This is so going to be the Reader's Digest condensed version of today because we had a late panel and I am sooo sleepy.

Second verse, same as the first: put lunches together, gather camera and devices, and head downtown. Traffic much better today. Of course, the garage is taking full advantage of the convention by charging $20/day parking.

More breakfast at Cafe Momo; this time I had corn flakes and strawberries to add to the mix. Then we parted; I was pretty much set to be at the Sheraton all day, starting with a panel about "Brit TV You Should Be Watching." This panel really needs to be two hours because there is simply not enough time to go through everything. Science fiction was completely skipped! We roved from mysteries to comedies to horror in our hour.

Next, I joined James in the larger ballroom, where Kai Owen was doing a commentary to a Torchwood episode. "Meat," where Rhys finally learns what Gwen has been doing for a year. Owen's actual favorite episode is the creepy "Countrycide." He looks very fit, not quite as chubby as he used to be as Rhys, who's always been my favorite character on Torchwood. I tell people I married Rhys; he and James are of a similar temperament.

James and I walked to the Marriott together, and then he went right and I went left, to the completely packed panel room for the BBC Sherlock series. The estrogen was as high as an elephant's eye here, but it was fun. Also comparisons against the Brett series. Hints for next season: rat—wedding—bow (to rhyme with cow).

Well, I went back to the Sheraton thinking that the John Barrowman panel was in one of the ballrooms. My bad; it was back at the Marriott, and I wasn't walking back—it was stifling out by then. We were having nice 80°F temps before Hurricane Isaac...blast the beast. Instead I went into the small Trek panel room to listen to David Gerrold. This was very enjoyable; he didn't stay behind the table but was walking up and down the aisle like a restless tiger through the whole panel; when he stopped he was mainly next to me. Lots of Star Trek stories, and even his favorite tale: about adopting his son (whose story is told in David's book The Martian Child).

Well, had nothing to do next, so went back to the Marriott to try and go through the Dealer's and Exhibitors' rooms. This was an exercise in frustration as the hotel was packed. Cheek-by-jowl everywhere and people don't help by standing in the middle of walkways taking pictures of other people in costumes. I got 3/4 of the way through the Dealer's Room and just gave up on it. Really, I'm not much interested in clothes, jewelry, comics, cards, frills and furbelows, and it was broiling hot in there except under a couple of air conditioning vents. Yeesh! This huge convention and no one sells fanzines!

The Exhibitors' rooms were just as crowded with similar products. Did stop to look at books, and some of the T-shirts. David Gerrold had on the funny Big Bang riff T-shirt, "Soft tribble, warm tribble, little ball of fur; happy tribble, sleepy tribble, purr, purr, purr." It seemed so appropriate.

I was finally thirsty and claustrophobic, and headed outside just to see if I could get a decent telephone signal. I am really pissed about this. Years ago, the Verizon signal was always bad and the AT&T one was good, then Verizon vastly improved their signal. I did Facebook posts last year, and could look up things online in the meeting rooms...not this year.

I did get ahold of James and he was at sixes and sevenses, too, so we decided to meet in Peachtree Center. We sat and ate our sandwiches, and he went to one of the restaurants for soda and came back with watermelon, which was very refreshing. I finally got on the Peachtree Center wifi—on my Nook, not the phone—and was able to check e-mail.

Was getting pretty sleepy by this time and headed back to the Sheraton intending to go to the Steampunk in Doctor Who panel, but was so befuddled that I ended up in the one devoted to later, and offbeat, Britcoms like The Young Ones. I was too comfy to move, so I didn't. They touched on Blackadder and Fawlty Towers and others, so it was quite pleasant, and I was back in place for the last panel of the day, about British detective dramas. After hearing them talk about Luther, now I'm not sure I want to watch it. It sounds quite draining! Of course, as someone commented, it wasn't "Wallander depressing." LOL. We've come upon a new superlative for miserable!

After a long day we headed home under a still full moon to our fids (and some nice cold milk)!

Labels: books, conventions, shopping, television

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 11:36:00 PM

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