I freaking LOVE green peppers!  Raw or cooked, they are one of my favorite foods.  I'm suddenly getting a craving for stuffed peppers *drool*

I finally got a hotel room for Marcon.  One of my friends knows a fellow costumer and panelist that was looking for roomies, and I volunteered to be one, to help save costs.  She also entered the Masquerade last year, and I remember her costume and seeing her while we were being judged beforehand.  I love meeting new people, so this will be really cool.

Speaking of Marcon's Masquerade, I'm not sure if I will be able to do the new Susan dress in time.  I am still hoping to have it for DragonCon, but because of the road trip, I may only be able to do one new costume for Marcon.  I still want to enter the Masquerade again though, because I think it is fun and I actually enjoy going on stage in costume.  I'll have to think what I can enter instead of Susan - maybe the Dragonmaster? Hmmm.

This year's Marcon outshone last year's by several factors.  Here is a breakdown:

Thursday:  Arrived to the hotel about 8pm.  Checked-in, unloaded and parked the car, and relaxed.  Ordered some room service (a piece of really good apple crumb cake) and downloaded Harry Potter fanart.

Friday:  I picked up my badge at the green room and ran into quite a few of friends in there.  Attended a panel on costume construction, from 2D references to a 3D costume.  After that, I went to a bullwhip demonstration, which was really cool.  Later, I ran into most of the the ORCs, and got caught up with them.  Brannon, Jeff, Pat, and I popped into the art show, where they pointed out a really nice Alan Rickman print that I was determined to get.  The four of us went to the food court to get food, and hung out at the hall table for a while.  Heh, I know I did something after that, but I sure can't remember what in the hell it was now.  Then I retired to my room, and fixed a seam that was coming loose on my Susan dress, and wrote the monologue for the emcee.

Saturday:  Slept in later than I wanted, so I was a little haggard in the morning.  I  dressed as Luna Lovegood (complete with lion hat and Quibbler), grabbed a bite in the green room, and headed to my first panel, on the Order of the Phoenix film.  After that, I attended the Deathly Hallows panel, and met up with Grace for lunch and to place a bid on the Alan picture.   Then I headed to my room to shower, change into regular clothes, and lay out everything for Susan.  I also confirmed with Andy that he was still doing my hair, checked e-mail, and then went to the art show to look at everything, placing bids on three more items.  Then I had my Firefly panel, which was packed with people, and then raced to my room to change into Susan.  I was so nervous about the workmanship judging, because I had no idea what to expect, and I was so in awe of the other great costumes there.  I was so sure my work wasn't that great.  But the judges didn't kill me (or even give me evil looks) and Grace was there to calm my nerves.  After that, Grace and I grabbed some dinner, I checked my bids, and we waited in the green room for me to be lined up for the actual masquerade. 

I remember being extremely nervous until I actually walked on stage, and then I simply fell into the routine I had been practicing for the last two weeks, even though I was half-blind without my glasses and the lights were so bright I couldn't see anything except the spots.  When I left the stage, it was just like Grace had said - it was euphoria!  I got my picture taken, and then returned to watch the rest of the masquerade (including seeing Julie in her Bellatrix and the ORCs in the Guitar Hero skit).  We all sat together to wait the results.  Lo and behold, I was stunned, shocked, surprised to get a workmanship award for novice class.  I had been so sure I wasn't going ot get anything, and hadn't planned on it.  I had entered this year more for the experience than anything.  But when my name was announced, and all of my friends just started screaming for me, I was so happy.  I guess my work is better than I expected, and I am really ready to take it up several notches.  Anyway, Julie and the ORCs got awards too (Julie for Judges' Choice and the ORCs for Best in Show - 5th year in a row, baby)! 

After that, I changed back into regular clothes, and went down to the art show to wait for the bidding to end.  I won all four pieces of the artwork I had bid on - hooray!  The I met with Grace, Julie, Sister Sola and Lesa (meeting the last two formally at that point) at the bar, where we had drinks and talked.  Most of the ORCs came down to the bar too, and then we headed to the dance for a little bit.  Then we heard there was karaoke set up at the consuite, but it was shutting down when we got there.  But we stayed and waited for COOKIES!  And then bedtime at 3:30am.  Although my roomie Kelly and I talked for another 45 minutes after that.

Sunday: Woke up with little trouble, surprisingly.  Got my shower, grabbed a snack in the green room, picked up my artwork, and attended another costuming panel, followed by the Psi Phi Columbus group picture.  Then I went to my panel on The Prestige, but no one showed up.  I talked to the other two panelists for a half-hour, and then we decided to leave.  I called Grace and met up with her, SIster Sola, and Julie S. at the dealer's room, and bought a couple of things.  We met for lunch, and then I took my stuff up to the room and began packing, taking two trips to the car.  I met up with the ORCs as they were leaving and talked for a little bit, and then met up with Grace and Sister Sola again for dinner at the hotel restaurant.  Then we went down to the Dead Dog party, and played Apples to Apples with a very large group (I think about 25).  I said good-bye to Grace about midnight.  Got another shower, and did some more packing.

Monday:  Met with Sister Sola for breakfast, and then we split off to finish packing and head out.  Checked out, drove home, end of con.


So, overall, a wonderful time!  I made some new friends, caught up with some I hadn't seen for far too long, won an award I hadn't expected to win, did some partying, and had some great discussions.  Now on to DragonCon!