Dragoncon Shenanigans...

Hey Everyone,

Sorry that I've been pretty inactive on the blog lately.  This  has been a really busy time for me.  I went to Dragoncon, my friend's wedding, and Disneyworld.  (I also just recently recovered from a nasty cold.)  So, needless to say, I've had an eventful couple of months, but I'm going to try to catch up on the blog.

Let's start with Dragoncon.  What I remember most about it was that it was more crowded than it has ever been before.  I attribute that mostly to the fact that Patrick Stewart was there.  Before you ask, no I didn't go to that panel or get to have his autograph.  He was untouchable.  We waited in line for his panel and then were told the place was filled up after we waited for thirty minutes in a line that stretched around the building.  There were other actors there, but mostly the same ones who come every year.  I think that we've decided that the next time someone like Patrick Stewart is there, we're just not going to go.  There were so many people there, that there were actually lines to get into vendors.  Most of the panels were hard to get into unless you lined up two hours early.

I did, however, get into two very helpful writing panels and got to see and talk to Todd McCaffrey again.  One was about Young Adult Fantasy and the other was about World Building in Young Adult Literature.  I learned quite a bit that I intend to incorporate into my own writing, and I have a few books that I'll probably be buying to read in the near future by the authors participating in the panel.  So, I felt Dragoncon was worth my time, but I hope they handle the crowds better next time we go.

Also, one last note on Dragoncon.  It is well known that Dragoncon is a party con, but I was very disappointed in the behavior of certain people there.  At around 8:00pm, things get kind of crazy and people start dressing in very little clothing, etc.  This is just a well known fact about the con.  I don't have a problem with that, because after eight most small children are not present.  However, at two in the afternoon, you don't expect people dressed as scantily clad "My Little Ponies" to start posing in suggestive ways for pictures in the most populated areas.  It was a train wreck, one of those things where you really want to look away, but you just can't do it.  They also probably were about eighteen, so not even old to drink, though they were clearly drinking as well.

I realize now that being a parent has changed me.  Normally, I don't care about that sort of thing, not anymore, but I was downright offended by the whole display because it was done in front of children dressed as characters in a children's show.  The parents of the children present were trying to steer them away, but the thing was taking place in the middle of the hotel thoroughfare.  Unfortunately, there was no one really moderating the con, so they probably did this for about an hour.  People with "daddy issues" are kind of sad.

Long story short, it was an exhausting weekend.  I enjoyed the writing panels and shopping (I got a plush Umbreon which is kind of awesome), but I probably won't go back next year.  I might actually be having another baby next year.  We'll have to wait and see.  Who knows?

Anyway, I've rambled enough about the con.  I'll talk to you again soon.  I'll probably be posting another entry about Disneyworld today.  Bye!