LOSCON 34: Can you dig it? (Part I)

[zrath]

So last weekend, I went to LOSCON 34, the annual sci-fi literary con put on by LASFS.
The theme was archeology, so the con was nicknamed "The Dig".
The con was being held at the same hotel as last year, the LAX Marriott, so getting there was pretty easy for me,
since I had it all figured out last year (or so I thought). One bus down Sepulveda to the LAX Transit Center, then walk
two big blocks. But, it turns out the one bus actually stops near the Marriott too. Durrrrrr...
Since I'm currently unemployed, I actually had time to go Friday, not just the usual Saturday.
So I got a full badge and went Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Cons are all alike really: socializing, hanging out, dinner-outings, waiting for people to show up, etc...
So I'll just hit the highlights.



Friday
Grabbed my Delsey Photojournalist Bag, veteran of many-many cons, and headed out the door at about 3pm.
Grabbed the bus, which was semi-crowded, so I went in the back and sat on The Throne (the middle seat of the very last row)
And a good thing I did, 'cause the bus got seriously crowded after that! It was almost like riding the MTA!
Eventually got to the LAX Transit Center, then de-bussed and walked briskly to the Marriott.
I went in, escalatored downstairs, then bought my badge and paid with my PayPal card (yea eBay auctions!).
Then I said hello to everyone I had ignored on the way to getting my badge: Warren (no LJ) (guarding a dealers' room door),
glittercat13 (overseeing the dealers' room), doodledthegreat, darrelx, Jaguar (aka Glen),
gizmoelf, selenesue. Then "Art GOH" theresamather and Barry appeared, and as if by magic,
Spino (dcotelessa) and Sweetie almost immediately showed up!
Hilarity ensued! And as you can see here, marriage hasn't changed Spino:



I hit the dealers' room and the art show. Darrel had put several of his wood creations in the art show, and they looked good.
Theresa had stuff in there as well, of course, including a Mayan sword thingy made in collaboration with Dr. Susan "Arizona"
Gleason, chair of this LOSCON. It was pretty neat and really dangerous. Somebody had brought over an Ultimate Collector
Series Lego Millenium Falcon for people who gawk at. This was the first time I saw it in the flesh, and OMGHUGE!!!
But is it art? :D
I went back out and socialized with the kids some more. I sat at a table next to Theresa and found a cute lil' glass
bottle of ketchup. It was sealed and everything and only held 2.25oz (64g) of genuine Heinz Tomato Ketchup.
Theresa said they were all over her room and I could have this one. I immediately dubbed it my "Emergency Ketchup",
and I put it in my bag. You never know. And here it is:



The Ice Cream Social was next on the agenda and we all queued up to go in. It wasn't very social, more of an Ice Cream
Antisocial, or Ice Cream Feeding Frenzy. The ice cream was good, though a little hard. They had chairs set up facing
the stage and seemed to be gearing up for something, so Theresa and Barry and I went over there and sat down.
Spino and Sweetie stayed near the ice cream, as Spino did table magic for all to see.
Tadao came out (yea Mr. Shake-Hands-Man!) and fulfilled his MC duties. He's so much fun!
The event turned out to be "Raiders Of The Lost Talent", a talent show. Oh, urrrrr, okay.
There was singing of various kind. It was like karaoke without the monitor.
I went to the back of the room to check up on Spi and Swee. Spi blew my mind with a new card trick.
The Social and Talent show wound down and it was Room-Party Time!
So up to the 17th floor everyone went. Only 8 people per elevator please! Them elevators were vicious, too!
The doors would close without mercy or remorse! I had to pry one open to keep it from escaping without its load of people!
The first party I eat was The Herbalogist Wine And Cheese, and I tasted all the cheeses. None were labelled though, a pity.
After that, I drifted from parties to parties, chatting and snacking, until about midnight.
Then I hitched a ride home with Spino and Sweetie.


The End!

Well, the end of Friday.

Stay tuned for more exciting LOSCON Adventures!

Comments

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

I have Emergency Mustard, too. But it's not Grey Poupon...