Home From PenguiCon

[filkertom]

So, getting to PenguiCon sucked. Incredibly bad traffic, construction, bleah. Took over two hours for a drive that should take 1:15, tops. And the Red Roof at 14 Mile and I-75 (where we crashed) had its problems.

Fortunately, the weekend improved from there.

I'm not even gonna try to name everybody I saw, hugged, or hung out with, 'cause it's, like, half the con, but it was lovely to see Clif and Jordin and Michael and Jim Hines and various others in that bunch. And my mini-set with Frank Hayes early Friday was lots of fun, and the FuMP show later was longer than it should've been but we still had a blast, and I thought I started my solo set Saturday a little shaky but it was rock-solid by the end with a great crowd, and Rob did fantastically and is getting to be a much better performer, and Shoebox rocked like crazy, and Frank's set this morning was fun fun fun, and Luke cranked it out again 'cause that's what Luke does, and Alchav did fine but we're gonna get him on earlier next time, and the All Dementia Roadie Squad kicked keister and thieved identities, and there were hugs and chocolate and ribbons and Tesla coils and Tron suits and corsets and the Monitor Graveyard and what-all.

A fine, fine time.

And next year it's gonna be at the Crowne Plaza by Metro Airport, the same hotel where ConClave is now.

Those of you who were there, how was your con? Those of you who weren't, whatcha doin'?

Comments

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

I only made it out for Friday evening, but had a grand time hanging out. Caught part of the Tom and Frank show, part of the FuMP show, part of the Tesla coil concert(!), and enjoyed the parties and conversation.

Yesterday, went to Battle Creek for my granddaughter Krystiana's second birthday party. Lots of loot, lots of awwww factor.

Today, I decided the short day just wasn't worth the two hours drive time to me, and hung out at home, except when I went for a much-needed (both physically and spiritually) three-mile walk in the park.

Next year, with the con a mere 25 minutes away, I'll likely commute every day.

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

I went to a Firefly-inspired live action role play weekend - it was very shiney :)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

There is going to be another at some point.

www.bigdanglarp.com - I think this is the site...

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

We had people this time come as far away as New Mexico...

And there are people of all sizes in the 'verse, so I'm sure you could think of something :D

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

Well, if you go to the website I gave you, there are pictures now :D

Hopefully the BDL will happen once or twice a year (the powers that be haven't decided when the next one is) for a long time...

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it will be in the same camp, but it will probably always be in or around Greenville, SC

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[eoywin.livejournal.com]

There have been others around - I know there is going to be a Firefly Larp at a con in Florida...

If you have a nearby Browncoat group, maybe there is someone there who would like to head up a larp in your area - basically a lady in my Browncoat group thought a weekend Firefly larp would be shiny and got people to help and started planning.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkferengi]

Not quite the only one. I refer to my spouse as a Vulcan-hobbit cross for good reason.

:)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkferengi]

A logical hobbit, with the Vulcan haircut [although it's gone "blond" the last few years ;)].

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkferengi]

In his case "blond highlights" are what he insists on calling his lovely mostly-silver.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[tommytoony.livejournal.com]

I dunno...I didn't actually SEE much of it! ;-)

It was a pleasure working with you and the FuMP-misters this weekend! Hope my crawling under the table act didn't distract too much from your show!

Hope to see you there next year!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Ladies and gents, our incredibly rockin' sound guy. :) What he's referring to is the fact that apparently he hadn't heard much of my stuff before this weekend. I broke him handily during the first chorus of "House At Cthulhu Corner", and he hit the floor with a most agreeable thump and lay there twitching under the sound boards for a few minutes.

[aiela.livejournal.com]

That was totally the highlight of the whole show. A perfect testament to what Your Music Can Do. :)

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine (kirkt68) was just talking about that moment on his LJ. He'd never heard your stuff before, but it sounds like you've got at least one more devoted follower.

Just remember to only use your power for good! Or for amusement. Either way :-)

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Pretty mellow weekend. Slept in, watched a couple of good Giants games, did some shopping. Found a lone copy of Piper's Space Viking at the bookstore. Haven't read that in years.

[aiela.livejournal.com]

We spent most of the weekend having an ongoing room party in some friends' rooms, but the Kidlet and I caught your noon show on Saturday and we caught both of the tesla coil concert. And the swordfighting tournament.

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

Had an earthquake Friday morning, then headed out to Conglomeration...Friday night was quite smashing...then I got sick as a dog on Saturday (the crud that had been hounding my office for the last 3 weeks finally caught me)...and I had to pack it in early Sat. Still had a great time...Walter Koeing was a lot of fun and the masquerade was won by a lady dressed as the Evil Robot Maria from Metropolis...you know, the silver dancing costume? It was amazing!

Missed ya, though. :-)

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

The usual. Work. Research. Avoiding Anubis' revenant killers on the Orient Express...

So, when are you coming back to MidSouth Con?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Possibly next year. I'm starting to look at that schedule....

[solarbird]

First weekend in over a month without something scheduled, so I hung out with foxgrrl up here for a security conference, dealt with some stacked up paperwork, then spent the rest of the weekend writing music, lazing about, and being confused by three days of snow in April. HELLO I DO NOT LIVE IN ALBERTA kthx. But really it's been quite nice. ^_^

[poltr1]

Didn't do a lot this weekend. For the details, see my LJ.

[jss]

Did final Passover cleaning, didn't do a seder, tried to get over the massive mond headcold from hell.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

Conglom all the way. This was a case of bad scheduling, in my opinion :P

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

I...FINALLY...got the DVD of OASIS 2007, Part 2, cut! Now I have to write the other files to other disks, make two backup copies of each, package 'em and mail 'em to you.

God, this was a weird weekend. That lady for whom I installed fluorescents last week? I installed a new thermostat in her house, which has effectively been without cooling and heating. The one I got off eBay didn't work, so I had to go out and buy one, install it, see if it was running...

...And then go to work. In the dirty T-shirt I was working in, which I thought I would have time to change out of once I was done. But the job took too long. So I went to work wearing a shirt with "Why be normal?" on the front, and the inscribed name "Heywood Jablowmee" on the back. In a newsroom full of women just waiting for a chance to levy a sexual harassment suit to make some money they could actually live on. I was excusing my sorry butt all night at work. "Sorry, I didn't have time to change. Nothing awful intended."

And then...I got some good news. About someone who wants my voice. I will have to delay all the details until it's firm, but it's cool.

Meanwhile...gotta get those disks out to you!

[bald-ruminant.livejournal.com]

Cleaning, lots of cleaning.

[sylverwolfe.livejournal.com]

I was at Conglom with Greyden and Moogie and Seanmonster and Qracoon and a whole mess of other Louisvillians. Old Fortissimo was there Friday night, so there wasn't a TOTAL dearth of filk, and I coaxed a couple Rennie Wenches into singing a bit with me, and the MacGeachin was there too. I entered my first Masquerade and did a cute, funny little skit that I threw together in about 10 caffeinated minutes and got a Martha Stewart certificate (long story). Also, my honorary baby sister from work and I won the Hall Costume contest Friday night as a couple of Pirate Wenches. I did do some damage control and left a party I was actually having fun at to go babysit people who wound up having more liquid fun than their fragile little meatbodies could hold. Last night rolled up kinda early, and I had to miss most of today including strike and the Dead Dog to go to my little cousin's First Communion and endure snarky relatives that I could happily live without. All in all, not a bad little weekend, but not without its rough spots.
Marcon in a month!

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

And a Cincinnatian! :)
See you at Marcon.

[bosswriter.livejournal.com]

jgaleckas and I went to NAMES, a model engineering show in Toledo. They have scale models of steam engines, automotive engines, and other neat stuff if you're into that, We both love trains and steam engines (not just locomotives).

After the show we did Tony Packo's for dinner (M.A.S.H. fans know about Packo's). Great hot dogs and cabbage rolls - Hungarian style.

Today just hung out at home.

[hms42]

Tired from 2 seders this weekend, one of which was a very condensed version. (Just did the meal) It was interesting to make Matzah ball soup for hte first time. I just used the family secret recipe. (The directions on the back of the box.)

Harold

[kilbia.livejournal.com]

CMA Beltaine festival.

That's all the deets anyone gets here. =)

[singingpatient.livejournal.com]

at present i am sitting around with a whopping headache. i took half a percacet, then another half. i'm thinking of taking a 3rd half. i think i am paying for eating crap this weekend. i just can't get away with eating crap like i used to. joe's bday was this weekend, and other than the crap-eating hangover i'm left with, it was wonderful. i spoiled him in the manner he deserves. we finally had some springlike weather. and we saw the new jackie chan/ jet li movie, which we loved. we like kung fu.

glad you had a fun time (as usual) at the con. i'm traveling a lot less for now, not even doing many folk gigs. it costs so much to get anywhere, and takes so much out of me, that I figure I'm better off taking it down a few notches and getting some more local jobs til i build up my stamina (so i can get away with eating crap again. just kidding).

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Didn't do much Sunday, but for the rest of the weekend, my brothers and their families came up from RI to visit. 2-year-old C----- has become quite a chatterbox -- except that she's shy, so she doesn't do it much in front of me. Ael and Erin went with me and my older brother and 5-year-old J--- down one of the trails from the summit of Cadillac Mountain until J--- decided that the next step down was too big for him. Erin and I continued down: I had wanted to climb up Dorr Mountain on the other side of the Gorge Path, but I abandoned that idea on the way down. When I hit the second patch of snow just short of the Gorge Path, I decided that there were certain kinds of stupid I did _not_ need to be with an 8-year-old in tow (or in the lead, most of the time), and turned back short of the trail marker I had been aiming for. At the top, I was reminded that yes, you _can_ get a sunburn in Maine in April.... We ate at the Route 66 Restaurant, which had enough stuff to look at on the walls to keep four kids from 2 to 10 occupied while we waited for the food. Afterwards was the obligatory visit to Ben and Bill's. :-)

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

This was only my second PenguiCon, my first was 3 years ago at what I know know was the only dud P-Con. I had a MUCH better time this year. I hated that I had to leave the concerts to miss Rob's solo one on Saturday to attend a panel. I also got a few Linux distros to try (I just finished a basic Linux sysadmin course so I can play with Linux at home). All in all, I am glad I went to this con.

If I will go back next year will depend on finances and getting the vacation days I need off from work (if we get a new manager, that could be tough since I take vacation days 2 or 3 at a time, either Fri/Mon or Thu/Fri/Mon, and the "official policy" is to take a full week off at a time and NOT across weekends unless we are taking two weeks off at once).

[tarsa.livejournal.com]

In our new N. GA home, sorting through tons of boxes.

[filkferengi]

So, you'll be coming down to GaFilk[.org] with us next year?

*GRIN*

[tarsa.livejournal.com]

I think I can actually swing that!

Re: *GRIN*

[filkferengi]

I don't cook myself, but will gleefully point you to the dozen + purveyors of grub located within short walking distance.

There's also a bookstore called Equinox Books within a mile of the con, where hms42 found several nifty items for the Interfilk auction last year [including some cool music]. They're on Central Ave in Hapeville, if you want to look them up. There're lots of sf books, as well as funky, kitschy items, from furniture to doll spectacles. Iirc, Equinox is also on abebooks.com.

This is in addition to Larry Smith Books. If you're going to pay full price, it should be to Larry. Bankruptcy attorney not included; sold separately [but licensed in your state].

:)

Do you like mysteries?

[darthparadox.livejournal.com]

The con was awesome. I'd missed it quite a bit - first time back since I moved cross-country in 2005. First time I've gotten to see you perform since then, too. The whole dementia track was awesome - watching tommytoony get broken multiple times just made it better.

Weird being back at work, though.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

We were at ConGlomeration, which moved from August to April because GenCon was eating it alive. And they did actually have more warm bodies this year, which indicates that it was a smart choice; usually a time-shift that severe leads to at least a year's drop in attendance. E-mail me if you want more details, or keep an eye on my journal -- I'll be posting a review in the next few days.