Con Prep

[neadods]

Top posting. I know there are important things happening in the blogosphere, but tonight, this is what's important to me.


I don't know how many more MediaWests there will be, or how much longer I'll be going. The Internet has siphoned off much of what the con existed for in the first place - I'm no longer going to come home with the only fanzines I'll get and the memory of the only vids I'll see all year. (Although that latter? I am more than a little relieved that the vid contest hasn't become an endurance trial to see how long I can stay awake.)

And the economy is really cramping things. Gas has gone up 30 cents a gallon in just a few weeks. If I wasn't rooming with a group, I would have probably dropped out; as it is, several salwart regulars aren't coming or are going elsewhere. The teething troubles of a new hotel are not going to add to the ambiance... I've been at conventions at clueless or actively hostile hotels, and that's never a good thing.

And yet... it's not just nostalgia that takes me across four states. (Five this year, if I take the alternative to the PA turnpike. Which is tempting, because the kindest word that can be said about the PA turnpike is "industrial.") Celebrity cons, even fan-run ones, spin to showcase the celebrity's shows. Online, we self-select for our own interests. It's easy to lose track of panfandom as a culture itself, to assume that what you see is all there is.

MediaWest is all of panfandom, at least the convention-going part, and thus an excellent way of taking the pulse of what fandoms are hottest, which are rising, which are falling. It's also an excellent way of scaring up the one or two people who are also aficionados of that really obscure thing that you thought nobody else ever saw or loved.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go. In two days, I head to where it's all live and enthusiastic and in-your-face. There will be animals. There will be door decorations - some as simple as a piece of paper and some pictures, some elaborate and running into the hall and along the walls (like the Hub door with flying Myfanwy and Jubilee pizza boxes piled up). There will be panels and arguments and squee and a hotel that's one big dealer's room because you're allowed (and to some degree expected) to sell stuff out of your room. There will be people who've come to all 29 years. There will be people who've never been to anything like it.

I don't know how many more MediaWests there will be, or how much longer I'll be going. But I'm still looking forward to this, drive and all, and I'll miss it when it's gone, because fandom will probably never see its like again.

Comments

[zinelady.livejournal.com]

I really wish I could go. This will only be the 2nd Media West that I've missed since I started going over 20 years ago. The last one was when I was in New Zealand in 2002.

I guess I can comfort myself with spending a week in Australia while John goes to the Aust/NZ Psych assoc. meetings starting this Saturday. It won't be as much fun as being at MWC, but maybe I'll see a live kangaroo or two.

Maybe I'll take my computer and write a new Star Trek story while he's in meetings.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'll take my computer and write a new Star Trek story while he's in meetings.

In addition to bringing too many books and too much knitting, I'm hoping to start drafting a story while I'm there.

[jennetj.livejournal.com]

Do you Skype? merclibrarian is having to miss on account of recovering from surgery, so we set her up with Skype, and we'll be video-calling during the con so she can see everybody. It's easy to set up, and calls to other Skype accounts are free. My Skype username is the same as my LJ name.

[zinelady.livejournal.com]

yes, I skype as well. Its under my real name and email address. I'll add you to my contacts. We'll be in Australia on the weekend, but I'll check in at our hotel and see if you are online.

[trekkieturtle.livejournal.com]

I really hope I get to go before they disappear. It's travel costs that have always been the decider for me. I detest long drives and flying is such a bitch now. Really, I guess I'd like to see the local cons take up more fandom-esque meta topics. But then I suppose someone besides the usual suspects would have to run them, and we can't have *that*.

[bizarra.livejournal.com]

I would absolutely help run one in the Bay Area if someone would help me. I think there should be many more cons in the vein of M*W so there isn't such a hole when its gone.

Why there isn't a Trek Con in the home of Starfleet Headquarters I'll never know. LOL

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I detest long drives too - but with two people making one, costs go *way* down.

Gotta defend the local cons; we've done metafandom panels and nobody comes.

[trekkieturtle.livejournal.com]

The metafandom panels must have been scheduled poorly, then. I usually attend stuff like that. I've pretty much given up trying to do any sort of panels for Farpoint or Shore Leave. The current programming people always give stuff to "the usual suspects" or are terrible about communicating that you have a panel slot till the last minute.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I have to find out who's doing the Shore Leave panels this year, because I'll have suggestions.

[bizarra.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to this year, We still don't have a room yet, but we got a room at the new Residence Inn. We plan on checking the CWB once we get in, and seeing if we can get a room. (I'm guessing probably)

For some reason I have a sinking feeling this is the last M*W and I don't know why I feel that. Its just one of those gut feelings. I really really hope not, I want this con to go on forever! LOL maybe someone else can come in and take over.. or something, but yes... there is no other con like it, and I'll miss it like HELL when its gone.

I love seeing the same folks every year, its like a family reunion. :-)

We'll see you there!

[jennetj.livejournal.com]

*shh, don't tell anybody, but I know a couple of people who just called up the hotel and made a reservation, no problem. Nice, eh, while so many of us are still on the waiting list.

[bizarra.livejournal.com]

Bwuh??? *sigh, why do we bother playing by the rules...LOL

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I knew it.

I just KNEW it! The hotel's gone hostile. Did the people say that they were with the con, or is the CWB trying to get normals among the weirdos?

I remember 1991. It's gonna be a bumpy ride...

[suzy_queue]

On the phone now. When I tried to make a res, she typed in the days and said, "We might not have any rooms available because we're having a big convention this weekend." I thought about taking it further to see what she'd say, but nerves won out and I admitted I was with the con. She called the wait list very long, but happily Biz was next up anyway, so we're in.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

"We might not have any rooms available because we're having a big convention this weekend."

Hmmmm.... Okay, not overly hostile. But still a bit clueless to be this close to the con and not know that there's a long waiting list.

*long sigh*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I love seeing the same folks every year, its like a family reunion. :-)

With some of THOSE relatives. :D

I'm with you - I'm thinking this may well be the last. I agreed with whoever thought they'd take it to 30 just to end on a round number, but with the economy so bad and, according to a comment downthread, the hotel now outright doing us wrong, starting over may be too much.

[bizarra.livejournal.com]

This year, I need to see even THOSE relatives. LOL I really need to have fun this weekend.