Friday Night Confusion

Confusion certainly lived up to its name. First was working through Detroit following I-75. Then there was the program. Just keep in mind when you may go to a Con that the people running it are volunteering their time. I'm very understanding about these things being a graphic designer myself. If my job was easy they could get any monkey to do it.

When I was checking into the hotel (which had free parking, yea!) I noticed John Scalzi hanging around. I almost went up to introduce myself right then, but I was tired and wanted to wash my face and brush my teeth. So, I dropped my stuff off in the room, refreshed, and went down to see what was happening. John had moved. I picked up my registration and then started walking down the hallways.

A slight digression here, people are cons are very friendly. Be prepared to have casual conversations at any time with almost anybody. On the way to my room I talked with a young girl who was doing gopher work. Where I live people wave to each other. You may not know who it is, but we wave. If you don't wave back we know you're a stranger. Just a hint.

I'm walking down the main hallway to check out the space, get the layout of the place. Then I figure I'll hit the con-suite and maybe grab a bite to eat and go to the interview with Elizabeth Moon, who was Guest of Honor (and a very neat person to boot).

John Scalzi was holding court in the hallway. I stopped outside the circle and waited for an opening to say hi. After a minute John changed the conversation to his blog and pointed to me as one of his commentors. I introduced myself to everybody in the circle which included all these cool people, like Karl Schroeder and Jeff Beeler (there were a whole bunch of others in there as well, I'm just really bad with names, I'm sorry, you were all fun to be with). Whoops, thought I was dipping my toes in the pool testing the waters and I find myself over my head in the deep-end.

I start doggy-paddling, looking for an exit. I didn't want to impose and become one of those pesky people that never go away. But I never found one. I kept talking and listening, and making jokes, being part of jokes, etc. Tobias Buckell showed up with his wife. Then Jim Hines and Catherine Schafer come in and introduce themselves to me. To me. Pop my head with a pin 'cause it's going to explode.

I'm still looking to make a graceful exit, not to over stay. And then we all go to the bar and have a drink and some food. Excellent conversation, fabulous people and I can't frickin' believe I'm still there.

And just when I don't think it can get any better, David Kletcha comes by with his son and I finally get to meet him. Okay, and are you ready for it, Jim Frenkel, senior editor with Tor (that makes two I've met in person, collect them all!), sits down to munch and chat. Oh, Holy Night, the stars are brightly... And what a talker. He was funny, he was personable. Jim made you feel like he was talking just to you when he's telling the whole table the story. Very cool talent, that.

That’s where I was all Friday night until about 1:30am when it was just Tobias, David, and me. I only left because I was dead tired. I hit the pillows and was gone (except for turning over, ever since I broke my leg, I always wake up for that) until late morning.