Calgary report Part Two of two
May. 12th, 2013 01:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sidSo, where did we leave off in Part One? I've gotten autographs from Nathan Fillion and RDA, and had my 1:30 photo op with RDA and MS.
Here's the site map again, for reference. The photo op was in the Big Four building (bottom right). I need to trek over to Buildings D&E (upper left) next to get Michael's autograph added onto a picture of Daniel and Jack. And here's where I make my first real miscalculation: I act like I have all the time in the world. I sit down on a bench and soak up some sunshine while chatting with another Expo-goer. Michael is scheduled to begin signing autographs at 2:30; when I left him he was still doing photo ops, and of course he has to make the journey back to D&E, too.
I failed to consider that there might not have been all that many people in the photo op line behind me, and that he was going to be transported by cart instead of having to trek by foot, and that there were going to be a lot of people lining up for him whether he'd arrived yet or not, since because of his flight delay, this is the very first time he's signing (as opposed to the original 10 am schedule.) And I just plain lost track of the time, too. I think it was 2:45 and I was still sitting on that bench! So I hot-footed it over to Hall D only to find myself in the second overflow line for his autograph. Arghh!
The clock is ticking. His panel with Rick is at 4:00 way over in the Corral. I'm initially worried that he'll leave for the panel before I can get his autograph, but it's not the end of the world if that happens, because he'll be back signing at 5:00. As I finally get closer and closer to him, it's about 3:40, and it's pretty clear I'm going to be able to get my autograph...but now there's the possibility that I won't make it to the Corral for the beginning of the panel. (It never occurred to me that there was any possibility of the Corral doors being closed if it was "full". Apparently this happened with some panels. People were told they couldn't line up ahead of time, and to come back, but when they came back the doors were closed. I guess if enough people from the previous panel stayed...)
FINALLY I'm in front of Michael. I get a nice big smile, a greeting, and a personalized autograph, but clearly the line has to be kept moving. There's been no chitchatting that I've seen. He doesn't really look stressed, but he's definitely not relaxed. While he's signing my picture, I say, "Today must be one big blur to you." He nods and keeps writing. "It will be by the time it's over!" Another smile as he slides the picture over to me.
SQUEEEEEEE!
Okay, it's time to race over to the Corral! Except that I don't exactly "race" anywhere, but I do my best. Check out the map. I'm walking through the outer hallways that rings all the buildings. Past Palomino and Quarter Horse, past Halls C, B, A, until I finally arrive at the door to the Corral. It's closed and locked. It's exit-only. To get inside I have to go back to Hall A and follow the wall to the tunnel that leads back to the Corral. I want to scream!
There's no hurrying through Hall A. There are people just meandering, pausing to chat, going the opposite direction, etc. It would have been horribly frustrating if so many of them weren't wearing cool costumes. *g* Anyway, I finally do make it into the Corral. There are chairs set up on the ground floor, and stadium seating on both sides. It's 4:00 and the joint's fairly full. I just want to sit down and drink some water. I grab an aisle seat about eight rows from the back, and I'm still getting settled and getting my bottle of water out when the moderator comes onstage to introduce Rick and Michael. I MADE IT. Just in time. :-)
By now I hope you've all read the transcript/seen the FlipOntv recording/watched the illicit YouTube version. If you haven't, you've missed 45 minutes of hilarity. I think I was laughing pretty nearly nonstop. The Sam/Jack shipper's T-shirt made me groan, but at least her question wasn't ship related, and she did provide the A-Tapps reference that made Rick and Michael crack up, lol. It was wonderful being in that room, and I'm an eyewitness to The Confirmation! \o/
My final adventure of the day was trying to get a taxi back to my hotel. Canadians are lovely people, people. I couldn't use my cell phone without incurring international zomg roaming charges, but one of the security people called a cab for me (I'd grabbed a business card from my morning driver), and I walked out front to wait. I'm by the main doors of the Corral, across from the Big Four, and the cab is supposed to arrive in 5-10 minutes.
Half an hour later...some more lovely Canadians helped me out: a fellow called the cab company back, mentioned my name, asked what had happened. He hung up and said they were sending another cab, but it was going to meet me at the North Entrance. Which, interpreted, meant I had to hustle back over to Buildings D&E! It was the fifth time I'd covered that distance that day, and I set a new personal best time. *g*
Here's my Calgary folder in my LJ Scrapbook. The three autographed photos that you've already seen, some random shots from around the Stampede grounds, and one very blurry (and illegal) zoom shot of RDA signing autographs. It's really him, although you'd never know it. That was the point that I stopped even trying to take photos indoors with my cell's crappy camera. Oh, well.
What else? Oh, yes, I jotted down some of the costumes I saw: Bender the robot, Darth Vader, a few Tardises, several 10th Doctors (mostly women), Ghostbusters, Chewbacca, Jayne, SGC personnel, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Captain America, the 4th Doctor, Robin the Boy Wonder, Batman, Supergirl, the Joker, a few 11th Doctors (with fez), Power Rangers, Harry and Hermione, Doctor Horrible, and Captain Mal. And a whole lot of costumes that looked familiar, but I couldn't put a name to, and even more that didn't ring any bells at all. My geekery only goes so far. *g*
Two stories to go with that list: when I was walking over to D&E in the morning, I heard a delighted, excited voice behind me repeating, "She's a Tardis, she's a Tardis!" I looked ahead, and sure enough, there was a woman dressed as a Tardis rounding the corner and coming our way. "She's a Tardis!" I turned to catch the eye of whoever kept saying that, to sort of nod and agree that the costume was adorable. "She's a Tardis!" It was a woman in full David Tennant regalia. LOL! She was saying it in character!
Story 2: I was sitting on a bench outside Hall E when a young man in a costume walked by. The man seated next to me called out, "Doctor Evil!"
The other man turned back. "I'm a Doctor, but I'm not Evil."
It took the other guy a few seconds. "Doctor Horrible! Hey!" He pointed at the Hall E doors. "Captain Hammer's right inside there. Your arch nemesis!"
Doctor Horrible laughed and replied that he planned to get his autograph on Sunday.
Oh, I'll bet Nathan had a blast with him. I would've loved to have been there to see that! :-D
Here's the site map again, for reference. The photo op was in the Big Four building (bottom right). I need to trek over to Buildings D&E (upper left) next to get Michael's autograph added onto a picture of Daniel and Jack. And here's where I make my first real miscalculation: I act like I have all the time in the world. I sit down on a bench and soak up some sunshine while chatting with another Expo-goer. Michael is scheduled to begin signing autographs at 2:30; when I left him he was still doing photo ops, and of course he has to make the journey back to D&E, too.
I failed to consider that there might not have been all that many people in the photo op line behind me, and that he was going to be transported by cart instead of having to trek by foot, and that there were going to be a lot of people lining up for him whether he'd arrived yet or not, since because of his flight delay, this is the very first time he's signing (as opposed to the original 10 am schedule.) And I just plain lost track of the time, too. I think it was 2:45 and I was still sitting on that bench! So I hot-footed it over to Hall D only to find myself in the second overflow line for his autograph. Arghh!
The clock is ticking. His panel with Rick is at 4:00 way over in the Corral. I'm initially worried that he'll leave for the panel before I can get his autograph, but it's not the end of the world if that happens, because he'll be back signing at 5:00. As I finally get closer and closer to him, it's about 3:40, and it's pretty clear I'm going to be able to get my autograph...but now there's the possibility that I won't make it to the Corral for the beginning of the panel. (It never occurred to me that there was any possibility of the Corral doors being closed if it was "full". Apparently this happened with some panels. People were told they couldn't line up ahead of time, and to come back, but when they came back the doors were closed. I guess if enough people from the previous panel stayed...)
FINALLY I'm in front of Michael. I get a nice big smile, a greeting, and a personalized autograph, but clearly the line has to be kept moving. There's been no chitchatting that I've seen. He doesn't really look stressed, but he's definitely not relaxed. While he's signing my picture, I say, "Today must be one big blur to you." He nods and keeps writing. "It will be by the time it's over!" Another smile as he slides the picture over to me.
SQUEEEEEEE!
Okay, it's time to race over to the Corral! Except that I don't exactly "race" anywhere, but I do my best. Check out the map. I'm walking through the outer hallways that rings all the buildings. Past Palomino and Quarter Horse, past Halls C, B, A, until I finally arrive at the door to the Corral. It's closed and locked. It's exit-only. To get inside I have to go back to Hall A and follow the wall to the tunnel that leads back to the Corral. I want to scream!
There's no hurrying through Hall A. There are people just meandering, pausing to chat, going the opposite direction, etc. It would have been horribly frustrating if so many of them weren't wearing cool costumes. *g* Anyway, I finally do make it into the Corral. There are chairs set up on the ground floor, and stadium seating on both sides. It's 4:00 and the joint's fairly full. I just want to sit down and drink some water. I grab an aisle seat about eight rows from the back, and I'm still getting settled and getting my bottle of water out when the moderator comes onstage to introduce Rick and Michael. I MADE IT. Just in time. :-)
By now I hope you've all read the transcript/seen the FlipOntv recording/watched the illicit YouTube version. If you haven't, you've missed 45 minutes of hilarity. I think I was laughing pretty nearly nonstop. The Sam/Jack shipper's T-shirt made me groan, but at least her question wasn't ship related, and she did provide the A-Tapps reference that made Rick and Michael crack up, lol. It was wonderful being in that room, and I'm an eyewitness to The Confirmation! \o/
My final adventure of the day was trying to get a taxi back to my hotel. Canadians are lovely people, people. I couldn't use my cell phone without incurring international zomg roaming charges, but one of the security people called a cab for me (I'd grabbed a business card from my morning driver), and I walked out front to wait. I'm by the main doors of the Corral, across from the Big Four, and the cab is supposed to arrive in 5-10 minutes.
Half an hour later...some more lovely Canadians helped me out: a fellow called the cab company back, mentioned my name, asked what had happened. He hung up and said they were sending another cab, but it was going to meet me at the North Entrance. Which, interpreted, meant I had to hustle back over to Buildings D&E! It was the fifth time I'd covered that distance that day, and I set a new personal best time. *g*
Here's my Calgary folder in my LJ Scrapbook. The three autographed photos that you've already seen, some random shots from around the Stampede grounds, and one very blurry (and illegal) zoom shot of RDA signing autographs. It's really him, although you'd never know it. That was the point that I stopped even trying to take photos indoors with my cell's crappy camera. Oh, well.
What else? Oh, yes, I jotted down some of the costumes I saw: Bender the robot, Darth Vader, a few Tardises, several 10th Doctors (mostly women), Ghostbusters, Chewbacca, Jayne, SGC personnel, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Captain America, the 4th Doctor, Robin the Boy Wonder, Batman, Supergirl, the Joker, a few 11th Doctors (with fez), Power Rangers, Harry and Hermione, Doctor Horrible, and Captain Mal. And a whole lot of costumes that looked familiar, but I couldn't put a name to, and even more that didn't ring any bells at all. My geekery only goes so far. *g*
Two stories to go with that list: when I was walking over to D&E in the morning, I heard a delighted, excited voice behind me repeating, "She's a Tardis, she's a Tardis!" I looked ahead, and sure enough, there was a woman dressed as a Tardis rounding the corner and coming our way. "She's a Tardis!" I turned to catch the eye of whoever kept saying that, to sort of nod and agree that the costume was adorable. "She's a Tardis!" It was a woman in full David Tennant regalia. LOL! She was saying it in character!
Story 2: I was sitting on a bench outside Hall E when a young man in a costume walked by. The man seated next to me called out, "Doctor Evil!"
The other man turned back. "I'm a Doctor, but I'm not Evil."
It took the other guy a few seconds. "Doctor Horrible! Hey!" He pointed at the Hall E doors. "Captain Hammer's right inside there. Your arch nemesis!"
Doctor Horrible laughed and replied that he planned to get his autograph on Sunday.
Oh, I'll bet Nathan had a blast with him. I would've loved to have been there to see that! :-D
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 08:03 am (UTC)So glad you got a lovely one from Rick...poor Michael had a tough weekend I think...what with the delays in travel, the long hours working Saving Hope, a REALLY punishing Con schedule this year I hope he doesn't burn himself out, and that the money is worth it....he looked shattered in Ottawa this w/end too poor bugger....:(
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences....you are shaming me, who hasn't even got her ECCC thoughts on paper yet..:( ...I would so LOVE to go to a Con with you...one day maybe...:)
xoxoxo
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:10 pm (UTC)At least we know that Michael had 45 minutes of joy and laughter during his panel! Hopefully that made up a little for all the stress.
Someday I'll be able to afford a con again! The grand total spent on this very short weekend is pretty terrifying, lol.
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 08:40 am (UTC)It was a weekend to remember always!
Chris xx
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 09:58 am (UTC)Lovely sigs on the pic, too. :-))
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 02:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 07:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 15th, 2013 01:11 am (UTC)mine too. at my last dragon-con (2010) someone in line behind me for the quantum leap panel asked about people walking around in bathrobes. i had no clue. i told her i know some stuff, but not all.
(no subject)
Date: May. 15th, 2013 01:28 am (UTC)LOL, I'm glad no one asked me any questions like that! I put Power Rangers on my list only because I kept seeing people pointing and saying, "Look! Power Rangers!" I would never have known.
(no subject)
Date: May. 12th, 2013 11:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 12th, 2013 11:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 01:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 01:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 04:46 am (UTC)Rick is wearing the jacket from the episode Mobius. I'm wearing the matching pants that I had taken in. I bought the outfit from Legends Memorabilia. Rick signed the left pocket of the jacket.
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:07 am (UTC)I'm sure VIP is the way to go. I was frequently insanely jealous of the VIPs, lol.
Thanks for sharing the pics here! I'm sure everyone who drops in will enjoy them immensely.
(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:14 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 06:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 06:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 04:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 05:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 10:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: May. 13th, 2013 10:25 pm (UTC)