Current mood:

tired

Filkcontinental 2004

Well, Lissa's already described much of our trip, so I'll try not to duplicate - save perhaps for wishing an eternal plague upon French fisherman and German roadworks! I'm not actually sure which was more stressful - the hour plus delay from the Autobahn closure on the way out as we crawled nose-to-tail for about 5 miles; or the somewhat shorter delay from the Autobahn closure on the way home which had the advantage of being shorter with less traffic, but the disadvantage of NO DIVERSION SIGNS, which made trying to find a route to the next junction in an unknown city that much more exciting. Truly, it was a case of picking a car from the queue to follow and hoping he knew where *he* was going!

Convention itself would have been more fun had I a) not still had this wretched virus clogging my lungs and head, and b) actually written anything new in the last 3 years! Fortunately US "decongestants-with-drugs-in" did a reasonable job of giving me my voice back, albeit variably, but it'll be nicer when virus decides to depart and the songwriting muse decides to return! But a good time was had anyway.

Was embarrassed to discover that both of us had managed to avoid reading the PRs, and thus missed the fact that the Saturday of the Con was supposed to be an opportunity for Medieval costume-wearing! Ah well, if they do the same next year (or perhaps even if they don't!) maybe I'll take one of Rachel's medieval outfits along - it'll be more work than a male costume, but I think she has more impressive outfits (as well as a higher 'boggle' factor *evil grin*).

Convention felt perhaps a little lightly programmed this year - given breakfast is at 8.00 there does tend to be rather a gaping hole until performance items start. Especially (and this is one thing I do feel the lack of) as there is no default 'socialising' room for people to hang out in when there's nothing else they feel like doing. US cons have a con suite; UK cons have bar or lounge areas; but FC doesn't really and would be better if it did.

Cosmic Trifle were very good, even to someone who'd seen them several times. And I may one day forgive Magician for his reference to rec.music.frequently but it'll take a while!

Had good fun with the camera over the weekend, getting some (hopefully) nice shots of the firebreathing workshop, and also of the castle. Though since this latter involved wandering down the hill until I could get a good view - which turned out meaning *all* the way down to the valley - it also then involved walking all the way back *up* the hill again, which was rather harder! And my legs are still feeling it today!

And UT are guests next year! Woo! And we're already booked, though truth be told we'd have done so anyway. It's a good con, full of good friends, and it was nice (after missing last year due to a clash with the Far Isles St Briavels revel) to be back again.