Dragon*Con was awesome. I was dead tired by the end of Monday, but amazingly enough, I'm not sick! I really tried to take care of myself this Con, and I did! I ate all my meals, got rest, never had a sugar crash. It was awesome. Last year I got to feeling so bad with lack of sleep and food, that there is an entire panel I lead and can't remember it hardly... that's bad! So after that I knew that this year I had to do better.



So I went downtown on Thursday after work. Due to being later at work than I wanted, eating dinner and last minute rushing around I didn't get to the Marriott till 8. Which was later than I wanted, but I made it!

The shock when I got there was discovering we were on the 21st floor... for some one with bad acrophobia, this was not good. Beth gave me her room key and told me to call her if I had problems.
Well, by the time I stepped out of the elevator on the 21st floor I really don't think I was any state of mind to remember that.

See the way the Marriott is built, the elevator comes up the center of the hotel, and you get to your room by crossing a "bridge". Picture evidence here -


This is a small, narrow type thing and at 21 floors up, I started panicking. I mean seriously. Thankfully, there was a guy waiting on the elevator and heard my distress (I was breathing heavy and talking to myself trying to convince myself to go over) and as soon as he asked what was wrong, I started crying. It was awful. Then, he had a hard time understaning what I was saying... (sounded German). But he finally figured out that if he pulled my suitcase across, I would be greatful. See I had a ton of stuff and didn't think I could make it.

But I made it. And I made it the rest of the weekend without another panic attack. But it was still freakin' scary y'all!!! I had to have my hand/arm on the wall at all times.

Any way... after that drama I made my way to the YA Track room which was in the Marriott again this year. Thank heavens! It was in a great location and a nice room. There I met up with the other YA staffers, Bev, Mary, Karen and Heather. Mary had some Sangria and passed it over to me as I was still shaking all over from above experience. Yeah, that helped. ;-)

We spent the rest of that night setting up the room etc and went up to bed around 11:30ish.

Since we'd gotten so much done the night before, I was able sleep in Friday morning and not be rushed.
Here is our track room Monday morn -

Mary setting up -




Bev setting up the staff area with HP posters -


Our first panel that day was a Matt Lewis panel. (Neville from Harry Potter) Here is Mary doing the moderating -




Matt Lewis is so sweet. I didn't see his panel on Saturday, but on Friday and Sunday he was great. Plus one of my friends as him to talk to her two girls on the phone, and he did! (This was at the Walk of Fame) So again, great guy.

Then I ran around and did various things I don't remember (though I think I had lunch with Mary andh her cousin Nick)
Then was on the panel for Law in Fandom which was an awesome panel. And Charity, YouTube had no right to pull down your old channel. For other fandom writers/vidders check out fandom_laywers here on LiveJournal. The panel was awesome. I didn't say much because we had a really great lawyer who knew her stuff!
Even though I didn't say much for that panel, I did have a name thing... so I had to have a pic (I'm wearing our staff shirt for this year... says "got books?" on the front with schedule on the back)- (thanks Brandy!)


After that I rushed over to the Dr. Horrible Sing-A-Long with Tara who had finally arrived. It was totally awesome. Dr. Horrible is awesome to begin with, then you get to see it performed, watch it, and sing a long, totally worth it.

Then because it started late, I had to RUN back to the Marriott (I was in the Sheraton which is the furthest hotel from the other three) because I was leading the next panel. I was sooo out of breath by the time I got there! But I did the panel and it went really well. Though it got hard trying to keep up with everyone who was raising their hand to talk!

Then it was a gen Fan Fic panel. Then a favorite of mine, the Buffy Horror Picture show. However since there had already been two before that, it was a much smaller crowd than usual and I don't think it was as well done as last or as well done as the Dr. Horrible sing a long. But it was still fun. Because how can you not love Once More With Feeling?

SATURDAY

Parade! It was FREAKIN' HOT Y'ALL!!! Oh. My. Word. Seriously. It was the worst year ever for me in terms of heat. But it was still fun. The weird moment was when we finally started off and I saw one of the families I babysit for along the parade route... also got to see Shana and Revie. The only time I got to. Which was sad. :-(

My mum and friend Melody came and it was fun to see them for a little bit. As soon as I met up with them after the parade, it was a rush up to my room to change into my Doctor Who costume for the photo shoot. I made it just in time. But had to find some one to tie my tie! I'm hoping for some pics of that because it was some guy who was cos-playing one of the old series Doctors.

Any way... lots o' pics from shoot -
I loved the Rose in the pink costume -


Girl in the Fireplace!!! (this is she is an amazing)


Torchwood -


Evil!


Some group shots -




All the 10's (I got several compliments on my costume)


LOL! This one is just weird...


I've never been to a costume photo shoot, and that was a ton of fun. I wanted to stay longer, but I needed to help Mary finish HP Jeopardy so I was off. Once we got that done it was a rush off to the Jeopardy room. That was a lot of fun. Despite some minor problems which were bad planning on my part. *facepalm* But it was still fun and I got complimented on my hard questions! So yay! And thanks also to Mel who helped write some of the categories!

Then our big author guest of the year was Tamora Pierce. She wrote the Lioness series, Trickster's sereis, etc. She's really prolific but not as well known at the moment. I highly recommend her Tricksters books.

Here is Suzanne and Tamora -


Later that night Mary, Tara and a couple others went to check out the Shindig. The big party on Saturday night hosted by the Whedonverse track. It was kind of a bust. Not all that exciting. But there was a Doctor from "The Girl in the Fireplace" episode. He spotted me from across the room and it was a really funny moment. Him poiting and me, me pointing back... it was great. I got my picture with him, but I dunno who has that pic...
The guy was totally playing the part. It was awesome. He had the accent and everything. He said he liked my pinstripes. Heh.


Tara was cos-playing Rose the same day I was Doctor Donna. I love this pic because it's almost as if Tara/Rose is none to happy about Purple*Rose.


More of the Doctor Donna and Rose pics ... the two companions face off!


At the Shindig... a little crazy...(credit to Tara for photo)


This was probably one of the most creative costumes of the Con - Jayne hat!


Sunday morning was my panel with Matt Lewis (credit Tara for pic) -


Afterwards I got my pic with him... can I just say again... he is so adorkable! Lurve him forever! Some one asked where he saw himself in 10 years, he said "10 years from today I want to be right here talking to all you guys" Love!!!


Tara was Doctor Horrible -


Then Tara, here friend Melissa and I ran off to the walk of Fame before the Twilight panel. That was fun as usual. Got to meet Nathan Fillion. Another great guy. Really nice. Talked to Gareth David Lloyd a minute, Anthony Lewis (Matt Lewis's big bro who was in Torchwood). Or maybe that was Saturday... I went twice to the walk of Fame and can't remember when I met who...
I do know on Saturday I met Michael Rosenbaum. Oh. my. gosh. so sweet! Though I felt like a total nerd because that was the day I was dressed as Doctor Who. But he was still really nice. And so much better looking in person! He's grown his hair out and looks like he's gotten a bit of tan. Tara asked for a hug and got one... *jealous!!*

Sunday was also the big Twiligt panel. It ended up being a lot more about Breaking Dawn. Overall I think it went really, really well. No one got to angry and each side could say what they thought. It was fun.

Then it was Yule Ball prep time! That was all and adventure in itself that I'm not going to get into. But we had lots of volunteers and it all went really well. We danced into the wee hours, partied hard and had a generally fun time. We had a bigger room this year, the costumes in the costume contest were great... over all, a great year for Yule Ball.
Here are some random pics -

Track staff -


Tara, Me and Melissa (Tara's friend)


Me and my friend Melody. Who didn't stay long because another friend of ours bailed at the last minute. :-(
You can really tell in this pic I don't have on makeup!


Nadine and Berg as Dead Quidditch player and the Joker. Both awesome, awesome, costumes!


Mel and Chris as old Harry and Draco! Too funny!


And if you didn't know... Tara and I are insane!


Matt Lewis and his bro showed up to the Yule Ball. Cause they are totally awesome. They couldn't stay long though because the were going to hang out with Michael Rosenbaum... lucky them! What was funny is when Matt told me, he seemed almost as geekily excited about it as I would be. Did I mention I love him?
Any way... his brother is hot! so I had to have my pic with him. I think you can tell in this pic I was about to die of excitment...


The only full length pic of my dress I believe... taken by someone else. Sadly it is the side I have my badge on.


In this pic I'm wearing heels... these did not last long. But they looked awesome while I did! I love that dress. On the walk back to the hotel at almost 1am... I was wearing my Converse with the dress. Heehee.

After that Mary, her cousin Nick and I peopled watched for about an hour. We were too tired to do anything, but to wired to go to bed! But I finally head up at 2. Thankfully I had no panels the next day so I could sleep in till Christy woke me up. ;-)



So that's that. Not a lot happened on Monday and I have no pictures from that day. But it was good last day, we had a good "Post-mortem" panel as well call it. One open to the public one staff only. Then I waited awhile with Mary, Mel, Chris and Maddy while Dad closed down his track etc. Got home about 7:30ish. I was a zombie! So tired.

Over all, it was a great Con. I didn't get sick, I was too tired or stressed out. Got to meet some great people.

Forgot to mention, I briefly met Sean Astin! So nice. He shook my hand, but I have wrist problems and if you shake my hand to hard it hurts and I go limp... sadly he grabbed mine really hard and I about died. But hey, it was Sean Astin! He was in a rush to a panel though so I didn't get to talk to him much.

I'm sure I'll think of more to say in the way of funny stories etc. But for now, that is it.

Thanks to Rebecca, Beth and Christy for being such awesome room-mates

A million and two thanks to our track director Bev who ROX!!! She knows how to do what she's doing and how to encourage everyone to be the best they can be. Love you bunches Bev!!

And thanks of course to Mary and Karen who did so much this year at Con. Especially before-hand. You guys help out so much. Even when you don't have to! So thanks. *hugs* to you both!