Erik's Readercon Highlight Reel

On the way to Claire's place to pick up her and dread Patty, I got stuck in traffic on 95.  I was singing, headphones in and windows open, because what is stop-and-slightly-less-stop traffic if you can't brighten it with your voice (protip: my voice brightens nothing, and that was the part of the mix that had Glasser and Bat for Lashes in it, so these are not even songs I should attempt).  After a few miles and minutes of this, I notice that there is only one person in the car behind me when I thought there were two.  This strikes me as funny, and I have nothing better to do with my time so I find myself checking the rear-view occasionally, still singing, and lo, there were two.  The passenger rose, took a swig from a water bottle and returned to a station just out of sight.  Not wanting to let them know I knew, I kept singing, and thus began the con with me serenading a blowjob.  I could almost stop right there.

Second panel - "How Fantastic is Fantasy."  I think I am developing a taste for panels that I know are going to be shit-shows from the first time I lay eyes upon the description (or the lineup).  I saw this one and knew it was going to be an hour of too many people sharing ghost stories, ranging from the standard to the gleefully delusional with some internecine paranormal pissing contests.  Thus my clairvoyance was proven correct.  What I hadn't counted on was the moderator being... immoderate.  Or tossing off words that made me give the skeletor face from up on the stage. Protip: anyone who entered that room does not get to call themselves a skeptic anymore.  Ever.  And almost all of the panelists did.  I kept silent on the matter.  Also kept silent when nihilistic_kid asked me if I had powers.

The answer to both is no.  Maybe.

Speaking of Nick, he got me to read proof, or something, hidden in the texts of Stephen Kings' early novels ("and recently Christine") that King killed John Lennon.  Or something. I noticed that the man who complied this evidence drove a white van.  

Coincidence?

Okay, various internet people who cared enough to comment, you're right, I did use Shenroos' name a few times too many in "Draftyhouse."  Still, I managed another reading without soiling myself and that's always a plus.  Someone brought the book of pirate short stories that vg_ford edited to my reading for me to sign, though.   That sound you hear is my skin starting to itch from the huge validation fix.  I am a junkie for it.  It's a problem.

Got to witness the "Wet Dreams and Nightmares" panel, which was pretty cool.  And to think I hesitated.

Got to meet Jim Freund, who was also pretty cool.  

I did not get a chance to lurk late with greygirlbeast  and company, this year, which makes me sad.

Juvenalia reading in the room.  Unfortunately (or not), All of my work from back in the day is gone, either to depressive episodes on my part or to time spent in one of the many, many sheds on the Amundsen ancestral compound.  I got to read other peoples' (read wirewalking 's) work, though, and ham it up significantly.  That said, I did notice that wirewalking could do an unlikable protagonist on purpose at 12, and I can't at 36.

I got to play with tarot cards after Kirk Polland.  I figure my skeptic cred was blown for the con, so why not?

And when no one was looking, "The Lend," which rose_lemberg published in Stone Telling, stole 40 cakes.  That's as many as four tens.  got second place for the Rhysling short form.   shadesong got first place.  She let me read at her reading and wear a tiara.  Because sometimes, I like to feel pretty.

Last panel I was on was my favorites of the ones that I did.  Ancient evils, and I have more stuff to say about that one, possibly later.  Possibly sooner.  

I gained 4 pounds over the weekend, apropos to very little.  I had a doctor's appointment at the ass crack of dawn, and so this becomes a relevant point of information to me.  

And then there were all the cool people I only see once a year!  I got to hang out with handful_ofdust a little more than usual, but leahbobet  and readingthedark  less than usual (though I was able to make more of Leah's panels than last time, and her reading, which was damn good).  Got to hang out with pattytempleton  more than usual, since she was stuck in my car for the ride to an from.  I cannot play poker with her, ever, though.  She knows my tells.  I have this sneaking suspicion that picking them up was not a challenge for her.

And then there are the people I adore, but only get to see a handful of times a year.  You guys know who you are, and I am going to try to see you all soon.

IN YOUR NIGHTMARES!!!

Cons are more exhausting to me than anything else I do.  A full work day with uncle Erik duties do not do to me by 9 what cons do by like 2.  It's a weird world.