Itchy Feet

Talking with Benway last night, we got the news that Elena Zavotto had passed away in February 2012. It was suddenly, at home - reading the comments, it appears to have been connected to fainting spells she'd been having.

I thought I'd let people know. We'd lost contact over the past year or so, but I remember always enjoying our talks at Dexcon, and the exchanging of karate nerdiness as we both trained in the same style.

RIP, Elena.

So, the 12th [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] is over, leaving with it the usual wreckage of sleep deprivation, excessive alcohol consumption and financial destruction, as well as the satisfaction of four days spent with a number of people who, I've realised recently, have known me longer than anyone outside of my family these days. I'd post a Con Report, but my brain is squishy and it's pretty much "saw people, talked a lot, wrote a bit, Johnny was awesome and I drank waaaay too much." Also, the new Harry Potter movie is intriguing - I've decided that in my universe, Harry Potter exists solely as the the movies and that way I'm happy. ;)

Something that probably is already doing the rounds is that this year is the last Dex-run Dexcon. [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] has been running these things for 12 years now and this year he announced his 'retirement'. This doesn't necessarily mean the end of the Con if someone(s) else want(s) to pick it up, but it does mean the end of Dex doing it.

I've got mixed feelings. My first Dexcon was Dexcon 3, back in 1998. Since then, I've been to every one, barring one year where I was moving to Canada any way and needed to save my money. In that time, I've met and made many friends, laughed, cried, laughed until I cried, wrote and just enjoyed being able to relax with like-minded folks. But I have noticed in these last few years an increasing feeling of dislocation, of being on the edges of things where once I was in the centre. Times change and people change with it and we are no exception, I guess, but it does make it harder to summon the enthusiasm I used to have. Seeing the numbers dwindle down also hasn't helped either, with that accentuating the sense that we were at the end of things.

Dex has, in my opinion, made a good choice. To let the con free to sink or swim under new management. To pass the torch, so to speak, and to see if people really want or need it enough to take up the challenge of running it. Sometimes you have to potentially lose something to know how important it is, and time will certainly tell if Dexcon has indeed run its course.

By the way, for those who might have wondered, Dex never called the con "Dexcon". That name was coined by the late [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] following the second actual gathering, as a joke, and the name's stuck ever since. Even if it has made Dex uncomfortable on many occasions. ;)

Yesterday: Got home close to 7 p.m. after working late. Bathed and shampooed both cats, trimmed their claws (easier after bathing - you swaddle them in the towel and they're too wet and miserable to struggle), brushed out the excess fur since they're shedding like a mofo right now, dusted, washed my bedding, washed the bathmat and the towels in the bathroom, washed my clothes.

Today: Got home at 6:30 p.m. after working late. Scooped kitty litter (cleaned the box and put in new litter on Sunday), swept all the floors but the roomie's room, since he's napping, mopped all the floors sans roomie's, emptied trash, cleaned garbage can since it reeked.

Tomorrow: Hopefully get home on time since Alvin's working from home. Borrow vacum (sp?) cleaner from the pretty girl upstairs and clean the couches. Poke the roomie to clean the bathroom and get turkey for dinner on Thursday. Then possibly die.

My back is killing me. But the place is much cleaner than it was, which always makes me happy. I hate mess.

For those going, you have a post to reply to here.

And yes, there is a nice long newsy post from me soon, once I have the energy to write it all up. :)

It's that time again! Dexcon Registration is now open. The Con itself will run July 31 to August 3, and registration fees will be dependant on how many people we get signed up. Come one, come all!

Potential Dexconners, there's a a poll regarding the future of the event. Go forth and vote.

Just the news I was waiting for - we're out of here at 2 p.m.

See you Dexconners at Fiddler's Green. ;)

If you haven't let Dex know your travel plans, reply to this post please?

Many thanks. See you next weekend!

People on my friendslist may or may not be aware that [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] registration has opened. The problem this year is, we're struggling to get the minimum number we need to actually book venues and cover insurance and pay for the band. So far we have 16 registrations. The bare minimum we need is 20, but 25 would be better and cheaper for those who have signed on.

A lot of people are saying "oh, I can't make it this year, I'll come next year." But the thing is, if we can't run Dexcon this year, there won't be a next year. A con lasts only as long as there are numbers to justify it and if we don't have those numbers, if we have to struggle and cajole and blackmail people into coming each year, then it's not really worth putting the work in. The problem is, I think, that we're not getting the new blood through to replace those that have dropped out over the years. But it's not like we haven't got new friends around that might be interested, who will miss out on this chance if they don't take advantage of it now.

There's about two more weeks before we absolutely have to book things or miss out. If you've ever thought of coming to Dexcon, this is the year you should. Register at the Dexcon site - you'll need to create a new sign in, if you're an old hand, since it's a new server - and enjoy three days of good, clean, geeky fun. Meet people you've only ever talked to online and discover it's like you've known each other all your lives. Rock out to Johnny and the Demons. Dress up for the formal dinner and enjoy being able to relax and say whatever comes to mind. Support Dexcon, because as Joni Mitchell said "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone".

Registration has started. The more we get, the cheaper the fees are, so go forth and register!

Also, it's a new site, so you'll have to re-register your sign in.