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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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