Category: convention

Dublin, Worldcon 2019, and London

[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):


On the way to The Brazen Head Pub across the River Liffey

Alien Con Baltimore Nov 09-11 2018

[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:


Alien Con Baltimore Nov 09-11 2018

To London in Premium Economy on British Airways Boeing 777

[23-May-2018 to 29-May-2018, London, England, US]

Part One – British Airways Boeing 777

Okay, On one of my many trips to London, I decided to do two things. Fly on a British Airways 777 and get the “Premium Economy” seats. Well, it was an older Boeing 777 cabin but, oh well, I tried. The seats are wider than economy and a little bit more legroom. Got a glass of sparkling wine, which was a good start.

But… but. When the food arrived, they served it in wrappers! Are they telling me even though I paid for “PREMIUM” Economy (in British Airways parlance, that would be “World Traveler” class) they want to subtly remind you you are in premium “ECONOMY? Fine, I will sulk in my seat drinking my mini bottle of wine… 🙂

Part Two – MCM ExCel London Comic Con May 2018

So the whole point of this trip was to go volunteer at the “MCM ExCel London Comic Con”. Yes, I flew all the way from the United States to just volunteer at the MCM Comic Con. Yep. I know, words fail you. It’s okay, I had a blast. Of course I went to my favorite pub, the Sherlock Holmes by Charing Cross, then headed over to ExCel London.

I woke up and looked out the window and the lines were forming already. I better go get breakfast and start my trek over there… Sorry, I only took uninteresting photos of the convention hall inside. Two, to be exact. (I was volunteering there all day as it were, if you recall…) Sorry again. I was posting this more on the fine British Airways Boeing 777 World Traveler Premium Economy flight experience. =cough=

So, unlike my usual self, there aren’t many pics at all, sorry about that – click on the link below:

To London in Premium Economy on British Airways Boeing 777

Provincetown, MA Adventure May 18-21 2017

[May 18-21 2017, Provincetown, MA, US]

Okay, I was on a real puddle jumper. One pilot, no co-pilot. Crammed into a Cessna 402C on Cape Air – from Boston to Provincetown, MA. It was amazingly totally cool. I was going there to a new science fiction con (Nauticon) I haven’t been to. The flight was the best. Provincetown was amazing. The very tip of Massachusetts 🙂 (Click on the last picture below to see more amazing pictures…)

The only picture I took st the science fiction convention was this – the bottles we tasted at the Scotch tasting. (That was super great. Had a “can only get in Scotland” bottle, the leftmost, that the presenter brought back from Scotland. I tossed the program guide and I don’t recall his name so apologies for that.)

So that is how close I was sitting – right behind the pilot:


BOS to PVC flight on a Cessna 402C

TusCon SciFi Con 2016 with George R. R. Martin (Game Of Thrones author)

[11 thru 13 November 2016, Tucson, AZ, US]

TusCon SciFi Con 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. Author Guest Of Honor was George R. R. Martin. Luckily the vendor room had a bunch of Game of Thrones books and the new First Edition Illustrated “Game of Thrones” book. I bought that and got that autographed 🙂 Here are some pictures:


TusCon SciFi Con 2016 with George R. R. Martin (Game Of Thrones author)