Update from last weekend

So, anywho, Gaylaxicon last weekend.

After working furiously Thursday night to get all the artwork together and set up Q's website while he worked on his dolls for a display in the Art Show, I came home Friday, we packed up the car... and realized we didn't know what to do with the cats - our regular kennel was closed, and they don't do well with a sitter. We came up with Operation Hotel Hide-A-Kitty, packed 'em into the carrier, and off we went.

G'con was being held at the Bethesda Hyatt, but no matter how much I know it would have helped the con I simply couldn't justify $169 a night, so we ended up at a smaller, local place two blocks down the street at $109 a night. After sneaking the cats into the room and requesting no room service for the weekend, we walked up to the con to see folks and hang out for a bit. We didn't actually get there until about 11:30, but we did hang out in the Con Suite and Gaming for a while before heading back.

Saturday we were up early so I could set up Thalia's artwork and Q's dolls in the Art Show, and then attend the Gaylactic Network board meeting. dracut, as the newly elected Speaker, took us through some much-needed business, and then we approved boywhocantsayno's bid for Montreal in 2010. I also may have scared sacredmime with suggestions of him starting a NYC chapter (I was just using him as an example since he was in the room), but now he's thinking about it, so if any queer geeks in NYC are on my friends list, let me know if you're interested.

After the meeting a bunch of us had lunch at a nice local Thai place, then it was back to the hotel. defenestr8or surprised us all and showed up for the day on Saturday, and hopefully I'll see him again soon when I head up to Mom's again.

I missed the costuming panel, so we wandered around the Dealers Room and chatted a bit with akirashima (nice seeing him outside of Pennsic for a change) and mroctober (nice seeing him outside of stalking me at Giovanni's Room). Q picked up some comics, and we got a few stuffed diseases for some friends. I also commissioned akirashima to color one of his prints for me:



We spent most of the rest of the afternoon hanging out and chatting in the Con Suite and Gaming, then went to the Spectrum Awards banquet, which was quite nice. We snuck out early so we could check on the cats and I could change costumes, but it was mostly for naught - the dance/masquerade was pretty much a bust, but we ended up going to a room party and chatting with lots of fun folks before heading back to the hotel.

Sunday we were going to do pancakes but the place was mobbed, so we ended up at a little French bakery which was far nicer. I made it in time for the Network panel, then we skipped lunch and went to the Gaylactic Jeopardy game. Q went to the Arist GoH, Alicia Austin, presentation, and then I went to a slash panel (where, when they found out I knew minotaurs, I was asked if they could touch me - he's famous!).

Q went to a comics panel, and I got roped into auctioneering for the Art Auction (no, really, they had to twist my arm and everything). It was, of course, much fun. We popped off for dinner at a local chicken joint, then Q stayed and watched the Movie Night while I helped break down the Art Show and caught a round of Transamerica. After that it was hanging out in the Con Suite until they kicked us all out.

Monday we finally had our pancake breakfast, and while Q went to a web comics panel I had a nice chat with Jack while he was finishing up the paperwork for the Art Show. At the Closing Ceremonies I was once again tapped to auction off a Spectrum award-winning novel signed by the author, then we said our goodbyes, gathered up the kitties, and went home. Sadly Q had to work, and I pretty much fell asleep in front of the TV. :)

There were a lot of folks there we really love seeing, and never really get to see enough of - in addition to all the aforementioned folks above, there was ashoemaker and cplpunishment, drewan and rvrjoe775, troystar and Chris, moonpuppy61, robgates and Peter, Carl, Keith, Jack and Kendall, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting, plus the new folks we met this year that I hope to see again in future years, plus the folks who couldn't make it this year who were missed (*looks at jsciv, logisticslad, schnuder, urban_bohemian, thespian, terracinque, 3dollarwm, amazonatheart and pansyfilmmaker, kproche and bovil, and others - you know who you are!*).

Minneapolis in 2009, folks! Start saving now! :P (And apparently I'm being encouraged to pursue that 2011 bid for the west coast again - we'll see...)

This week was brutal at work, but I survived. I've got so much to do here at home but have been far too slothful. Q worked the weekend, so hopefully next weekend we'll be heading up to Mom's. At least I have the Halloween decorations up! :D