Okay this won't be as organized as others because I didn't take notes. Hey it was that kind of weekend. The news about Kevin hit several of us particularly hard and it was surreal for me, having this incredible experience and yet being all weepy at the same time.
Okay on to happier thoughts:)
I arrived on Thursday evening and Rov and Zephyr were there to greet me. Shortly after that, Jaimie arrived and we all went to pick up her rental car. Then :eek: I got tagged as the navigator and lo and behold, we actually DIDN'T get lost!
Anyways, we got ourselves checked in and then greeted the others who'd arrived. Andi and I had a Herculean hug as it had been just over two years since seeing eachother. It was also great to see Mai again and to meet G1223 and Rhys. Well, I was starving and since a few of us hadn’t eaten we all went to the hotel restaurant where some ate dessert, some ate dinner and some just kept us company. Afterward we all went to the bar where we stayed until they closed at gasp MIDNIGHT which imnsho really STUPID for a hotel bar crawling with con goers willing to spend money. Oh well, I don’t run their business.
After that we went to the Andromeda con suite which G1223 had arranged. {{{{{{{{{{{{G1223}}}}}}}}}}}}. Zephyr had brought some wine but alas no corkscrew. Luckily the Lil had brought champagne. Most people were really sleepy but a few of us, Rov, G1223, Zephyr, Rhys, and I sat up talking until 1:30. hehehehe, it’s AMAZING the revelations one can have about Andromeda in those circumstances. Anyways, the following day, Jaimie, Rov and I were planning to go to a gallery off of Santa Monica Drive to see some of Viggo Mortneson’s work so eventually we went to bed….
The following morning we got downstairs at about 11 and realized that the hotel was no longer serving breakfast (again hello it’s a CON hotel??) so we decided to head to Denny’s which wasn’t to far away. After breakfast Rov, Jaimie, G1223 and I headed off to Viggo’s, having procured from our compatriots a list of appropriate beverages to pick up on the way home. The exhibit was PHENOMENAL. Viggo really IS renaissance man. Trees as a symbol of life and death seem to figure prominently in his work and I really like what he does with colors, textures, and mediums. He’s also a fine photographer.
After the exhibit, at which Jaimie had had a little panic attack about parallel parking only to discover that had she gone a little further down the road we could have used the parking lot
hehehe . Anyways we made a foray to Food For Less on the way back and loaded up. We got back to the suite and unloaded. Then, because I knew that Shamba was checking in that afternoon I called and lo and behold she had just gotten in. Unfortunately she had more news about Kevin and it wasn’t good. Mai, Jaimie and I in particular, being the biggest Smithsonians in the group were pretty upset. I should note that on the previous evening Jaimie had given Mai the pen Kevin used in Phoenix to sign autographs. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Jaimie}}}}}}}}}}}} {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Mai}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}.
Anyways, it was at about that time that it was decided I should make Sangria, which I did. We were drinking and talking Andromeda and trying not to think the worst when Jill came to the suite and tearfully delivered the news. I know I almost collapsed and that Shamba, Jaimie, Mai and I and Andi and….well….
I will say that it was a blessing that we were together.
That’s about all I have to say about Friday. You can see Jill’s reporting in from Gallifrey report for hints of anything else.
Okay on Saturday morning we got up, some of us much worse for the wear due to the late late late night and so on, and went and had breakfast. Some of us went to the “strong women in Babylon 5” panel which was cool (but I kinda liked the girl power trek panel I went to a bit better). Then it was back to the suite for a bit.
Ethlie’s writing panel was scheduled for 1:00 but because of MOJO (some special effects wizard) got started late. I thought it a very interesting panel but unfortunately some of what was said really really brought out my anti Tribune angst and I just couldn’t make myself ask a question for fear of being too strident. But APPRECIATE was apparently channeling me and asked a question about what, if any effect the fans could have on the direction of a show. The answer was rather oblique (which is what I’d expect). I submit that the very FACT of the events of Gallifrey last year are evidence of the impact the fans (yes even those in the small part of the bell curve we slipstreamers apparently occupy) can have. At any rate, I got the chance to chat with Ethlie both before and after the panel and I really really liked her. It was neat to here her perspectives on the process of writing, the kinds of things that lead to writing alone or writing with a partner. It was very neat.
After the panel, we had a viewing of Be All My Sins remembered which was a ton of fun. Again, and I know that many of us have said this in many different ways—THANK YOU JILL. You were just wonderful with us and I am ETERNALLY GREATFUL TO YOU!
Dinner was wonderful that evening. Jill took us to this deli where I had the BESTEST Cream of Brocolli soup and, a HIGHLIGHT, I GOT CARDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! I couldn’t believe it, and I was grinning ear to ear. The food and company were fantastic and we definitely lingered. Hlenore called Rov near the end and I talked with her for a few minutes and we shared a few tears and laughs. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{Hlenore}}}}}}}}}}}
Okay so that evening for SOME strange reason we were very low energy. I know that I was physically and emotionally wiped and Sunday was still to come. So Zephyr and I headed to our room before 11…and STAYED UP until 1:30 talking and drinking a bottle of wine. (which beats the hell out of the stupid mixing I’d been doing the previous night).
At any rate, that’s about what I can tell you about Saturday. Perhaps some other attendees can fill you in about other questions asked at the writing panel.
More to come.:)
