I-Con 2007
Posted By Kathleen David on March 26, 2007
First I would like to express my sympathy to Elayne Riggs and her family on the pass of her father. I saw Elayne at I-Con so I was able to talk to her there but I wanted her to know that I was thinking of her and her family.
Friday
Peter and I decided late in the afternoon to go get the badges so we would have them for Saturday. After dodging some rather horrendous traffic, we found our usual parking lot available and parked. There was a line in front of the gym that we were not looking forward to so we cut through the deals room saying hello to old friends along the way. Peter signed some books for some dealer as well. We stood in line for our badges with a number of people who have known Peter for years not recognizing him right off the bat due to his weight loss since last year. We caught up briefly with some other friends and then got back home.
Saturday
Because of a number of activities that Ariel was participating in, Peter was not scheduled on any panels until the afternoon. Peter dropped me off early and I had most of the day to myself without the kids. Which was nice because it gave me a chance to talk to people and look at things without the usual sleeve pulling.
I did buy Peter something totally cool. It is a TARDIS USB hub which he really needed (the USB hub not the fact that it was shaped like the TARDIS that was a bonus). Terry and I got the last two they had. My buddy Mary Aileen was already to get one too but they sold out. It does light up and make the TARDIS sound too. I also got myself the twelve-inch Clockwork man which is really neat if I ever decide to make the costume. Also it is sized for Ariel’s David Tennant Doll.
I then got lunch and was able to talk to a number of my friends who wandered in and out of the Green Room (Oh and SERIOUS props to the Green Room. It was well run and the staff was always willing to help. Nice place to go and escape the noise of the convention for a bit.) I wandered around a bit with Mary Aileen too which was nice. That afternoon I gave my puppet manipulation clinic to a group that was split about even between children and adults. It went well and fun was had by all. By that point the rest of my group had arrived and Caroline was going to make sure that I stayed in her line of site.
We went to dinner at the invitation of Glenn Hauman and had a good time once we were seated. After that Ariel and Caroline had a sleep-over with a couple of Ariel’s friends. Caroline was so happy that she got to sleep in the living room with the big girls. Peter and I watched a Bond movie that happened to be on and fell asleep in our bed rather early for us but it had been a long day.
Sunday
I have to give major points to the girls for getting up and getting ready in time for all of us to go to the convention together. I made pancakes for the gang from my mother’s recipe which were enjoyed by all. We arrived in time for Peter to dash for his first panel. The girls and I rambled through the dealers room and I caught up with a few more people. That afternoon I did my second workshop as I took the kids through how to make a paper bag puppet. According to the organizer, it went over very well. I had a lot of fun as did the kids. It was nice to see such a range of imagination as to the various critters they turned their paper bags into.
I went to hear Peter’s last panel where he read for the first time a chapter from a book that he recently sold. It went over very well. He answered questions and amused the audience. Peter and I walked back to the green room to find Caroline sound asleep in her stroller so Ariel’s friend stayed with Caroline and Peter, Ariel and I walked the dealers room one last time. We then said our good-byes and headed for home.
Overall it was a fun convention. It was nice catching up with people we only see at I-Con. Caroline had fun with Ariel and company and had a blast at the sleep-over.
Next weekend I have the Wendy Froud dollmaking workshop and then I think I may be home for a couple of weekend which will be nice.
I am grateful to everyone who made my I-Con so much fun.
Kath,
Sorry to hear about your friend’s dad. It’s a hard thing to go through.
Serioulsy, when do you have time to draw breath? Reading what you’ve been up to makes me feel like a couch potato. 🙂
Megan
Thank you so much, Kath. Please convey to Peter and Ariel as well how comforting it was to me to be around our friends. I’m here at my brother’s house in Jersey, where we’ll be sitting shiva from tomorrow night through Sunday night (except Saturday)…
My condolences as well, Elayne. We only met once in passing (at Comic-Con several years back), but we don’t need to be close friends for me to know what this must feel like.
TWL