I Regret Nothing (except maybe the ghost chile shots). WorldCon Reports

[Xray the Enforcer]

My feet feel like they have been beaten with cudgels. My taste buds have been scoured flat with dragon pepper tequila. I am still picking SuperGay Glitter out of my hair. And I am pretty sure my liver skipped the country on Thursday. But goddamn, what a great time I've had at LonestarCon.

Post your con reports here you fabulous bastards. Mine will have to wait until later, when not using a shitty phone interface.

[Toft]

A year has passed and I still remember those chilli shots. Someone needs to join an official register of "evil". They are so irresistible and yet.... well, I'm safe for this year, at least.

[Peadar]

I'll be trying to avoid this thread out of pure jealousy! Not sure I'll be able to stay away though. Can't wait for next year.

[Elder Sister]

My first con. was so awesome. I got George's autograph, got some great books, and heard a chapter from WoW, but the highlight of my time in San Antonio was meeting the BwB. (And working the door at the open party was a blast. Id'ing old cats on walkers was a total hoot.)

I wanted to pack up you guys and take you home with me. X-ray is cuddly, friendly, amazing. She is not scary at ALL in real life, people. It is TRUTH. She gives big hugs and smiles. <3. Do NOT listen to her about shopping recs. though. She will bankrupt you and you will be forced into a life of slavery. Her spouse Mr. X is awesome but you can see the trouble lurking in the depths. Am suspicious that he was a bass player in a band once. :P

Yagathai is adorable, friendly, and sweet. Plus he has amazing taste in shoes and I am super jealous of the pair he wore Saturday night.

I thought he would be scary but he wasn't a bit...my board love for him was totally justified.

The BwB is the most awesome group of people I have met in years and I'm officially an addict. I love GRRM but am officially groupies of Lady Regina and Fenryng (love him! So fun to talk to) , LacyinTx, RaceBannon (the guy is like the Bionic Man, only more charming - runnning, lifting weights, and then I see photos of him out late partying. how does he do it???) Red Woman, Boiled Leather, Baitac, Ser Scot, Kat (working the door with her was such fun!), Maid of Woodlyne, Lady Narcissa, Mandy, Fragile Bird, the X's, Cuellar, beniowa, Bookwyrm, Neal, SerCam, and so many more that I met and didn't get to visit with like I would have liked.

Finally, the X's and some others work their butts off to make the the con. fun, enjoyable, safe, and organized for everyone. Thank you so much to you and all the others who worked so hard. Love you guys!

[Kat]

I am now a pretty pretty princess. Thanks Baitac.

Xray tried to kill me in the lobby. Never trust a chemist.

Yagathai gave me the full run-down on his posting philosophy; we should all thank him for the amazing service he provides to us; I am sticking an additional unrelated independent clause here simply because I can--not because I prefer the style.

[RaceBannon42]

I am home. Had such a good time. As always it was a delight. So awesome to see all my old friend and also to make new ones even if some of you are floobs. Miss you all already.

[Kat]

Ok, now that I'm back home and don't have to post from my phone:

Highlights: Blackwater de-throning Dr. Who at the Hugos, chest-bumping Xray, meeting all the new people (some of whom aren't actually new to the boards, but I've been gone a while), watching Rory McCann have TWO ghost pepper shots within minutes of each other (and Blazer Guy was fairly hilarious with the orange monstrosity as well), not falling in the river at any time even while drunk, seeing everyone again, seeing people some more, Elder Sister's polite southern greeting and ID checks, Regina the Den Mother, Ser Scot/Luga/Lady Narcissa at the Firefly contra dance. Oh, also, eating way too much meat last night. Still digesting. Also, I'm a princess now so watch the fuck out or I'll stab you with my tiara.

Lowlights: Con crud, Helsinki bid losing, and panels about Game of Thrones/ASOIAF with no BWBers on them. Seriously, we need to start getting people on panels. That one with the speculation about Season 4 was basically people from the BWB and Tower of the Hand playing peanut gallery from the audience. How do we get Luga and Xray onto a panel? (One where she won't walk out like this one panelist I witnessed. :P) Distinct lack of furries this year.

Mehlights: Panels in general this year. Usually I have strong feelings but this year I have none at all. They were pretty forgettable. The Filking 101 panel actively made me NOT want to attend a filk circle even though I had actually already written one and I normally go to folk music and dance festivals and am a total nerd. Seriously, get better at marketing, filkers, cause I was ready to hang out with drunken nerds with guitars until you put me off with regaling the last 60 years of filk history like I knew who these people were. That's why it's 101. :rolleyes:

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

As per usual I'm having trouble getting home. My plane to Dulles was canceled due to a flat tire. However, I'm getting a free night haniging with the BWB at dead dog parties. It was wonderful seeing everyone and hopefully I'll see everyone in Spokane.

[Ser Osis of Liver]

My first real BwB party was everything I was hoping for and more. Really nice folks and just great fun in general. Sadly I missed Rory's appearances (and considering Sandor is my favourite secondary-level character in the series I'm a little disappointed there) but overall I had a fantastic time. I won a couple of door prizes in the raffle, finally got to say a brief hello to George and closed the suite out well after 4am on Sunday morning!

I, too, got con-crud in a major way and was delayed 5 hours in getting home but otherwise it was all good. I was happy to hear the new Tyrion chapter from TWoW but I agree that the S4/speculation panel was underwhelming. I loved being in San Antonio once again, hope I can make it to London and we're looking forward to Spokane in 2015. A meetup in North Jersey or NYC would be great, too!

[Peadar]

Lowlights: [...] panels about Game of Thrones/ASOIAF with no BWBers on them. Seriously, we need to start getting people on panels. That one with the speculation about Season 4 was basically people from the BWB and Tower of the Hand playing peanut gallery from the audience. How do we get Luga and Xray onto a panel? (One where she won't walk out like this one panelist I witnessed. :P) Distinct lack of furries this year.

I'm sure it can be easily arranged. I am working on the London Con and know the people running both the media and literary panels. We absolutely should be able to put a few names forward...

[Perrianne Lurie]

Lowlights: ...panels about Game of Thrones/ASOIAF with no BWBers on them.

I was on the GoT panel both this year and last.

[Myrddin]

The lack of con reports disturbs me.

[Luzifer's right hand]

Sounds like people had fun! :)

The lack of con reports disturbs me.

It's still way too early!

From my experience it goes something like this:

1. Plane/car journey somewhere. (if plane flight this includes a missed connection)

2. Lucky people: 24 hours of sleep The rest: Home after midnight and work starts early next day.

3. Liver transplant if applicable.

4. Deciding what's safe to post

5. Con report... oh shiny!

[Missy Mayhem]

I had an amazing time & would like to thank all the BwB present for being so amazing. It was my first con & I clearly had no idea what I was doing or what to expect, but with the help of some old friends & wonderful new BwB friends, I really had the time of my life. I'm hooked. You people are like crack!

I actually really liked the ghost pepper shot...I just hated the 15 minute afterburn. But when George tells you to take the shot, you take the damn shot. No questions, just go. Now.

He was very sweet, btw, & I so enjoyed the opportunity to meet him. Rory as well, I could listen to that Scottish brogue all day... I love a good accent, as some of the Aussies & Kiwis there might attest to.

I'm still in a sleep deprived daze and (not) enjoying my 1st case of con crud. I truly need a vacation from my vacation. But I hope to make it to London next year so I can see all your bright & shiny faces and do it all again. Also, a special thanks for being so welcoming to this noob and for all your hard work throwing the best damn parties of the weekend. You guys party like rock stars! Mind blown. xo ~m.

[Xray the Enforcer]

I am sticking an additional unrelated independent clause here simply because I can--not because I prefer the style.

LONG LIVE THE SEMICOLON :commie:

[Xray the Enforcer]

Ron Donachie told me about you people. --Rory McCann

Such were the words of a man doomed to drink two ghost-chile-infused tequila shots called Hound's Bane. And drink them Rory did, with nary a shudder…until the capsaicin rush hit him and he danced and whooped and flashed us a feral grin.

Lonestarcon can be encapsulated thusly: seeing old friends, meeting new friends, and discovering the disappointing truth about one’s intestinal fortitude. Those three elements overlapped in surprising (or maybe not so surprising) ways over course of the convention.

For example, nobody was more surprised than I, when I discovered that Trisky’s hare-brained notion-- that Ravenhair, Baitac and Elder Sister are, in fact, a single (and singular) woman-- was true! Trisky, I am sorry that I ever disbelieved you. I will forever look askance at almonds, wondering what radioactive horrors might be hidden within their shells.

Thursday night, I got Lodey’d, the first (?) of many to do so. The details are generally unimportant, except that a pack of us, including Lucky Pierre, Mr. X, Raya, Tyler, Marcus and Amber ended up in Lodey’s room with a lot of beer and Iron Maiden’s “Wrathchild” on the stereo. What ensued is, frankly, fairly hazy in my memory, except that I know I was bellowing along to “The Trooper” (accompanied by Tyler, Marcus, Lodey and Mr. X) when Maid of Woodlynn and her friend showed up, and at one point I lifted up my shirt, squished my bra up on the sliding glass door to the balcony and yelled PRESSED HAM to the horrified people on the balcony who were just looking to smoke in peace. This, my friends, is why I don’t drink at the official BWB parties. Nobody needs to see that shit.

Friday sucked. A full-body shuddering-horror hangover. I was too weak to mutter anything more than “fuck” for about 45 minutes straight while Lord Dracarys looked on in sympathy. When people asked what happened, I just said I had been Lodey’d—it needed no further explanation. I didn’t feel right until I had a shot of ghost-chile tequila at the private party that night. GRRM and Parris showed up on the early side, and stuck around until the party shut down. I think this year’s private party was my favorite yet, because it was so low-key and the people were so awesome. The new friends we made that night, including Dunknegg, Marcus, Amber & Missy Mayhem (you guys looked so fabulous in your garb), Bookwyrm’s friend, Danaerys Stormborn, Curlz, Maid of Woodlynn are top-notch. They proved their mettle when I named them members of the Free Company of the Dragon Pepper and then they stormed the bar demanding their induction shot of fiery drink. Some, myself included, had more than one shot of fiery tequila.

Little did we know how those would feel coming out the other side. I am now considering renaming this year’s group The Free Company of the Spicy Ring.

Somebody (Baitac?) brought tiaras, one of which ended up in Yagathai’s beard. He makes an even prettier pretty princess than Zollo. And I got SCHMETTERLING! hair clips in addition to my tiara.

Saturday’s open party was epic, not least because of how well the BWB managed in what was most certainly too-small a suite. The bartenders destroyed all comers, the door-greeters charmed and carded all and sundry. Security did a great job handling those who had a little too much to drink. We met a new friend in BlazerGuy, some dude who just happened to be in the hotel but who is a big fan of the books. The Tower of the Hand people stopped by again (yo! Drop me a PM if you’re reading this!!) and it was great to raise a glass with them. Special shout-outs go to Maid of Woodlynn, Neil, Lord Dracarys, Dunknegg and Lacy for managing the raffle so well. Extra tequila shots go to Ser Scot, who once again sold the shit out of some raffle tickets. That man is a force of nature. Extra sparkly shout-outs go to SuperGay!! for making some guy’s eyeballs pop out of his head. You know who you are. :P (seriously, when you walked into the party as SuperGay, some elderly fan was right behind you with a most shocked/bemused look on his face.)

Later in the evening, we hosted some very sad Finns and we drank with them in disappointment. I have a lot of respect for the people of the Helsinki 2015 bid group – a universally gracious, enthusiastic and engaged collection of fans—and I am very sorry that they did not win.

GRRM and Rory McCann also stopped by the party, where Lugalirra cajoled Rory to take a shot of the Hound’s Bane. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many expressions pass over one face in such a short amount of time. Shock, confusion, pain, defiance, glee, elation, smugness: We got it all within the space of a minute. Blazer Guy managed to get Rory to do a shot of the Orange Fire with him later in the evening. Misery loves company, and there’s a certain machismo in drinking something that tastes like an orange jolly rancher right before it burns every single one of your tastebuds to a cinder.

Sunday cleanup was easy-peasy, and thank you to everyone who helped with any aspect whatsoever of the party – Lucky Pierre and crew for durable goods shopping and decorations; Boiled Leather and Red Woman for groceries; Lady Narcissa for Christmas lights; Fragile Bird, Ser Cam, Katran, Regina and the Collected Woman Known Variously As Baitac and Elder Sister (she left the Ravenhair persona at home) working the door; Fenryng and Ithanos for the Gimlet Eye (who will Fenryng turn away next year? GRRM himself?); Tully for some truly ancient alcohol and many laffs; the rest of the KC crew for good cheer and a gift of beer; John Picacio and Tara for gifts of whisky; Arlington Bill and makotohanabi for gifts of 1.75L of vodka in plastic jugs, BWB-style; Lacy for gifts of beef jerky (essential late-night snacks); the bartending crew of Mr. X, Yagathai, Lord Dracarys and Lugalirra; those who kept the ice buckets filled and the garbage cans emptied (Beniowa, Bookwyrm, Dunknegg, Cuellar); general logistics help from Raya, Tyler and MuthaHydra; and social/dinner/sight-seeing coordination mavens Red Woman, Boiled Leather and DaveAx (I cannot stress how much I appreciate that because 1) I was usually too busy with con stuff to do it and 2) I’m not very good at it anyway). And even those who were new to the group and didn’t have tasks – we welcome you to the fold and, rest assured, we will work you like a rented mule next time.

I would like to say that I didn’t go to a single item of programming this year, but that would be a lie. I went to my own Meet&Greet, and that’s it. I think the only item I regret missing is the TexasDeathRide on Wednesday, but we didn’t get to town early enough. We played Metallica and Iron Maiden during the drive from Austin in solidarity.

I’m beginning to think that Dead Dog day at the con, and the evening thereof, is my favorite. That’s when all the professionals gather in the hotel lobby to drink and chat, stress-free. The con runners have packed up every last box and put them on trucks. Everyone just sits back and shoots the shit. A bunch of BWB went out to dinner, but Mr. X and I had too much biz to finish. So we took a late crew to a local beer garden – Neil, his friend, Ser Knight Somerville, his friend and Yagathai. We sat outside and drank and watched the chimney swifts and bats hunt flying insects in the twilight, and got into a long and fascinating conversation about power grids and Hurricane Sandy. Later, we had an impromptu single malt party with John Picacio and Tara where we killed off a couple of bottles of that heady liquor. And then I led the crowd in a rousing rendition of “Log!” per request of GRRM (he asked that everyone sing a TV theme song , and that was the first song that popped into my scotch-addled brain). While I am not hungover today, I think “surly” would be an apt description.

Hazy, sleep-deprived memories:

Lungfish hockey, sour apes and other joys of autocorrect gone wrong

Oh my god, it’s like an orange gummi grizzly bear just shit lava on my tongue!

The father-daughter(?) furry pair. Because that’s not creepy or anything.

TEXASDEATHRIDE

I REGRET NOTHING

That plastic is like a Biore strip for the carpet.

Looking back at this year, and all the previous years I’ve been running the BWB or managing the parties, I want to stress how humbled and grateful I am for getting to work and party with such an awesome group of people. It might sound hokey, but I love (in a non-creepy way) every last one of you crazy bastards. I cannot wait to raise a glass with you again. THOON!

If I have inadvertently left anyone off this cursory reckoning, blame the post-con fog. I can remember all of your faces, but when it comes to typing up names in a big list and remembering details, I am currently ill-prepared for the task. :(

I posted some photos on my flickr account.

[Regina]

No proper con report from us yet, due to con fatigue and flight delays. But I want to say I love all of you crazy reprobates and miss everyone terribly.

Also, Fen figures he will move up to turning away someone like Neil Gaiman next time. ;-)

[Regina]

Oh, and quote of the con goes to Mr X:

My thousand yard stare only goes about a yard and a half.

THAT, my friends, is how you know you have been to a proper BWB bash.

[Stubby]

Oh, and quote of the con goes to Mr X:

My thousand yard stare only goes about a yard and a half.

THAT, my friends, is how you know you have been to a proper BWB bash.

Superb. :bowdown:

[Kat]

I was on the GoT panel both this year and last.

Oops. My bad. Still, that panel should have been a round table or something. Too much peanut gallery.