Cons
by annaguirre on Oct.05, 2009, under Ann Aguirre and Ilona Andrews
In comments on the gaming post, Shannon asked me about my best convention. I’m not going to tell that story here because I suspect I have a strange definition of best. Instead I’m going to tell a con story and invite y’all to share your best story as well, whether it’s funny, awesome, embarrassing or all of the above.
I had a friend in college; she was far more plugged in to this world than me. I hadn’t yet started gaming. But she was into gaming, SCA, and all of that. We met in Washington DC, weirdly enough, and found we both lived in Indiana. We stayed in touch, though we went to different colleges. Our freshman year, when I was home on break, she took me to my first SF con.
I was a little unsure about the whole business, but I totally knew who Nichelle Nichols was. I shook her hand and found her to be a very cool lady. I was less convinced about the huge lines for various comic book people and artists. I wandered through the dealer area and went to a few panels. I found myself very confused as to what I was supposed to be doing.
This wasn’t a big con, mind you. At some point I found myself standing with Debbie in a big group of people. They were all fawning on a middle-aged man wearing a rather outlandish scarf. The thing was super long and particolored; they were all hanging on his every word. I was standing there, rather bored by the whole thing, when the man glanced at me with a big smile. He reached out and shook my hand and then said, “I bet you want my autograph.”
I blinked at him and said, “Why?”
I had NO earthly idea who Tom Baker was at that time. He looked positively astonished. My friend dragged me away, totally chagrined and then tried to explain that he was Dr. Who, which led to a really hilarious Who’s on First type conversation.
Years later, I think about my younger self and cringe. Because now if I met Dr. Who at a con (albeit Eccleston or Tennant), I would so totally be among the crowd hanging on his every word. I blush when I think about 18 year old me, who knew so very little. It’s kind of an awesome but embarrassing memory.
What’s your best con story?
Related posts:
- Speaking of Cons Not to blatantly self promote Babel Clash, but my favorite con moment was last year’s Babel Clash panel at Comic Con. Okay, so it blatant self-promotion, but still, I think it’s fun. We had our first live geeky debate on the topic: “Urban fantasy vs. Epic Fantasy.” Our guests were...
October 5th, 2009 on 1:35 pm
I had a picture of Princess Leia signed by Carrie Fisher at Wondercon 2009, and I was absolutely speechless.
Maybe because she gave an interview on a local radio show while she was doing her toenails at the same time and that imagery was banging around in my head. Or guilt because I missed her cameo in “Fan Boys” without realizing that it was her. Or shame that I wanted her to signed the Princess Leia in the metallic bikini picture (which is what she will forever be remembered for).
Anyway, she asked: “What’s your name? Is that C-H-R-I-S?”
Yes, I’m another dork with a signed Princess Leia in the metallic bikini picture. One of many in a very long line of dorks.
October 5th, 2009 on 1:36 pm
I’m trying to remember a PG-rated story to share. Didn’t think it would be this difficult…
I’ll go with Dragon*con 09. Rita Herron was scheduled to have a signing on Friday. She’s one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to meet her. When I walked in, Rita was the only other person in the room. I talked with her for about 10 minutes before the rest of the crowd showed up. During this time, I mentioned which book was my favorite and how I no longer had it because of a flood. She asked if I could stop by her booth the next day.
Saturday rolls around and I head over to meet her. When I got there, she pulled out the book and handed it to me. Rita had went home on Friday night and found a copy of the book I wanted. I have always loved her writing, but she made a fan-girl for life that day!
October 5th, 2009 on 1:45 pm
Wow, what great stories!
Carrie was in Sorority Row, too. She played a bad-ass house mother.
Lillie, that’s so cool! I was on a panel with Rita at RT and she seems wonderful.
October 5th, 2009 on 3:24 pm
Over fifteen years ago, I moved to Madison, Wisconsin to live with a woman I was in love with. There I made friends with a guy that was very into role-playing games. It seems weird yet interesting so we talked about it a lot. One day he tells me that Gen Con is going to take place in Milwaukee and that it was the biggest role-playing convention of its kind and run by the people that made Dungeons & Dragons. Cool, I thought. I talked to my S.O. and we decided to drive over on Saturday to see it. By how my friend described it, this was a big deal so we got dressed as if we were going to the premiere night for a new art exhibit. I dressed to the nines in black and my S.O. in a black skin-tight fabric micro-dress and black high heels. Oh, and, to complete your mental image, I was a powerfully built Viking dude and my S.O. was a hot petite Asian babe going for her doctorate in genetics.
At first, we were shocked. No one … NO ONE was dressed up for the convention. Or rather, no one was formally dressed up for the convention. Many dressed up in weird costumes. Most were in blue jeans and t-shirts. People seemed to be either obese or starved. Be they male or female. Anyway…
I had to go to the bathroom so I left my S.O. to do so. When I came back, she was surrounded by creepy-looking men that keep an almost perfect circle of six feet away from her on all sides. All staring at her. They didn’t say a single word to her nor her to them. Being tall, I could see over the crowd and made my way to her. As soon as I broke into the little clearing that had her at the center, she nearly jumped to my side and grabbed hold of my arm for dear life. I then walked her out and the crowd parted for us as we did. It made me laugh but it really freaked her out. We then left Gen Con.
Sadly, it turned off role-playing for her. On the bright side, when I told this to my gaming friend and his friends, they all laughed. My gaming friend apologized and said he had given the wrong impression about what to expect. I replied, “No, really?” *LOL*
October 6th, 2009 on 10:09 am
I haven’t been to many Cons. Probably 2 or 3 really (work Conventions do NOT count). 1 anime/manga related Con in my early 20s that my best friend took me to, one gaming Con my husband took me to, and then one book con. I don’t have any crazy stories, I just had fun walking around. I often feel that my upbringing overseas meant when I came to the States I had to “catch up” on a lot of pop culture (music, books, tv, games, everything), and I really don’t know some of the basics. I mean.. I think we were at LEAST ten years behind and clueless where I grew up. So after college, I at least knew the major manga/anime franchises, but I was no expert. I was a little freaked out the first time I saw some cosplayers! It was like this whole new world, really. A new level of geekery. And I’d probably do what Ann did too: have NO clue who a famous person was.
April 28th, 2011 on 1:41 pm
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October 22nd, 2011 on 2:04 pm
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
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