[2023-July-04-thru-09, Baltimore, MD US]
So I decided to go to the 2023 Mensa AG or Annual Gathering in Baltimore, MD. Didn’t take any pictures at the convention since it was really just people walking around, going to seminars, and hanging in the hospitality suite.
However, I did take pictures aboard the Raven and cruised around the inner harbor area and then watched the fireworks. So if you want to see a few pics of the ship and a bunch of the fireworks, click on the piture or link below:
[2023-June-16-thru-18, Cincinnati, OH US]
Haven’t been to a con, for a long, long time. So this is to rebooting my con scene adventures, starting out with the International Steampunk Symposium in Cincinnati from 16 through 18 of June, 2023. I went for the afternoon tea on Saturday, everything else is a bonus…
Thursday
Arrived late as always, since I have to fly after work. Hit the hotel, got two bottles of water, and snoozed.
Friday
Worked during the day as usual. Later afternoon, I went wandering. The vendor room was fantastic. (Sorry, I didn’t get any pics there.) And the Great Grandiloquent Wordsmith and his wife were at the con! We chatted for the longest time. It was major fun and a huge bonus meeting them! If you are not familiar, please do go visit: GrandiloquentWordOfTheDay.com
I bought a flask with a leather carrying case to add to my steampunk belt and also got a two inch suspender stretcher. (The suspenders are fine back to front but they keep on falling off the shoulder so I wear it in an “X” on the back, which makes it short and then I fell hunched down all day so this alleviates the problem. And of course, I just noticed that the emblems on them match (not that it matters, the suspender extenders will be under multiple layers of clothing).
Saturday
Okay, the tea event was rather weird. Just walk in, get seated, eat, and drink. No intro, no hello, or welcome. I was randomly seated with another guest; but that was fine, we had a nice chat. The big thing was, though, no three tier tray for the food – I mean with Steampunk, presentation is everything, no? (And no Pimm’s. No Pimm’s! Not that I expected that of course.) The food was actually great, with scones and everything.
Sunday – Was travel back to reality time. But you can suspend disbelief for a few more minutes perusing the (very few, sorry) pics I have taken. See all the pictures by clicking on the picture or link below:
[28-JUL through 91-Aug 2021, San Diego, CA, US]
Back in 2019, my sci-fi con buddy Nathan said I gotta go to Tiki Oasis – it is over the top fun. SO I said okay, I’m game. Registered for Tiki Oasis 2020 and -BOOM- COVID hit. So – I rolled over my tickets to 2021 and here are my pictures in no particular order… Few pictures are from Angela, as marked. Click on the pic or link below to check out all of the Tiki photos:
Tiki Oasis 2021 -Live entertainment day and night![14-19 August, 2019, Dublin, IE and Worldcon 2019, plus London, UK]
Went to Dublin to attend Worldcon 2019. Oddly, I didn’t take too may pictures of Worldcon itself. I have one whopping picture of a group of three in a costume – they were part of the costume contest roaming around after the show. More pictures of traveling to and from Dublin. And going to The Brazen Head Pub (purportedly the old pub in Dublin) to raise a toast to my long gone friend, Tim Costello.
Went from DCA to ORD, then from ORD to LHR, then LHR to DUB. On the way back went from DUB to LCY (first time at that airport so I have a more photos than usual), stayed overnight at Hilton Paddington, then went from LHR to CLT (I think, or was it RDU, don’t recall) then back to DCA. Anyway, the pictures are here (click on pic or link for more):
[November 09 through 11, 2018 Baltimore, MD, US]
Alien-Con. Had to get a picture with the quintessential live meme, Giorgio Tsoukalos, in person. I have succeeded in my mission. Everything else was just extras. I actually only went to the special panel for premium pass holders (was not worth it at all, the producer of the show yakked over half the time) and went to see Clara Oswald (Doctor Who) played by Jenna Coleman.
Dear Alien Con staff: “We didn’t pay extra to here some fat ass producer that no one knows about, to sit in the middle of the panel an usurp the show. We wanted to hear all of the “in front of camera” people, not for the “below the line” people. Got it? I am below the line myself and I don’t sit on panels where the actors and actresses are! Get a hint, it’s not about you, it’s about the celebrities in front of the camera! People left. Mad. Very mad! And – one woman was screaming at staff after the joke of a special for what a rip-off that ‘extra’ pass was. Please don’t do that again. Dear attendees – if you are going to LA (or Baltimore again next year), just get the normal passes! You would be way happier! And you get the same info and panelists throughout the event. No need to pay ridiculous prices to see a fat ass producer talk over the celebrities. Okay, end of rant.
So, other than paying too much, the rest of the event was great 🙂 Click on the pic or link below to see the pics:
