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hathycolA lot of people have been complaining about LFCC, and the crowds, and wow, whilst I agree with you it's fairly hard not to shout "LOOK AT DASHCON". That said, we didn't even get an extra hour in the ballpit. There was no ballpit.
In all seriousness: I had a marvellous weekend and now I am going to TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!
I cheerfully worked my way through the last week, and on Friday I trooped over to King's Cross to pick up Lucy, who I then dragged to the supermarket because I am just rubbish at preparation so had failed to get any food in the house. Still, we filled a basket full of packed lunch and snacky items and trooped back to our house for a rather chilled out evening. For various reasons - budgets, quidditch, family issues to name but a few - only Lucy was staying at mine, which led to a reasonably classy Friday night - I made a pasta bake and we sat around the kitchen table, gossiping and slightly baffling Richie with talk about fanfiction. I managed to get Lucy reading a fic called Motion Practice, which is ALL OF THE THINGS I HATE in fiction: they're all gay, it's a workplace AU, no one has powers AND YET IT'S THE BEST SERIES EVER. Lucy kept periodically looking at her phone, apologising, and then we discussed the evidence in the case and squee-d. It's been... too long since I did that, actually.
We attempted to be sensible and go to bed early for lo, the next day involved way, way too early a start. I crawled out of bed at 6am, and Lucy and I got ready with whispers and copious amounts of tea. Thing is, I was fairly sure it would be an outrageously busy and popular event so thought we would be very cunning and get there nice and early. We headed there and changed at Victoria, all the while wearing Trek dresses - it was comforting to get to the station and see two kids dressed as Mario and a bloke dressed as Hong Kong Phooey! When we actually arrived at the convention, though, DEAR GOD. There were five separate queues, and Lucy and I were in two different ones as it was due to different ticket requirements. I walked around the venue, and around, and around, and around, all the while with never ended hordes of people. I found the end of the queue eventually, and made friends with those around me. A security guard told us that there had been people waiting since 10.30pm the night before, and more and more people passed us. The queue snaked around. Twice. Just... wow. It gave me time to put on my new pair of knee high boots, though, which were surprisingly comfortable even with a heel. Plus I looked awesome. Yes, I'm vain.
Still, I got there with a reasonably amount of time, having abandoned my hopes of meeting Stan Lee a few months ago. I waited on the inside for Lucy, and on her arrival we went and grabbed VQ tickets for Terry Farrell (JADZIA DAX!!!) and David Wenham, who we referred to as 'skooshy face' for most of the weekend because of reasons. We the started a day of mostly slowly looping around and trying not to get squashed in the mega, awful, terrible crush. I have to admit it was fairly awful, and I am going through a period of having my head screwed on to optimum settings.
We started by heading to the wonderful Robert Rankin, who I have failed to get a photo with AGAIN. I got a signed copy of his new book and asked him to keep the change towards the crowdfunding for a film of Alice on Mars, which I am selfish and really want to see, what can I say. He seemed really touched and insisted on shaking my hand several more times. I do so love Robert Rankin, I really do.
We ended up meeting Terry Farrell reasonably early too; Lucy is just up to the end of Season 6 in her DS9 re-watch so managed not to cry at her. Terry Farrell remains unspeakable beautiful and wonderful, for those interested.
In an attempt to get some fresh air, we went over to the 'second' hall - the whole event was split into two areas, with a Stan Lee/comic building and a 'everything else' building. We failed to spot Stan Lee, but did have a marvellous cup of tea in a quieter building. We forced our way through the crowds to have a sit down on the cool floor of the main building, and ended up making friends with a rather frantic redshirt, who it turns out is so much of a Terry Farrell fan she's known as 'Dax'. She had two costumes for one photoshoot, and couldn't find her friends - or they couldn't get across the room anyway! So we looked after her costume, and I helped her get changed with my epic dance skills. I felt like I had done a good turn by a fellow fan, and felt in a good mood to troop over to the main stage for a cosplay competition. I must say that cosplay is getting more professional each time I see it, and this was an amateur competition. There were loads of great entries, included a wonderful Prince Hans and Anna (who had a full song and dance routine!) and some Game of Thrones ones who looked actually like the actors. Slightly uncanny, to be honest!
After this we managed to meet David Wenham, who does not have a skooshy face but was still nice. We fought our way back to what ended up being a super awkward Talent Show (I'm taking tap shoes next year, on the basis that I will beat this thing) and then gave in to the heat, changed, and headed out into the not-that-much-cooler night. We met Richie (who just doesn't like cons) and Fiona (who was playing quidditch, lower q for legal reasons) in Chinatown and I drank two very hasty pints before we went to the mighty Wong Keis and set on our food like starving wolves. Om nom nom.
The next day was another ridiculously early start, and queues pretty much just as bad. I am quietly glad I didn't bother with cosplay, though, as I couldn't have faved lugging the hammer around. That said, we got in much quicker this time around and the day itself was a little quieter. Fiona was able to join us as well, which was lovely.
In the back of the room was the 'books' area, and we (well, I) decided to go to a panel called 'Murder Most Magical' which had Paul Cornell and Ben Aaronovitch on the panel. At the time of the panel I was only 1/3 through Whispers Underground so it was a bit tense but it was rather lovely, actually. Paul Cornell seems to be a bit of an idiot, though. I couldn't find Ben Aaronovitch afterwards, though, which was a shame. I actually didn't meet any guests on the Sunday in the end - how odd!
THAT SAID: I did get a corset though. I regret nothing. It's purple and black and OH SO PRETTY. Also met lots of Fiona's quidditch friends (my life, everyone, my life) and watched a lot more cosplay. I just... wow. I wish I had some of these mad skills in terms of making costumes, and performing,and being able to take my glasses off or having useful hair. There were Orange Is The New Black cosplayers, everyone. Life is BEAUTIFUL. And these were just the amateurs!
Plus got to see Dax-The-Nickname in the Jadzia wedding dress. MAD SKILLZ.
Lucy had to leave with reasonably time to spare in order to go to York, so I quietly wandered over to the Stan Lee hall and had a wander around. "Huh," I found myself thinking near the blocked off stage. "I recognise that voice." And lo, for it was STAN LEE ON STAGE and although I couldn't hear the talk I peeked in and got a photo. That will do for my proximity, I think. After the Stan Lee lot went I went in to watch the professional cosplay, and felt all of the above feelings with possibly a touch more sadness.
Plus, well, this was my first con where I felt a teeny tiny bit old. At one point I asked Lucy to delete a photo because I looked a bit wrinkly in it, and there were lots of tiny teenagers at this convention and oh gosh I have been going to these things for over half of my life. Hell, I started going to Showmasters events over ten years ago, now, when they were back in the shopping centre and I went with Clare and Iona. I still love them, and there is still a big part of me that squees about fic, but now I do it at my own kitchen table. It's weird. Good weird, I think, and lord knows I don't want to be a teenager again, but weird.
And indeed, it's been an interesting week. I am SHATTERED (not surprisingly). I also got the joy of taking a pregnancy test on Monday, which as I suspected was a cheery negative. Going off the Pill has messed up my cycle, in that I currently have no cycle. Deeply odd. I mean, come on, I'm using contraception, but it's still offputting. I took the test after the con so on the offchance I was up the duff I wouldn't be stressed about it during the weekend. PRIORITIES ARE CORRECT. I have also had to go to an out of hours emergency GP clinic for a nasty set of insect bites on my leg (not infected, yay! but hardcore antihistimines are making me sleepy) and now it is Thursday and I genuinely don't know how that happened.
In all seriousness: I had a marvellous weekend and now I am going to TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!
I cheerfully worked my way through the last week, and on Friday I trooped over to King's Cross to pick up Lucy, who I then dragged to the supermarket because I am just rubbish at preparation so had failed to get any food in the house. Still, we filled a basket full of packed lunch and snacky items and trooped back to our house for a rather chilled out evening. For various reasons - budgets, quidditch, family issues to name but a few - only Lucy was staying at mine, which led to a reasonably classy Friday night - I made a pasta bake and we sat around the kitchen table, gossiping and slightly baffling Richie with talk about fanfiction. I managed to get Lucy reading a fic called Motion Practice, which is ALL OF THE THINGS I HATE in fiction: they're all gay, it's a workplace AU, no one has powers AND YET IT'S THE BEST SERIES EVER. Lucy kept periodically looking at her phone, apologising, and then we discussed the evidence in the case and squee-d. It's been... too long since I did that, actually.
We attempted to be sensible and go to bed early for lo, the next day involved way, way too early a start. I crawled out of bed at 6am, and Lucy and I got ready with whispers and copious amounts of tea. Thing is, I was fairly sure it would be an outrageously busy and popular event so thought we would be very cunning and get there nice and early. We headed there and changed at Victoria, all the while wearing Trek dresses - it was comforting to get to the station and see two kids dressed as Mario and a bloke dressed as Hong Kong Phooey! When we actually arrived at the convention, though, DEAR GOD. There were five separate queues, and Lucy and I were in two different ones as it was due to different ticket requirements. I walked around the venue, and around, and around, and around, all the while with never ended hordes of people. I found the end of the queue eventually, and made friends with those around me. A security guard told us that there had been people waiting since 10.30pm the night before, and more and more people passed us. The queue snaked around. Twice. Just... wow. It gave me time to put on my new pair of knee high boots, though, which were surprisingly comfortable even with a heel. Plus I looked awesome. Yes, I'm vain.
Still, I got there with a reasonably amount of time, having abandoned my hopes of meeting Stan Lee a few months ago. I waited on the inside for Lucy, and on her arrival we went and grabbed VQ tickets for Terry Farrell (JADZIA DAX!!!) and David Wenham, who we referred to as 'skooshy face' for most of the weekend because of reasons. We the started a day of mostly slowly looping around and trying not to get squashed in the mega, awful, terrible crush. I have to admit it was fairly awful, and I am going through a period of having my head screwed on to optimum settings.
We started by heading to the wonderful Robert Rankin, who I have failed to get a photo with AGAIN. I got a signed copy of his new book and asked him to keep the change towards the crowdfunding for a film of Alice on Mars, which I am selfish and really want to see, what can I say. He seemed really touched and insisted on shaking my hand several more times. I do so love Robert Rankin, I really do.
We ended up meeting Terry Farrell reasonably early too; Lucy is just up to the end of Season 6 in her DS9 re-watch so managed not to cry at her. Terry Farrell remains unspeakable beautiful and wonderful, for those interested.
In an attempt to get some fresh air, we went over to the 'second' hall - the whole event was split into two areas, with a Stan Lee/comic building and a 'everything else' building. We failed to spot Stan Lee, but did have a marvellous cup of tea in a quieter building. We forced our way through the crowds to have a sit down on the cool floor of the main building, and ended up making friends with a rather frantic redshirt, who it turns out is so much of a Terry Farrell fan she's known as 'Dax'. She had two costumes for one photoshoot, and couldn't find her friends - or they couldn't get across the room anyway! So we looked after her costume, and I helped her get changed with my epic dance skills. I felt like I had done a good turn by a fellow fan, and felt in a good mood to troop over to the main stage for a cosplay competition. I must say that cosplay is getting more professional each time I see it, and this was an amateur competition. There were loads of great entries, included a wonderful Prince Hans and Anna (who had a full song and dance routine!) and some Game of Thrones ones who looked actually like the actors. Slightly uncanny, to be honest!
After this we managed to meet David Wenham, who does not have a skooshy face but was still nice. We fought our way back to what ended up being a super awkward Talent Show (I'm taking tap shoes next year, on the basis that I will beat this thing) and then gave in to the heat, changed, and headed out into the not-that-much-cooler night. We met Richie (who just doesn't like cons) and Fiona (who was playing quidditch, lower q for legal reasons) in Chinatown and I drank two very hasty pints before we went to the mighty Wong Keis and set on our food like starving wolves. Om nom nom.
The next day was another ridiculously early start, and queues pretty much just as bad. I am quietly glad I didn't bother with cosplay, though, as I couldn't have faved lugging the hammer around. That said, we got in much quicker this time around and the day itself was a little quieter. Fiona was able to join us as well, which was lovely.
In the back of the room was the 'books' area, and we (well, I) decided to go to a panel called 'Murder Most Magical' which had Paul Cornell and Ben Aaronovitch on the panel. At the time of the panel I was only 1/3 through Whispers Underground so it was a bit tense but it was rather lovely, actually. Paul Cornell seems to be a bit of an idiot, though. I couldn't find Ben Aaronovitch afterwards, though, which was a shame. I actually didn't meet any guests on the Sunday in the end - how odd!
THAT SAID: I did get a corset though. I regret nothing. It's purple and black and OH SO PRETTY. Also met lots of Fiona's quidditch friends (my life, everyone, my life) and watched a lot more cosplay. I just... wow. I wish I had some of these mad skills in terms of making costumes, and performing,
Plus got to see Dax-The-Nickname in the Jadzia wedding dress. MAD SKILLZ.
Lucy had to leave with reasonably time to spare in order to go to York, so I quietly wandered over to the Stan Lee hall and had a wander around. "Huh," I found myself thinking near the blocked off stage. "I recognise that voice." And lo, for it was STAN LEE ON STAGE and although I couldn't hear the talk I peeked in and got a photo. That will do for my proximity, I think. After the Stan Lee lot went I went in to watch the professional cosplay, and felt all of the above feelings with possibly a touch more sadness.
Plus, well, this was my first con where I felt a teeny tiny bit old. At one point I asked Lucy to delete a photo because I looked a bit wrinkly in it, and there were lots of tiny teenagers at this convention and oh gosh I have been going to these things for over half of my life. Hell, I started going to Showmasters events over ten years ago, now, when they were back in the shopping centre and I went with Clare and Iona. I still love them, and there is still a big part of me that squees about fic, but now I do it at my own kitchen table. It's weird. Good weird, I think, and lord knows I don't want to be a teenager again, but weird.
And indeed, it's been an interesting week. I am SHATTERED (not surprisingly). I also got the joy of taking a pregnancy test on Monday, which as I suspected was a cheery negative. Going off the Pill has messed up my cycle, in that I currently have no cycle. Deeply odd. I mean, come on, I'm using contraception, but it's still offputting. I took the test after the con so on the offchance I was up the duff I wouldn't be stressed about it during the weekend. PRIORITIES ARE CORRECT. I have also had to go to an out of hours emergency GP clinic for a nasty set of insect bites on my leg (not infected, yay! but hardcore antihistimines are making me sleepy) and now it is Thursday and I genuinely don't know how that happened.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-17 10:30 pm (UTC)It was my first con and I would still go back next year.