No Longer CONFLIKTed

Ni Hao!

Yes, I'm back from Seattle- I didn't stay. Just slow in getting out from under the paperwork, exploded suitcase, time zone adjustment and playing catch up from all the stuff I normally had to do here the days I was gone. But here it is at last! My con report!

I will spare you all the trials of air travel because even a good trip somewhere still has its frustrations and annoyances. I arrived at the right hotel on Thursday evening and found that my given room was right next to the con suite. It was a big king sized bed room, but I didn't know how well being on the other wall of the con suite would go.

I got my boxes that I shipped out to the hotel brought up to my room and after dinner, began constructing my display cubes. This turned out to be a good thing- the head start- because with all the stuff I take I have discovered that going to cons is NOT a one person job! I did get to meet two of the con coms that evening which was not surprising, since they were setting up the con suite!

On Friday morning I awoke promptly at 7:30...Eastern time. *sigh*. I was able to get back to sleep for another hour but woke up again at 5:30 on the hotel clock. It turns out that there was an earthquake at exactly that time. Missed it completely. Instead, I got up and showered and returned to working on my display until 9 am. This was lunch time according to my body, so I went down for a big breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Afterwards I walked to the WalMart across the road for some supplies I was missing. I love hotels that have places to which I can walk!

I was under the impression that the dealers' room would not be available to us until 5 pm, so I was thrilled when the con's hotel liaison knocked on my door with the news that the room was open and I could set up. Yea! We snagged a luggage cart and loaded up most of my stuff and down to the room went. there was only 3 of us in a big space, so I was able to expand way out beyond my 1 table. I tend to take over wherever I go! Note to self: FFCB *needs* two tables!

The dealers' room was separated by an air wall from the main concert room. I was quite literally back stage. I wasn't going to miss a single performance. Happy Filk Fan! I spent the rest of the day at the table, either setting up, "futzing" or making sales. I was surprised at the number of sales Friday because of the dealer room time confusion, but it was a pleasant surprise. As good as sales were, reactions to my stuff were 10 times better! It seems I was a hit.

That night I went to the first open filk. When I walked into the room I was spotted by Tony right away. He was just getting ready to start a song but interrupted himself to say to vixy "There's this awesome shirt-!" while pointing through the wall to the dealers' room. I smiled so much my cheeks hurt because I knew he was referring to my design that is inspired by her song, The Girl That's Never Been from the Shadowbeast album. She just matter-of-factly replied, "I was consulted on the shirt!" Great moment for me, though and I will always remember Tony's look when he first saw the shirt at my booth. Times like that, ladies and gentlemen, is really why I do all this insanity!

ANYWAY- the open filk was amazing! Turns out the song Tony was getting ready to perform when I walked in was "Dorothy" for Seanan McGuire and she and vixy belted it out. Also that night was a parody of "Life is a Cabaret" by Mark Berstein that won him the song writing contest at last year's FilKONtario called "Life is a Muppet Show" and was from the PoV of Statler and Waldorf. Loved it! Later there was a parody of vixy & Tony's "Mal's Song" that had everyone laughing so hard that someone said the singer "broke the filk room". I thought Tony was going to be in pain, he was double over and laughing so hard! In fact, I think there are very few songs off of Thirteen that weren't parodied that weekend!

The music was amazing, the people were fun, and me...? I was on East Coast time. So at one AM my body was telling me it was 4 Am and I reluctantly headed to my king sized bed and it's 6 pillows. The con suite wasn't a concern as I was too tired to be conscious for too long.

Next report:
Saturday at Conflikt!