Creature of Mad Enthusiasms

http://sakibatch.storenvy.com/products/12901873-pencil-bags

Sakibatch was selling Sherlock, Sherlock AU, and Cabin Pressure pencil bags at 221B Con. (I bought the Sherlock and the CP ones; you can never have enough things to put your knitting supplies in. Also a good size for toiletries, etc.)

Anyway, the pencil bags are up for order again, and as Sakibatch's con earnings were stolen after the convention, you'd be helping a young artist out.

I started to liveblog 221B Con on LJ, but the phone keyboard/predictive texting teamed up to make me crazy.

The convention is moving ever more into social media. Livejournal was mentioned occasionally, but in a manner that made it sound like LJ had been discovered in a Leicester parking lot. Dreamwidth wasn't mentioned at all (sorry y'all!) but I'm going to crosspost fannish stuff here in an effort to broaden my own social media presence. The vast majority of attention went to twitter and tumblr. If you didn't have a tumblr, you didn't quite exist; everyone was introducing themselves by tumblr handles. And in-con communication was mainly via twitter. Three Patch Podcast tweeted when they were handing out limited-edition badge ribbons and parties; the Homeless Network (a new group) tweeted lost-and-founds and prize giveaways. The concom itself officially tweeted to John Finnemore during the Cabin Pressure panel.

So, I've unlocked the bookish_nea twitter and created the madenthusiasms tumblr. I don't expect to be doing massive amounts on either but... I built a fannish reputation on LJ; now it's time to start over.

( Way more convention details )

And then... it was time to go home. TSA got into my bag, nibbled a few M&Ms, and checked out the Johnlock porn. Since they didn't zip my bag up all the way, I hope the graphic omegaverse knotting illustration haunts whoever pried for the rest of their lives.

ETA: ( TSA were jerks. The cabin crew were a riot. )

I can't believe how often I have to redecide to NOT go to the Book Thing today. The simultaneous problems are that it always has something unique and interesting - but also that I Have. No. More. Shelf. Space. Not even on the Little Free Library shelves, as the neighborhood itself chipped in and stuffed it full last week.

So, I'm going to try to distract myself past the time I should leave by talking about GridlockDC. Who's going? azriona, will we finally get to meet?

It's at the top of my mind because I've been suggesting panels for it. In part by scanning through the 221B Con panel list going "yup, don't wanna miss this, don't wanna miss that..." but also combining some things.

The suggestions I've made so far:

Canon/Fanon 101: Where the book fans explain why "The Geek Interpreter" is so funny and the media fans explain hedgehogs and red pants.

Why are there lemons in the planters?: There has always been overlap between Holmes and other fandoms, moreso now that fans are blending all the shows that the actors have been in. Discussion of why these fandoms relate to Holmes: Doctor Who, Star Trek, Cabin Pressure, The Hobbit, etc.

Misogyny in the Holmesverse: Canonical Holmes is often accused of misogyny, but how did he treat women in canon? How is the treatment of women in Sherlock and Elementary better -- or worse?*


*That one is not quite on the 221B Con list, which does have a more generic "Women in canon" but I think we could really get our teeth into that one as a panel. If it gets picked for Gridlock and works, I'll suggest it for a future 221B.

I also really, REALLY hope I get picked for a panelist for the The Woman panel at 221B Con. I. Have. Opinions. Not just on canonical Irene, but how she's handled in the 21st Century.

There will be a 221B Con post coming soon, with pictures - I'm assuming that people want that and haven't already seen everything on tumblr and twitter - but before I get into that, I want talk about an epiphany I had during a panel.

We were talking about one of the women.

A woman who has done something probably illegal, possibly immoral, certainly eyebrow-raising that should not be publicized. There is blackmail involved. Sherlock Holmes will play on this woman's natural reactions to trick her into benefiting his case (for which she is on the opposite side). In the end, though, she will leave the story in triumph, no longer under threat, in possession of security, and having bested Holmes.

Irene? Not in the 21st Century.

Janine.

In Sherlock, JANINE's storyline best fits the template of the canonical Irene story!

No wonder I like Janine so much!


Janine was a minorly popular costume at 221B Con, but then she's easy (so to speak) - long dark wig and a purple bridesmaid's gown. I gave personal bonus points to the one who was also carrying a beaker full of beer one night. There were a smattering of Wedding Marys (some armed) and one assassin Mary (I have a photo of her and one of the wedding Marys doing a jumping kiss. Jumping kisses were popular.) There was a Moriarty in collar, chain, and straitjacket, assorted AU characters such as Balletlock and BatJohn, and both Victorian and Playboy Bunny versions of the Sherlock John/Sherlock/Mycroft. There was an excellent suited Moriarty in the Masquerade re-enacting the "I'll turn you into SHOES!" phone call (the audience went *nuts*!)

There was an excellent spread of panel concepts, although it broke my brain a bit to jump between The History of New Scotland Yard and Sherlock Fanfic AUs (both running simultaneously) Concom members sat in on anything that might be controversial, which prevented a train wreck like last year's Sexuality in Sherlock panel.

Three Patch Podcast ran a consuite, and were giving out different ribbons every few hours, so if you hit them up regularly you could get quite a lot of ribbons.

Alas, I figured this out when it was too late -- indeed, the only real problem with the convention was that I gave myself too many tasks to do during it (panels, give away books, teach knitting, solicit for Scintillation of Scions) that I couldn't relax enough and just enjoy what was going on around me.

Although I know one of the Benfesters has heard of people who turned down 221B Con in favor of the putative "official convention -- and let's face it, there's going to be no American one this year, not with no date or city yet announced -- the numbers were still in the convention's favor. Attendance was ~875, give or take, with 300 people at the tea (Up from 660/200 last year). A silent auction brought in $2000.

And the Beacon Society (which teaches literacy & a little forensics in schools via Sherlock Holmes) had an extremely clever idea for a fundraiser - fund your 'ship. They had boxes set up for all the main Sherlock ships - Johnlock, Sherlolly, Mystrade, Warston, etc., etc. - and you literally voted with your money. I stayed away because I think ship wars are unseemly, but fortunately it was all taken in good fun. And because tallies were given regularly, people could watch the race in real time - to the point that apparently someone hit up the ATM machine to put their ship back in first place! That brought in over $650. (Johnlock apparently tallied $220 and some change at the end, and someone demanded to know how MUCH change so that she could bring it up to an even 221.)

This was such a success that they've already announced next year's charity "war" - favorite Holmes/Watson teams. If people are going to go to the ATM to vote for a ship, I think putting the Elementary and Sherlock fans toe-to-toe is just about going to equal printing money!

I did not get it in gear this year to do a special booklet of canon favorites for 221B Con. But Dover Thrift is, well, thrifty, and I've decided to buy 40 of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Hound of the Baskervilles, or a mix of the two. Which way should I go?


[Poll #1960259]

The LJ-less Cindy got this one; it sums up 221BCon rather nicely:

5 Watsons, 2 Sherlocks, 1 Femmelock, Anderson, and the 11th Doctor study the scene of the crime.

So. I did this thing this weekend...

I thought I'd be beating the rest of the Sherlockian wave by arriving Thursday night, only to be part of a line of people arriving early. At least a dozen non-concom folk had decided to come in and settle early.

I don't know what they did with themselves Friday day, as I went to the Stitches South marketplace. I actually didn't buy any yarn! I went for needles and notions, which I did get (including the new Boyes "Tipping Point" needles, straights with interchangeable tips that are dull, medium, and sharp. Boyeses aren't particularly quality but the pinhole for the tightening key is a vital thing for running lifelines.) Alas, though, the Octopus Snips aren't out yet - I asked! I also picked up two DVDs on sock knitting - one with the "free sole" method and one with the Bosnian Square Toe and Garter Toe, which I want to learn. As usual, I brought about 100x the amount of yarn I needed, so I've decided that I'm going to learn square toe tube socks and knit those at conventions. It's the sort of thing I'd wear in the winter instead of slippers.

By the time I'd gotten back, the cosplay had begun, in anticipation of the tea. As Brad of Sherlock Peoria has pointed out, it's hard to tell when people are cosplaying the modern stuff because it looks like everyone else's clothing. (If Joan Watson hadn't had a Clyde, I'd never have "gotten" her.) For the Sherlock cosplayers, it mostly means slim women in tailored men's suits - if she had painted on stubble, she was Moriarty, if she had curly dark hair she was Sherlock, and if she had an umbrella, she was Mycroft. There were also lots of Johns, mostly recognizable by 1) hanging out with a Sherlock and 2) cabled sweaters and Irenes in either slinky short black or white dresses, usually accessorized with a riding crop.

There were exceptions. As the con really picked up, other costumes, including those for fan art and fanfic started showing up - a Sherlock with black wings, a male Sherlock in (nothing but?) a sheet, an Irene in (nothing but?) a long coat, someone in a cardboard box marked up as "Sherlock's Mind Palace," an Irene in lingerie, a blood-covered Sherlock with a harpoon, a blue Easter bunny costume with lights under it (Bluebell the bunny), and a handful of Mollys - one in a the black dress from the Christmas party (she kept getting mistaken for an Irene) but most in lab coats with fake IDs clipped to them. There were some gender-bends but surprisingly few - off the top of my head, I only saw one femmeLock and one femmeCroft. There were also some BRILLIANT Cabin Pressure folks and lots of hand-made Ts. Some of the Ts were fan art (there was a nice Hark a Vagrant one of the Tale of Two Watsons) but the one I lusted after most was the Traveling Lemon World Championship one. The "Anderson" of the T stayed in her sterile suit all weekend, accessorized with a "kick me - signed Sherlock Holmes" note taped to her back and a dinosaur-patterned purse. (Side note - I know I'm scrambling pronouns and characters here, but I think there's a big difference between cosplay as a male character and serious cross dressing. Particularly when a male character is carrying a purse.)

The fan photographer brought a 221B door and TimeGate con brought their TARDIS, which sat in the main hall lobby all Saturday. By the time it left most people had taken their picture in it (including one of the cardboard cutout of Doyle peeking out) and it had more than one lemon on top.

The dealer's room, when it opened, was tilted heavily towards fan art. This is a great thing when I wanted to wibble over DauntDraws/MarieLikestoDraw, but a little surprising when I expected to come home with armloads of books. The only books for sale were an old Sherlockian couple burning off some of their collection (which was some nice stuff, but I had or had purged it myself, y'know?) There was ALWAYS a line at Cara McGee's table - in part because she was stopping to do quickie commission cartoons and in part because the teas are so unique in a room full of art, cards, deerstalkers, and jewelry.

The convention itself also had some things on sale. Con shirts, of course ("221BCon" on the front, badge art across the back) and deerstalkers, and the noir version of Watson and Holmes #1 (and, in the fullness of time, 2014 memberships.) They also had Diogenes Club mugs... but those weren't so much for sale as they were the carrot on a very expensive lure - lifetime convention memberships.

As I had gone to the con with a simply stupid amount of cash (seriously, I could have hired a contractor with what I'd squirreled away, because between the two conventions I didn't want to run out of cash) and THEN found $300 hidden in my suitcase (long story) - well... I could buy the membership and still come out ahead.

So I did. I have literally invested in 221BCon.

I. Take. Back. Every. Doubt. I. Had. This has been a brilliant convention that ran without a hitch. There are changes to suggest, yes, but I can say that experienced con runners would kill to have cons with this range and enthusiasm and smooth sailing. 221BCon has put on a wonderful show.

The con is hopping. I've seen people spelling out 221B with their bodies for the scavenger hunt and Moriarty & Sherlock passionately kissing in the lobby. Costuming panel well attended. They did a soft open of registration at 8 and got everyone through in time. Still don't know actual attendance; have heard 4 different numbers for the cap.

The good news is, I found everything my heart could have desired in the Stitches market. The bad news is, that used up all my luck for the raffle. I keep reminding myself that no matter how much I love art and tees, I grow bored of the latter and stop noticing the former and those grapes were probably sour anyway.

On the for real good news, I've stayed strictly within budget.