I gather one posts one's schedule of program items on one's blog so all one's readers can, er, flock to them to gaze upon the blogger, or something like that.
I volunteered to do lots of artsy-craftsy things with Arisia's children's program (Fast Track) this year. I don't have or plan to have children of my own, but I find that their imaginations are highly and pleasingly contagious. When I hand a child a beautiful red feather and tell them it's from a phoenix and would go well on their wand, they believe it so intensely that for just a moment the whole annoying adulthood thing melts away, and I can believe it too. (I am reminded of Miles Vorkosigan and his hat in "Borders of Infinity". When you can see the phoenix...)
So all zero of my readers under 13 are welcome to come make nice artistic messes with me, and the miniscule number of Arisia attendees in what I fondly (and probably foolishly) imagine to be a tiny but interestingly eclectic flock of quiet lurking adult readers may all come hear me go on about vampire novels from the 1970s to the 1990s, and maybe into the 21st century, since I just have to mention Sunshine and The Historian.
Sat 1:00pm FastTrack Mask Making
Sat 2:00pm FastTrack Pipe Cleaner Dragons
Sat 10:00pm Literature Vampires in 20th Century Fiction
Sun 12:00pm FastTrack Tissue Paper CollageSun 1:00pm FastTrack No-Sew Costumes
Sun 3:00pm FastTrack Face Painting
Sun 5:00pm FastTrack A la Ollivander: Magic Wands
Update: after some thought, I asked to be pulled from one of my Sunday items because I was worried about just burning out entirely on kids by the time I got to the fourth one (a solo item). Four hours out of six was just a little too much.
"...they believe it so intensely..."
Do they indeed, especially the ones with a rich fantasy life.
A few months ago, when I met my in-laws, I told my then-5-year-old nephew about how my youngest dog loved to eat shoes. I then started noticing the expression that shows up on his face when he thinks someone is making fun of him, and I realized that he took my words literally. I clarified what I had meant, which is that my dog loved to CHEW on shoes. I added that I would never make fun of him. Luckily, he forgave me because he still thinks I'm the coolest uncle. Eventually, he'll grow out of it.
That being said, have a good time.
Posted by: Serge | January 15, 2008 at 06:55 PM
That's so much fun! I love that you're going to mention Sunshine. What are you having them make magic wands out of?
Posted by: Emily | January 15, 2008 at 07:51 PM
Emily:
We start with basic dowel rods cut to 12-18" long, then we add bits of every craft supply around. We paint them, we glue on sequins and glitter, we wrap them in ribbons, we attach feathers, etc. I don't plan out exactly what each item is (in the magic sense) in advance - I do well improvising on the spot to tell them that the glitter is pixie dust and the feathers are from an albino gryphon or whatever. Often they will come and tell me what something is, and I need only agree.
The only challenge is that halfway through they will start pointing wands at each other and yelling "Expelliarmus" and such and then I have to make them take their duels into the hallway.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | January 15, 2008 at 09:54 PM
And just imagine the problems you'll have if they work! ;)
Posted by: Emily | January 16, 2008 at 12:39 PM
It sure takes a lot of energy! I volunteered to help with bead projects for two hours a day at Bucconeer and it became clear soon that that was all I was going to be able to do. It was fun, but the kids really wore me out. At Minicon, I sit in a comfortable chair most of the day, talking to people who pass by, getting them to buy the con t-shirt. That works a lot better.
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | January 16, 2008 at 09:30 PM