Hub 3 - Epic post is epic.
Did I mention I'm armed?
Have some photos.
Got a lift down from aeron_lanart, though only discovered midway down that it was her, since we met on the Showmasters forums. XD Yay for random, "I KNOW YOU FROM LJ!" squee. (: Her car is AWESOME on the inside, by the way. *nodnodnod* And she very kindly played the Sin Eaters for me, so I've heard it now at long last.
So, despite epic traffic issues, that was fun.
And the fact we set off a bit late meant that I had time to go downstairs to my flat's reception office bit and ask politely if I could sit in a corner and hammer noisily for a while. Ahem. So I had my holsters all snap-fastened and shiny. And I managed to sew on the last few bits in the car. (Shoelaces to tie round the thigh, fastening the ends of the gun-holding straps...) Productive! And I like to think they looked quite good by the end of it. (:
So yes, arrived a bit late, dumped stuff in room and found LJ meetup. (: Was delighted to see so many lovely people again, got a cake with The Barrowman's face on it (I am now among the privileged group who licked and ate Barrowman at the Hub...), got a BEAUTIFUL shiny pretty rainbow lanyard from laurab1, who'd even put labels on with names and LJ icons for those she'd reserved for people. (YAY THANK YOU! That made me smile and dance.)
Hovered for a while there. Met mara_202. Had a minor Fangirl Attack. Glomped mara_202. Completely failed to manage normal conversation and present a facade of sanity. (Sorry about that!)
Opening ceremony, admired ceiling, was disappointed to hear James could not attend but understood circumstances and was not distraught since I've seen him three times at Dragon*Con already, went off to get dinner.
Remained in "Laligin in Disguise" t-shirt for party. Was impressed at balloons at said party, freaked out by rodeo sheep, and amused by group costuming efforts. Danced Thriller. On stage. Alone?
Was complimented for such by many people, DJ included. More importantly, by unexpected LJ users.
Met crystalshard. Had a minor Fangirl Attack. Glomped crystalshard. Completely failed to manage normal conversation and present a facade of sanity. (^_^' Sorry!)
Drank lots of water, did lots of dancing (particularly after brief stint of hiding), was ignored lots by people I knew and complimented lots by people I didn't. More or less evens that out. Presented DJ with a CD of essential Hub songs. He was very grateful, and complimented me for my taste in songs the next night, when he'd gone through and ripped them to his laptop, and again for requesting good stuff on Sunday, when I commanded him to play them. XD
Went to bed around 1 or 2 am. Comfy.
Up late Saturday, since I wasn't too bothered about autographs and I was only a Standard ticket so had no free photos and wasn't bothered about buying extras. Took ages to get dressed. :/ Bad enough managing to get the jeans tucked into the boots, but then: belt, belt, holsters, guns, miniature gun hidden round the back, sword, Vortex Manipulator... Makes me wonder how long John was stood on that paving slab piling things onto the tray. Quite some time, methinky.
Anyway, ended up dressed like this (why, yes, that IS my best photo from the con, why do you ask?). Went downstairs, found a few people I knew, sat down with them, decided to adjust/improve John!jacket while nothing was going on, had a handful of the loops on the left side more firmly stitched in place and everybody got up and left.
Decided I might as well finish what I'd started, since it really wasn't going to take long at all and I had nothing else to do and no one to hang around with or talk to.
And then some LOVELY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE came along and talked to me while I was sewing and made me happy again. You know who you are, and I love you. (*cuddles*)
Lunched at some point. I think that was the wandering-across-to-the-train-station-aha!-Subway! day. Food is good.
Brief trip to the dealers' room, much yay at finding cowgrrl, much discussion of Adipose cuteness and rarity of cuddly ones, photos in front of big Torchwood banner... (Alright, I'll refrain from linking to the pic again.) Photos from random people too. Offered to get my guns out if they wanted. XD Much sniggering.
And then there were talks. And you'll all have seen many talk-reports already, so I'll not go over that.
And then there was the auction bit, and the only people I knew (hello) were hanging around outside the hall doing some photo shoot stuff. There was talk of going up to one of the rooms to watch Merlin. I stayed out of the way of the photo shoots, since nobody wanted a John Hart interfering anywhere. This did lead to everybody wandering off without me again, but fortunately this time captainnever remembered me and turned round to invite me along. (Thank you.) So I did get to Merlin with a group rather than slouching up to the room on my own. Yays.
And then there was another party. With some more amusing and beautiful costumes!
And there was a skit, and Gareth ordering us all, repeatedly, to close our eyes (I stood on a chair and covered mine with my hands to placate him. Felt like one of the three wise monkeys) a surprise!Kai, singing Hymns and Arias as he entered the room to Deafening Fangirl Joy, and the Obligatory Random Gay Snog. (With usual immediate Mass Camera Raise.)
And then more dancing. Less being ignored tonight, since I found a fellow John who was in a sympathetic situation, so we spent the disco being suitably John-Hart-has-either-found-a-cloning-machine-or-is-misusing-time-travel-how-do-you-think-he-would-react?
It kept us amused. And I danced a bit to Thriller again, but not the whole darn thing. And I still can't quite remember all the moves, but I know I'm almost there now. Funtiems.
Bed by 2 again, I think.
Up earlier on Sunday. Got Daniela Denby-Ashe's autograph. Went swimming in the hotel pool. Managed to do about half a dozen lengths in around half an hour then had to give up for the sake of my aching arms. :/ Am a little unfit. Should start doing my press ups again. (Still, pool was fun and made up for me not being able to go when I got back to L'pool and me and my friend pulled out of our prearranged trip yesterday, both for different but more than valid reasons.)
Wandered round, talked to fans, lunch. More talks.
Some nasty drama and bitchiness for a while. Me being quite surprised at some people's attitudes towards their friends.
Me taking a little while to think about that and being less surprised and more disgusted.
Eventually sorted all for the good, everyone... happy not quite the right word. Having got what they wanted but still angry and a little bitter and resentful at the revelations such backbiting little catfights always bring. More accurate, that.
Anyway. Having got tired of being angry and disbelieving on other people's behalf, dinner.
Cue: THANK YOU blackbird_song! (: And thank you everyone else who went, "Go ahead," when I said, "Anyone want the last slice of pizza/bit of fish/chips..." Inveterate scrounger at work, beware!
Then talk turned to Children of Earth and the fallout from that and opinions on certain fans and show creators and what people wanted for the next series and, due to certain of these opinions and the manner of their expression, before very long I literally had to run away or cry. Or, as it happened, both. That is probably mostly my fault for not being in the right frame of mind. In any other frame of mind I would still have had to run or risk getting Wrathful, but might not have dissolved into tears elsewhere.
Anyway. Hugs from helygen helped. Then, further dancing. And farewells from lots of people, including one lovely lady who stopped me as I was heading out for a drink to say, "We've seen you at all three Hubs, and you're always in costume all day long, and you always look fantastic! We just wanted to let you know that. Well done." Which was very nice. (: And also cheered me up a bit.
And then cue me getting completely frazzled by three days of con and meeting people from Teh Interwebs left, right and centre, and Righteous Rage and Thriller dancing and all sorts and temporarily misplacing the lovely crystalshard's name in connection to her face. ^_^' Sorry! The DJ loved our list though. ;) And we were SO so right about what would get people dancing again, weren't we? XD Yay Torchwood theme. Ahem.
And I acquired a blow-up seagull. As you do. I think it was part of someone's costume, because she caught me making it fly around the table, gave me an amused look as I stopped sheepishly, and asked, "Do you want to keep it?" Thus, Captain John Hart became the Ancient Mariner, with a very very very small albatross tied around his/her neck with a rainbow lanyard. I'm so writing that fic.
*pats seagull*
And a double Doctorin' The Tardis, Bohemian Rhapsody as sung by a choir of fangirls (who know ALL THE WORDS) and a random dance jump whatever song I did not know to finish off, and there we were.
Three cheers for the DJ, photos with a seagull on my head (I told you, whoever got one of those, I need a copy!), a brief stint of karaoke in a corner of the bar, and then excessive dancing, swimming, lack of real food and emotional exhaustion all caught up with me and lo, 'twas bedtime.
And aside from a few hugs and farewells in the morning, that was that for the con.
As far as Birmingham went, anyway. Because then...
there was La Cage!
To! Be! Continued!
Have some photos.
Got a lift down from aeron_lanart, though only discovered midway down that it was her, since we met on the Showmasters forums. XD Yay for random, "I KNOW YOU FROM LJ!" squee. (: Her car is AWESOME on the inside, by the way. *nodnodnod* And she very kindly played the Sin Eaters for me, so I've heard it now at long last.
So, despite epic traffic issues, that was fun.
And the fact we set off a bit late meant that I had time to go downstairs to my flat's reception office bit and ask politely if I could sit in a corner and hammer noisily for a while. Ahem. So I had my holsters all snap-fastened and shiny. And I managed to sew on the last few bits in the car. (Shoelaces to tie round the thigh, fastening the ends of the gun-holding straps...) Productive! And I like to think they looked quite good by the end of it. (:
So yes, arrived a bit late, dumped stuff in room and found LJ meetup. (: Was delighted to see so many lovely people again, got a cake with The Barrowman's face on it (I am now among the privileged group who licked and ate Barrowman at the Hub...), got a BEAUTIFUL shiny pretty rainbow lanyard from laurab1, who'd even put labels on with names and LJ icons for those she'd reserved for people. (YAY THANK YOU! That made me smile and dance.)
Hovered for a while there. Met mara_202. Had a minor Fangirl Attack. Glomped mara_202. Completely failed to manage normal conversation and present a facade of sanity. (Sorry about that!)
Opening ceremony, admired ceiling, was disappointed to hear James could not attend but understood circumstances and was not distraught since I've seen him three times at Dragon*Con already, went off to get dinner.
Remained in "Laligin in Disguise" t-shirt for party. Was impressed at balloons at said party, freaked out by rodeo sheep, and amused by group costuming efforts. Danced Thriller. On stage. Alone?
Was complimented for such by many people, DJ included. More importantly, by unexpected LJ users.
Met crystalshard. Had a minor Fangirl Attack. Glomped crystalshard. Completely failed to manage normal conversation and present a facade of sanity. (^_^' Sorry!)
Drank lots of water, did lots of dancing (particularly after brief stint of hiding), was ignored lots by people I knew and complimented lots by people I didn't. More or less evens that out. Presented DJ with a CD of essential Hub songs. He was very grateful, and complimented me for my taste in songs the next night, when he'd gone through and ripped them to his laptop, and again for requesting good stuff on Sunday, when I commanded him to play them. XD
Went to bed around 1 or 2 am. Comfy.
Up late Saturday, since I wasn't too bothered about autographs and I was only a Standard ticket so had no free photos and wasn't bothered about buying extras. Took ages to get dressed. :/ Bad enough managing to get the jeans tucked into the boots, but then: belt, belt, holsters, guns, miniature gun hidden round the back, sword, Vortex Manipulator... Makes me wonder how long John was stood on that paving slab piling things onto the tray. Quite some time, methinky.
Anyway, ended up dressed like this (why, yes, that IS my best photo from the con, why do you ask?). Went downstairs, found a few people I knew, sat down with them, decided to adjust/improve John!jacket while nothing was going on, had a handful of the loops on the left side more firmly stitched in place and everybody got up and left.
Decided I might as well finish what I'd started, since it really wasn't going to take long at all and I had nothing else to do and no one to hang around with or talk to.
And then some LOVELY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE came along and talked to me while I was sewing and made me happy again. You know who you are, and I love you. (*cuddles*)
Lunched at some point. I think that was the wandering-across-to-the-train-station-aha!-Subway! day. Food is good.
Brief trip to the dealers' room, much yay at finding cowgrrl, much discussion of Adipose cuteness and rarity of cuddly ones, photos in front of big Torchwood banner... (Alright, I'll refrain from linking to the pic again.) Photos from random people too. Offered to get my guns out if they wanted. XD Much sniggering.
And then there were talks. And you'll all have seen many talk-reports already, so I'll not go over that.
And then there was the auction bit, and the only people I knew (hello) were hanging around outside the hall doing some photo shoot stuff. There was talk of going up to one of the rooms to watch Merlin. I stayed out of the way of the photo shoots, since nobody wanted a John Hart interfering anywhere. This did lead to everybody wandering off without me again, but fortunately this time captainnever remembered me and turned round to invite me along. (Thank you.) So I did get to Merlin with a group rather than slouching up to the room on my own. Yays.
And then there was another party. With some more amusing and beautiful costumes!
And there was a skit, and Gareth ordering us all, repeatedly, to close our eyes (I stood on a chair and covered mine with my hands to placate him. Felt like one of the three wise monkeys) a surprise!Kai, singing Hymns and Arias as he entered the room to Deafening Fangirl Joy, and the Obligatory Random Gay Snog. (With usual immediate Mass Camera Raise.)
And then more dancing. Less being ignored tonight, since I found a fellow John who was in a sympathetic situation, so we spent the disco being suitably John-Hart-has-either-found-a-cloning-machine-or-is-misusing-time-travel-how-do-you-think-he-would-react?
It kept us amused. And I danced a bit to Thriller again, but not the whole darn thing. And I still can't quite remember all the moves, but I know I'm almost there now. Funtiems.
Bed by 2 again, I think.
Up earlier on Sunday. Got Daniela Denby-Ashe's autograph. Went swimming in the hotel pool. Managed to do about half a dozen lengths in around half an hour then had to give up for the sake of my aching arms. :/ Am a little unfit. Should start doing my press ups again. (Still, pool was fun and made up for me not being able to go when I got back to L'pool and me and my friend pulled out of our prearranged trip yesterday, both for different but more than valid reasons.)
Wandered round, talked to fans, lunch. More talks.
Some nasty drama and bitchiness for a while. Me being quite surprised at some people's attitudes towards their friends.
Me taking a little while to think about that and being less surprised and more disgusted.
Eventually sorted all for the good, everyone... happy not quite the right word. Having got what they wanted but still angry and a little bitter and resentful at the revelations such backbiting little catfights always bring. More accurate, that.
Anyway. Having got tired of being angry and disbelieving on other people's behalf, dinner.
Cue: THANK YOU blackbird_song! (: And thank you everyone else who went, "Go ahead," when I said, "Anyone want the last slice of pizza/bit of fish/chips..." Inveterate scrounger at work, beware!
Then talk turned to Children of Earth and the fallout from that and opinions on certain fans and show creators and what people wanted for the next series and, due to certain of these opinions and the manner of their expression, before very long I literally had to run away or cry. Or, as it happened, both. That is probably mostly my fault for not being in the right frame of mind. In any other frame of mind I would still have had to run or risk getting Wrathful, but might not have dissolved into tears elsewhere.
Anyway. Hugs from helygen helped. Then, further dancing. And farewells from lots of people, including one lovely lady who stopped me as I was heading out for a drink to say, "We've seen you at all three Hubs, and you're always in costume all day long, and you always look fantastic! We just wanted to let you know that. Well done." Which was very nice. (: And also cheered me up a bit.
And then cue me getting completely frazzled by three days of con and meeting people from Teh Interwebs left, right and centre, and Righteous Rage and Thriller dancing and all sorts and temporarily misplacing the lovely crystalshard's name in connection to her face. ^_^' Sorry! The DJ loved our list though. ;) And we were SO so right about what would get people dancing again, weren't we? XD Yay Torchwood theme. Ahem.
And I acquired a blow-up seagull. As you do. I think it was part of someone's costume, because she caught me making it fly around the table, gave me an amused look as I stopped sheepishly, and asked, "Do you want to keep it?" Thus, Captain John Hart became the Ancient Mariner, with a very very very small albatross tied around his/her neck with a rainbow lanyard. I'm so writing that fic.
*pats seagull*
And a double Doctorin' The Tardis, Bohemian Rhapsody as sung by a choir of fangirls (who know ALL THE WORDS) and a random dance jump whatever song I did not know to finish off, and there we were.
Three cheers for the DJ, photos with a seagull on my head (I told you, whoever got one of those, I need a copy!), a brief stint of karaoke in a corner of the bar, and then excessive dancing, swimming, lack of real food and emotional exhaustion all caught up with me and lo, 'twas bedtime.
And aside from a few hugs and farewells in the morning, that was that for the con.
As far as Birmingham went, anyway. Because then...
there was La Cage!
To! Be! Continued!