Back from ChessieCon
Dec. 1st, 2014 07:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sdelmonteAnd thus we have completed my fourth con of the year, and Batya's fifth. And it was good. Not the greatest con in history of all conventions, since there weren't a ton of panels I wanted to attend. But I came away from the weekend more relaxed than I've been in a good long while. The vibe of this old/new con - Darkover only not Darkover, and with some new things like more filk - was one of good cheer and a bit of delight that we could spend most of Thanksgiving weekend with our found family.
Some highlights:
- Tom Smith's amazing two hours concert, made of old favorites, more recent favorites, lots of banter, and even a hora. I haven't seen him in full concert in about five years, and it was great to be there for one of filk's great performers. (Also, just great seeing him since I don't get to that often.)
- Joining The Funny Things (that's Batya and Merav when performing without a legal number of Mondegreens) for "Why I Haven't Got a Boat." Not entirely my on-stage debut as I was on stage for one song in the 2008 Contata benefit concert for Tom Smith. But still a debut of sorts. Felt good.
- Hanging out in the con suite at the really early breakfast hours, and learning that apparently the Zoroastrians have a version of the Purim story very much like the Jews'. This definitely goes under "things you can only learn in a con suite."
- Just getting a little time to read and unwind without dealing with work, family, communal responsibilities, or anything else.
I can't say that I am ready to put this con at the very top of the list - right now that is reserved for Balticon, OVFF and Northeast Floating Filk. But I think I want to go back again next year (especially since Seanan McGuire will be GoH and Heather Dale will be Filk GoH).
As to what my next con will be, good question. Not doing Arisia, and not inclined to do Boskone every year. Balticon is out since Memorial Day and Shavuot are the same weekend again, and Lunacon is gone. Hoping to get to Concertino, but if we can't get a ride via car, it might be too hard to get there. Which might mean nothing till Li-Con (the next con on Long Island in August). We'll just have to see what the year brings.
Some highlights:
- Tom Smith's amazing two hours concert, made of old favorites, more recent favorites, lots of banter, and even a hora. I haven't seen him in full concert in about five years, and it was great to be there for one of filk's great performers. (Also, just great seeing him since I don't get to that often.)
- Joining The Funny Things (that's Batya and Merav when performing without a legal number of Mondegreens) for "Why I Haven't Got a Boat." Not entirely my on-stage debut as I was on stage for one song in the 2008 Contata benefit concert for Tom Smith. But still a debut of sorts. Felt good.
- Hanging out in the con suite at the really early breakfast hours, and learning that apparently the Zoroastrians have a version of the Purim story very much like the Jews'. This definitely goes under "things you can only learn in a con suite."
- Just getting a little time to read and unwind without dealing with work, family, communal responsibilities, or anything else.
I can't say that I am ready to put this con at the very top of the list - right now that is reserved for Balticon, OVFF and Northeast Floating Filk. But I think I want to go back again next year (especially since Seanan McGuire will be GoH and Heather Dale will be Filk GoH).
As to what my next con will be, good question. Not doing Arisia, and not inclined to do Boskone every year. Balticon is out since Memorial Day and Shavuot are the same weekend again, and Lunacon is gone. Hoping to get to Concertino, but if we can't get a ride via car, it might be too hard to get there. Which might mean nothing till Li-Con (the next con on Long Island in August). We'll just have to see what the year brings.
