Con-clueless

[jay]

I've been to exactly two SF cons ever -- a Worldcon (Noreascon II, in Boston in 1981) and a local one (Baycon, in 1991). I've never really gotten the impetus... both times I went for just a day membership, didn't know anyone there, sat in on some panels, walked around the dealers' room and bought stuff, and watched people dressed up in costume walk around. It was okay, but I felt very much like an observer at some other community's event, missing the signals and important cues. I didn't stay around in the evenings, since I knew no one and wasn't staying there overnight.

This weekend, many local friends are going to this years' Baycon, which reminds me of the difference in my perception of such events compared to theirs. There must be *something* which draws them back, year after year... I understand intuitively an attraction to Burning Man, say, even having never been there, because of the parallels with camping during field work. But I'm still mostly con-clueless.

That said, I did visit Baycon briefly yesterday, going over to give questioner a hair-check in her room before the festivities. I wasn't thinking and wore a NASA shirt -- actually, my "SETI Signal Detection Team -- Arecibo'92" polo shirt. Which then resulted in my being stopped and queried twice just between the elevators and parking lot, once by two attractive women with "guest" badges ("I'd like to work there, too!") and another time by some older guy with a mustache and about ten ribbons on his badge -- an organizer of some sort. I suppose that wearing work-related stuff is actually a button-pushing kind of display, in that environment. LOL... I guess that my project-patch-covered NASA flight jacket would be practically fetish-wear, over there. Or maybe not... I still don't really understand the con-cultural values. Anyway, hopefully my friends will enjoy themselves while I'm out at Costco or weeding this weekend. ;-)

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I think that not everyone defines that the same way. Some folks consider it a pejorative, many don't. Like "geek," it's partially more a matter of self-identity than a describable label.

I'm not very fannish. I like SF, but fandom isn't something that I can relate well to. That said, Baycon seems to be about more than that -- Brian might enjoy being a panel participant or an observer, just for his Devon Island and other fascinating experience -- and there are many ways to participate. I didn't actually do a lot besides socialize. Baycon (I only attended one evening) seemed to be, for me, more of a way to find so many of my friends in one place than anything else.

I was really glad for my scooter, as I "flitted about" a lot.

I'm concerned that Brian would think he hasn't got a lot of friends in the area or in fandom, but I know for sure that he does, and that many of them were at the Doubletree this weekend. I also think he would have enjoyed a fair bit of the programming.

Incidentally, I didn't go in costume. I've only been to a couple of SF cons, including this one, and didn't even dress up for either one. The masquerade ball excepted, I'd say that most people tended to look either mundane or just garden-variety geeky (you know, like us) this weekend.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Yay for the scooter!

I know of a couple friends overtly in fandom... probably more who were at Baycon in a more-casual sense. I might have welcomed the distraction, but given my emotional state at the time I wouldn't have been much fun, I think (and had therefore convinced myself that no one would want me tagging along behind them ;).

And there's just no way I could have actually asked my friends to help cheer me up... maybe someday, but that's IMO a graduate-level seminar in asking...

Mundane... I think of the word as meaning tactically "blends in with the street, unnoticed". And therefore usually a good thing (or safer, at least). In full camouflage, in other words. (grin) In a *personal* sense, I've never thought of it as relevant. ;-)