Worldcon past
Aug. 12th, 2008 10:05 pmWe're back from Worldcon in Denver where we had a fine time. We saw lots of friends, some over and over again, others only once. (![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
marykaykare, I know you were there, but I don't think I saw you even once!) With regards to programming, I kept making wrong choices for panels and hearing from others about the great ones they went to. Oh well.
The parties were great and often navigable, not quite as much of a crush as usual. I particularly enjoyed the aquavit tasting at the Friendly Scandinavians (though I've forgotten my favorite now -- something lander, maybe?), the room decor for Xerps (I'm a sucker for glow-in-the-dark anything), and the delightful Eric in the Elevator interview videos. That's where they set up two chairs and a small table in a working elevator and film pseudo talk show interviews with willing fans, including footage of random passersby just using the elevator. Funny stuff! It's filmed at Baycon, which we're never at because we go to Wiscon instead, so I really enjoyed a chance to watch some of them, even though I normally dislike watching videos during parties.
I'm bummed that I missed an apparently spectacular lightning storm because we were inside an auditorium watching the masquerade at the time. They kept promising thunderstorms, but that was the only one that delivered. Still, the masquerade was fun even though Wil McCarthy was rather weak as the M.C. (despite Kevin Roche helping him along with a martini glass schtick). I particularly enjoyed the Jack Skellington costume from Nightmare Before Christmas; the fellow wearing it had exactly the right physique for it (i.e., tall and skinny).
Saturday was my birthday, so I treated myself to a spa date, then we went out to dinner at Restaurant Kevin Taylor (which was quite fabulous; more about that later). If I were more experienced in spa things, I might have scheduled it differently. The massage was excellent, though it included a scalp massage that left my hair slightly oily. But after that I had a manicure/pedicure and was told I shouldn't take a shower for a few hours to let the polish thoroughly harden. Guess I should have done it all earlier in the day, which would have given me time to shower afterwards, not to mention time for the polish to de-gas as well (yuck, I hate that reek!). Well, no matter, I doubt I'll ever do another manicure/pedicure again. I thought I'd give it a try since I've never done it and I've heard friends rave about how marvelous it is, but I can't say it impressed me at all. I don't know, I just don't get it. Now massages, I'm all in favor of those!
So there you go, a very warped view of Denvention. I wasn't particuarly enthusiastic about this one, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (perhaps in part to lowered expectations). Now next year in Montreal and the following year in Australia, I'm looking forward to very much indeed!
marykaykare, I know you were there, but I don't think I saw you even once!) With regards to programming, I kept making wrong choices for panels and hearing from others about the great ones they went to. Oh well. The parties were great and often navigable, not quite as much of a crush as usual. I particularly enjoyed the aquavit tasting at the Friendly Scandinavians (though I've forgotten my favorite now -- something lander, maybe?), the room decor for Xerps (I'm a sucker for glow-in-the-dark anything), and the delightful Eric in the Elevator interview videos. That's where they set up two chairs and a small table in a working elevator and film pseudo talk show interviews with willing fans, including footage of random passersby just using the elevator. Funny stuff! It's filmed at Baycon, which we're never at because we go to Wiscon instead, so I really enjoyed a chance to watch some of them, even though I normally dislike watching videos during parties.
I'm bummed that I missed an apparently spectacular lightning storm because we were inside an auditorium watching the masquerade at the time. They kept promising thunderstorms, but that was the only one that delivered. Still, the masquerade was fun even though Wil McCarthy was rather weak as the M.C. (despite Kevin Roche helping him along with a martini glass schtick). I particularly enjoyed the Jack Skellington costume from Nightmare Before Christmas; the fellow wearing it had exactly the right physique for it (i.e., tall and skinny).
Saturday was my birthday, so I treated myself to a spa date, then we went out to dinner at Restaurant Kevin Taylor (which was quite fabulous; more about that later). If I were more experienced in spa things, I might have scheduled it differently. The massage was excellent, though it included a scalp massage that left my hair slightly oily. But after that I had a manicure/pedicure and was told I shouldn't take a shower for a few hours to let the polish thoroughly harden. Guess I should have done it all earlier in the day, which would have given me time to shower afterwards, not to mention time for the polish to de-gas as well (yuck, I hate that reek!). Well, no matter, I doubt I'll ever do another manicure/pedicure again. I thought I'd give it a try since I've never done it and I've heard friends rave about how marvelous it is, but I can't say it impressed me at all. I don't know, I just don't get it. Now massages, I'm all in favor of those!
So there you go, a very warped view of Denvention. I wasn't particuarly enthusiastic about this one, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (perhaps in part to lowered expectations). Now next year in Montreal and the following year in Australia, I'm looking forward to very much indeed!
