New England/CONvergence
Jul. 5th, 2004 09:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2A brief hello there. I'm home from my vacation, and will be departing on business for two weeks in less than twelve hours.
How was my vacation? Well, there were two parts...
First, four days in New England. This is my third or fourth trip out East, and I enjoy it every time. Lots of great cemeteries! I took about 30 or 40 pics of an overgrown graveyard from 1723.
We stayed in a cabin on the top of a very steep bluff. It was very ominous looking. Four bedroom, two-story structure. From the front the long windows were very dark, and it was foreboding. Inside...quite cheerful. There was a little journal left out for the renters to write thoughts in. From this journal I found out that the original owner was the guy who created "Beaker" for the Muppet Show. Apparently he also did some of the puppeteering for Ernie as well.
The last morning I spent there I was supposed to fly out at 10. At 5:30 in the morning I woke up (I am a very light sleeper) to the sound of wind. I laid in bed and listened to it sleepily.
Then there was this extraordinary howling sound and the wind hit the cabin with such force that the entire structure wobbled back and forth for several minutes. It was astonishing. The beds were shaking, everything was shaking, and the noise was quite terrific. After that the lightning and thunder began. I went downstairs to check that the windows were closed and the rain was hitting the south side of the cabin with such force that it sounded like a machine gun. What an experience.
Then I flew out of New England to attend a science fiction convention. I've never done that before.
I've only been to a few local comic conventions, so I've never seen a true sci-fi convention. This was quite the experience.
As far as I can tell, there are four basic groups of attire:
*T-shirts bearing a variety of related subjects or con t-shirts, and jeans/jean shorts/jean skirts
*Costumes displaying various levels of craft
*Wicked/naughty outfits
*Renfest outfits
And just like any other social group, there is a hierarchy, which I found fascinating. So many different cliques!
During the convention I found myself ruminating on the different cliques and I realized...I just don't belong. I am enough of a geek to be "weird" to mainstream society, and not enough of one to be "cool" in geek society. I'm not really whining here, just trying to sort out my own thoughts.
I felt a little strange. I only knew one person, and that person was involved with the convention, and I knew that she would be extremely busy during the show, so I had planned on finding my own entertainment. Strangely enough, I talk to people constantly in two of my occupations, yet I couldn't really find anyone to approach. Her friends, while very interesting, did not really know me, were not in the same age bracket, and were very intent on their own activities. I understand completely. I must have seemed like a wet blanket.
I really wanted to find someone as obsessed as I am to talk about Harry Potter and Severus Snape, but the only person I found did not seem to want to converse with me for more than a few moments. I was really sad about that, as it is a source of unhappiness that no one I know is quite as obsessed as I am at this moment. And there did not seem to be a lot of HP fans there.
I loved the Masquerade. The costumes were absolutely awesome, and the humor level was very high in many of the skits. I enjoyed that tremendously. I also loved the panels. The only panel about HP was about comparing the movie to the novel (PoA) and it was great. I also met a couple authors and their panels were very informative. For those reasons alone it was worth it.
But it really made me wonder. The same thing happened at this convention that used to happen to me at the local Renfest. Somehow I always end up with a few good friends, but no one else ever really wants to talk to me for any stretch of time, nor do they remember me if I ever run into them again. It's really weird because in my regular, everyday life I have none of those problems. I talk to lots of people and they always seem to want to talk to me. I don't think I look that scary or unattractive. I feel like I'm just a little above the plain marker, which isn't bad.
One interesting thing, though...there were so many plus-size gals there that I nearly felt slim. And I was one of the tallest women there. It was a little ego boost. Not that I'm saying that anyone should buy into "slim=pretty" or any such nonsense. It's just that for once I wasn't on the low end of the totem pole (according to current societal standards), so to speak. Made me think good thoughts.
My lovely outfit worked very well. I really felt quite sexy! And I had a great time dancing, though the music was a bit loud.
I sound like I'm too old for this. Y'know, I felt like I was too old for it in a way.
So many people there were so involved in their costuming and being seen that I was actually surprised. I'm used to the incredibly low-key comic convention, where almost no one dresses up.
It does make me want to make my own costume, but I can't really come up with any idea that would look interesting on a 5'10", 250 lb big girl. Maybe I'll figure something out in the next few months if I still feel motivated. My friend, who is the same size, has come up with a very funky wardrobe for herself, so there's hope for me.
There were several interesting outfits there...I was totally impressed with some absolutely dynamite Invader Zim costumes (they were actually approaching sculpture/performance art) and there was a terrific LotR sketch at the masquerade that gave me real hope about life in general. Despite not being terrifically flashy or gimmicky it managed to get some of the loudest roars of approval because of clever writing and good performances. Yay!
Enough of my crazy rant. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed myself, and next year I will have to improve my social abilities somehow.
So I hoped to be able to write another chapter tonight...but barely could catch up with the e-mails, reviews, and everybody else's wonderful LJ stuff.
Before I left I ordered my MIDI cable. They told me that my card was declined and hung up on me. Then I get back from the trip and lo and behold, the lovely MIDI cable has arrived. After all, there was nothing wrong with my card. Now I *really* have to get on the ball and figure out how to use it and which music-making software to purchase. There are so many of them. I just want to be able to use my MIDI keyboard to help compose some tunes on the computer. Yep. Stuff in my head needs to come out.
My Sane Thought: Planes. I like 'em. Except when they're delayed. I guess that should be renamed My Sane Opinion.
I'll probably update a few times over the weekend in between work...but then I'll be off for business for a week...
How was my vacation? Well, there were two parts...
First, four days in New England. This is my third or fourth trip out East, and I enjoy it every time. Lots of great cemeteries! I took about 30 or 40 pics of an overgrown graveyard from 1723.
We stayed in a cabin on the top of a very steep bluff. It was very ominous looking. Four bedroom, two-story structure. From the front the long windows were very dark, and it was foreboding. Inside...quite cheerful. There was a little journal left out for the renters to write thoughts in. From this journal I found out that the original owner was the guy who created "Beaker" for the Muppet Show. Apparently he also did some of the puppeteering for Ernie as well.
The last morning I spent there I was supposed to fly out at 10. At 5:30 in the morning I woke up (I am a very light sleeper) to the sound of wind. I laid in bed and listened to it sleepily.
Then there was this extraordinary howling sound and the wind hit the cabin with such force that the entire structure wobbled back and forth for several minutes. It was astonishing. The beds were shaking, everything was shaking, and the noise was quite terrific. After that the lightning and thunder began. I went downstairs to check that the windows were closed and the rain was hitting the south side of the cabin with such force that it sounded like a machine gun. What an experience.
Then I flew out of New England to attend a science fiction convention. I've never done that before.
I've only been to a few local comic conventions, so I've never seen a true sci-fi convention. This was quite the experience.
As far as I can tell, there are four basic groups of attire:
*T-shirts bearing a variety of related subjects or con t-shirts, and jeans/jean shorts/jean skirts
*Costumes displaying various levels of craft
*Wicked/naughty outfits
*Renfest outfits
And just like any other social group, there is a hierarchy, which I found fascinating. So many different cliques!
During the convention I found myself ruminating on the different cliques and I realized...I just don't belong. I am enough of a geek to be "weird" to mainstream society, and not enough of one to be "cool" in geek society. I'm not really whining here, just trying to sort out my own thoughts.
I felt a little strange. I only knew one person, and that person was involved with the convention, and I knew that she would be extremely busy during the show, so I had planned on finding my own entertainment. Strangely enough, I talk to people constantly in two of my occupations, yet I couldn't really find anyone to approach. Her friends, while very interesting, did not really know me, were not in the same age bracket, and were very intent on their own activities. I understand completely. I must have seemed like a wet blanket.
I really wanted to find someone as obsessed as I am to talk about Harry Potter and Severus Snape, but the only person I found did not seem to want to converse with me for more than a few moments. I was really sad about that, as it is a source of unhappiness that no one I know is quite as obsessed as I am at this moment. And there did not seem to be a lot of HP fans there.
I loved the Masquerade. The costumes were absolutely awesome, and the humor level was very high in many of the skits. I enjoyed that tremendously. I also loved the panels. The only panel about HP was about comparing the movie to the novel (PoA) and it was great. I also met a couple authors and their panels were very informative. For those reasons alone it was worth it.
But it really made me wonder. The same thing happened at this convention that used to happen to me at the local Renfest. Somehow I always end up with a few good friends, but no one else ever really wants to talk to me for any stretch of time, nor do they remember me if I ever run into them again. It's really weird because in my regular, everyday life I have none of those problems. I talk to lots of people and they always seem to want to talk to me. I don't think I look that scary or unattractive. I feel like I'm just a little above the plain marker, which isn't bad.
One interesting thing, though...there were so many plus-size gals there that I nearly felt slim. And I was one of the tallest women there. It was a little ego boost. Not that I'm saying that anyone should buy into "slim=pretty" or any such nonsense. It's just that for once I wasn't on the low end of the totem pole (according to current societal standards), so to speak. Made me think good thoughts.
My lovely outfit worked very well. I really felt quite sexy! And I had a great time dancing, though the music was a bit loud.
I sound like I'm too old for this. Y'know, I felt like I was too old for it in a way.
So many people there were so involved in their costuming and being seen that I was actually surprised. I'm used to the incredibly low-key comic convention, where almost no one dresses up.
It does make me want to make my own costume, but I can't really come up with any idea that would look interesting on a 5'10", 250 lb big girl. Maybe I'll figure something out in the next few months if I still feel motivated. My friend, who is the same size, has come up with a very funky wardrobe for herself, so there's hope for me.
There were several interesting outfits there...I was totally impressed with some absolutely dynamite Invader Zim costumes (they were actually approaching sculpture/performance art) and there was a terrific LotR sketch at the masquerade that gave me real hope about life in general. Despite not being terrifically flashy or gimmicky it managed to get some of the loudest roars of approval because of clever writing and good performances. Yay!
Enough of my crazy rant. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed myself, and next year I will have to improve my social abilities somehow.
So I hoped to be able to write another chapter tonight...but barely could catch up with the e-mails, reviews, and everybody else's wonderful LJ stuff.
Before I left I ordered my MIDI cable. They told me that my card was declined and hung up on me. Then I get back from the trip and lo and behold, the lovely MIDI cable has arrived. After all, there was nothing wrong with my card. Now I *really* have to get on the ball and figure out how to use it and which music-making software to purchase. There are so many of them. I just want to be able to use my MIDI keyboard to help compose some tunes on the computer. Yep. Stuff in my head needs to come out.
My Sane Thought: Planes. I like 'em. Except when they're delayed. I guess that should be renamed My Sane Opinion.
I'll probably update a few times over the weekend in between work...but then I'll be off for business for a week...
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Date: 2008-07-04 03:19 am (UTC)In May LeakyCon is in Boston, another good reason to visit the area.