Friday, in more detail, and Saturday.

I was over at the convention center when Jeff arrived, listening to Craig “slist” Newmark speak. We got Jeff two one-day memberships (a remarkable show of faith on his part), and I showed him around the exhibits and dealers’ room.

I spent the entire two days he was here stressing about whether he was a) having a decent time, b) pissed at having spent so much money to have a non-decent time, and c) embarrassed to have a sibling who’d do this willingly.

We went and watched some short films that were bad. We ate lunch and had some beers, not necessarily in that order, in the convention center, and maybe walked around some more. Jeff seemed bemused and befuddled, then amused. Really amused. Later in the afternoon we went to watch a human chess match that was pretty funny and, happily, featured (if you ask me) the entire “attractive, in-shape” subsection of fandom. That’s, like, forty people. Then we went to the glass [h]armonica demonstration, which was just awesome. That’s about where I started feeling like maybe Jeff would have a decent time.

I’ll have pictures up on kostia.net (photos link at the top of this screen) soon, and I’ll also be posting my glass armonica videos on youtube or Google video when I get a chance. I’ll let you know. Man, that was just great.

We stopped by the “youth” programming area (not children [under 12], but teenagers) and watched a little zombie makeup application and Quidditch. It was cute, and basically involved kids in school uniforms and mortarboards with entrails hanging off their faces (the makeup was pretty damn good; I’ll have a picture up soon) chasing miniature basketballs around on the floor with toy brooms. Chaos.

We watched an improv performance by D.I.P.S., and that was cute too. They were funnier in person than in the scripted (?) webisodes they showed on screen.

After a quick dinner at the Pizza Hut in the hotel, we went to the Masquerade. We had fairly decent seats, which is entirely due to the fact Jeff is much more aggressive about finding seats than I am, but the pictures still of course suck. That’s just the nature of the beast. There was no one costume that blew me away, but several that were very nice indeed, and I’m glad I saw them. Since my first Worldcon in 1998, when the best Masquerade costume I’ve ever seen was presented, nothing has topped it. I go to Masquerades every con just in case. If something as good as The Huntress ever happens again, I will not miss it. (Look again. That’s two people.)

I tried to brave the parties Friday night, but I just couldn’t do it. I don’t understand con parties, I don’t particularly know how to go to them, and they frighten me. Even the con suite, all I can bring myself to do is duck in and grab a free Coke and maybe some cookies or pretzels. It’s depressing. I did see Vinny and Susan on the deck outside one of the parties, but the sight of peripheral acquaintances, friends of friends, just cemented for me the fact that I was at a con where I didn’t know anyone.

In case I’m giving the wrong impression here, yes, I didn’t know anyone at this Worldcon. First time ever that’s happened. And you know what? I’ve had the best time.

Saturday, we had the breakfast buffet (watching Jeff fill a plate of food has always been a real show). We went to a slide show of behind-the-scenes photos from the set of Enterprise, which was a show I never watched, but the pictures were cool and the assistant director giving the presentation was on the ball, and Jeff seemed to enjoy it. My favorite shot was the Stanley Cup in the captain’s chair; apparently on his day-with-the-Cup one of that year’s championship team’s players visited the set with it, and hilarity ensued.

At one we saw a panel on special effects before CGI, which was interesting. The panel of four included guys who’d won at least two Oscars and six Emmys between them, and I thought that was neat.

There was a wedding on the stage in the food court area, and we happened to be around to watch that. It was sweet. A guy dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi (circa episode three) performed the ceremony. The bride and maid of honor wore corsets, the groom was decked out in full Scottish regalia, and the best man was in a kimono. Jeff seemed to find it funny (as do I, really) that people get married at Worldcons. Regularly.

At four, Trailer Park, of course, always a highlight of the convention for me. Derisive sounds from the audience for a lot of stuff I thought looked okay, and popular cheers (though later I overheard scoffs) for some upcoming animated things that looked adorable. I was thrilled to see the Ratatouille trailer on a big screen.

We went out to a place in Garden Grove and had sushi for dinner. I thought it was pretty good, Jeff thought it was just okay. We walked back to the hotel from there. I very much like that Jeff and I never seem to run out of ridiculous things to say to each other. Back at the hotel, I went swimming, we had another couple of beers out by the pool while lightly discussing his work, and at ten we went to Match Game SF After Dark, a game show the less said about which the better.

And Jeff left this morning. I meant to get up early with him and do some productive things (like, possibly, launder my clothes), but I slept very late instead. Oh well.

Today I went to the last half-hour or so of a talk by Ron Moore and some other folks involved in the writing and production of Battlestar Galactica (no season three spoilers, except that Tigh features prominently in the premiere and makes some good and right moves in fighting back, which is welcome news). To give you an impression of the relative popularity of such a panel, it was in the same triple ballroom with stage and big screen as Trailer Park yesterday. Wasn’t as full, but close.

As my last convention activity, I watched James Gurney paint a little. He uses a tripod instead of an easel, and the demonstration of that was kind of cool.

And now? The convention’s over, I don’t fly out until tomorrow, and what am I doing now, you ask?

I’M GOING TO DISNEYLAND.

And I’m not kidding.

Technorati Tags: battlestar galactica, california, disneyland, music, science fiction, worldcon