Bistocon
Bistocon-what a blast. I live for these weekends, immersed in fannish love for Bodie and Doyle. I literally find pennies on the ground (and the occasional nickels and dimes) to save up for going to cons.
I got to the hotel in beautiful (and flat) Romulus, Michigan on Thursday night about 7:30 and knew where the gang would be-at the Bob Evans across the street. I hurried over for my biyearly biscuit from Bob Evans. There were about 8 or ten people there already, including my roomies LilyK and Verlaine, not to mention the awesomeness of FJBryan and PRZed. “Looks like a con!” There was much chatting as we adjourned to the hotel, both of Pros related subjects and just “Haven’t seen you in two years, so how’s everything?”
Friday morning, I helped set up the con suite and admired the dozens of pictures of Bodie and Doyle being taped to the wall with blue painter’s tape. Since the con didn’t officially start until afternoon, we went back to Bob Evans for lunch. There were five of us at the table, I think. Three of us ordered cranberry pecan turkey salad-and three of us got a chicken club. I sighed, but ate it because it was fine, it just wasn’t what any of us ordered. But none of us spoke up. There was a get to know you game back in the con suite, and I was paired with FJBryan-cool! Not quite the whole group had arrived by then, but most of us. We actually had two members from Australia and one from England. International!
Then finally, an episode! Ahhhh. We watched, we discussed. This is my thing-I love either analyzing the plot or simply being silly and pointing out gaping holes and funny segues. All good. I enjoy the panels vastly but because I can never remember episode titles, what goes on in which ep, and guest character names, I don’t always have a great deal to contribute, unlike some fans who not only know all that but titles and plots of dozens of fic. I am in awe.
In the theme of not getting what I ordered at a restaurant, for dinner, I ordered a fried fish sandwich. I got fish and chips-honestly, very similar, so I started to eat. Then the waitress came over with an apology and a fish sandwich. At least this time, the mistake was acknowledged, but I’d already started on the fried fish, so I kept it.
I was dismal at Pros trivia-I think there were three, maybe four answers I knew.
Later, there was games time. I started in on a huge, 1,000 piece puzzle of Bodie and Doyle. Queena, one of the new members, helped, as well as a few others. I had high hopes-I adore puzzling, but it was really difficult. By Sunday night, we had barely put half the puzzle together. After about an hour, I abandoned it for my fave: Pros Against Humanity which is the funniest, filthiest game on the planet.
I slept so well that night that when I woke in the morning, the other two ladies had left the room-and I never heard them! At home, the cats would be walking on me and my daughter would need to get ready for her morning activities.
Saturday morning featured a panel on Marshmallow centres-Bodie, Doyle, or both? There was a nice vid with examples of all three, and the consensus was they could both be quite soft and squishy depending on the situation. Pros Bingo was fun-and I got a bingo! My prize was a pair of green Pros earrings, which I immediately put on. Yay!
Best moments of the worst episodes was a fun panel-mostly because I can list the eps I do not like: The Gun and Klansman. Some of the rest may have too little of Bodie and Doyle or a somewhat boring plot but at least the lads are there. And everyone has a British accent, which always makes me happy.
The Writer’s panel featured PFL and Halotolerant. I am always interested in different writers’ processes. Both of them tended to write like me, oddly enough-not much of an outline (if any at all) and writing the story from beginning to end. We actually discussed my bugaboo-writing the boring scene. You have to get through that one to get to the much more interesting bits! Halotolerant has written in 82 fandoms! WOW. And I thought my fourteen on line and, roughly, five to six not on line, was a lot!
I’d donated to the auction, but not to the sell, share and swap. I did pick up one little zine, but this year money is tight, so I only bid on a couple things at the auction.
It rained! A lot. Being from California, I am not used to rain in the summer and lightning. Then, it clears up so quickly. We ate at a grill. I’m not vegetarian, but I don’t really like large pieces of meat so I had hummus and pita, plus a bowl of onion soup. Very good! Chatted with my friends PRZed, Sonia, and Bastet which was a blast. LilyK and I walked home, because it was completely dry by then, stopping at a minimart to get some ice cream. Yes…I do live for chocolate and cookies (someone had brought homemade chocolate cookies on Friday. So good). There was also a Quality Assortment straight from jolly old England, so I did partake of imported chocolate.
Since I knew I wasn’t going to get anything in the auction, I played Farmville on my phone. I did hope for one or two items in the raffle, but no joy. Kath Moonshine, who does the auctions and BAAAD theatre at SHarecon, had us rolling in the aisles with her funny Southern auctioneer shtick.
I’d brought mead for the drinking game, in honour of Midnight Mead, and a few others tried some. I’ll admit, while I like mead better than many alcoholic drinks, I mixed mine with white grape juice, and joined in watching Stakeout, taking a sip whenever Bodie touched Doyle, cars swerved, there was a clock and a couple other things I forget! Lol It was like Pros Mystery Theatre-we were all laughing and shouting out comments. Like, since the bomb was on a digital timer, how come it was ticking?
There was a quiet episode watch on Sunday morning, one of my all time faves-Hunter/Hunted. That’s one of roughly half a dozen I do know the title, plot points, and dialogue.
More Pros Against Humanity ensued, as well as a few pieces in the puzzle. Mostly, we talk-it is so fantastic to be able to chat about episodes, why Doyle’s tight jeans are inspiring, writing, slash, all of it with like minded friends. And eat chocolate. A lot of chocolate.
I shared panel moderating with Kath Moonshine on Still Prosy after all these Years. This sparked a lively discussion not only about the difference between the densely written characters on current TV who always seem to have extremely horrible back stories and the much looser, vague backgrounds of Bodie and Doyle, but simply why we all like Bodie, Doyle, Cowley and the rest of CI5.
Oh, I forgot when the pin the dong on Bodie and Doyle was measured. I won on Doyle! Well, it was a tie-two of us had our dongs within one and a half inches of the target groin, so I won a magnet.
Kath Moonshine, Lorraine Brevig and a couple others from the east coast (plus their dogs Ollie and Ginger) had to leave before lunch, so the departing began. Sadness and dismay! We kept having to interrupt games, discussions and panels for hugs and goodbyes. There was another panel after the delicious middle Eastern lunch (I had falafel) but I didn’t have much to contribute because it was about when the Cow keeps secrets. I totally agree he does, just cannot recall in which episode-oh, except for Operation Susie, that one I knew!
Then the dead dog. Honestly, I had such a good time, there was nothing I would have wanted changed! Thank you to the whole con com, plus my roomies! I miss you all sooo much.
We ate out at an Ethiopian restaurant which was a unique experience. No plates, no flatware! You get a large tray of food to share with four or five others, and baskets of bread similar to tortillas only much spongier. I was on the very mild (no jalapenos) platter with PRZed and LilyK. I did enjoy the chicken and a mushy potato, carrot, green bean mixture, but the piece de resistance was a decidedly un Ethiopian dessert of Key Lime Pie. (and a fork to eat it with).
More Pros against Humanity after dinner-the Cowley with a preserving jar up his bum showed up three times in that game, but I didn’t get them once (unlike in 2014 when I kept getting them!).
I snuck out of the hotel room at about 5:30 without (as far as I know) waking my roomies and flew back home. How did that weekend fly by so quickly? It was hella fun. I’m so glad I have SHarecon in two months!
I got to the hotel in beautiful (and flat) Romulus, Michigan on Thursday night about 7:30 and knew where the gang would be-at the Bob Evans across the street. I hurried over for my biyearly biscuit from Bob Evans. There were about 8 or ten people there already, including my roomies LilyK and Verlaine, not to mention the awesomeness of FJBryan and PRZed. “Looks like a con!” There was much chatting as we adjourned to the hotel, both of Pros related subjects and just “Haven’t seen you in two years, so how’s everything?”
Friday morning, I helped set up the con suite and admired the dozens of pictures of Bodie and Doyle being taped to the wall with blue painter’s tape. Since the con didn’t officially start until afternoon, we went back to Bob Evans for lunch. There were five of us at the table, I think. Three of us ordered cranberry pecan turkey salad-and three of us got a chicken club. I sighed, but ate it because it was fine, it just wasn’t what any of us ordered. But none of us spoke up. There was a get to know you game back in the con suite, and I was paired with FJBryan-cool! Not quite the whole group had arrived by then, but most of us. We actually had two members from Australia and one from England. International!
Then finally, an episode! Ahhhh. We watched, we discussed. This is my thing-I love either analyzing the plot or simply being silly and pointing out gaping holes and funny segues. All good. I enjoy the panels vastly but because I can never remember episode titles, what goes on in which ep, and guest character names, I don’t always have a great deal to contribute, unlike some fans who not only know all that but titles and plots of dozens of fic. I am in awe.
In the theme of not getting what I ordered at a restaurant, for dinner, I ordered a fried fish sandwich. I got fish and chips-honestly, very similar, so I started to eat. Then the waitress came over with an apology and a fish sandwich. At least this time, the mistake was acknowledged, but I’d already started on the fried fish, so I kept it.
I was dismal at Pros trivia-I think there were three, maybe four answers I knew.
Later, there was games time. I started in on a huge, 1,000 piece puzzle of Bodie and Doyle. Queena, one of the new members, helped, as well as a few others. I had high hopes-I adore puzzling, but it was really difficult. By Sunday night, we had barely put half the puzzle together. After about an hour, I abandoned it for my fave: Pros Against Humanity which is the funniest, filthiest game on the planet.
I slept so well that night that when I woke in the morning, the other two ladies had left the room-and I never heard them! At home, the cats would be walking on me and my daughter would need to get ready for her morning activities.
Saturday morning featured a panel on Marshmallow centres-Bodie, Doyle, or both? There was a nice vid with examples of all three, and the consensus was they could both be quite soft and squishy depending on the situation. Pros Bingo was fun-and I got a bingo! My prize was a pair of green Pros earrings, which I immediately put on. Yay!
Best moments of the worst episodes was a fun panel-mostly because I can list the eps I do not like: The Gun and Klansman. Some of the rest may have too little of Bodie and Doyle or a somewhat boring plot but at least the lads are there. And everyone has a British accent, which always makes me happy.
The Writer’s panel featured PFL and Halotolerant. I am always interested in different writers’ processes. Both of them tended to write like me, oddly enough-not much of an outline (if any at all) and writing the story from beginning to end. We actually discussed my bugaboo-writing the boring scene. You have to get through that one to get to the much more interesting bits! Halotolerant has written in 82 fandoms! WOW. And I thought my fourteen on line and, roughly, five to six not on line, was a lot!
I’d donated to the auction, but not to the sell, share and swap. I did pick up one little zine, but this year money is tight, so I only bid on a couple things at the auction.
It rained! A lot. Being from California, I am not used to rain in the summer and lightning. Then, it clears up so quickly. We ate at a grill. I’m not vegetarian, but I don’t really like large pieces of meat so I had hummus and pita, plus a bowl of onion soup. Very good! Chatted with my friends PRZed, Sonia, and Bastet which was a blast. LilyK and I walked home, because it was completely dry by then, stopping at a minimart to get some ice cream. Yes…I do live for chocolate and cookies (someone had brought homemade chocolate cookies on Friday. So good). There was also a Quality Assortment straight from jolly old England, so I did partake of imported chocolate.
Since I knew I wasn’t going to get anything in the auction, I played Farmville on my phone. I did hope for one or two items in the raffle, but no joy. Kath Moonshine, who does the auctions and BAAAD theatre at SHarecon, had us rolling in the aisles with her funny Southern auctioneer shtick.
I’d brought mead for the drinking game, in honour of Midnight Mead, and a few others tried some. I’ll admit, while I like mead better than many alcoholic drinks, I mixed mine with white grape juice, and joined in watching Stakeout, taking a sip whenever Bodie touched Doyle, cars swerved, there was a clock and a couple other things I forget! Lol It was like Pros Mystery Theatre-we were all laughing and shouting out comments. Like, since the bomb was on a digital timer, how come it was ticking?
There was a quiet episode watch on Sunday morning, one of my all time faves-Hunter/Hunted. That’s one of roughly half a dozen I do know the title, plot points, and dialogue.
More Pros Against Humanity ensued, as well as a few pieces in the puzzle. Mostly, we talk-it is so fantastic to be able to chat about episodes, why Doyle’s tight jeans are inspiring, writing, slash, all of it with like minded friends. And eat chocolate. A lot of chocolate.
I shared panel moderating with Kath Moonshine on Still Prosy after all these Years. This sparked a lively discussion not only about the difference between the densely written characters on current TV who always seem to have extremely horrible back stories and the much looser, vague backgrounds of Bodie and Doyle, but simply why we all like Bodie, Doyle, Cowley and the rest of CI5.
Oh, I forgot when the pin the dong on Bodie and Doyle was measured. I won on Doyle! Well, it was a tie-two of us had our dongs within one and a half inches of the target groin, so I won a magnet.
Kath Moonshine, Lorraine Brevig and a couple others from the east coast (plus their dogs Ollie and Ginger) had to leave before lunch, so the departing began. Sadness and dismay! We kept having to interrupt games, discussions and panels for hugs and goodbyes. There was another panel after the delicious middle Eastern lunch (I had falafel) but I didn’t have much to contribute because it was about when the Cow keeps secrets. I totally agree he does, just cannot recall in which episode-oh, except for Operation Susie, that one I knew!
Then the dead dog. Honestly, I had such a good time, there was nothing I would have wanted changed! Thank you to the whole con com, plus my roomies! I miss you all sooo much.
We ate out at an Ethiopian restaurant which was a unique experience. No plates, no flatware! You get a large tray of food to share with four or five others, and baskets of bread similar to tortillas only much spongier. I was on the very mild (no jalapenos) platter with PRZed and LilyK. I did enjoy the chicken and a mushy potato, carrot, green bean mixture, but the piece de resistance was a decidedly un Ethiopian dessert of Key Lime Pie. (and a fork to eat it with).
More Pros against Humanity after dinner-the Cowley with a preserving jar up his bum showed up three times in that game, but I didn’t get them once (unlike in 2014 when I kept getting them!).
I snuck out of the hotel room at about 5:30 without (as far as I know) waking my roomies and flew back home. How did that weekend fly by so quickly? It was hella fun. I’m so glad I have SHarecon in two months!