Keycon report
Keycon report, with pictures after the prose write-up.
FRIDAY:
-- Arrived at the hotel around 3 PM, ritual suitcase in tow. There was no lineup at Registration so I was able to pick up my pre-reg badge and get R.'s registration taken care of very quickly. Stowed the suitcase in Reg until the Wiccan ritual panel I'd be running at 9 PM.
-- R.'s first time at Keycon, although she could only stay for the one evening. It was a lot of fun showing her around the convention and she seemed to enjoy herself. Many thanks, R., for coming with me and helping with the Wiccan ritual and being so patient when I kept introducing you with: "This is her first Keycon..."
-- The Wiccan ritual panel went really well. There were eight of us in circle and two spectators. One of the gentlemen in circle had never been to a Wiccan rite before, and later told me that he found it very interesting and informative. As far as I know, everybody liked the prizes they received for taking part.
-- The con took good care of the huge ritual suitcase, making sure that it was locked in Reg after the rite and giving permission to call the on-duty Ops person to get it out when I was ready to leave.
-- My acid reflux exploded due to a chicken burger I'd had for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Glurg.
-- At the Poisoned Apple, bought a "finger dragon", a fluffy little dragon which sits on a person's finger secured by two elastic loops. I ended up putting it on my name badge instead, where it loomed above my nametag with wings flared. So cute!
-- This was the last year for the video suite, since the fellow who's run it since time immemorial is moving to Vancouver. But I did get a prize from him, as did R. When I told Victor that it was R.'s first Keycon, he gave her a lovely Gryffindor scarf, and then gave me a Slytherin scarf to match. A memento to treasure, and cheers to Victor as he moves on to the west coast.
-- Had a tiny bit of ice cream at the Ice Cream Social. Bought a beaded gecko from Joey, who makes and sells them every year. Discovered that the name tags had a massive typo: they gave the date as 2007 instead as 2010. This led to the DJ overseeing the event to announce: "Attention, please! Everybody with 2007 on their nametags must leave immediately: you're at the wrong convention." It also led to a catchphrase: "Keycon 2010: It's SO three years ago!"
SATURDAY:
-- All the hospitality suites are open today! Hurrah! But only the Video Room was open at 8:30 AM when I arrived at the hotel. Had a bowl of raisin bran there; it was their Cartoon Breakfast feature, and they were playing classic Loony Tunes shorts (Daffy Duck in the wild west and Porky Pig and Sylvester in a hotel with some homicidal mice). Lots of people eating sugary cereal and laughing their heads off. Then went to the hotel restaurant for some coffee (ick!) and rye toast; then back up to the Poisoned Apple where I had some cooked oatmeal with dark chocolate chips mixed in.
-- My Pagan Weddings panel at 10 AM drew ten people and we had an excellent discussion about the elements of a handfasting. Laurie and Jerry were there, who I'd handfasted at Keycon two years previous, so they were able to lend the perspective of the people being married rather than that of the officiant. One of the men who attended volunteers at the Chinese Cultural Centre and took my card; he's pretty sure he can find someone to advise me on the particulars of ritual purification for the Shinto wedding I'm officiating this August.
-- Then to the Pitch Panel, where authors could pitch their novel concepts to editors (Keycon had a lot of them this year due to the Aurora Awards being hosted by our convention). One of the editors was highly interested in my "Where Darkness Falls" concept and gave me her personal card so that I can bypass the slushpile and submit my manuscript to her directly. She also gave me some very encouraging and useful feedback, taking time to help me understand her points. I was skeptical of her sincerity in making the offer of the card -- in the comics industry, editors give out their cards fairly easily -- but apparently getting the card from her is quite significant. Color me doubly grateful for her time. (Now I just have to finish the damned book.)
-- Michelle shows up at the con! Yay!
-- Off to the Dealers Room to buy a couple of thick novels and tour the dealers tables. Many booksellers this year -- not surprising given the Auroras -- but I bet the table selling Pocky was doing a brisk business.
-- Then the Read-Off. Twenty-seven competitors, yikes! They overran their hour-long slot like woah, but since the dinner hour (with no programming) was coming up next that wasn't a problem. Five winners were chosen, none of which were me. Boo. But it was still an excellent time with some highly skilled writing and reading on display.
-- Got a front row seat for the Masquerade. Yes! Thirty contestants. Yay! Had someone call me (with my ringtone on high) in the middle of the event! Argh! Got laughed at, and Liana K., who was vamping for time on stage because the judges were deliberating, leaped on it: "Who is it? Can I talk to them?" Me: "It better be my husband!!!" Alas, whoever it was hung up before I could get to them, probably because they heard the amused roar of the crowd. One of the judges even turned around and gestured at me to give her the phone like a first-grade teacher confiscating classroom contraband.
-- After the Masquerade, back up to the con suite floor. Many good conversations in the Poisoned Apple, and some amazing slider burgers. (Pay attention to that, because those sliders will be important later.) Mollari's had a projected star ceiling with the stars actually moving (ooh, pretty!), and the New Cairo Club had some impressive Egyptian decor including custom wine bottles, photoshopped pictures of the staff members, and shelves full of rolled parchment.
-- Home early, just after 11 PM. When did I become such a tired old fan? Missed the Artists Jam today but wasn't really feeling in a sketching mood anyway.
SUNDAY
-- Made an arrangement on Saturday to come by the Poisoned Apple at 8 AM for a chat with Barb, one of the folks running it. They didn't open until after 9 AM. Grrr... but I had pancakes and a chocolate muffin in the New Cairo Club and, while sitting on the hallway floor talking with the Art Show head, discovered that the Art Show is 90% sold out for next year. Phoned Michelle and got her permission to buy her 2 panels, and paid for 2 panels myself. While sitting there, got a banana from Stan, the person running the Volunteer room (they got a shitload of bananas just before the con and I think he was giving them to anyone who'd stand still long enough). Also got a chocolate bar from Victor and some random chocolate from Kim, the person running Mollari's.
-- Checked out the Art Show, which was open from 9 AM-10 AM for last minute budding. "The Captain's Cat, Micawber" was going to auction; one of my pieces had a single bid, the other two had no bids. The Art Show as a whole was slow this year so that wasn't really a surprise.
-- Went to the Dealer's Room and finally got close to the table where a steampunk enthusiast had an antiqued Van de Graaff generator. Saw an incredible piece of steampunk jewelery there and bought it ($40 and worth every penny). Afterwards, picked up fanzines at a different table (one filk, one a Blakes 7 letterzine, and one a set of directions for making a loom).
-- Art Auction at noon. "The Captain's Cat" was the very first piece up and went for $35.
-- Back to the con suite floor. One more slider and some excellent coleslaw; trying to stick to a proper eating schedule, doncha know.
-- To Art Show for pick-up. Only one piece came back to me; the other had gone on a single bid during the last hour of the show. I also got the one piece I bid on myself, a set of earrings made from tiny old skeleton keys. Seven dollars and change, a real steal.
-- Upstairs again, since I had no interest in the remaining programming items of the day. Strolling from suite to suite, chatting with old friends and making new ones. Bought a glass mug from the New Cairo Club and some raffle tickets for the sword cane they were raffling off.
-- Hotel restaurant for dinner, where they charged me $14 for the special request of a plain chicken breast and rice pilaf. I could have eaten on the con suite floor, but all that was on offer (aside from sugary snacks) were samosas and chili, either of which could have provoked my stomach again. So, om nom nom... overpriced chicken and rice.
-- Back to... guess where? Yes, the con suite floor! More wandering, sitting, chatting.
-- Including the "punch to Pierre's junk" conversation. Joey came into the Poisoned Apple from the Video Room, where she'd nipped out in the middle of a Rocky Horror Picture Show sing-along in hopes of getting one of those tasty little slider burgers. Turns out Pierre had just had four, and the suite had just run out (although to be fair to Pierre, he did not eat the last one). Joey went off in an inspired comedic improv on the theme of slider greed, the mathematics of the situation (Two less sliders in Pierre's stomach would have meant two sliders for Joey), and her intention to punch Pierre in the junk. It was all in good fun -- Pierre seemed more amused than anyone else -- especially when Viola created a card officially entitling Joey to carry out her intent at some future time. Picture below. Eventually Joey went back to the Video Room, still hungry, and Pierre settled back in his chair to enjoy his ill-gotten fullness.
-- ... yes, I'd eaten a slider myself, but I thought it was best not to announce this fact in Joey's presence.
-- Pieces of the Video Room's decor start appearing in people's hands on the con suite floor as Victor gets rid of all his decorations. Last year, everything must go. Many toasts are drunk in his honor.
-- The Dead Dog Party begins. Official con programming is over; now folks repair to the con suite floor to get in some final eating, drinking and visiting. The New Cairo Club, as the con's official hospitality suite, orders in free pizza for all. Mollari's raffles off a 32" plasma TV. When the Aurora Awards banquet lets out just after 10 PM the con suite floor becomes wall-to-wall people, and I decide it's time to take my leave.
-- Good friends, great times, a potential book deal, and... just a fantastic break from my everyday life. I can already hardly wait for next year.
And now, photos.
My art show panel:
The New Cairo Club hospitality suite:
New Cairo Club wall photos. The face is that of a staff member:
And of Spock:
New Cairo Club, Friday special cake:
New Cairo Club, special wine bottles:
New Cairo Club prizes:
Laurie E. in the New Cairo Club:
The Poisoned Apple:
Bre-Axe suite:
Bre-Axe suite signage:
Mollari's sign:
The Wiccan Ritual space:
And altar:
Saturday elevator lobby signage:
The ceiling in the Video Room:
And someone taking advantage of the Video Room's big comfy couch on Saturday morning:
High tea being served at the New Cairo Club on Saturday afternoon. They also had cucumber and liverwurst sandwiches (crusts off, of course), and little pots of fresh-made tea:
Some Doctor Who art, owned by a friend:
Robert, in Klingon garb:
Masquerade, Liana K in cat suit with Star Fleet cohost:
At the Masquerade, a pharaoh...
... and his loyal subjects.
Masquerade, Sweeny Todd:
Masquerade, a Ferengi mother:
Masquerade, two warriors of the future:
The Masquerade: Liana K and her Starfleet co-host dance to the Star Wars Cantina theme:
Masquerade, Imperial Pimp:
My steampunk pendant:
Catbus!
Joey and the Junk Punch card:
FRIDAY:
-- Arrived at the hotel around 3 PM, ritual suitcase in tow. There was no lineup at Registration so I was able to pick up my pre-reg badge and get R.'s registration taken care of very quickly. Stowed the suitcase in Reg until the Wiccan ritual panel I'd be running at 9 PM.
-- R.'s first time at Keycon, although she could only stay for the one evening. It was a lot of fun showing her around the convention and she seemed to enjoy herself. Many thanks, R., for coming with me and helping with the Wiccan ritual and being so patient when I kept introducing you with: "This is her first Keycon..."
-- The Wiccan ritual panel went really well. There were eight of us in circle and two spectators. One of the gentlemen in circle had never been to a Wiccan rite before, and later told me that he found it very interesting and informative. As far as I know, everybody liked the prizes they received for taking part.
-- The con took good care of the huge ritual suitcase, making sure that it was locked in Reg after the rite and giving permission to call the on-duty Ops person to get it out when I was ready to leave.
-- My acid reflux exploded due to a chicken burger I'd had for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Glurg.
-- At the Poisoned Apple, bought a "finger dragon", a fluffy little dragon which sits on a person's finger secured by two elastic loops. I ended up putting it on my name badge instead, where it loomed above my nametag with wings flared. So cute!
-- This was the last year for the video suite, since the fellow who's run it since time immemorial is moving to Vancouver. But I did get a prize from him, as did R. When I told Victor that it was R.'s first Keycon, he gave her a lovely Gryffindor scarf, and then gave me a Slytherin scarf to match. A memento to treasure, and cheers to Victor as he moves on to the west coast.
-- Had a tiny bit of ice cream at the Ice Cream Social. Bought a beaded gecko from Joey, who makes and sells them every year. Discovered that the name tags had a massive typo: they gave the date as 2007 instead as 2010. This led to the DJ overseeing the event to announce: "Attention, please! Everybody with 2007 on their nametags must leave immediately: you're at the wrong convention." It also led to a catchphrase: "Keycon 2010: It's SO three years ago!"
SATURDAY:
-- All the hospitality suites are open today! Hurrah! But only the Video Room was open at 8:30 AM when I arrived at the hotel. Had a bowl of raisin bran there; it was their Cartoon Breakfast feature, and they were playing classic Loony Tunes shorts (Daffy Duck in the wild west and Porky Pig and Sylvester in a hotel with some homicidal mice). Lots of people eating sugary cereal and laughing their heads off. Then went to the hotel restaurant for some coffee (ick!) and rye toast; then back up to the Poisoned Apple where I had some cooked oatmeal with dark chocolate chips mixed in.
-- My Pagan Weddings panel at 10 AM drew ten people and we had an excellent discussion about the elements of a handfasting. Laurie and Jerry were there, who I'd handfasted at Keycon two years previous, so they were able to lend the perspective of the people being married rather than that of the officiant. One of the men who attended volunteers at the Chinese Cultural Centre and took my card; he's pretty sure he can find someone to advise me on the particulars of ritual purification for the Shinto wedding I'm officiating this August.
-- Then to the Pitch Panel, where authors could pitch their novel concepts to editors (Keycon had a lot of them this year due to the Aurora Awards being hosted by our convention). One of the editors was highly interested in my "Where Darkness Falls" concept and gave me her personal card so that I can bypass the slushpile and submit my manuscript to her directly. She also gave me some very encouraging and useful feedback, taking time to help me understand her points. I was skeptical of her sincerity in making the offer of the card -- in the comics industry, editors give out their cards fairly easily -- but apparently getting the card from her is quite significant. Color me doubly grateful for her time. (Now I just have to finish the damned book.)
-- Michelle shows up at the con! Yay!
-- Off to the Dealers Room to buy a couple of thick novels and tour the dealers tables. Many booksellers this year -- not surprising given the Auroras -- but I bet the table selling Pocky was doing a brisk business.
-- Then the Read-Off. Twenty-seven competitors, yikes! They overran their hour-long slot like woah, but since the dinner hour (with no programming) was coming up next that wasn't a problem. Five winners were chosen, none of which were me. Boo. But it was still an excellent time with some highly skilled writing and reading on display.
-- Got a front row seat for the Masquerade. Yes! Thirty contestants. Yay! Had someone call me (with my ringtone on high) in the middle of the event! Argh! Got laughed at, and Liana K., who was vamping for time on stage because the judges were deliberating, leaped on it: "Who is it? Can I talk to them?" Me: "It better be my husband!!!" Alas, whoever it was hung up before I could get to them, probably because they heard the amused roar of the crowd. One of the judges even turned around and gestured at me to give her the phone like a first-grade teacher confiscating classroom contraband.
-- After the Masquerade, back up to the con suite floor. Many good conversations in the Poisoned Apple, and some amazing slider burgers. (Pay attention to that, because those sliders will be important later.) Mollari's had a projected star ceiling with the stars actually moving (ooh, pretty!), and the New Cairo Club had some impressive Egyptian decor including custom wine bottles, photoshopped pictures of the staff members, and shelves full of rolled parchment.
-- Home early, just after 11 PM. When did I become such a tired old fan? Missed the Artists Jam today but wasn't really feeling in a sketching mood anyway.
SUNDAY
-- Made an arrangement on Saturday to come by the Poisoned Apple at 8 AM for a chat with Barb, one of the folks running it. They didn't open until after 9 AM. Grrr... but I had pancakes and a chocolate muffin in the New Cairo Club and, while sitting on the hallway floor talking with the Art Show head, discovered that the Art Show is 90% sold out for next year. Phoned Michelle and got her permission to buy her 2 panels, and paid for 2 panels myself. While sitting there, got a banana from Stan, the person running the Volunteer room (they got a shitload of bananas just before the con and I think he was giving them to anyone who'd stand still long enough). Also got a chocolate bar from Victor and some random chocolate from Kim, the person running Mollari's.
-- Checked out the Art Show, which was open from 9 AM-10 AM for last minute budding. "The Captain's Cat, Micawber" was going to auction; one of my pieces had a single bid, the other two had no bids. The Art Show as a whole was slow this year so that wasn't really a surprise.
-- Went to the Dealer's Room and finally got close to the table where a steampunk enthusiast had an antiqued Van de Graaff generator. Saw an incredible piece of steampunk jewelery there and bought it ($40 and worth every penny). Afterwards, picked up fanzines at a different table (one filk, one a Blakes 7 letterzine, and one a set of directions for making a loom).
-- Art Auction at noon. "The Captain's Cat" was the very first piece up and went for $35.
-- Back to the con suite floor. One more slider and some excellent coleslaw; trying to stick to a proper eating schedule, doncha know.
-- To Art Show for pick-up. Only one piece came back to me; the other had gone on a single bid during the last hour of the show. I also got the one piece I bid on myself, a set of earrings made from tiny old skeleton keys. Seven dollars and change, a real steal.
-- Upstairs again, since I had no interest in the remaining programming items of the day. Strolling from suite to suite, chatting with old friends and making new ones. Bought a glass mug from the New Cairo Club and some raffle tickets for the sword cane they were raffling off.
-- Hotel restaurant for dinner, where they charged me $14 for the special request of a plain chicken breast and rice pilaf. I could have eaten on the con suite floor, but all that was on offer (aside from sugary snacks) were samosas and chili, either of which could have provoked my stomach again. So, om nom nom... overpriced chicken and rice.
-- Back to... guess where? Yes, the con suite floor! More wandering, sitting, chatting.
-- Including the "punch to Pierre's junk" conversation. Joey came into the Poisoned Apple from the Video Room, where she'd nipped out in the middle of a Rocky Horror Picture Show sing-along in hopes of getting one of those tasty little slider burgers. Turns out Pierre had just had four, and the suite had just run out (although to be fair to Pierre, he did not eat the last one). Joey went off in an inspired comedic improv on the theme of slider greed, the mathematics of the situation (Two less sliders in Pierre's stomach would have meant two sliders for Joey), and her intention to punch Pierre in the junk. It was all in good fun -- Pierre seemed more amused than anyone else -- especially when Viola created a card officially entitling Joey to carry out her intent at some future time. Picture below. Eventually Joey went back to the Video Room, still hungry, and Pierre settled back in his chair to enjoy his ill-gotten fullness.
-- ... yes, I'd eaten a slider myself, but I thought it was best not to announce this fact in Joey's presence.
-- Pieces of the Video Room's decor start appearing in people's hands on the con suite floor as Victor gets rid of all his decorations. Last year, everything must go. Many toasts are drunk in his honor.
-- The Dead Dog Party begins. Official con programming is over; now folks repair to the con suite floor to get in some final eating, drinking and visiting. The New Cairo Club, as the con's official hospitality suite, orders in free pizza for all. Mollari's raffles off a 32" plasma TV. When the Aurora Awards banquet lets out just after 10 PM the con suite floor becomes wall-to-wall people, and I decide it's time to take my leave.
-- Good friends, great times, a potential book deal, and... just a fantastic break from my everyday life. I can already hardly wait for next year.
And now, photos.
My art show panel:
The New Cairo Club hospitality suite:
New Cairo Club wall photos. The face is that of a staff member:
And of Spock:
New Cairo Club, Friday special cake:
New Cairo Club, special wine bottles:
New Cairo Club prizes:
Laurie E. in the New Cairo Club:
The Poisoned Apple:
Bre-Axe suite:
Bre-Axe suite signage:
Mollari's sign:
The Wiccan Ritual space:
And altar:
Saturday elevator lobby signage:
The ceiling in the Video Room:
And someone taking advantage of the Video Room's big comfy couch on Saturday morning:
High tea being served at the New Cairo Club on Saturday afternoon. They also had cucumber and liverwurst sandwiches (crusts off, of course), and little pots of fresh-made tea:
Some Doctor Who art, owned by a friend:
Robert, in Klingon garb:
Masquerade, Liana K in cat suit with Star Fleet cohost:
At the Masquerade, a pharaoh...
... and his loyal subjects.
Masquerade, Sweeny Todd:
Masquerade, a Ferengi mother:
Masquerade, two warriors of the future:
The Masquerade: Liana K and her Starfleet co-host dance to the Star Wars Cantina theme:
Masquerade, Imperial Pimp:
My steampunk pendant:
Catbus!
Joey and the Junk Punch card:
