FLYING HIGH ON SERENITY

Thursday, June 29, 2006 5:08:17 AM

The story of my weekend is a busy, jam-packed one. I basically over-booked myself in the extreme and was unable to extricate myself from any one of the events planned.

Saturday morning, I was voluntold (yes, that's being told to do something at a volunteer event) that I would be manning a kids 'face-painting' booth at the company picnic in Dundas, Ontario. Fun yay. I had no intention of participating in that madness from the get-go. As a vegetarian, I generally try to stay clear of big 'death-fests' such as company BBQs, in favour of a more civilized and less meaty experience. Still, I was up at 7 am, ready to go and manning my booth by 10. I wormed my way out of the event by 12:30 (despite my insistance that I leave at noon.)

By 1:30, I'd been back home, grabbed my Serenity gear, had a small bite for lunch and was on the GO bus bound for Toronto. I arrived at a very respectable 3pm outside the Royal Theatre on College and started chatting with those in the line up right away. It was wonderful!

Everywhere I looked - Browncoats! Browncoats with Jayne hats, with silk-screened t's from the shindig the weekend prior; Browncoats with jewellery, pins and parafanalia... Shiny! I stopped and chatted with folks I'd met at the start of the month, when I joined the Toronto Browncoats on their shindig site.

Inside, the theatre was a-buzz. People were gabbing about episodes, listening to the aweseome soundtrack that was playing, recalling previous events and encounters with cast members from conventions past. I spoke to a lovely couple in front of me; we discussed some of the logistics of Serenity the ship and other shiny moments that brought us all into this verse.

Before the film, they played Joss' speech for Equality Now, which, despite having seen it 10 times before, still managed to make me all weepy. Then it was movie time...

I can't describe to you how wonderful, inclusive and satisfying it was to look around in the dark and see others mouthing the dialogue, whispering quietly, anticipating laughs and heartaches (Wash!)I felt like I really belonged there and that most others felt the same.

I had intended to leave the screening immediately following but was easily convinced that a little time spent at the Rancho Relaxo was worth delaying my return to the Hammer. And it really was. The food was so-so, the service was on the slow side, but the room was full of Browncoats and that made it unique!

I talked to fellow fanfic writer, traded jabs with a father/daughter duo and got the low down about conventions from those who'd frequented them... All so wonderful!

I begrudgingly left to catch the 10pm bus home and had Browncoat company all the way there.

When I finally made it to the evening party I needed to get to, I was pooped - sacked - knackered... We ended up at a bar, dancing until 2am! I am too old for this!

Sunday was the Pride parade which is always great fun. So, all in all and despite my extreme fatigue, this past weekend was one of the best ever.

Thank you Canadian Browncoats for such a unique treat!