My Take On B3 | Part 3 by Hera

HERA'S BLOG

Hera

My Take On B3 | Part 3
Thursday, December 21, 2006

At Clare’s restaurant on Saturday, I ended up dancing like a crazy person with a young couple from New York who were on their honeymoon. We talked movies. (They ended up winning one of the Fringe raffle items on Sunday, as did Tall Sean and his wife.) The dancing was a blast. Browncoats have no shame. We screamed the lyrics at the top of our collective lungs. I dunno, must have been all that pent-up energy, since the VIPs had finally left the building. Being inebriated, I only remember "White Wedding" and "Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode. Here are my dancing friends with Alan. I wish I could remember their names!

I'd like to give a shout-out to the Wash-o-Saurus gal that I met that evening. She graciously loaned me cigarettes, and we talked animatedly about what it means to live in LA. She was a dear, and very funny and dry. The next day, while listening to Tim's talk, I heard a person hissing behind me. I turned, and she was there manning her vendor booth. I moved, thinking I was standing in her sight-line, but she motioned frantically for me to come over. She gave me a hug and a buss on the cheek, and in a stage whisper asked "How are you feeling today?" and I croaked back "I feel great. Thanks for all the cigarettes." The hangover was monstrous. Not enough tid-bit food at the restaurant, and way too many experiments trying to settle on the one drink of the evening (greyhound? Colorado bulldog? red wine!). There was no Guinness at the bar. Bastards! BASTARDS! Her online store, the source of the Browncoat bracelets, juggling goslings and other bits. http://www.wash-o-saurus.com/

She’s also featured briefly in the background on this documentary, as well as some other familiar faces.

http://blog.quantummechanix.com/?p=16

I got to “meet” Nathan Fillion at the restaurant, but it was an accident, much like my meeting with Alan. I was standing talking to Michael Fairman (Niska) who is such a charming gentleman, not at all like the creepy, sadistic bastard he is on Firefly, when Nathan walked up and shook Michael’s hand, gave him a big hug and started to chat. I backed away and trod on the folks behind me, then segued into the crowd. Later, I went to the loo and walked out, talking to the gal who had 1. Held my wine glass for me while I did my business and 2. Admonished me to wash my hands before exiting the bathroom. At that point, Nathan walked in the back door by the toilets. I did my best dinosaur impression (if you don’t move, they can’t see you). Several people delayed his progress, but when he walked past me, he stuck out his hand and asked who I was and where I was from. I answered first name, town, and “thank you so much for coming out, we really appreciate it” as I shook his hand (note to self: always wash hands before leaving bathroom). He brightened visibly and exclaimed “Hey, I’ve been to Austin. I stood on that bridge at dusk and watched all the bats come out. It was really cool.” I agreed, and said “Yes, it smells kinda funny, but it * is * very cool.” Not knowing what to say after that, he nodded and smiled and moved on. I think he got to pee eventually, but two drunk girls grabbed his ass shortly after that, and taking the hint (alcohol percentage: high, stupidity percentage: higher), he fled with Morena and Christina. He was driving, so he wasn’t drinking. I don’t blame him for leaving. Reverse sexism is so ‘80s. But it does enrage me that people like that make all humans look like idiots.

HANGOVER SUNDAY | The cruel, cruel light of day
Someone from the California Browncoats stayed up all night Saturday to make the con-goers Browncoat Backup Bash buttons. They did this so that we would have something to remember the event by. The button was in the convention goodie bag handed out on Sunday at Pickwick Gardens. The bag was a white paper sack. I thought that was so cute. No pretensions here, folks.

Photo by lycenae

http://www.californiabrowncoats.com/CABC/index.htm

I dropped by the Dark Horse booth to check up on Mark. We rode the last bus from the restaurant back to the Hilton (along with B!x and all the CB volunteers), and I knew he would be hurting, as was I. He said his job allows him to be completely insane 4 or 5 times a year while attending cons, and he just takes it in stride. Or has to. Thinking I would buy a copy of Joss's comic "Fray", I asked him to sign it for me. He thought that was funny, but did it to humour me. DizzyEllie came up with MalN and Blue at that point to ask him about donating for the Fringe raffle, but they paused when they saw he was writing in my book. DE leaned over and whispered to me "who's that?" and Mark laughed and said "Oh, I'm nobody", and I told her he was a friend. Then he tried to give the book to me gratis, and I totally tore into him, saying that Dark Horse had gone above and beyond that weekend, with donations, and the financial hit with puny sales because of the cancellation. Dark Horse had to make a living somehow. Mark took my money.

http://www.darkhorse.com/

Dark Horse is developing the Reaverized Serenity, which you can currently pre-order.

http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Serenity-In-Disguise-Variant-Ornament___256723

Mark liked what I did with the original ornament for the Firefly vid contest trophies:

Meeting Tim was such an honour. I was totally tongue-tied, and didn’t say a word while he signed my misprint Browncoat poster. All I managed to say was. “Um, Tim, whenever you’re ready to take a round of group photos, I’ll be, um, over here.” Smooth. Very smooth. The misprint of the Browncoat poster was being sold to raise funds to defray B3 expenses (see swag shot below. Can you find the typo?) They only had two reams, so they went quickly. Maybe some day it will be as famous as the misprint of the stamp with the upside down airplane! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8092304/

Here's part of Tim Minear’s opening comments from Sunday that an attendee recorded:

Also, Tim posted the vid he presented on youtube as well:

Recruiting, always with the recruiting.
While doctoring my coffee in the Hilton lobby teeming with strandees, an older gentleman was alchemizing his joe too and he glanced at the Stargate patches on my jacket. "So, Sci-Fi convention?" he asked, to which I replied "Yeah, but a bit more esoteric" and launched into my 10-second elevator pitch (you know what that is, we all have one). We chatted for a while, he asked questions, and seemed interested. Also I started talking sci-fi with the cabbie from the airport in Austin, and by the end of the drive, he was genuinely excited "That show sounds really good. I’ll definitely check it out." While getting out of the cab, I made him repeat back to me "Firefly" "Serenity". I think he got it.

I took a shot of everything I was given or bought while in Burbank before I headed to the airport. Not a lot, but it was what I wanted.

OK, that’s it. This is my story, and I’m sticking to it. Thanks to everyone for making the weekend so special. You know who you are.

Best,
Hera

P.S. Also, thanks to my Mom for taking care of our 12-year-old cat Nigel, who was ailing while I was away. It was stressful for her (and him), but everyone is fine now.

COMMENTS

Friday, December 22, 2006 11:20 AM

DIZ

Nice bed-full-of-pretties. :)

(I am still red-faced from asking--in what must have been a stage whisper--"who is that?" Mark was certainly someone, what he gave us for the raffle was astonishing.)

Have you read Fray yet? Did you like it. Some nice Jossiness, there.

I've really enjoyed reading your reports. Like I said before, they bring it all back. I hope we all can see each other again at another convention, because I am missing everyone something fierce right now!

Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:09 PM

FOLLOWMAL

As always, you let us feel right along with you!

Glad Nigel is ok, glad you got all your stuff and glad we all had such a shiny time, thanks for letting us in a bit on your shiny time!

RADARRESE!!!!! You're here! I miss you sweety!

Thursday, December 21, 2006 9:43 PM

RADARRESE

Hi, Sweetie!

As I look upon all of your marvelous haul from B3, I wanted to again thank you for "goading" me into purchasing the other Palmer print. If not for you, it would have been a wasted, never-again opportunity and I am so glad that you waved yours in front of my face! I love mine immensely! Thank you!

Thursday, December 21, 2006 8:19 PM