Lunacon 2010 Schedule

Once again it's time for Lunacon!  This will be my 29th Lunacon.  That's just scary.

I have a busier program schedule than last year for some reason:

Friday 8:00-9:00pm  
Surviving Your First Masquerade
Byron Connell, Susan de Guardiola, Kim Kindya, Toni Lay (M), Sue Toker
How to register, where to go, and what to expect when entering your first masquerade.  Tips and pointers from people involved in all aspects of the Masquerade.  A must-not-miss panel for any first-time competitor.

(I find it ironic to be put on a panel about the masquerade when Lunacon's masquerade has so spectactularly not wanted any participation from me in the last eight years or so.  But whatever.)

Friday 10:00pm-12:00am  
Steampunk Ball
Susan de Guardiola
A time-traveling formal evening at the Steampunk Ball!  No previous experiences is needed, all dances will be taught.  Music will be an eclectic mix of modern and nineteenth century.  Steampunk, neo-Victorian, or Victorian costume encouraged and admired, but not required.

(Longer version from the website:

Dancing in the Gears

Attention all aeronauts, aethernauts, lady and gentleman adventurers, mad scientists, inventors, and other Steampunks and neo-Victorians! Join us Friday night in the Grand Ballroom 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.

Any help in spreading the word about this would be appreciated -- it's hard to get people on a Friday night.)

Saturday 12:00-1:00pm 
A Little Glass Vial
Susan de Guardiola, Misty Pendragon, James Prego (M)
Ladies and good gentlemen, welcome to the show!  If you'd like to learn more about the showing of Repo! The Genetic Opera or just want to discuss how awesome the movie is and what has made it an instant cult classic, this is the panel for you!

(Perhaps I will be publicly contrarian and point the unfortunate limits of the shadowcast strategy and how actually makes it harder to get people to see the movie.  Which I love, if anyone here had missed this.)

Saturday 3:00-4:00
A Different Costume for Every Occasion
Byron Connell, Alfonse DiDonato (M), Susan de Guardiola, Katrina Grossberg, Toni Lay
What makes a good hall costume is very different than what makes a presentation costume.  And where does "garb" fit in?  How do the guidelines differ for costumes depending on the type of presentation and the needs of practicality and functionality?  How strict are the rules?  How can you tell the difference and why does it matter?

(This all makes it sound like there are a lot more "rules" than exist in reality; most of this is common sense.)

Sunday 12:00-1:00pm
Steampunk Is The New Old
Kathleen O'Shea David (M), Susan de Guardiola, Theresa Mather, Misty Pendragon
Steampunk seems to really speak to some people, and is growing in popularity.  It's a fashion style, a sub-genre of literature, a respected art style, even a culture.  Why is steampunk so popular right now?

(And why doesn't it really address issues of race, class, colonialism, etc.?  Maybe I'll be contrarian here, too.)

Sunday 1:00-2:00pm
De-costuming
Paul Calhoun (M), Byron Connell, Susan de Guardiola, Sue Toker, David Weingart
A guide to fashion for the hopelessly fannish.  Wearing red doesn't always mean you'll be the first to die, lightsabers and bat'leths are almost never appropriate dinnerwear accessories, and just because you work at the renaissance faire doesn't mean you can wear a kilt out on the town.  What fen wear and what it says to the people around them.

(Why do people who will put lots of care into selecting or making a costume adamantly refuse to costume for the real world?)

In between all of this, I'll be attending the masquerade and hanging out with friends.

As usual, if you read Rixo and will be at Lunacon, please say hi!

Comments

[Mary Aileen]

I'm sure I'll see you there.

[Jeff]

Still do not know if I'll make it for some time on Saturday. And you can probably mention "repo men", the non-musical rip-off of Repo! When we saw that ad, we said "rip-off".

[Susan de Guardiola]

Mary Aileen:
Looking forward to it!

Jeff:
I expect it'll get mentioned. I've been ignoring it.

[Nikki Raiford]

Oh, those look like massive amounts of fun!

[Susan de Guardiola]

We had about fifty people dancing at the ball. We did Airship Pirate v3.0. It rocked.

[Serge]

Say, Susan, do you seem a tad overprogrammed, or am I imagining things? True, it beats finding yourself twiddling your thumbs.

[Mary Aileen]

It was good to see you and chat a little.

[Susan de Guardiola]

It was a little excessive, yes. I didn't get to any program items other than the ones I was on and completely missed the art show. But I got to spend some time with friends, so that was good.

[Serge]

Spending time with friends IS the best part of a con.