I'm just getting ready for Balticon this weekend and as always would be happy to meet any lurking (or non-lurking) Rixo readers who want to say hi. My program schedule consists of two costume panels and a Steampunk ball. I haven't actually gotten a formal schedule, so I don't have full descriptions of the costume panels, but here are the bare bones of it. I'll update if I get more info pre-con.
Dancing in the Gears (Steampunk Ball)
Friday, 10:00pm-???
Susan de Guardiola with Jeff Poretsky, Raven Stern, and Marc Hartstein
Attention all aeronauts, aethernauts, lady and gentleman adventurers,
mad scientists, inventors, and other Steampunks and neo-Victorians!
Join us at 10pm Friday night at for a time-traveling formal evening
at the Steampunk Ball! Become part of the living clockwork of
Victorian and Victorian-inspired set dances and spin madly with your
partner to romantic waltzes and lively polkas. No previous experience
is needed; all dances will be taught by dance mistress Susan de Guardiola. Music will be an eclectic mix of modern and nineteenth
century. Steampunk, neo-Victorian, or Victorian costume encouraged
and admired but not required. Airships and time machines should be
parked outside the ballroom. No sabers, ray guns, or clanks permitted
on the dance floor.
Playing with Others: Group Costumes
Saturday, 4:00-5:00pm
Susan de Guardiola, Sharon Landrum, Karen Dick, Deb Salisbury
I'm clearly on this one because of last year's worldcon insanity with the giant Interplanet Janet group. Sharon was one of the movers behind Bucconneer's gigantic Aladdin group. Karen has a track record dating back to the early 1980s as one of the talents behind such magnificent groups as "Turn of a Friendly Card," "Pyrogenesis," "Blood Rites," "The Court of the Crimson King," and way too many others to count.
The Next Big Thing: What is Steampunk
Sunday, 3:00-4:00pm
Susan de Guardiola, Raven Stern, Ron Robinson, Judy M.
I sincerely hope we're just talking about Steampunk in a costume sense, from the Victorian all the way to the punk (which also covers Goth and tribal, I imagine).
Since I'm never entirely confident about publicity for a Friday night event, I'd be delighted if anyone with a blog or an LJ (especially if you're a member of a Steampunk community) could help spread the word about Friday night's dance.
Edited 5/23/09 to add:
Well, it's always great fun to find out when you get to a convention that you've been surprise-scheduled for another panel. I will also be on this one:
Sunday, 11:00pm-midnight
Susan de Guardiola, Tony Ruggiero, Patrick Thomas, Jonathan Maberry
I trust the title of this one is self-explanatory. I did volunteer for it, I just didn't realize I'd been scheduled for it. I do vampire panels because for many years I collected vampire novels extensively and still collect them in a somewhat less obsessive fashion. I tend to be the person either representing the literature side (if it's all about Buffy and other TV/film stuff) or the non-trendy side (vampire fiction before/other than Anne Rice, Twilight, etc.)
What was Bucconneer's gigantic Aladdin group?
Posted by: Serge | May 19, 2009 at 09:57 AM
And here are the panels I'll be involved with at FiestaCon in Tempe, Arizona, during the July Fourth weekend. Eek.
Posted by: Serge | May 19, 2009 at 10:24 AM
I've posted about the ball in my LJ. Maybe it'll bring in one or two more.
Posted by: Bill Gawne | May 19, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Bill! *waves hi*
Enjoy the con and dance!
Posted by: Carol Witt | May 19, 2009 at 12:28 PM
I've also posted something about this on my LJ.
Posted by: Serge | May 19, 2009 at 12:39 PM
I'll post a thing in my elljay, though I think the folk who read my journal and are coming to Balticon are, well, pretty much the folk who were going to that dance anyways.
And yay for Balticon! It is my favourite of all cons.
~Sor
Posted by: Sorcyress | May 19, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Serge,
The Aladdin group, or maybe it was just a generic Arabian Nights thing, was just what it sounds like -- about fifteen people on stage doing their thing in fantasy-"Arabian" costumes. I was backstage as a workmanship judge at Bucky so I don't know the details of their skit. The costumes were pretty spiffy though. I think the leader of the group was the late Amanda Allen.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 20, 2009 at 07:26 AM
Thanks Bill, Serge, Sor!
Sor:
I will have a Sooj CD for you at Balti and have something I need your opinion on as well. See you Friday night!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 20, 2009 at 07:28 AM
Yay cookies! Yay opinions! Yay Friday!!
Hoshit, that's tomorrow, I need to pack. >.<
~Sor
Posted by: Sorcyress | May 21, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Sounds like great fun, wish I could be there! I even have a neat steampunk pseudo-corset that I could wear to the ball with my bustle skirt. Guess I'll save it for FiestaCon.
Posted by: AJ | May 21, 2009 at 05:03 PM
AJ... I guess that answers my recent question about your going to FiestaCon.
Posted by: Serge | May 21, 2009 at 05:58 PM
*hums happily*
Well, I won't have my complete outfit, but my Hellbunny skirt has turned out very nicely and I'll have enough pieces ready to have fun looking vaguely Goth and vaguely Repo at the con. The major missing piece will be the crinoline, which I have mixed feelings about anyway, but can have ready for worldcon if I decide a crinoline-miniskirt is really something I can wear at my age.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 22, 2009 at 07:24 AM
(And apologies, Sor - the cookie-baking time got sacrificed to finish-the-skirt time. So, CD but no cookies.)
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 22, 2009 at 07:24 AM
Susan... if I decide a crinoline-miniskirt is really something I can wear at my age
What about your age? Trying to make us mid-fifties types feel downright decrepit?
When I hear about crinolines, I think of superspy Rebecca, in The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, who, by the touch of a button, could turn her crinoline into a castlewall-climbing ladder.
Posted by: Serge | May 22, 2009 at 08:05 AM
In this case it's more like Gothic Lolita-style, which is not really my style. I am striving to overcome my association of short crinolines with frightening square dance costumes.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 22, 2009 at 08:25 AM
Square costumes for dancing?
("No. Square-dance costumes.")
Oh.
Nevermind.
Have a good time this weekend, Susan. We'll try not to trash Rixo while you're away. Besides, w've been hoarding tea for sipping while exchanging wit.
Posted by: Serge | May 22, 2009 at 09:07 AM
Hot Topic has all of these hideous crinoline mini-skirts in eye-searing colors. It made me very sad to go in there and see all that neon raver-girl wear instead of Goth dresses.
Posted by: AJ | May 22, 2009 at 12:17 PM
AJ,
If I make one, it will be black on black on black.
Serge,
What makes you think I'm offline? We had a hideous drive, but we're here now, and the hotel has very civilized free WiFi.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 22, 2009 at 08:36 PM
Susan... I didn't think you'd be offline. I figured it'd be like a couple of weeks ago. Then again, you spent a lot of that time up in the air, wifi-less, so you are right that there was no need to say we'd behave in your absence.
Posted by: Serge | May 22, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Hooray! Wild blog-wrecking party!
I have nothing intelligent to say as the last two weeks were the start of exams and my attempt to get as much knowledge into the pupils as possible seems to have drained it from me.
Posted by: Neil Willcox | May 23, 2009 at 02:13 AM
Not purple gingham on black?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25413578
(sorry, too sleepy to make links)
Edited by Susan: Link Fairy to the rescue: link
Posted by: AJ | May 23, 2009 at 05:38 AM
AJ... too sleepy to make links
Too much partying last night again?
Posted by: Serge | May 23, 2009 at 09:36 AM
(as the Link Fairy swings by to assist the sleepy)
AJ,
Wow, that's an easy skirt to make, and the tulle-edge isn't even finished. Maybe I should consider selling on etsy!
I would not wear it myself, though. Too Lolita, not enough Goth. Of course, last night I wore what I have taken to calling the Pastel Pixie Steampunk, so who am I to talk?
Neil,
I need more sleep; I had a weird visual of you attempting to get knowledge into your eyes using a funnel before I correctly parsed "pupils."
Last night's Steampunk Ball went fabulously well, and Balticon's film person is full of ideas on how to get Repo here next year, so I'm having a good con so far. And now the jacuzzi is calling me....
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 23, 2009 at 09:45 AM
Speaking of steampunk and film... I've begun gathering JPGs for the slide-show part of my FiestaCon/WesterCon presentation.Got some neat things, but it's amazing how difficult it is to find large-sized photos from Disney's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Also, I still haven't come across much from 1958's Journey to the Center of the Earth. Not one single picture of Pat Boone surrounded by giant mushrooms, or of James Mason facing off giant iguanas. Well, there's still time and, if my search proves fruitless, I have a photo of the cast in a big bowl in Atlantis.
Posted by: Serge | May 23, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Susan, wrong link on the crinoline. Here.
Boy, is that ugly, and I like purple.
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | May 23, 2009 at 04:24 PM
Serge,
The way I do it is to run the film on a computer and use screen capture to make my own stills.
AJ,
Sorry! Sleepy Link Fairy today!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 23, 2009 at 05:04 PM
Susan... Aren't the captured photos small though, or is that flexible along with the size of the movie-watching screen? Well, I'll look into it. Thanks for the tip.
Posted by: Serge | May 23, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Serge, that's me, a regular party animal! Nah, I had to get up early for a doctor's appointment and then stayed up late watching Quantum Leap DVDs with my husband. Another wild Friday night ;)
Susan, thank you for link faerie-ing, and I certainly can't complain, since I was also sleepy.
Also, Etsy is a popular place for that sort of clothing, as well as much nicer clothing (I got my awesome bustle skirt from an Etsy seller), but I don't know how well any of it sells.
Marilee, it was made by someone I know via Twitter. I like some of her stuff, but I really don't get the Gothic Lolita/Country Girl look.
Posted by: AJ | May 23, 2009 at 06:11 PM
AJ... I really don't get the Gothic Lolita/Country Girl look
Have you tried the Gothic Country look yet?
Posted by: Serge | May 23, 2009 at 06:46 PM
If knowledge goes anywhere in the face it's in the nose. Everyone knows that.
Posted by: Neil Willcox | May 24, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Neil... I thought that knowledge went in one ear, out the other.
Posted by: Serge | May 24, 2009 at 09:18 AM
I thought knowledge was taken orally, so you can more easily chew things over.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 24, 2009 at 09:49 AM
To mentally ruminate?
Posted by: Serge | May 24, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Nobody knows what a nose knows.
Posted by: Neil Willcox | May 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Not to distract from the survey of facial parts, but I wanted to point out to everyone that in an incredibly exciting moment yesterday I updated my post because I find myself on another panel that I hadn't known about before the convention.
I know the hordes of people who are reading Rixo from the hallways at Balticon will be just overwhelmed with joy by this amazing real-time update of what I'm up to this weekend.
(In other news: happy costumage yesterday, more to come today, neat stuff in masquerade, creepy vampire movie, Dr. Horrible, and YES, there will be pix post-con.)
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 24, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Susan... YES, there will be pix post-con
Would you believe I was going to ask about that? As for surprise scheduling, I wonder if I'll get any of that at FiestaCon/WesterCon, besides the three I've already volunteered for. Hopefully my hordes of fan, or horde, or single fan, will have difficulties about whether to attend my panels or those of the competition.
Posted by: Serge | May 24, 2009 at 02:36 PM
It seems very fitting that the vampire panel is from 11-midnight :) Hope it goes well!
Posted by: AJ | May 24, 2009 at 03:03 PM
In the meantime, I'm having fun running around in my Repoid costume and my costume panel went pretty well.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 24, 2009 at 07:41 PM
lad to hear it, Susan.
Posted by: Serge | May 24, 2009 at 08:59 PM
I meant 'glad', not 'Vlad'.
Posted by: Serge | May 24, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Susan... running around in my Repoid costume
No Inventory Girl this time?
No matter what, I wish you a safe (and more pleasant) trip back.
Posted by: Serge | May 25, 2009 at 06:56 AM
I wore Inventory Girl on Saturday night. Raven wore her Gentern costume for a bit, so we coordinated.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 25, 2009 at 08:14 AM
All packed up, just waiting for my passengers before heading out into the frightening Memorial Day traffic. I'm not feeling super-social this morning so I'm not really at the con, just sitting around getting some food before getting on the road in hopes of getting home in time for my usual Monday night dance practice.
Fun weekend overall.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 25, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Susan... Fun weekend overall
Excellent.
I'm looking forward to the July 4th's con-going weekend, less than 6 weeks away, then, 4 weeks later, the worldcon. Yay!
Posted by: Serge | May 25, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Back safe. Excellent drive with minimal traffic, possibly due to our loudly discussing the sacrifice of a goat whenever it started to back up at all.
Tired.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 25, 2009 at 05:51 PM
Glad you had fun and a safe trip home! Now you owe us a report with pictures!
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | May 25, 2009 at 05:55 PM
Welcome home! Sounds like it was a great convention :)
I think I'll try the goat sacrifice tactic next time I go up to Phoenix and get stuck in traffic. Probably shouldn't try it when I go to NY and the FIL is driving us through the City, he thinks ill of me already.
Posted by: AJ | May 25, 2009 at 08:29 PM
AJ,
You must tell me when you are coming to NY! I am very close to NYC; I go there at least once a month. We could have lunch!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 25, 2009 at 09:32 PM
To boldly goat...
Posted by: Serge | May 25, 2009 at 09:41 PM
Susan, that would be awesome! We'll probably be there for the second half of August (yes, husband wants to spend 2 weeks there. Not sure if he's considered what we'll do with the corgis for those two weeks), most of which will be spent on Long Island, and then a bit in Jersey. But we frequently go into NYC and I don't think it would be difficult for me to swing a lunch :)
Posted by: AJ | May 25, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Serge, upthread: I thought that knowledge went in one ear, out the other.
and later lad to hear it, Susan.
Serge, being a lad, has heard what we have to say, but then immediately forgotten it.
It's almost like it's not half term at all!
Posted by: Neil Willcox | May 26, 2009 at 07:07 AM
AJ,
Happily, I have free time the second half of August. And my mom's in NJ and my father's often on LI in the summer, so meeting up should not be a problem. Let me know when you make your plans!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | May 26, 2009 at 07:08 AM
Neil... Serge, being a lad
A bit too old to be a lad, alas, say I to a lass who'd ask. Even older a lad than Richard Basehart was as Ishmael in Moby Dick.
Posted by: Serge | May 26, 2009 at 09:33 AM
Susan, I'll probably be looking into air fare within the next week or two, then it will just be a matter of finding out any dates the various in-laws have definite plans for us.
Posted by: AJ | May 26, 2009 at 04:08 PM
AJ, whereabouts on Long Island? I'm on Long Island.
Posted by: Mary Aileen | May 26, 2009 at 04:52 PM
Mary Aileen, my in-laws live in Westbury. Whereabouts are you?
Could this be the start of a mini-meetup for Rixo posters? :D
Posted by: AJ | May 26, 2009 at 05:05 PM
AJ... a mini-meetup for Rixo posters
I'm hoping there'll be one such event at the upcoming worldcon. I wonder if we could get some high-quality tea for sipping while we exchange wit.
Posted by: Serge | May 26, 2009 at 06:28 PM
I'm in Island Park. Between Long Beach and Oceanside, not far at all from Westbury.
Posted by: Mary Aileen | May 26, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Hmmm... I made a post last night, but TypePad must have eaten it. I believe my post went something like this:
Serge, I won't be at WorldCon, but I can definitely recommend some places to get good tea. I am such a tea addict.
Mary Aileen, I don't think I've ever been to Island Park*, but I'll trust you on its proximity to Westbury! I'm excited about the prospect of a lunch in August.
(Not that I can remember the names of half the places I've been to on LI. The MIL and I get out the phone book, look for bead stores, and set off on an adventure. I rarely know exactly where we're going)
Posted by: AJ | May 27, 2009 at 07:22 PM
AJ... I'm more a coffee person myself, but should I arrange a Rixo meeting, I'd make sure to ask you for tea recommendations.
Posted by: Serge | May 27, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Island Park is teeny-tiny. Even people who live near here have no idea where it is (or that it exists), which is why I specified the larger towns nearby. If I say it's just west of Jones Beach, does that help?
Posted by: Mary Aileen | May 28, 2009 at 11:39 AM
That does help, I've been to Jones Beach once. It was covered in jelly fish at the time, which might explain why I've never wanted to go back ;)
Posted by: AJ | May 28, 2009 at 04:49 PM
Oh, I've never actually been to Jones Beach. Long Beach is much closer and more accessible. :)
Posted by: Mary Aileen | May 28, 2009 at 08:03 PM