Rustycon
Rustycon was great. I was riding the high from getting my book published.
So first, panels I was on:
1: How to BE on a panel -Um. I would have attended this as an obeserver, actually, but did a bit of research. Some people gave a good example of how NOT to be a panelist. Easier to say than do, perhaps? I do hope it's a repeat topic in the future, plenty of panelists could stand to benefit form the discussion.
2: Getting the most out of the con experience. THIS I'm good at. Go to panels, socialize, party, dance, browse, talk... there are a million opportunities for learning valuable information at conventions. The panel itself settled into us veterans telling stories from previous conventions.
3: Privacy in the internet age. Mike, Errhead, Ari & I, Ari did a lot of the talking, no one had a problem with this, he's a lawyer, so had some good points. Mike & I threw in our two cents about what is and isn't possible. It was depressing and scary.
4: Future frontiers and how to draw them. John Rogers carried this one, as his art is more sci-fi oriented. Micheal Suiter and Rob Carlos were great, too.
5: Delphic Oracle... This is great fun. Check it out sometime. The adult one was more entertaining, I'll admit. Todd McCaffrey makes a great MC for this, and I never realized just how clever Chris Nilsson is. Toby Froud attended and kept us entertained with great questions.
6: Consensual Non-monogamy. Lots of panelists for this one, and I think the main purpose of this panel was for others to come in and talk about thier problems/experiences. There are a lot of assumed issues when it comes to social pressure when it comes to having a nonstandard relationship, there really aren't. This day & age, no one really gives a crap, and yes, that includes your family. Your poly/open/swinger relationship is only you and your partners' problem or business. I think the best thing I took out of that was Mickey's advice: Talk aout it. Then talk about it some more. If you're uncomfortable, you should REALLY talk about it, and you're going to fck up. A lot. Open/poly relationships are not for the insecure, they're complicated, and they can be a lot of work. I'm happy with my current arrangement, but I can't even pretend I'd be able to do the same thing with anyone else.
7: Influences and what started you -This was for artists. It was just myself and Rob Carlos because the sportsball game was on. For me this made it the best panel I'd attended, as I got one on one time with him, and his tale of his start drawing portraits at strip clubs. We also talked about hands, feet, and methods.
8: IWatch, Oculus Glass, etc - Sportsball game. No one showed. Mike & I stayed for 15 minutes then retired to the bar to say goodbye to everyone.
Overdid it a bit on Friday night and was up until 5, sooo... yeah, two Monsters later & was feeling better, but didn't really get back into my stride until about 4PM. My book published at Barnes & Noble while I was at the convention, which just made everything even better. An older friend of a friend bought it and told me later she was really enjoying it with a wicked grin(there's maybe, possibly a wee bit of explicit sex in the book). ... which made me realize that old(er) women are really just me in 30 years. Heheh.
Even if the convention had just been sitting around talking to friends, most of whom I only see twice a year or so, it all would have been worth it, but it was made a lot more enjoyable thanks to Krystal's generosity and her arsenal.
Weirdest part of the convention happened Saturday night when I wasn't even there, there was a blind homeless guy at Denny's at 3AM, I helped him get to the bathroom, helped him find his wheelchair and WAY too much luggage for a wheelchair-bound blind man to carry, the Denny's people were trying to get him out of there, but I wasn't about to leave him out in the freezing rain. I called the local constabulary and asked if they were able to deliver him to a shelter. Eventually a police officer showed up, I asked if they might be able to take him in, he asked "On what charge?"
"Because it's warm and dry and he won't wander into the road and get mowed by a car." The cop politely told me to f'off, using a few more words than that, and stayed out with the man. Eventually an ambulance came to get him.
Anyway, had a fantastic convention, I even got some time in with Mickey, who I'd been trying to talk about writing with for a month. I would have loved for Rustycon to have lasted longer, save for sheer exhaustion and the need for sleep and a hot meal.
So first, panels I was on:
1: How to BE on a panel -Um. I would have attended this as an obeserver, actually, but did a bit of research. Some people gave a good example of how NOT to be a panelist. Easier to say than do, perhaps? I do hope it's a repeat topic in the future, plenty of panelists could stand to benefit form the discussion.
2: Getting the most out of the con experience. THIS I'm good at. Go to panels, socialize, party, dance, browse, talk... there are a million opportunities for learning valuable information at conventions. The panel itself settled into us veterans telling stories from previous conventions.
3: Privacy in the internet age. Mike, Errhead, Ari & I, Ari did a lot of the talking, no one had a problem with this, he's a lawyer, so had some good points. Mike & I threw in our two cents about what is and isn't possible. It was depressing and scary.
4: Future frontiers and how to draw them. John Rogers carried this one, as his art is more sci-fi oriented. Micheal Suiter and Rob Carlos were great, too.
5: Delphic Oracle... This is great fun. Check it out sometime. The adult one was more entertaining, I'll admit. Todd McCaffrey makes a great MC for this, and I never realized just how clever Chris Nilsson is. Toby Froud attended and kept us entertained with great questions.
6: Consensual Non-monogamy. Lots of panelists for this one, and I think the main purpose of this panel was for others to come in and talk about thier problems/experiences. There are a lot of assumed issues when it comes to social pressure when it comes to having a nonstandard relationship, there really aren't. This day & age, no one really gives a crap, and yes, that includes your family. Your poly/open/swinger relationship is only you and your partners' problem or business. I think the best thing I took out of that was Mickey's advice: Talk aout it. Then talk about it some more. If you're uncomfortable, you should REALLY talk about it, and you're going to fck up. A lot. Open/poly relationships are not for the insecure, they're complicated, and they can be a lot of work. I'm happy with my current arrangement, but I can't even pretend I'd be able to do the same thing with anyone else.
7: Influences and what started you -This was for artists. It was just myself and Rob Carlos because the sportsball game was on. For me this made it the best panel I'd attended, as I got one on one time with him, and his tale of his start drawing portraits at strip clubs. We also talked about hands, feet, and methods.
8: IWatch, Oculus Glass, etc - Sportsball game. No one showed. Mike & I stayed for 15 minutes then retired to the bar to say goodbye to everyone.
Overdid it a bit on Friday night and was up until 5, sooo... yeah, two Monsters later & was feeling better, but didn't really get back into my stride until about 4PM. My book published at Barnes & Noble while I was at the convention, which just made everything even better. An older friend of a friend bought it and told me later she was really enjoying it with a wicked grin(there's maybe, possibly a wee bit of explicit sex in the book). ... which made me realize that old(er) women are really just me in 30 years. Heheh.
Even if the convention had just been sitting around talking to friends, most of whom I only see twice a year or so, it all would have been worth it, but it was made a lot more enjoyable thanks to Krystal's generosity and her arsenal.
Weirdest part of the convention happened Saturday night when I wasn't even there, there was a blind homeless guy at Denny's at 3AM, I helped him get to the bathroom, helped him find his wheelchair and WAY too much luggage for a wheelchair-bound blind man to carry, the Denny's people were trying to get him out of there, but I wasn't about to leave him out in the freezing rain. I called the local constabulary and asked if they were able to deliver him to a shelter. Eventually a police officer showed up, I asked if they might be able to take him in, he asked "On what charge?"
"Because it's warm and dry and he won't wander into the road and get mowed by a car." The cop politely told me to f'off, using a few more words than that, and stayed out with the man. Eventually an ambulance came to get him.
Anyway, had a fantastic convention, I even got some time in with Mickey, who I'd been trying to talk about writing with for a month. I would have loved for Rustycon to have lasted longer, save for sheer exhaustion and the need for sleep and a hot meal.