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ConChord 2001

I arrived at LAX; met up with Seanan and Chris while waiting for my luggage at baggage claim. It was good change of pace to actually see Seanan- we've been talking online in Filkhaven quite a bit.

What followed was the normal manic conversations that Seanan and I usually have when we see each other. These manic conversations go right back to the first time we met. Really. We had sex. Just ask her. She'll tell you...

"Mummy, was it a suggestion or an order that I not summon Elder Gods?"
"It was an order"
"...oh. Well then. Never mind."


We attempted to pick up Eloise at Barry and Lee Gold's; but we weren't sure how we were going to fit into the car. I was having a close personal relationship with Moira (my guitar) and the rest of my luggage in the back seat- the trunk was full. However, Barry and Lee got to Eloise to the con and left a note for us; so we proceeded there.

When we arrived, I dropped my stuff in Seanan's room while I went to find Nick Smith to find out what he needed of me. While looking for Nick, I caught up with Lee and Barry Gold and John and Mary Creasey.

After leaving John and Mary, I ran into Kathleen Sloan, Jane Mailander, and Ken Hughes. More catching up ensued.

While still looking for Nick, I ran into Kristoph Klover and Margaret Davis in the dealer's room.

THEN I found Nick. We checked in; and I moved into my room.

After which, I dropped off Editions CD's to Nick Smith, Lee and Barry Gold, John and Mary Creasey, Gerry and Sandra Tyra, and Blars Blarson.

About this time I realized that I was feeling rather peckish. So, on Seanan's advice, I headed over to Beeps for dinner. WONDERFUL Vanilla Malts. Heck, WONDERFUL shakes in general. I won't really go on about it here; but it was good enough that all but one of my meals this weekend were consumed there.

Went back to the hotel, and off to the opening ceremonies. Spent some time talking to Kathleen Sloan, Fred and Robin and their kids. I took pictures *everywhere*

As I was leaving the opening ceremonies, I ran into Callie Hills just as she was arriving. We went back to the food and fun for a bit, then I went up to my room to practice.

Went down to the filk room a bit later; began a secondary filk. We had a good time for many many hours... Seanan, Lee and Barry, Ken Hughes, Eloise, and Callie were all there.

I popped into main room for a moment; caught Windbourne in a couple songs.

I crashed at 1am; (4am by my body clock).

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I was up a just before 10am- went to Beeps for breakfast with John and Mary Creasey.

Maureen O'Brien and I presided over a songwriting workshop; we focussed on things that keep one from actually getting started and writing.

The WorlDream rehearsal was at 1pm. A bit smaller than other cons; but very warmly felt.

TTTR at 2p. Oh. My. Goodness.

Robin Baylor and her daughter proved that professional songwriters have no pride. There are tapes and tapes of songs to encourage little ones to use the potty, rather than their undershorts for their business. We were "treated" to a medley of these songs.

You just HAD to see Mara Brenner and her Amazing Scorpion Suit. In fact, it was so Amazing that it fetched a good price in the InterFilk auction that night.

Seanan McGuire showed us all what overexposure to Talis Kimberley's 'X-Libris' will do to you.

Jordan Mann did a wonderfully sick and twisted parody to the Disney song "Be Our Guest" ala the Marquis deSade.

Lynn Gold did a parody of Enya's "Oronoco Flow" with massive PA effects... and a ukelele.

And I sang "You Can Be Mean to Me" by Heywood Banks. Accompanied by Seanan McGuire and Eloise Beltz-Decker having a shirt-ripping, silly-stringing, screaming catfight behind me.

After the TTTR was the Anderson/Dickson memorial filk. These gentlemen were good friends- I hope that they are together and as happy in the next life as they've made all of us in this one simply by their presence and gifts.

One shots. I missed most of these as I needed to go find a bit of food. I found the consuite, manned by Deborah Lee. It was in Room 180 of the hotel; which I found quite fun. I mean, what is 180 degrees from a singing filker? An eating one...

We held the WorlDream recording at 4:30. It was small (about 34 voices), but intimate and with lotsa heart.

After the recording, I sat and talked to Seanan for a bit; then went to dinner with her, Callie, and the Hornings.

After dinner I practiced with Callie and put together the set list for my concert that evening.

The concerts were to start at 8pm, but various setup glitches ensued and Windbourne kicked off the concert sets at about 8:45.

Windbourne is Rilla Heslin and Karen Rodgers. They entertained us with a mixture of filk and folk songs and tight harmonies.

The Guest of Honor was a band called Broceliande. Broceliande is Margaret Davis on vocals, Celtic harp, and flute; Kristoph Klover on vocals, guitar, and mandola; Karl Franzen on guitar, vocals, mandola, whistle, and melodian; and Kris Yenney on cello, viol, and vocals.

We all got a *very* enjoyable music education in that hour; Broceliande definitely raises the bar and reminds us all of what true professional musicianship is. Go buy their CD. Really. You won't regret it.

Maureen O'Brien was the InterFilk Guest- and she is LONG overdue for a Guest slot at a convention. She is an extremely prolific songwriter; and her songs cover almost all fantasy and SF themes. She's a great Miles Vorkosigan fan; and her website brings together filk and fandom from around the world.

After the concerts, I hung out w/ Gerry and Sandy Tyra, John and Mary Creasey, Leslie Fish, Lynn Gold, Rilla Heslin and Karen Rodgers up in Gerry and Sandy's room. I intended to go downstairs and filk; but I didn't look at the clock until 3:30am; things had mostly died down in the rest of the con by that time.

I did manage to filk w/ Seanan, Chris, Callie, Eloise, Nick, and the Hornings for a little bit; then I left to go crash.

I wandered by the consuite on my way to my room- and had a true moment of double take when I got re-aquainted with Deborah Lee.

I finally went to bed after 5am.

=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=

I dragged myself up at 10am. I got packed & ready to go.

Went out to brunch with Maureen, the Golds, and a friend of Maureen's (NOT Beeps! surprisingly enough...).

After which, I got back into the car with Chris and Seanan for the trip back to LAX. There was a slight detour, but I managed to dig myself out of a shallow grave in Reseda in time to meet my plane.

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2001 Steve Macdonald