Especially after yesterday, and because it was crowded Saturday, James did not think he would make it to the convention today. I took solace in the fact that he could have lunch with the guys (the hobby shop denizens still do lunch even though the hobby shop is long gone) and visit Hobbytown. Me, I put together a lunch and snacks, loaded up my backpack, and took the Kia downtown.

We have pretty much parked at the Courtland Street Garage since we started going to DragonCon, but their "event fee" was just too much for me. I went on Parking Panda and found a garage that was right next to the DragonCon dealer's room in the America's Mart. This was terra incognita for both of us: frankly I was terrified by driving downtown without Twilight, and I nearly went through a red light because I was so nervous not making that left turn on Ivan Allen Boulevard. I nervously parked, and ended up going down the elevator and cutting through the Merchandise Mart, coming out behind Peachtree Center. Then I had to go to registration, and this took a while as Disability Services was backed up due to an incident with the parade (apparently the Hyatt security people were not allowing the usual disability seating when they were supposed to). I've been getting an end-of-row badge because I can't stand for long periods and I can't be out in the sun. They also let me pick up James' badge, and I was hoping against hope he would make it tomorrow.

The long wait meant I was late for the panel saluting the 45th anniversary of Schoolhouse Rock. However, I did get there early enough for the singalong to favorite sequences: "Conjunction Junction," "Lolly Lolly Lolly," pronouns, "Interplanet Janet," "I'm Just a Bill," "The Preamble," and "Three is a Magic Number."

One of the panels I wanted to see today was next, the tribute to Harlan Ellison by the Sci-Fi Lit Track. Peter David and his wife Kathleen O'Shea were on the panel and, since they were good friends with Harlan and his wife, had some riotous stories to tell about "SF's bad boy." Peter told about people awed by the idea of Harlan babysitting 10-year-old Caroline David. Other funny stories were about Harlan's fondness for Goya paste with cream cheese and crackers and a practical joke Peter played on him involving it, and another was about Peter calling Harlan while on heavy sedation after a terrible back injury (Harlan advised him to unplug the phone before he made another call). Ken Garrison and a member of the Friends of Harlan Ellison club also told some funny or touching stories about him.

Next was the panel I was really looking forward to: Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. I had nothing planned, so I figured I would go get into the disability line and eat my lunch and read. Well, the disability seating area was already packed, and under the lights in the Atrium lobby, it was hot. More disabled people were coming, so they took the people already seated and sat us in the back of the Black Lightning panel. I've never seen the show, but the panelists were funny and entertaining, especially one of the women cast members who apparently plays a villain.

When that panel was over, we were moved up first, and then the people who arrived later were filled in behind us before they let in the general population. This worked really well.

This was a fun panel. There was a running gag apparently going as people asking questions would come up and pose a dare Catherine Tate had posed in her previous day's panel. Throughout the panel Pearl Mackie collected names of restaurants to go to before she left Atlanta. (I wonder if she made them all!) Questions were varied, but there were the usual ones like favorite villains and favorite scenes. What role would you want? Pearl wants to be a bond villainess. She also revealed the worst part about being converted to a Cyberman was getting into the suit! Asked what they were taking away from Doctor Who, they said learning the craft and working with a great crew, and finding out that a simple television series can prove to be very powerful in people's lives. What was the difference between the first day of filming and the last? Happy and confusing to begin with and happy but also sad to leave it all behind. Peter Capaldi also talked a little about winning an Oscar for a short film, and how disorienting it was to be behind the scenes at a big event like that, pretty much like a dream. Pearl Mackie was asked what she would have liked most in the TARDIS. A bedroom! she said, and Peter agreed.

There was also a big laugh when Peter was asked how he, Stephen Moffat, and Mark Gatiss could lose a Doctor Who trivia contest.

After this big panel, I decided to go to a small one: the Alternative History track's panel for the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. This was low-key, relaxing, and fairly cool. The panelists and audience discussed favorite characters and episodes, and they talked about the movie that is coming out based on the series. There is also apparently going to be a sequel series called Ms. Fisher's Mod Mysteries, with Phryne's granddaughter solving mysteries in 1970s Australia. That sounds interesting.

I didn't have anything planned for 5:30, so instead of doing something else I just made that long trek back to the parking garage (via the Courtland Street Garage elevator and Peachtree Center and the Merchandise Mart) to fetch Butch and drive home. I'd done what I wanted to do today, enjoyed myself, and just wanted James and some soup. I told him I was on my way home, and he waited to eat supper until I got there. Providentially, there was a can of Campbell's chicken noodle in the cupboard.

We chatted a little and he said he'd had little trouble going to lunch and although he was still in pain while sitting, he thought with some pain medication he could manage going to the convention tomorrow and have a little fun. Hurrah!

Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie

Peter Capaldi

Pearl Mackie

Labels: conventions

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 11:05:00 PM

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