since I have actual low blood sugar incidents that can be scary. It just seemed to me that if one is hungry to where it is noticeable that your personality is changing, then DO something about it rather than inflict tempers, volatile emotions or expect everyone to drop everything to take care of an "emergency" that was preventable because you knew it was coming and still did nothing! I always feel cross with myself if I get shaky and someone else has to do something to get me through it; I don't want to be part of a crisis.
Cadhla and her friend Kate fed me nummies, the nicest brownies and cupcakes (actually provided by markbernstein ). This, balanced with the lamb and rice pies my husband made me for packed lunches and dinners kept me going very well. I did not run low, or too high all weekend.
The listener's concert Saturday went well, and I had fun. I kept my songs short, as I *had* been on stage signing the whole concert. (I certainly was not suffering from under-exposure at this con!)
Sunday, I was a bit late getting into the Art Show, because I nearly hit a dog, and did hit a rabbit. I saw the dog running, leash trailing, and heard the frantic yelling of the master as the beast darted in front of me. I slammed on the brakes, and heard a horrible little thump. I backed up a bit, and flew around the front of my car. I'd hit the rabbit the dog was chasing, and not the dog. The dog had picked up the rabbit and was thrashing the body back and forth, growling fiercely. I was a bit of a mess, but very, very glad I hadn't killed the dog in front of the owner. (Although, Cadhla told me a story later about her boa eating a little yip dog right out of her owner's arms, that made me feel better. Cadhla said the worst part was when the lady wouldn't even tell her if the dog was wearing a collar or not, so she'd had to get the snake X-rayed.)
I helped run sales in the Art Show before my concert with We're Not Koi (me, solomons_pond and pondside ) I think it went pretty well. It was funny though. In practice, we count, then start. On stage, we count, and then don't. The things an audience looking at you can do! I gave an audience member my copy of "I Will Stand Fast" which we did towards the end. I had noticed her wiping away tears as she heard the song. I can get another copy from D or J. They hadn't been very happy with how that one came out during the concert, so maybe knowing that it still really touched people will help. We're going to continue to play and practice together, and will play at ConFluence next. After, they'd actually gotten packed up pretty efficiently, so I wasn't there very late, and was able to get to the Dead Dog.
I also got to spring my FEED song on cadhla on Sunday, and sang it at the filk. It's tto cadhla 's "Black Death" and my song explains the virology of the zombie virus in the cadhla's Mira Grant FEED book. Because this information is background info to the story, it does not contain spoilers. Cadhla professed that it made her happy, which in turn made me very, very happy! And folks laughed in the right places for the references that I made to the book. Perhaps I shall post it later.
Due to con duties, I only got to hear bits and pieces of quadrivium 's concert, but I stood in the back at the end and signed "Legolas." I'm sure she wrote that song especially about me...and every other woman in lust with that elf! I also got to meet her mythical son.
I played Burton at the Dead Dog. I folded early Friday, and on Saturday, the filk ended before I got out of Art Show data entry duties, so I missed a lot of the circles this weekend. I hate that. I worry folks will think I'm a stage hog and too stuck up for circle. sweetmusic_27 played a few standards on the violin that I was able to do some playing along with on the banjo, along with many others in the circle, and I was very happy! peteralway , robin_june , tigertoy and I all played a song Peter wrote together, and it sounded really, really good! Making music together is so wonderful. I heard a lot of awesome stuff, too. mrgoodwraith had a good horror contest entry song, and peter started "Everything's Better With Harmony," but he'd written subversive verses for it about digging for brains with you - with helpful "freshness dates" on the tombstones.... I about died laughing when I signed it! Randy's song came in second to Peter's; that must have been very difficult to decide.
blackpaladin walked me back to my van. I was worried that the Boot of Doom, and dragging musical instruments and lugging bags might make me a target in the parking garage. Three or four cars from the con had been broken into and stuff stolen, all within sight of the attendants, so I was nervous.
I got home in time to tuck the kids into bed. Sparkle had a smile of contentment as I kissed her goodnight. Today, she was a leech. Good thing I was in the mood for cuddles! I made a decision to cut the Memorial Day parade, because it was storming so hard. I hope that didn't put the dojo out too much. I hope the parade was cancelled instead of people marching in the wind and thunder and lightning.