I'm packing America's lunchbox with a Truth Roll-up.

FRIDAY, Trinoc Day One (Rebooting)

---

Last Week, On Trinoc Con:

Friday began with Jason getting his luggage, and Liz meeting up with her roomie Loren, who came in on a MUCH later flight than Liz did.

We all made the trip to a nearby Denny's for breakfast. I got catcalled, and not in a nice way, but I tried not to care. We had our breakfast, and a long conversation with an LGBT involved waiter (it was hard for him NOT to be family). I need to call him. He helps run an LGBT youth center, and'd like us to go to an LGBT "Career Day" for his "kids." I need to call his number.

When we got back, the con was in full swing. I set up my table, and got my laptop ready to display the comic when I was viciously hit ion the head by a roving webcomic artist named Erin Lindsey. After regaining consciousness, many hugs were exchanged, catching up was done, and we relaxed behind our tables till it was time for the first panel.

And now the conclusion.

While setting up the tables, I got to meet some old friends, such as Chris Hazelton, Jamie Robertson, Mike Moon, the Dada Detective folks and a good many others. I also made some new friends, too, such as Thridchild of Misfile. I have a thing for fiesty redheads, and there's been a Fiesty Redhead at each Trinoc Con. I hereby give her the crown of Miss Fiesty Redhead 2006.

We got to see Erin's family, too. Her mom and several aunts showed up to peruse her wares. They were all there for a Special Occasion, but alas, the occasion was delayed.

The first panel was Bloggers from Mars, where several of us talked about Livejournal and blogging in general. The frist nice sign for the 2006 con? There were more people at this panel than all of my panels in 2005 COMBINED.

We had some dinner with Chris, Liz and Loren, then made it late to the Meet the Guests meet and greet. We got our first taste of the 501st Legion, who provided "security" for the show. ;) Nothing like storm troopers guarding the room to make you feel secure.

We moved directly to the LGBT panel. It still wasn't the jampacked 2004 panel, but it also wasn't the "friends only, not advertised" panel of 2005. Two hours of fun there. Unfortunately, it was at this panel that Emily lost her tape recorder and art supplies. We didn't realize it at the time, but it was here that we lost it, we believe.

We retreated to the art room till it closed, and proceeded to play Drunken Munchkin (well, we watched while I sketched) with Erin, Lissa, Deb, Morgan and watch the stragglers walk by as Friday wound down. The liquor and Big Red flowed freely, and we all retired to Erin's room till late in the evening. We got a total of 2 hours of sleep. At least I did. :D

I'm packing America's lunchbox with a Truth Roll-up.

FRIDAY, Trinoc Day One (Rebooting)

---

Last Week, On Trinoc Con:

Friday began with Jason getting his luggage, and Liz meeting up with her roomie Loren, who came in on a MUCH later flight than Liz did.

We all made the trip to a nearby Denny's for breakfast. I got catcalled, and not in a nice way, but I tried not to care. We had our breakfast, and a long conversation with an LGBT involved waiter (it was hard for him NOT to be family). I need to call him. He helps run an LGBT youth center, and'd like us to go to an LGBT "Career Day" for his "kids." I need to call his number.

When we got back, the con was in full swing. I set up my table, and got my laptop ready to display the comic when I was viciously hit ion the head by a roving webcomic artist named Erin Lindsey. After regaining consciousness, many hugs were exchanged, catching up was done, and we relaxed behind our tables till it was time for the first panel.

And now the conclusion.

While setting up the tables, I got to meet some old friends, such as Chris Hazelton, Jamie Robertson, Mike Moon, the Dada Detective folks and a good many others. I also made some new friends, too, such as Thridchild of Misfile. I have a thing for fiesty redheads, and there's been a Fiesty Redhead at each Trinoc Con. I hereby give her the crown of Miss Fiesty Redhead 2006.

We got to see Erin's family, too. Her mom and several aunts showed up to peruse her wares. They were all there for a Special Occasion, but alas, the occasion was delayed.

The first panel was Bloggers from Mars, where several of us talked about Livejournal and blogging in general. The frist nice sign for the 2006 con? There were more people at this panel than all of my panels in 2005 COMBINED.

We had some dinner with Chris, Liz and Loren, then made it late to the Meet the Guests meet and greet. We got our first taste of the 501st Legion, who provided "security" for the show. ;) Nothing like storm troopers guarding the room to make you feel secure.

We moved directly to the LGBT panel. It still wasn't the jampacked 2004 panel, but it also wasn't the "friends only, not advertised" panel of 2005. Two hours of fun there. Unfortunately, it was at this panel that Emily lost her tape recorder and art supplies. We didn't realize it at the time, but it was here that we lost it, we believe.

We retreated to the art room till it closed, and proceeded to play Drunken Munchkin (well, we watched while I sketched) with Erin, Lissa, Deb, Morgan and watch the stragglers walk by as Friday wound down. The liquor and Big Red flowed freely, and we all retired to Erin's room till late in the evening. We got a total of 2 hours of sleep. At least I did. :D

"YOUR MANAGER SAYS FOR YOU TO SHUT UP!" "Vera said that?"

SATURDAY, Trinoc Day Two

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If the panels were any indication that there'd be more people at this con than in 2005, Saturday was the clincher. It was PACKED. Very good to see in a con that I've put a lot of emotional investment into. I was really worried that 2005 was a death knell for the one con that liked me, and it was good to see that last year didn't totally decimate the con.

Blearily I ploughed through the morning, briefly talking with the artists. I really didn't feel like I got much done at the tables, before we were pulled to the Muse or Money panel, where I got to horrify Cat with stories about how my characters talk to me and I just report what I see. This melded into the incredibly large Webcomics Summit where we all got together and gabbed about Net Neutrality to Why do we use Oval word Balloons.

With all that done, we all went to dinner where Erin proposed to her sweetie. There had been a long elaborate plan that involved us going to the Hibachi we went to in 2004 and 2005, where Erin would pop the question. This would have been Friday before the Meet the Guests con. Problem was...it didn't happen.

Earlier in the day, we had tried making reservations for the Hibachi place, when we realized that it was a 45 minute drive from where the con was this year. So it wasn't a good thing to do. Erin came down to two choices - did she want to have a small private affair, or propose at the webcomics dinner with everyone. She then made the mistake of saying "Ask ::insert future bride's name here::" Future Bride (I'm not sure if she's been made public yet, hence the Secret Name), said she'd rather have dinner with the webcomics. So I walked back to Erin and said "She said she wanted dinner with all the webcomic artists."

The split second look of sheer terror on her face was priceless.

But it was all good. She proposed, shortly after ordering dinner. There were many pictures, much bubbly, and lots of happiness all around.

We slogged our way to the Demon Within panel, but unfortunately so many of us were either drunk or punchy from sleep that the panel fell to pieces quickly. I don't remember much after that, other than what I'd like to do right now, which is crawl into bed and get some sleepytime.

"YOUR MANAGER SAYS FOR YOU TO SHUT UP!" "Vera said that?"

SATURDAY, Trinoc Day Two

---

If the panels were any indication that there'd be more people at this con than in 2005, Saturday was the clincher. It was PACKED. Very good to see in a con that I've put a lot of emotional investment into. I was really worried that 2005 was a death knell for the one con that liked me, and it was good to see that last year didn't totally decimate the con.

Blearily I ploughed through the morning, briefly talking with the artists. I really didn't feel like I got much done at the tables, before we were pulled to the Muse or Money panel, where I got to horrify Cat with stories about how my characters talk to me and I just report what I see. This melded into the incredibly large Webcomics Summit where we all got together and gabbed about Net Neutrality to Why do we use Oval word Balloons.

With all that done, we all went to dinner where Erin proposed to her sweetie. There had been a long elaborate plan that involved us going to the Hibachi we went to in 2004 and 2005, where Erin would pop the question. This would have been Friday before the Meet the Guests con. Problem was...it didn't happen.

Earlier in the day, we had tried making reservations for the Hibachi place, when we realized that it was a 45 minute drive from where the con was this year. So it wasn't a good thing to do. Erin came down to two choices - did she want to have a small private affair, or propose at the webcomics dinner with everyone. She then made the mistake of saying "Ask ::insert future bride's name here::" Future Bride (I'm not sure if she's been made public yet, hence the Secret Name), said she'd rather have dinner with the webcomics. So I walked back to Erin and said "She said she wanted dinner with all the webcomic artists."

The split second look of sheer terror on her face was priceless.

But it was all good. She proposed, shortly after ordering dinner. There were many pictures, much bubbly, and lots of happiness all around.

We slogged our way to the Demon Within panel, but unfortunately so many of us were either drunk or punchy from sleep that the panel fell to pieces quickly. I don't remember much after that, other than what I'd like to do right now, which is crawl into bed and get some sleepytime.