I have returned!
Apr. 30th, 2024 08:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
totchipandaI was home by 630 on Sunday evening, but, as M put it, I needed to rot lol
I was sooo tired on Wednesday that I got a little bit done from my list but not much, and went to bed "early". And proceeded to lay awake until almost 1:30am (go figure). Woke up early, 6:15 iirc, but not with an alarm so, whatever. Finished packing, took a shower, dumped the litter box, took the used litter out, topped the kitties up on everything, and took off.
Drive was good, no issues. Picked up M's friend A and headed to the hotel. After an hour or so we went to Walmart to pick up a few things, and then to the restaurant adjacent to the hotel for dinner. My period decided it was time to start, and M's was like "oh hey good idea!" and started 2 days early.
On Friday, we decided it was the best day for going to the mountains despite the gloomy weather, so after getting up and ready, we picked up coffee and breakfast and left the city at 11am. We got held up for close to an hour on the highway with a collision clean up that was finishing just as we passed it, stopped for a potty break, and then FINALLY reached our destination at 2pm. After lunch and some souvenirs, A really wanted to see Lake Louise so we went to see Lake Louise. Our park pass expired at 4pm but what were they going to do, chase us down and kick us out?
Did not even consider the fact that Lake Louise could freeze over, let alone still be frozen over at the end of April. It was frozen over! Only one small patch of open water near the shore, which was partially iced over itself. There were people walking all the way across the lake, tiny figures in the distance. I did go stand on the ice close to the shore, just to say that I did, but we were not prepared for a long walk and did not trust the ice situation, so we did not venture around very much. Moraine Lake's entrance was not very far away, nor was the lake itself very far away, but the road was extremely closed (like snowed in barriers closed). Stopped at the wetland lakes in the valley and then decided to try my favourite lake, Lake Minnewanka, which was also not very far off the highway. If it was closed, no skin off our teeth.
The main road was closed but the side road was open. We saw some mountain sheep (or goats? I can't tell the difference, they were small and had small pointy horns and weren't too shaggy) and OPEN WATER AT LAST!!! Though not at a place we could access it, it was from the top of the ridge. Further down we got to the lake, and it was indeed frozen over. BUT, there was a grand total of 8 cars in the lot, which meant we had a VERY peaceful visit because there was almost no one there. The lake level was low, unsurprising after years of drought and also being there before the ice and snow had melted. I climbed down some of the glacial rocks to the edge where a 2" thick layer of ice jutted up against them, but one foot and only some of my weight broke it right off.
The weather was cool all day, overcast and trying to snow in a couple places, but very windy and bitter. A was so cold, having only a sprint jacket, and I got a sunburn on my face from all the reflected light. We got back around 9pm after stopping for McDonald's for dinner.
Saturday was THE BIG DAY!!! It was con day! We had photo ops scheduled and autographs to attempt to get! We got to the site around 11 and picked up our badges before cruising the vendor hall. I picked the art I wanted to get, but also decided to get another art, and got a ring that is designed to let yarn flow over your finger and relieve the stress of tensioning there. BRILLIANT! I'd never heard of it but she'd had other people walk by excited to see it. Visited the friends I knew who were selling there while M and A decided to head over to the main hall, where i caught up with them in one of the autograph lines.
I decided to find our other friend who was vending while A went to find food. A then decided that she was not only overwhelmed but the size of the con and the number of people present, but was having some health issues and that she would take a cab back to the hotel. I felt so bad for her!! It IS a big con and there ARE a lot of people, who go. Last year we couldn't even make it through the autograph area, it was just too crowded for us, this year was not like that :(
So M was in line, waiting, and when she said that A had left, I decided to spend the time with her. The big name guests this year were several members of the cast of the of the original Scream movie - Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Lee someone (Ghostface), an actor for the second or third movie who'd done some other nerdy films. She was waiting for Skeet, having been absolutely taken with him for YEARS. He was her priority autography, and she was also going to try for Matthew's if possible, but even then his line was closed for several hours. We got SO CLOSE to the front of the line when they said no more, he has to get ready for the photos ops starting in less than 10 minutes, so she got #2 and we departed.
A visit to our vending friend and a snack later, M went off to her photo op and I got in line for food, which should have gotten us back together in just enough time for her to get back in line for the autograph, which we did! Y'all, Skeet is the nicest person. He asked where we were from, we said Edmonton, he then told us about a movie he'd filmed in Drumheller (which we had never heard of and are now going to track down) and that experience (Drumheller is the site of many many many dinosaur discoveries and their world-class museum, which I've been to A LOT) and then he gave both of us hugs even though she was the only one getting an autograph and off we went, absolutely screaming on the inside.
They told us to come back for Matthew's line, which was STUFFED still, and eventually we found out that his line was CAPPED, no more people at all. OK that's alright. M offered me the money she'd set aside to get Elliot Page's autograph, and I said I didn't know what to say so we decided together that I could think about it for a bit before deciding. I really had until after my photo op at 5:30 to make that choice.
When I went to get in line for the photo op, M said she would go by their tables again juuuuust in case and within 5 minutes she called me excited bc they'd opened the line for Saturday-only people. Like her! I was so excited for her!! She'd spent some of the autograph money on lemonade but I'd taken my bottles in before leaving and had the balance she needed! I'd join her after my photo, which those go fast there was no way she'd get to the front before i did. It did mean that her offer was now off the table, which made things easier for me. Yes, I would have liked an autograph, and I did think of something to say, but it was very much out of my budge.
My photo op was... well too fast for starters, but you don't do those for the conversation. Elliot is tiny! I said "Nice to meet you" and offered my hand, and he shook it and said "nice to meet you too". Then when we went to pose, I put my hand behind him and said "If this is ok!" "yeah sure!" Some of the people in front of me did just side-by-side non-touching photos. "Thank you!" I said and off I went. (I will share the photo on Instagram! I wore Jurassic Park tshirt and a green flannel, Elliot was wearing jeans and a hoodie. It was his very first con ever ever ever!)
Joined Melissa in line where she was making friends with the girl behind her. A staffer came around handing out cards and taking money to speed the line up a little. Matthew walked through the line giving out high fives and announcing that it wasn't worth it, go home! Too bad, no lol. When we got to him, he was also very nice and gave us both hugs (M got two!). We said farewell to our vending friend and went back to the hotel to change and pick up A and then get food.
Our restaurant of choice was soooo busy so we ended up at Peter's, with burgers and milkshakes that we took back to the hotel to eat. All in all a very wonderful day!!!
Sunday was check out day. M was up before anyone else and she was bored so she did her morning routine before A and I were out of bed lol. After a day of hiking up and down rocks and standing on a concrete floor, our legs were sooooo sore. She said she couldn't get down to wash her hair in the tub, so she did it in the sink lol. We wanted to do the zoo but it was soo expensive! A said it was $87 US for all three of us, but then said she would pay for us because she really wanted to go and also as a thank you for taking her around everywhere. Thank you A!!
The zoo was good, with sunnier weather and a warmer but still aggressive wind. We got to see the polar bears!!! Briefly, at a distance, but omg they are just so big. The river otters were awake and active and we watched them sun and play for a good 15 minutes <3 Stopped for lunch at one of the food places before heading deeper into the Asia exhibit. The two tigers were napping, and a zoo employee there (very knowledgable but a little awkward) had a display of two historical cat skulls (one that would have hunted mammoths, the other I think was a cougar or a bobcat), a bobcat toe (the whole toe! Giant toe, tiny nail), and a patch of tiger hide. It was so soft.
Further along was the red panda exhibit and next to that was the pallas cat. EEEEEEEE!!! It was so tiny and cute!! I love it so much!!! After Asia was Africa, where we admired the hippos lying in the sun and the giraffes elegantly walking along, and the baby gorilla (almost one year old) playing and doing baby things while the adults slept nearby in the sun. And then the dinosaur park was closed, so we said farewell and left. I was home around 630 pm, where the kittens were happy to see me. They still had food in their dispenser, but now that I was home they wanted it in the ceramic bowl lol. I just poured it from the dispenser into the bowl and they were happy. Soooo happy to sleep in my own bed with my own pillows, the hotel ones were only ok.
Spent yesterday largely on the couch with the kittens, working on the stays. I have one side almost completely finished, just a little bit left at the back seam to do. I took a bit of time to try stitching the tape down over the false seam on the front panel to try out the technique, and also spent half an hour or so sewing a pouch. Definitely things I would change on the next one, still figuring out this zipper thing lol.
As for the thing I would have said to Elliot had I been brave enough: that Horrid Woman Who Was Fired From Star Wars For Being Rude was also a guest and I happened to walk through the main stage area during her panel while they were taking questions. The person who took the mic just then said something to the effect of "thank you for staying true to yourself and refusing to give in to Hollywood pressure" to cheers and applause. (I said BOOOOOOOOO at least loud enough for M to hear) Given the number of people in the expo's comment sections being utterly disgusting about Elliot's presence, I feel confident about what this person was referring to. Elliot, thank YOU for staying true to yourself and not giving in to Hollywood pressure. These people will never ever every understand what it's like to feel like your body isn't right and taking steps to change that so drastically is incredibly brave. I am so grateful we have icons like yourself for kids and others to look up to to see that change IS possible and it is better than anything they or I can dream of. Thank you thank you thank you.
All in all it was a very lovely weekend!
It took me so long to write all this that I have more to say!! The weather is very rollercoaster-y right now, it is currently snow-raining and it's just as fun as you imagine. I put on a long-sleeved shirt that's really a fall shirt, colour wise, and I was looking at my selection of sweaters being very disappointed. I really need spring clothes. AND THEN, just before lunch, my boss and grandboss pulled me aside and said that I am being moved to a small office in the other building where I can more effectively do my work, particularly when the next phase of this project begins. I won't have people reading their emails aloud or asking me questions or just in general being distracting. I am so excited!!! Two weeks until I go :D
Of course that means I'm going to be more "on display" than usual and my wardrobe choices will need to reflect that. Good thing I hadn't gotten too far into planning just yet :D
I was sooo tired on Wednesday that I got a little bit done from my list but not much, and went to bed "early". And proceeded to lay awake until almost 1:30am (go figure). Woke up early, 6:15 iirc, but not with an alarm so, whatever. Finished packing, took a shower, dumped the litter box, took the used litter out, topped the kitties up on everything, and took off.
Drive was good, no issues. Picked up M's friend A and headed to the hotel. After an hour or so we went to Walmart to pick up a few things, and then to the restaurant adjacent to the hotel for dinner. My period decided it was time to start, and M's was like "oh hey good idea!" and started 2 days early.
On Friday, we decided it was the best day for going to the mountains despite the gloomy weather, so after getting up and ready, we picked up coffee and breakfast and left the city at 11am. We got held up for close to an hour on the highway with a collision clean up that was finishing just as we passed it, stopped for a potty break, and then FINALLY reached our destination at 2pm. After lunch and some souvenirs, A really wanted to see Lake Louise so we went to see Lake Louise. Our park pass expired at 4pm but what were they going to do, chase us down and kick us out?
Did not even consider the fact that Lake Louise could freeze over, let alone still be frozen over at the end of April. It was frozen over! Only one small patch of open water near the shore, which was partially iced over itself. There were people walking all the way across the lake, tiny figures in the distance. I did go stand on the ice close to the shore, just to say that I did, but we were not prepared for a long walk and did not trust the ice situation, so we did not venture around very much. Moraine Lake's entrance was not very far away, nor was the lake itself very far away, but the road was extremely closed (like snowed in barriers closed). Stopped at the wetland lakes in the valley and then decided to try my favourite lake, Lake Minnewanka, which was also not very far off the highway. If it was closed, no skin off our teeth.
The main road was closed but the side road was open. We saw some mountain sheep (or goats? I can't tell the difference, they were small and had small pointy horns and weren't too shaggy) and OPEN WATER AT LAST!!! Though not at a place we could access it, it was from the top of the ridge. Further down we got to the lake, and it was indeed frozen over. BUT, there was a grand total of 8 cars in the lot, which meant we had a VERY peaceful visit because there was almost no one there. The lake level was low, unsurprising after years of drought and also being there before the ice and snow had melted. I climbed down some of the glacial rocks to the edge where a 2" thick layer of ice jutted up against them, but one foot and only some of my weight broke it right off.
The weather was cool all day, overcast and trying to snow in a couple places, but very windy and bitter. A was so cold, having only a sprint jacket, and I got a sunburn on my face from all the reflected light. We got back around 9pm after stopping for McDonald's for dinner.
Saturday was THE BIG DAY!!! It was con day! We had photo ops scheduled and autographs to attempt to get! We got to the site around 11 and picked up our badges before cruising the vendor hall. I picked the art I wanted to get, but also decided to get another art, and got a ring that is designed to let yarn flow over your finger and relieve the stress of tensioning there. BRILLIANT! I'd never heard of it but she'd had other people walk by excited to see it. Visited the friends I knew who were selling there while M and A decided to head over to the main hall, where i caught up with them in one of the autograph lines.
I decided to find our other friend who was vending while A went to find food. A then decided that she was not only overwhelmed but the size of the con and the number of people present, but was having some health issues and that she would take a cab back to the hotel. I felt so bad for her!! It IS a big con and there ARE a lot of people, who go. Last year we couldn't even make it through the autograph area, it was just too crowded for us, this year was not like that :(
So M was in line, waiting, and when she said that A had left, I decided to spend the time with her. The big name guests this year were several members of the cast of the of the original Scream movie - Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Lee someone (Ghostface), an actor for the second or third movie who'd done some other nerdy films. She was waiting for Skeet, having been absolutely taken with him for YEARS. He was her priority autography, and she was also going to try for Matthew's if possible, but even then his line was closed for several hours. We got SO CLOSE to the front of the line when they said no more, he has to get ready for the photos ops starting in less than 10 minutes, so she got #2 and we departed.
A visit to our vending friend and a snack later, M went off to her photo op and I got in line for food, which should have gotten us back together in just enough time for her to get back in line for the autograph, which we did! Y'all, Skeet is the nicest person. He asked where we were from, we said Edmonton, he then told us about a movie he'd filmed in Drumheller (which we had never heard of and are now going to track down) and that experience (Drumheller is the site of many many many dinosaur discoveries and their world-class museum, which I've been to A LOT) and then he gave both of us hugs even though she was the only one getting an autograph and off we went, absolutely screaming on the inside.
They told us to come back for Matthew's line, which was STUFFED still, and eventually we found out that his line was CAPPED, no more people at all. OK that's alright. M offered me the money she'd set aside to get Elliot Page's autograph, and I said I didn't know what to say so we decided together that I could think about it for a bit before deciding. I really had until after my photo op at 5:30 to make that choice.
When I went to get in line for the photo op, M said she would go by their tables again juuuuust in case and within 5 minutes she called me excited bc they'd opened the line for Saturday-only people. Like her! I was so excited for her!! She'd spent some of the autograph money on lemonade but I'd taken my bottles in before leaving and had the balance she needed! I'd join her after my photo, which those go fast there was no way she'd get to the front before i did. It did mean that her offer was now off the table, which made things easier for me. Yes, I would have liked an autograph, and I did think of something to say, but it was very much out of my budge.
My photo op was... well too fast for starters, but you don't do those for the conversation. Elliot is tiny! I said "Nice to meet you" and offered my hand, and he shook it and said "nice to meet you too". Then when we went to pose, I put my hand behind him and said "If this is ok!" "yeah sure!" Some of the people in front of me did just side-by-side non-touching photos. "Thank you!" I said and off I went. (I will share the photo on Instagram! I wore Jurassic Park tshirt and a green flannel, Elliot was wearing jeans and a hoodie. It was his very first con ever ever ever!)
Joined Melissa in line where she was making friends with the girl behind her. A staffer came around handing out cards and taking money to speed the line up a little. Matthew walked through the line giving out high fives and announcing that it wasn't worth it, go home! Too bad, no lol. When we got to him, he was also very nice and gave us both hugs (M got two!). We said farewell to our vending friend and went back to the hotel to change and pick up A and then get food.
Our restaurant of choice was soooo busy so we ended up at Peter's, with burgers and milkshakes that we took back to the hotel to eat. All in all a very wonderful day!!!
Sunday was check out day. M was up before anyone else and she was bored so she did her morning routine before A and I were out of bed lol. After a day of hiking up and down rocks and standing on a concrete floor, our legs were sooooo sore. She said she couldn't get down to wash her hair in the tub, so she did it in the sink lol. We wanted to do the zoo but it was soo expensive! A said it was $87 US for all three of us, but then said she would pay for us because she really wanted to go and also as a thank you for taking her around everywhere. Thank you A!!
The zoo was good, with sunnier weather and a warmer but still aggressive wind. We got to see the polar bears!!! Briefly, at a distance, but omg they are just so big. The river otters were awake and active and we watched them sun and play for a good 15 minutes <3 Stopped for lunch at one of the food places before heading deeper into the Asia exhibit. The two tigers were napping, and a zoo employee there (very knowledgable but a little awkward) had a display of two historical cat skulls (one that would have hunted mammoths, the other I think was a cougar or a bobcat), a bobcat toe (the whole toe! Giant toe, tiny nail), and a patch of tiger hide. It was so soft.
Further along was the red panda exhibit and next to that was the pallas cat. EEEEEEEE!!! It was so tiny and cute!! I love it so much!!! After Asia was Africa, where we admired the hippos lying in the sun and the giraffes elegantly walking along, and the baby gorilla (almost one year old) playing and doing baby things while the adults slept nearby in the sun. And then the dinosaur park was closed, so we said farewell and left. I was home around 630 pm, where the kittens were happy to see me. They still had food in their dispenser, but now that I was home they wanted it in the ceramic bowl lol. I just poured it from the dispenser into the bowl and they were happy. Soooo happy to sleep in my own bed with my own pillows, the hotel ones were only ok.
Spent yesterday largely on the couch with the kittens, working on the stays. I have one side almost completely finished, just a little bit left at the back seam to do. I took a bit of time to try stitching the tape down over the false seam on the front panel to try out the technique, and also spent half an hour or so sewing a pouch. Definitely things I would change on the next one, still figuring out this zipper thing lol.
As for the thing I would have said to Elliot had I been brave enough: that Horrid Woman Who Was Fired From Star Wars For Being Rude was also a guest and I happened to walk through the main stage area during her panel while they were taking questions. The person who took the mic just then said something to the effect of "thank you for staying true to yourself and refusing to give in to Hollywood pressure" to cheers and applause. (I said BOOOOOOOOO at least loud enough for M to hear) Given the number of people in the expo's comment sections being utterly disgusting about Elliot's presence, I feel confident about what this person was referring to. Elliot, thank YOU for staying true to yourself and not giving in to Hollywood pressure. These people will never ever every understand what it's like to feel like your body isn't right and taking steps to change that so drastically is incredibly brave. I am so grateful we have icons like yourself for kids and others to look up to to see that change IS possible and it is better than anything they or I can dream of. Thank you thank you thank you.
All in all it was a very lovely weekend!
It took me so long to write all this that I have more to say!! The weather is very rollercoaster-y right now, it is currently snow-raining and it's just as fun as you imagine. I put on a long-sleeved shirt that's really a fall shirt, colour wise, and I was looking at my selection of sweaters being very disappointed. I really need spring clothes. AND THEN, just before lunch, my boss and grandboss pulled me aside and said that I am being moved to a small office in the other building where I can more effectively do my work, particularly when the next phase of this project begins. I won't have people reading their emails aloud or asking me questions or just in general being distracting. I am so excited!!! Two weeks until I go :D
Of course that means I'm going to be more "on display" than usual and my wardrobe choices will need to reflect that. Good thing I hadn't gotten too far into planning just yet :D
no subject
Date: 2024-04-30 07:24 pm (UTC)So Gina Carano still gets con invites? Ugh.
Sounds like an exhausting whirlwind fabulous busy numbing sore dehydrated joyous weekend, good for you.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-30 08:46 pm (UTC)UNFORTUNATELY -_- and since I live in USA-wannabe, a lot of people agree with anti-trans rhetoric that is being touted by my gov't and her booth was bumpin' all day.
It was a lot of fun :) You're so right about dehydrated lol. I tried but.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-01 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-05-01 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-05-02 01:27 am (UTC)