TWH wrapup

[wordplay]

Kristen is doing a day-by-day, I think. My impression of the event is much more holistic than that, so here's what I've got. I think it will likely combine well with other reports for a full accounting of the weekend.

• For those of you who’d never heard my voice before: I do not usually sound like a cheap phone sex operator. That is really more longtimegone’s bag. That husk I had was more about the cold that refuses to die.
  
• And, um, sorry I got you all sick. *ducks*
  
• emmagrant01 brought me barbecue sauce all the way from Austin. Clearly, she knows the meaning of love. ♥
  
• Things that were left in our room over the course of the weekend: primroseburrows’s hat, malachan’s badge, dezzikitty’s magazine, some anonymous person's black velvet Ann Taylor sweater (um, does this belong to anyone?), and theoblack and blackholly’s bottle of Hennessy.
  
• The Percy panel went fine. It was the last day and I was sick and exhausted and sort of talked out about Percy, but I did natter on a little bit, and dezzikitty said some cool stuff re. the parallels between Percy and Snape and how OMG Hermione’s love could save them BOTH. Er, more or less.
  
• The police really did kick everybody out of our room Saturday night, but they were good natured and polite about it. Also, the floor eventually dried out, so there was no permanent property damage. And I left a rather hefty tip for the housekeeping staff to compensate for our slovenliness. So when I say we partied like rockstars, I mean the benign, generally pleasant (if slightly rowdy) sort of rockstars.
  
• The organizing staff worked their collective asses off in spite of what looked to me like very poor management. Many kudos to those who worked so hard with so little direction and assistance from above. ETA from a year later: In retrospect, I think this was probably too harsh on my part, but that WAS the view from my very cheap seat, so here it stands. *shrug*
  
• I never did meet Chris Rankin, but I did share what I like to think was a “I know, my boyfriend is such a lech, yay!” private grin with his girlfriend while he was draped all over her in the hotel lobby. And then he came out and smoked with us (but not “with” us), so it must have been really good.
  
• I have now had a defining fandom moment: I was named in a dedication of the song “Pussy Control” and then proceeded to make an ass of myself on the dance floor. w00t.
  
• I so fangirl Henry Jenkins. His keynote was AWESOME - the scholarship was really good but he's also a very comfortable speaker. And the session that everyone was calling “Livejournal Day” was actually pretty good. And there was a LINGUIST!
  
• Spiky blond pretty gay boy with glasses dancing with just about every woman in attendance was fantastic, although more than once I heard people missing the more charming aegeus.
  
• The rain stopped long enough for me to be able to wear my suede heeled loafers on Sunday, so the weather likes me.
  
• Yeah, sure, you’ll fit in the t00b van! There’s always room for one more.
  
• owlman was both nowhere to be seen and all over the place. I’m actually a little bit pouty about that.
  
• There were, in point of fact, no chairs thrown at the panel given by slytherincess, hermorrine and maegunnbatt. By all accounts, it went off pretty damn well.
  
• jlh was right (she usually is): longtimegone and malachan really were the king and queen of the prom. It was totally sweet, and only just the tiniest bit nausea-inducing. ♥
  
• I totally kidnapped emmagrant01 and made her meet everybody I know, and I love her even more now than I did before, which actually says a lot.
  
• I got waccawheels to draw me Percy/Hermione at the sketch booth! I’ll scan it in asap. It’s gorgeous. And I remain in awe of people who can just look at a piece of plain white paper and then pick up a black marker and make magic happen.
  
• I miss y’all. ♥ ♥ ♥
  
  

I'm sure I forgot to mention something, but that's enough to be getting started.

I met a ton of people which was really fantastic *friends liekwhoa* but the weekend was largely about solidifying and celebrating friendships that were already in place. Like, for the first time I got to really talk to a whole bunch of people whom I'd briefly met before, and that was nice. Lots of little things like that.

I drove up all along I-95 and then home via the Merritt and the Tappan Zee and the latter was much quicker. I ran into a little traffic JUST after I crossed the bridge, but it was generally fine. Considering the weather delays, I was really glad I drove, and goodness knows we got a lot of use out of the car.

I slept 9 hours last night. :D :D :D

When I was on the way home, I wasn't sure about Lumos. Now I really want to go. :)) The thing about cons that is difficult to really grok until you've been to a big one is the intentional community they create, and how odd and almost painful that loss is at the end of it. I know that our fandom is wanky as all hell and we can't go five minutes without somebody losing their shit, but there are so many of us, and there is good creative energy at its core, and I *love* it.

OK, so I fixed the username tags, but wasn't it kind of awesome when they were all broken? Like Fandom Mad Libs or something. Anyway. Curly quotes suck.

Comments

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

some anonymous person's black velvet Ann Taylor sweater

Um. Mine!

Was wondering where that went off to, and was convinced I would never see it again!

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

OK, cool. I think I have it. When I find it I'll send it along.

Finding black clothing was a problem in that room all weekend. There's just too MUCH of it.

[longtimegone]

I have now danced to Pussy Control at a fandom gathering TWICE. :>

jlh was right (she usually is): [info]longtimegone and [info]malachan really were the king and queen of the prom. It was totally sweet, and only just the tiniest bit nausea-inducing.

♥ ♥ ♥ I apologize for any queasiness. I, on the other hand, didn't find it nausea inducing at all.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

The thing that led to the mini-urpage was the whole, "will you play a song for us and say our names and everybody will coo and squee and it will be fab" bit. Like you wouldn't be giving loads of shit for that. *blows kisses*

[longtimegone]

You're right. I totally would. *grins*

[didi75.livejournal.com]

Will you go to the ball with me next time? :P

I can't believe I missed it. *weeps*

[longtimegone]

I missed you very much. <3

[locumtenens.livejournal.com]

Not the eyelash batting!!!

didn't find it nausea inducing at all

Hmmm, indeed.

[maegunnbatt.livejournal.com]

It was so wonderful to meet you all. I had such a good time and I totally thank the debauched ladies of 413 for that!

Not having chairs thrown at the panel was definitely the highlight of my weekend! (Closely followed, of course, by 'Pussy Control'!)

[shewalksonroses.livejournal.com]

*dies* Hermione: Herloveissosavestheday.

I miss you like whoa already! My call log is all like, "Mama, Patty, Erica, Kristen, Kristen, Carrie, Kristen, Sister, Carrie" etc.

I need more sleep.

[longtimegone]

I MISS YOU! I was all wibbly this morning when I looked at my fandom call log! But you know? That's so fucking cool. *loves* We are close. We cannot let too much time go by before hanging out again. We have no excuse. >:D

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I was all depressed because I had to delete all the texts from my inbox because it got too full. :((

[longtimegone]

They should let you archive them or something. *texts everyone through LJ* muhahahahahaha

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

*clings*

So, um, London in late February? *harasses*

[vertigo66.livejournal.com]

Henry Jenkins was there? Cool!

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

It was SO cool. I seriously geeked out.

[sundancekid.livejournal.com]

:( Not having a fall break sucks. *jealous*

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

That is my very favorite BBQ sauce in the WORLD, chica. Enjoy!

I still can't believe the police came!

Spiky blond pretty gay boy with glasses dancing -- He was adorable! Anybody know who he was?

I totally kidnapped [info]emmagrant01 and made her meet everybody I know, and I love her even more now than I did before, which actually says a lot.

*snogs senseless* I had so much fun! And I really needed to be told it wasn't just me... *coughs*

Missing you liek wh0a!!!

[owlman.livejournal.com]

This boy? If so his name is on the shirt. If not then I am not sure on other possiblities. There were few blond boys at the conference.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is the boy. But his name can't be John! We already have a John, and that's not him! And yeah, he was totally adorable, bless him.

I feel that y'all should have put lj usernames on the back of the Quidditch jerseys. It would have streamlined the whole process.

[owlman.livejournal.com]

Names are not unique ;)
I chatted with him out at the Quidditch.

Seem to recall, based on what someone else asked him, that he does not have an LJ. Though that might change.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

But really. How many fabulous!gay!Johns can one fandom support?

I actually don't know him at all. I just identified him as pretty sometime during the conference, was amused at his energy level at the ball, and then got to laugh at Cyg's obviously poorly functioning gaydar on this guy's behalf. Seemed like a very friendly guy, though. *shrug*

[owlman.livejournal.com]

Lots, but it is only allowed one Simon!

:))
Wants to know about Cyg's gaydar.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I don't know if we could the excitement that must surely attend more than one Simon.

The long and the short of it is that it doesn't cross the Atlantic, although he admits it sucks even at home. (And, really, gaydar is like American Sign Language and British Sign Language - mutually unintelligible, regardless of how much culture we might share. You really sort of have to start over.) He argued vigorously that the guy was likely bi, even in the face of Clio, Kristen and I unequivocally pronouncing him gay, on the evidence that he was dancing with girls. Kristen even pointed out that he was dancing with all the girls rather than putting his energy into trying to pull (and it's not like he would have had to try that hard) but the more Cyg drank, the more resolute he was that (a) he was actually stone cold sober and (b) Pretty Boy had at least some interest in girls. He wouldn't let the matter close till someone overheard PB in the coat room, talking about how he would marry his boyfriend as soon as it was legal.

It was most funny.

[owlman.livejournal.com]

It might be a struggle for you to try :P

:))
More :))

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

Oh! I was going to slightly uncertainly identify him as "Alex Tobin", and apparently British as well as male (and with a probably-US apparent-girlfriend) based on briefly having shared the couch o' lobby wireless with him and said apparent-GF at one point. Upon reading his name on the name badge, and (tentatively) observing him to be a British male t00b, I naturally Googled for him, and found nothing, so the "no LJ" thing could well be right.

Lovely to get to meet you!

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

Also, SOOO not just you, but you know that now, don't you? :>

I miss you, too. I got your email and have no more info on that point we discussed, but if you plug in the OLD link, look what it takes you to. And Austin sounds fantastic, but I think I am stuck here in DC for a bit, at least unless we decide to go home for the hols. And we have London in February. Y'all are going to have so much fun, though.

[shakespearechic.livejournal.com]

It was great to see you again! Never enough time and the Sheraton being years away in traffic time made it more difficult, but it was all still great! <3

[owlman.livejournal.com]

owlman was both nowhere to be seen and all over the place. I’m actually a little bit pouty about that.

:))

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

Seriously, man. Where the hell were you? You would not believe the stories we were spinning to explain your absence. :D

[owlman.livejournal.com]

I was in one or other of the registration/information spaces for most of Thursday.
I attended all the keynotes, bar the Tea with T.
I was on the Quidditch pitch all afternoon.
I saw all three movies.
Went to FA's RoR.
Was also at the concert.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I am shocked you didn't make it to the Tea with Tralawney. This seems right up your alley.

Hee. This is what I meant by "everywhere at once and nowhere to be seen" - you were so participatory and yet I never saw you. I did look for you at the Jenkins keynote but didn't see you there, but it was SO crowded so I'm not surprised by that.

I know your game, Simon. You're just playing hard to get.

[owlman.livejournal.com]

:))
There were no tickets left by the time I registered and I was on the Quidditch pitch at the time.

I was sitting with some of the other TWH staff and next to Jenkins :D

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

Guess you'll just have to make your own fortune, then.

Huh, I even walked by that table to hug Morri and looked at that guy, and decided it wasn't you. Were you wearing some sort of cunning disguise, Simon?

[owlman.livejournal.com]

I was possibly wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. This might count as a disguise.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

You are very sneaky, going all undercover like that.

Speaking of contacts, I appear to have lost mine. I took them out somewhere along the NJ turnpike and I think I remember seeing them in the car when I was getting out as soon as I got here, and now they have disappeared. I can't believe I still haven't located them.

[owlman.livejournal.com]

:D
It confuses quite a few people.

I wear daily disposables. So mine were taken out in the shower and lost forever. This means I cannot lose them, which is good, since I probably would lose them all the time.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I should probably do this. I have absolutely TERRIBLE vision and have to wear gas permeable lenses because...I don't know, something about pressure on the cornea, causing it to change shape and somehow slowing the progression of the worsening of my vision.

Of course, having no lenses at all is not really helping either, is it?

[owlman.livejournal.com]

Everything over a metre away becomes a blurry blob if I have no lenses. I find this does not help.