No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on September 3, 2011

In which the convention cranks it up to eleven and it is only Friday.

I started the day by putting my artwork in the Art Show. Peter helped me get everything over to the show and once I pulled everything out, I realized that I had left the bid sheets on the desk in the room. Peter was kind enough to go back and get them for me.

The Class of 2011 DragonCon Art Show

(for the Visually impaired: This is a photograph of my table in the art show. The table cover is white. From left to right we have a Phluzzie with a yellow head and arms and a red body and hair. There are pingpong balls on its head for eyes. Charles Xavier in his X-Men First Class uniform which is blue and yellow with a harness with black straps and grey buckets. His hair is brown and his eyes are blue. Erik Lensherr in his X-Men First Class uniform which is the same as Xaviers. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Steampunk Badger. This is a black and white badger that is standing up. He has on a brown leather apron with a white shirt and brown vest. Steampunk Grandma with a light brown leather coat, blue vest, tan pants, black boots and a gear on her lapel,. She is wearing a brown aviator’s cap and goggles. Sarah Jane Smith from Doctor Who. She has brown hair and green eyes, She is wearing a tweed coat with a blue scarf with a floral pattern and a blue vest, Ship Ship from Ben 10. The shape is a little like a walrus. The body is black and the markings are florescent green. And finally the Blue Phluzzie with a blue head and arms, blue body, blue hair and pingpong ball eyes on top of his head)

We went back to the Marriott meeting lots of people we have met through the years along the way. Did some quick catch-ups but not long conversations.

My first panel was on Classic books that are considered Young Adult Lit. We talked about books that we love and how the classification came into being. I explained some of the stuff on the publishing side of things. We had a teacher and a writer talk about it from their points of view. I learned quite a bit.

Went to Peter’s table to watch it while he did a panel. Had a number of folks come by and telling me how much they enjoy reading this blog. I really appreciate each and every one of you for doing so. Had a long conversation with a friend from grade school about the upcoming high school reunion and other things.

Now due to timing I had to get into my outfit for the evening a little earlier than I had planned. So I walked from the Marriott to the Hyatt and back looking like this with Lockheed’s eyes lit up.

(For the Visually Impaired. I am standing in the corner of a room looking at the Dragon on my arm. On my right arm is a purple dragon with a long tail that is wrapped around my arm. He had claws on his fingers and toes. His eyes are glowing slightly. I am wearing an X-Men First Class uniform which is in Blue and Yellow with a black harness with silver buckles.)

I am pleased to say that people figured out what character I was doing which was Kitty Pryde from the X-Men.

Next was the workmanship contest. Which was a bear to judge. It uses to be easy to call it from the costumes you saw as you entered the room but not anymore. Every year these people step up their game and give us better each time. It took us a little time to figure out who got what but we were all happy with our choices. We also go done in time which can be a feat at DragonCon.

Peter joined me at the contest and we had to fight our way to an elevator to get to our room. Peter called it a night and I went over to the Hyatt to see my brother, my sister and a number of friends. A good time was had by all. I got back a little later than I would have liked because we had a breakfast meeting this morning but I need the time to talk to people I see maybe once a year that I use to see at least once a week.

I am grateful that the contest went well.

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Posted By Kathleen David on September 2, 2011

Or Thursday as we use to call it.

Funny thing about DragonCon. It was a Friday late afternoon to Sunday late afternoon convention. Now it is sliding to a Thursday afternoon to Monday evening event. The number of people milling about last night was impressive to say the least. A lot of fans re-acquainting themselves with the convention and each other. I don’t think I have seen so many tackle-hugs in one place in a long time.

We made it down in pretty good time. Only forgot one or two items and nothing was truly critical for anything we have to do this weekend. Most of the traffic we ran into was caused by some massive construction projects between home and here and a couple of minor fender benders.

I dropped Caroline off with my folks for part of the weekend. She was very happy to see them. My father helped me with some computer stuff that will make the weekend easier.

DragonCon Staff was efficient and got us our badges so we could start the convention. I do like the guest ribbons this year. I have heard tale that the process for getting a badge is much better than it was last year. I really don’t think that the staff and the volunteers get enough praise for all that they do.

I came back from dropping Caroline off with my folks and had a quiet dinner with Peter. Got my sister her badge and then went to give blood which has become part of Thursday for me. The draw went quickly and I got a cool t-shirt for my trouble.

I joined up with Peter and we walked the convention running into people we know and catching up on news and stuff. On our way back to the hotel room we ran into someone Peter had met at the San Diego Comic Con.

Angel on My Shoulder

(For the Visually Impaired: This picture was taken at the hotel we are staying at. From left to right: A George Takei puppet this is one of my hand and rod puppets with yellow felt skin. He has black hair, brown eyes, and an original Star Trek yellow shirt with a science insignia, Me wearing a red Cardiff Rugby t-shirt, the Castiel puppet on my shoulder wearing his wings, and Misha Collins wearing a black puma t-shirt, a camouflage hat. He is holding the Castiel puppet which is whispering in my ear)

I took my brother-in-law on a trip around the convention since it was his first time here. I think I managed to give him an idea of where everything was.

Today I have a bunch of different things to do including art show set up and the Workmanship contest.

I am grateful that we made it here and hit the ground running.

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Posted By Kathleen David on August 30, 2011

Just to catch everyone up on things. Here’s the timeline for the past couple of days

Friday: Find out that parts of our town are under evacuation order including our street. Found out on our way to a Mets/Braves game. Did the grown-up thing and came home to figure out what we were going to do. Found a place to stay in Hartford that would take all the cats which was not an easy thing.

Saturday: Caroline, Fig the Cat and I are off to Hartford. Peter stayed behind to take care of his office in the basement in case of flooding occurred and to make sure that the property was secure. We made it up to Hartford in pretty much record time. Caroline plays with her cousins and I take care of a few errands with Ariel. Caroline and I go to the motel to wait it out with Fig.

Sunday: We wake up with power and Internet. The skies are rather grey. There was some wind and some rain. Checked in with Peter. He’s fine although a little punchy without much sleep. He blogged the storm on his web log. I worked on things for DragonCon. Caroline watched DVDs and read books until she went to play with her cousins in the afternoon since there was little weather to deal with and they had power as well.

Monday: Caroline and I pack up the stuff we brought and Fig and head home. A lot of cars and a lot of people forgetting that turn signals are not a good idea but the law. Managed to pick my way through the various messes. 20 minutes from the house, I got hit on the front right quarter panels and the front right bumper. It was a double right and a large pick-up decided that they were doing a wide right rather than the tight right. That took about 5 hours to sort out because the cops were taking care of larger issues. So the van is in the shop and we are down a vehicle. Thanks to our neighbors who picked up Caroline and Fig and took them back to their house so they didn’t melt.

Overall, except for the Van, we’re fine. We’re home and need to do the interior cleaning to match the exterior cleaning we have done. We still have power and cable and Internet but even a couple of streets over, they are waiting on power to be restored. A number of towns have been told it might be by Friday before service is restored.

Now onto packing for DragonCon.

I am grateful for getting home and having a dry home to get back to.

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Posted By Kathleen David on August 29, 2011

Yesterday was Sean’s Birthday and we celebrated up here with a Hurricane which is also a mixed drink that Sean knows how to make. He is quite a good mixologist as many that have attended his parties will attest to. He throws one heck of a shindig, that’s for sure.

I will be seeing him later this week at DragonCon and I am looking forward to it. In fact, if one is really lucky, one could see for the first time at a convention in probably 10 years all four O’Sheas in one place at one time. It happens very rarely since we are a little more scattered over the country than we once were.

Sean is a Renaissance man. Not in the wearing tights and running around the fair type but someone who has made it his quest to add to his pool of knowledge and learn each skill to the best of his ability. He had an eclectic knowledge in all kinds of things. He had many wood working and metal smithing abilities. He is an astute planner. He had mad survival skills. I have always said that the sibling I am least worried about after the zombie apocalypse is hands down Sean.

He has a wicked sense of humor. His practical jokes are the stuff of legend. Anyone who went to DragonCon and saw the piece of tire art in the Mariott’s platform bar has seen Sean at work. There is an entire story about how that tire made it there and why it was there. Most people thought it was a very interesting piece of pop-art and interpreted it in some interesting ways but it was really part of an elaborate prank.

He is a good friend to have in your corner. The people that have Sean as a friend know what I am talking about. He’ll help you out of a jam any way he can. He’s there when you need him and gives you space when you need that. He may be my blood relative but I have always thought of him as a friend too. Sean and I both have probably some of the more eclectic groups of friends that we have met through our various careers and activities. So he can be the go-to guy when you need to find someone who has an odd bit of knowledge that you need.

I loved my brother from the moment that my parents told me that he was going to be joining the family. I told them that it was going to be a boy. I can still remember the first time I saw him. He was asleep with his face all scrunched up. It didn’t matter to me what he looked like. He was my baby brother and I was his big sister. He may be taller than me now but I still consider him my baby brother who I will always love and cherish.

Happy Birthday Sean a day late but with lots of love.

Oh and thanks for the gaff tape. It helped Peter during the Hurricane.

I am grateful that Sean is in my life.

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Posted By Kathleen David on August 28, 2011

Yes, I know that I have three days to DragonCon. However, what I am doing for the Art show got severely curtailed due to the fact that I am currently sitting in a motel in Hartford and my husband is currently sitting in our house with 4 of the 5 cats. We have Fig with us since she is the troublemaker of the group. She is fine with all the attention and has made herself at home at the motel.

So anything I do now is going to be hand sewing or gluing at this point. I figure I will use today to pull out all the small hand sewing things that need to be done and do it along with at least two sculpts to the point of baking when I get home. If we have to stay here until Monday, then another day of sculpting will be done. Tuesday will be travel and outfits. Wednesday AM will be finishing then afternoon pack for DragonCon and go.

Caroline and I are fine. We drove up to Hartford in pretty much record time for us. No real traffic impeded our travel. Caroline spent the afternoon with her cousins and I spent sometime with Ariel catching up on various details of the beginning of the school year for her.

Caroline and I spent the evening settling into the motel. She watched “Underdog” on her TV and I watched the Weather Channel and sewed stuff in the other room. Fig bounced between the two making sure that we would pay attention to her when she wanted it. She went back to her cat carrier to sleep.

This morning it is raining and there is some wind but we currently have power, cable and Internet so we are ahead of the game. As of 9:30AM Peter had power and Internet but the cable just went. It’s OK we have DVDs if he is so inclined.

So now we wait until we can go home. It may be tomorrow or it may be Tuesday depending on the roads and the mudslides.

I am grateful that our house is intact after last night’s winds and rain.

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