Sometimes I’m just behind on everything.

Balticon was a whole new experience for me. I started attending Science Fiction Conventions in the early 1980s, when I was in graduate school, and I have always enjoyed them. Over the years I have attended panels, filk concerts, bardic circles, workshops, art shows, auctions, slide shows, GOH speeches, readings, open filks, and dead dogs. Key word: attended.

At Balticon that all changed. Mike and I (with help from Janina, Amber and Tree–thanks!) spent the weekend running a fan table for Darkovercon 34 [ 25 – 27 November 2011 in Timonium, MD ] , in a busy hallway right in the middle of things. We talked to a lot of nice folks, and met a ton of nice people.

I took a few breaks from the table–notably to attend several panels–where I sat on the other side of the table for the first time! I did two costuming panels: Faux Paws (Recreating Expensive Looks for Less) & Steampunk in Costuming; and was drafted onto a couple of literary panels: Dark Quest Books Presents and Steampunk. I also helped at the Dark Quest book launch on Sunday evening, and did my first reading.

Mike and I also managed to squeeze in the Masquerade, and a couple of concerts including a great FuMP show. And I proofread a magazine. We even got some sleep.

I’ve been working in the field for better than a dozen years, but now I really feel like a pro.