Marcon, Columbus Ohio
May. 27th, 2009 12:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unclechristoAll went pretty well on my trip - the only downer being the jetlag which hit me harder than expected.
Thursday - The journey went smoothly - the in flight entertainment had moved on since my last long haul flight - choice of 30 pausable movies, 100+ tv shows and music. They even had a Frank Capra - Arsenic & Old Lace - so dipped into that plus some Scrubs episodes. I was met at airport, hotel was nice - I was on 18th floor. I met Lisa my contact and my minders (I had 3 over the weekend). I had dinner with UK author guest Simon Green and his mate Steve - we had nice chat about books. There was then a cheese and juice party where I met some con-goers. Then my first visit to Bar Fleet - an endless room party on the 5th floor and met some more folks. Partying and alcohol are big things at Marcon along with costuming. There was a late filk circle but I wasnlt up to much - nice to see![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
braider tho who was passing thru. Crashed out midnightish meaning that by my time id been up 24hours. Bad night sleep, up every hour.
Friday - Hotel breakfast was perfect for me - cereals porridge & croissants etc. Walked around a quiet Columbus and thru the day saw folks arrive and things being set up. My theremin workshop was well attended and lasted 90mins with more folks keen to talk afterwards. Quick dinner then my 1st panel - Yanks vs Brits differences. I talked a LOT as I;d made notes and was the only UK-ish person on panel. This also lasted 90mins plus with downchat and felt my voice go towards the end. The smart thing to do would've been to crash out but I met filk chums Bill & Brenda S and had fun chat with them and 2 others in a noisy bar. Bar Fleet folk were keen for me to pop by but managed only 5 mins there before crashing out and another ghastly nights non-sleep - didn't take enough sleeping pill. On reflection I probably shoulda chilled a little more on day 1. Trying too hard syndrome.
Saturday - With concert at 2.30pm and feeling a bit peopled-out and jetlag wobbly and voice sore, I stayed in my dark room most of the morning. The lobbys were filling up with Klingons, Daleks & Steam Punks as I set up for my set which mercifully for my voice was not the full 90min I;d expected due to set up breakup times. Tho voice felt a bit rough and memory was not always on the ball, but I had the lovely Judi Miller doing signing with me, and it was a nice friendly crowd as other filkish chums I saw had arrived in the audience - Bill R, Erica & Randy, Amy the Fiddle plus Bill & Brenda. I took relaxed approach and had a good time - sold my 15 CDs I brought over. After this I could relax a while alternating naps with walking around costume folk. Wish I;da taken some clips or snaps of them but somehow the business of broaching permissions etc st seemed too much faff so i just enjoyed the costumes some of which were very involved. Steam Punk is definitely the in thing. On the way back to filk room I shared an elevator with a lass who only wore a wide fishnet all-in-one. Following this bare arse the length of the endless empty corridor was weird. Foregoing Masquarade, I stuck with filk stream thereafter watching sets from Bill & Erica, Marc Bernstein and Juanita Coulson whose voice I love to hear. I had a filk circle to lead at 10pm which was really nice. Great to hear Amy play. I joined the circle later but the old jetlag conked me out again at 1am. On the way back to my room I could see that there were wild room parties on many floors and the elevators were buzzing with bedraggled costumed drunk folk having fun "Dya know which room the varmpire party is??" Felt like the college days I never had.
Sunday was the morning after the night before for most folks - I;d bombed self with double strength sleeping pills and was now on US time. I had a Star Trek panel at 1pm which was better than I expected and I ddidnlt feel outgeeked by other panel members. Lunches over the con were taken at a big food hall wich reminded me very much of a Butlins food hall. I finally got to visit the dealers room, an bought soem badges and a t-shirt of the con (yay! I;m on it but boo! its blue.) A dead dog filk circle began at 4pm which was small but really nice vibewise. Alas I wasnlt up for invite to an Irish session in a pub in town withbraider and Amy. I found quiet restaurant in the Short North area with just my kind of food. Fancy tofu and veg etc. Returned to end party at Consuite and had nice long chat to Patricia Altergott and her husband who i knew from FKO. Crashed out at 10pm - again sooo tired I could hardly move.
Monday - breakfast, a stroll thru deserted holiday monday Columbus, pack, farewells and go. Thanks to the Marcon comittee for asking me and looking after me so royally, and Lisa for making it run so smoothly for me. Journey home was even smoother - I watched Dial M For Murder on way home.
I think I;ve conquered my travel phobia to quite an extent. My one crappy moment Sat morning was taken care of with some ME time. My main aim was do operate better outside comfort zone and as such it all went pretty well. .
Thursday - The journey went smoothly - the in flight entertainment had moved on since my last long haul flight - choice of 30 pausable movies, 100+ tv shows and music. They even had a Frank Capra - Arsenic & Old Lace - so dipped into that plus some Scrubs episodes. I was met at airport, hotel was nice - I was on 18th floor. I met Lisa my contact and my minders (I had 3 over the weekend). I had dinner with UK author guest Simon Green and his mate Steve - we had nice chat about books. There was then a cheese and juice party where I met some con-goers. Then my first visit to Bar Fleet - an endless room party on the 5th floor and met some more folks. Partying and alcohol are big things at Marcon along with costuming. There was a late filk circle but I wasnlt up to much - nice to see
braider tho who was passing thru. Crashed out midnightish meaning that by my time id been up 24hours. Bad night sleep, up every hour. Friday - Hotel breakfast was perfect for me - cereals porridge & croissants etc. Walked around a quiet Columbus and thru the day saw folks arrive and things being set up. My theremin workshop was well attended and lasted 90mins with more folks keen to talk afterwards. Quick dinner then my 1st panel - Yanks vs Brits differences. I talked a LOT as I;d made notes and was the only UK-ish person on panel. This also lasted 90mins plus with downchat and felt my voice go towards the end. The smart thing to do would've been to crash out but I met filk chums Bill & Brenda S and had fun chat with them and 2 others in a noisy bar. Bar Fleet folk were keen for me to pop by but managed only 5 mins there before crashing out and another ghastly nights non-sleep - didn't take enough sleeping pill. On reflection I probably shoulda chilled a little more on day 1. Trying too hard syndrome.
Saturday - With concert at 2.30pm and feeling a bit peopled-out and jetlag wobbly and voice sore, I stayed in my dark room most of the morning. The lobbys were filling up with Klingons, Daleks & Steam Punks as I set up for my set which mercifully for my voice was not the full 90min I;d expected due to set up breakup times. Tho voice felt a bit rough and memory was not always on the ball, but I had the lovely Judi Miller doing signing with me, and it was a nice friendly crowd as other filkish chums I saw had arrived in the audience - Bill R, Erica & Randy, Amy the Fiddle plus Bill & Brenda. I took relaxed approach and had a good time - sold my 15 CDs I brought over. After this I could relax a while alternating naps with walking around costume folk. Wish I;da taken some clips or snaps of them but somehow the business of broaching permissions etc st seemed too much faff so i just enjoyed the costumes some of which were very involved. Steam Punk is definitely the in thing. On the way back to filk room I shared an elevator with a lass who only wore a wide fishnet all-in-one. Following this bare arse the length of the endless empty corridor was weird. Foregoing Masquarade, I stuck with filk stream thereafter watching sets from Bill & Erica, Marc Bernstein and Juanita Coulson whose voice I love to hear. I had a filk circle to lead at 10pm which was really nice. Great to hear Amy play. I joined the circle later but the old jetlag conked me out again at 1am. On the way back to my room I could see that there were wild room parties on many floors and the elevators were buzzing with bedraggled costumed drunk folk having fun "Dya know which room the varmpire party is??" Felt like the college days I never had.
Sunday was the morning after the night before for most folks - I;d bombed self with double strength sleeping pills and was now on US time. I had a Star Trek panel at 1pm which was better than I expected and I ddidnlt feel outgeeked by other panel members. Lunches over the con were taken at a big food hall wich reminded me very much of a Butlins food hall. I finally got to visit the dealers room, an bought soem badges and a t-shirt of the con (yay! I;m on it but boo! its blue.) A dead dog filk circle began at 4pm which was small but really nice vibewise. Alas I wasnlt up for invite to an Irish session in a pub in town with
braider and Amy. I found quiet restaurant in the Short North area with just my kind of food. Fancy tofu and veg etc. Returned to end party at Consuite and had nice long chat to Patricia Altergott and her husband who i knew from FKO. Crashed out at 10pm - again sooo tired I could hardly move.Monday - breakfast, a stroll thru deserted holiday monday Columbus, pack, farewells and go. Thanks to the Marcon comittee for asking me and looking after me so royally, and Lisa for making it run so smoothly for me. Journey home was even smoother - I watched Dial M For Murder on way home.
I think I;ve conquered my travel phobia to quite an extent. My one crappy moment Sat morning was taken care of with some ME time. My main aim was do operate better outside comfort zone and as such it all went pretty well. .
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Date: 2009-05-29 12:29 am (UTC)