shadowkat | (no subject)

liz_marcs links to a really wonderful essay by Wil Wheaton of Star Trek the Next Generation fame about fan conventions.

Here: http://suicidegirls.com/news/geek/22107/

I have to admit - I don't understand why people go to fan conventions. It sounds like pure hell to me. Crowds. Noise. Lectures. Long Lines. But, I don't understand going to regular conventions either. I avoid going like the plague - and I have an organization I joined a while back in which I probably should try and go to a few conventions with, because you know, NETWORKING! But, ack, convention. Would rather go to the dentist personally - for me the dentist isn't that bad, just basic cleaning no cavitis, but still.. Why pay money and vacation time to do something I hate? No thank you. But I know people who love the things, adore them. Boggles my mind. Just have to jot it down as one of those things I don't understand and leave it at that.

Threaded | Flat

I also hate crowds and noise... but I do enjoy conventions (so long as I have a single room I can escape to when I'm tired and need to get away from the crowds and noise). What I love is:
1. meeting people I've liked online in RL (like

talimama and

biffsbabe
2. getting see favorite writers/actors speak: I can certainly understand people who don't really care about meeting actors & writers, but I do get a huge kick out of it, particularly when someone is a good speaker with something to say. It isn't as good as seeing an actor in a play, but it is a performance of a kind, and most of the writers I've seen really have interesting things to say.
3. participating in silliness like dressing up in costume