Weekend part 2: Arisia
Jan. 21st, 2010 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidI decided to be a commuter this year (a combination of uneven employment making me cheaper about paying for the hotel, and knowing that if I stayed there, it would be enormously harder to get myself out of the hotel to the Mystery Hunt). Though I spent more time over at 26 Pies than I'd planned, I had a wonderful time at Arisia as well.
The best parts:
I meandered through a couple of panels, but most of them just didn't hold my interest, even after I'd filtered out the topics I knew didn't interest me. My current theory is that this is usually the mind-stretching part of the con for me, but my mind had already gotten a much more vigorous and intense workout at the Mystery Hunt, so this seemed paler and less interesting.
costuming, playing around with fun clothing I already had or had made, including my new-ish top hat, a crocheted red and black hat I finished the morning before the con (I still need to take pictures; it's more interesting than this sounds), seamed fishnets, elbow-length black velvet gloves, and my peace shirt, plus some jewelry I'd crocheted, among other things. I think most of the time my outfits included at least something I'd made, which pleases me enormously.
volunteering, helping ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rosefox and sinboy shop for the Green Room (and a bit for the con suite as well) in the week before the con started. Thanks to them, I finally managed to have a satisfactory volunteer experience and got to see the inside of Restaurant Depot.
play-testing a new cooperative card game majes has made, in an iteration that was not final, but still interesting. At the time, it was nameless, but I believe it has now been named (and the rules will likely be posted online soon).
I missed a number of things I'd intended to go to, and there were definitely people I saw only in passing who I'd have liked to have had more time with, but in the end, it worked out to a good balance for me. I found myself paying attention to my limits (exhaustion, protein, water, whatever) and working with them, choosing what made me happy without regretting the might-have-beens that may well have been just as good.
I'm not sure what I'd like to do next year. If I commute again, saving the cost of the hotel, I would have to skip all of Shabbat at the con, which means I could focus on the Mystery Hunt the whole time, hopping over to Arisia after Shabbat (bonus: not having to deal with the issues of hotels on Shabbat such as electric keys, etc). This feels more feasible because it sounds like Arisia is going to stay a four-day con in spite of moving to a larger hotel. It's not ideal, but doable. If I stay at the hotel, I'm basically giving up on the Mystery Hunt, since it doesn't start until noon, and getting checked in at the hotel before Shabbat is always tight timing.
The best parts:
- friends, old and new, near and far (though some who couldn't make it this year were sorely missed *waves*). I saw about a third of my friends' page this weekend; it was excellent to touch base with so many people, and even have time for more in depth conversations (and lots of hugs, etc :-). I especially appreciated all the people time because I've been working from home too much, leaving me feel rather like a hermit. I doubt I could handle all people all the time as a constant diet, but it was a welcome change from my current default (which is another way of saying I'd love to make plans to see people). Particular shout-outs to avivasedai for hosting Shabbat dinner and Sunday brunch, majes for cohosting Saturday dinner, and
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
zigguratlabs for hosting the pajama party. Also to those who let me stay in their apartment over Shabbat. - scheduled events, including :
- Red Shift, which was very funny, as expected (I still wonder what Cosmo Flakes taste like)
- the club dance, even though there is always music I don't care for, since dancing with friends is something I don't do nearly enough of
- a reading by infinitehotel, who not only writes delicious prose, but reads it well too
- summiting Mt. Arisia for the last time in the ziggurat hotel (I know there are size issues with the hotel, but the huge internal atrium was fabulous for the con)
- Red Shift, which was very funny, as expected (I still wonder what Cosmo Flakes taste like)
I meandered through a couple of panels, but most of them just didn't hold my interest, even after I'd filtered out the topics I knew didn't interest me. My current theory is that this is usually the mind-stretching part of the con for me, but my mind had already gotten a much more vigorous and intense workout at the Mystery Hunt, so this seemed paler and less interesting.
rosefox and sinboy shop for the Green Room (and a bit for the con suite as well) in the week before the con started. Thanks to them, I finally managed to have a satisfactory volunteer experience and got to see the inside of Restaurant Depot. majes has made, in an iteration that was not final, but still interesting. At the time, it was nameless, but I believe it has now been named (and the rules will likely be posted online soon). I missed a number of things I'd intended to go to, and there were definitely people I saw only in passing who I'd have liked to have had more time with, but in the end, it worked out to a good balance for me. I found myself paying attention to my limits (exhaustion, protein, water, whatever) and working with them, choosing what made me happy without regretting the might-have-beens that may well have been just as good.
I'm not sure what I'd like to do next year. If I commute again, saving the cost of the hotel, I would have to skip all of Shabbat at the con, which means I could focus on the Mystery Hunt the whole time, hopping over to Arisia after Shabbat (bonus: not having to deal with the issues of hotels on Shabbat such as electric keys, etc). This feels more feasible because it sounds like Arisia is going to stay a four-day con in spite of moving to a larger hotel. It's not ideal, but doable. If I stay at the hotel, I'm basically giving up on the Mystery Hunt, since it doesn't start until noon, and getting checked in at the hotel before Shabbat is always tight timing.