Cleared for Docking

Ni Hao!

Great news- I've gotten official word from the folks at Dragon*Con and I can announce that Firefly Cargo Bay has a home in the dealers' room on the BASEMENT LEVEL of the Marriott Marquis. We have a *little* better location than last year. That coupled with the fact that I have two tables this year instead of one should make it easier for all you shiny Browncoats (and other geeks that I love so much) to be able to find us.

What else do you want me to do? Draw you a map? Um..... Okay!

The "enter" highlighted in orange is the only way in and out of the dealers' room. (right at the base of the down escalator going to the VERY LOWEST LEVEL). You will find FFCB pointed out there in the first of the short rows.

As I said, I have 2 tables this year, and a banner with my logo and I'll have my parasol up that reads "Kaylee Parasols Sold Here" so you should be able to find me this year. When you do, be sure to say hi! I'll be there for most of the open hours.

You may have noticed that I have stressed that the dealers' room is on THE LOWEST LEVEL of the hotel on the BASEMENT floor several times now. That is for 2 reasons. First, the floor above us holds the two exhibitors' halls. They look very much like dealers' rooms and the same sorts of things go on there. Many folks told me last year they couldn't find my booth. Then we discovered that they were on the wrong floor and never made it down to the dealers' room at all. This brings up point number two- the elevator of the hotel doesn't go to the basement level. Really. Nice way to make it difficult for us, 'eh? So you have to get on the escalators and keep riding them down until you can go no further. Walk off that one, show your badge and enter the dealers' room.

I'll see you in 21 days! (*squee!*)

And speaking of squee worthiness, Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe is featuring the buttons I supplied her with as her August/September Free Give-Away!! These were the first button designs I worked with when I got my button making machine. Since then I have added lots more in each theme and more themes as well. These will all be at Dragon*Con as well, so come check them out there. They will also be up in the Secret Stash right around the time of, or shortly after Dragon*Con. Thanks to Ma Cobb for showing them off so beautifully!

So, hey, exciting stuff! But now I must get back to getting ready for my trip to Geek Mecca. Only three weeks away! See you there!

Until Next Time:
"Don't I usually stay with the ship?"

Back from the Black

Ni Hao!

Sorry it took so long for me to post, but I sold out of the last of my available Kaylee-Esque parasols and have been busy painting shiny swirls on 2 dozen of them to replenish. But I had a wonderful convention in Pittsburgh, and would like to share (no pictures yet, as my minions have not sent them to me)Here it is! The Confluence report! Contain your excitement.

I'm back from Confluence now and WOW what a weekend! So much fun! Faces and voices new (to me) and old and lots of good music and eats (and sales- the business woman in me goes *whew*) A full report after I get resettled a little but now some highlights:

Cedric !!! Yea! Awesome concert with great reaction from the people who hadn't seen him before -- ever (I rarely get to be in a crowd that doesn't know his and the Bedlam Bards stuff well!)

Friday night filk-- I ended up sitting by Toyboat; unintentional groupie *blush* Also singing along with "Ladies Don't Do those Things" (one of my favorites!) in an impromptu trio (granted there were only about 8 people left in the room at that point anyway)

breakfast at Eggs n' At- it's a Pittsburgh thing... and so am I! :)

hearing someone describe my booth as "a geek's wet dream!"

dinner at Permanti Brothers (again, a Pittsburgh thing)

"The Girl in the Firefly" musical play-- SO squee worthy! L-O-V-E-D it!

More Difficulties concert so enjoyable! I heard "Cranes Over Hiroshima" for the first time there (remember- I'm still *really* new to filk here!) I had a hard time with it because a 10 year old neighbor was just diagnosed with leukemia this month, and the song- and the fact that it was being signed as well- really got to me.

adding to my filk cd collection some more *bounce bounce*

being in Saturday night's filk circle with the Fictitious Husband- first time ever! Got confirmation that Eric Coleman is a dangerous man behind the guitar! I think I believe him when he said we were all lucky his songbook was upstairs. Also discovered that Mark Bernstein LOOKS like a nice guy, but is really an evil, evil man (ask him to perform his Punfinished Symphony if you dare!) Plus, Blind Lemming Chiffon performed his "I am the Carpenter" which delights me to no end.

Got to catch the Heather Dale concert- although due to a failure to communicate, the Fictitious Husband and Thing One and Thing Two did not. My children did have people singing to them, though later- in the dealers' room, in the elevator and at the afternoon filk circle- they totally are hooked now! (and have I mentioned how great I think it is that a sci fi convention is being held in Moon Township?)

On Friday I got up and ready and went to breakfast. When I came back I organized things for rapid set up of the booth the minute I was allowed in the dealers' room. This was at noon. We set up in the best booth location ever! (the guys next to us brought homemade brownies and were happy to share) We had an hour before opening, so we went across the street for munchies/dinner. We worked from 5-8 and the booth got a good reception and decent sales.

On Saturday I had breakfast with sister, brother-in-law and Cedric at Eggs n' At . I went to work at 10, but snuck out to catch the Power Salad concert at 1. I left that at 1:15. It was already too loud and he kept telling the sound guy to turn up the music track. Either I wasn't in the mood, or he wasn't my style, because i wasn't enjoying it. I went back to the booth. We worked until 6 and then got dinner at the Primanti's location there. Still good food, but it just taste better with the atmosphere of The Strip. Soon it was time for the play and we waited in the lobby with, I think, everyone else who attended the con, under disapproving glares from hotel staff. I was very much looking forward to seeing "The Girl in the Firefly" and the Parsec players did not disappoint! I had a wonderful time and enjoyed the mash up of Doctor Who and Firefly immensely.

Sunday I was back at Egg n' At for breakfast and then to work. By 1 I started the inventory and packing the booth up little by little. At three I began getting it all together in earnest and we were done by... 5? I hauled the stuff up to my room to seal it all up and label it for the next shipment which is (*squee*) Dragon*Con in a mere 25 days!

I had a wonderful weekend and will most likely be back again to Confluence in 2010

Okay, so enough rambling here! I'm happy to have a good con report to share and sorry I inflicted such a long one on yinz guys! In short, Firefly Cargo Bay is back on track so the financial future is looking a little less scary at this point.

And that? Well, that's just shiny!

Until next time:
"Yep. That went well."