Our day started early; before we started to the convention we stopped for cash, at Walgreen's for more Prilosec, and at Linens'n'Things to use a couple of coupons; needed more Klinks (they go in the garbage disposal to keep it fresh) and a storage box. We also nipped next door to Borders—riches! more fall magazines: the September Yankee and the autumn issues of Adirondak Life and Georgia Backroads.

Once downtown and having found our way to registration, we embarked on the DragonCon Exercise Program, a.k.a. Registration: they have the queue in great snaking back-and-forth lines, just like at Disney. We were lucky and almost nobody was there, but we still had to go snaking through the entire switchback line system and arrived at the counter dripping wet since it's so humid.

James was ready to attend the first Mythbusters panel (the "build team" is here, not the stars), but I had wandered over to the Regency ballroom to see Erin Moran, Anson Williams, and Don Most from Happy Days. Have never been a particular fan of HD, but I wanted to ask Erin Moran her time on the Daktari series, which she did when she was only six.

James arrived in the Regency room soon afterward, having learned, as I had just read in "The Daily Dragon," the update sheet, that the Mythbusters panel had been cancelled. We were early for the HD panel, so we ate our lunch (we always carry lunch to DCon: roll-up sandwiches with roast beef, juice boxes, Sun chips, granola bars, since I'd rather spend my money on books than on food) and then waited and waited. And waited, while the track chairman tried to fill time.

The HD folks arrived 50 minutes late because they hadn't been told about the panel, so basically we had only about 20 minutes of questions. They were all quite entertaining. I did ask Erin Moran about Daktari and she said Judy the chimp had gotten very attached to her, treating her like her baby; in fact, if someone tried to take Erin from Judy's company suddenly, Judy would get very upset and scream. She is now doing theatre (LOL, Erin's doing theatre, not Judy the chimp). Anson Williams is directing and Don Most appearing in independent films.



When the panel was over we strolled the Dealer's Room as well as the main Exhibitor's Hall, which is basically just another glorified Dealer's Room. Not interested in most of the trading cards, comics, or things, but do believe I have my Pocket Dragon picked out for the year. For some reason I've gotten into the habit of buying a Pocket Dragon every year; the one I like is jumping forepaws first on a panic button. There's also a cute one wearing a bib that says "FEED ME." I nudged James. "Look, it's Willow!"

There was also a new small press publisher there, with several media essay books. One book on Star Trek looked promising, also a Harry Potter book. We got one of their catalogs and the CSI book looks interesting as well. I may end up buying them because—egads! I can't make my annual purchase from McFarland Books because THEY ARE NOT THERE. I am aghast. They always give a discount at the convention and I always find something I want there, from media criticism to sociological study.

I left James to go to the Land of the Lost panel—he did a tour of the other exhibitor room and then took a ride in the rocket simulator—and before going into the panel room nipped into the ladies' room. While I was waiting for a stall I observed a well-dressed older woman washing her hands and talking to another well-dressed woman, shorter, with dark hair. I thought they might be with some other hotel group, maybe one of those executive retreats, until the shorter lady asked the taller one, "Don't you have another daughter, Lee?" and I recognized the older woman's face. It was Yvonne Craig and Lee Meriwether!

The Land of the Lost panel was a blast. Kathleen (Kathy) Coleman, who played Holly, was quite nice and funny, but Walker Edmiston, who played Enik, was a riot. He's a elfin elderly man with a razor-sharp sense of humor. He ran through his various voice characters and made funny remarks when they showed Kathleen's favorite episode, "Elsewhen," where Holly meets her future self.

Here they are, posing afterwards.



I rejoined James in the British SF track room for panel called "Crossing the Pond," about visiting Britain on a budget, where to stay, where to go. Much expected advice—don't stay in city proper and don't go to "name" luxury hotels, investigate bed and breakfasts, BritRail passes, underground passes—and some fascinating stories about the neat walking tours they have in London. The panel moderator, for instance, has stayed near Liverpool and also in Camden, and three weeks ago he was in Cardiff, Wales, where they were filming the new Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood.

Then it was time for opening ceremonies followed by the only Atlanta Radio Theatre Presentation at the convention. It opened with Rory Rammer, Space Marshall, which is a parody of the 1950s science fiction kids' adventures. Here Rory (foreground, played by David Benedict) and his sidekick Skip Sagan (Colin Butler, in the rear), capture smuggler Rex Gorbachev (played by Brad Strickland).



The main presentation was H.P. Lovecraft's The Color Out of Space, which is the spooky tale of the effect a meteorite landing has on a lush New England farm. I don't know what drugs Lovecraft was on when he wrote his stuff, but I think he was having a really bad trip. :-) (Actually, being from Rhode Island, I think he probably saw into the future via some type of scrying glass, saw the present political situation, and went quite mad.) Here Daniel Taylor (foreground, as young Ammi Pierce) speaks to a terrified Clair Kiernan (rear, as Abigail Gardner), as an older Ammi (played by Alton Leonard) narrates the story of the grim fate of the Gardner family.



After the play we went to a SF Literary Track panel called "What Books Should You Be Reading?" The small panel room was packed—it was like sitting in coach—as people bantered back and forth about recommended titles.

Finally we returned home to fids and roomier chairs. :-)

P.S. Yikes! I was writing so quickly that I forgot to mention that the Thomas E. Fuller Award for this year was presented to Brad Strickland and Brad Linaweaver (or "the Good Brad and the Bad Brad," as they are more fondly known).

Labels: conventions

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