#wolfsbane3

I missed cons. Admittedly, I didn’t do all that many before, because money, but I’ve missed the atmosphere of them, the fun, even the exhaustion that comes after.

But on to this one in particular. 

I’ve missed a bunch of panels, so there will be very little in here about the questions. The way our photo ops and autograph sessions were spread out, I didn’t get to see all that many panels on either of the days, though I’ve heard bits that I didn’t get to see. (also, 8yo isn’t all that hyped about dorks being dorks on stage & she spent about half of them with headphones on & her tablet/Nintendo, oops?)

Anyway, the stuff that stood out to me most?

eaddymays. No, really, Eaddy. From the way she barged into the ticket office to thank us for being there when we were just queueing to get our auto/photo tickets, through her tears on stage when the cancer topic came up, to the hug when I mentioned my Mom’s lost fight with it, to her endless energy and smiles and just... everything. Thank you, Eaddy, for each and every single second of the weekend, starting with the announcement that you’ll be attending, through your IG pics from before the weekend, all the way to the fucking brilliant entrance to the closing ceremony. Eaddy is a star, and I do hope that her ongoing battle is a winning one, because the world needs more people like her. Fuck everyone who throws hate, she’s gone over and beyond what any of us there at the con expected, and I’m in awe. 

Colton. Not gonna lie, going into the con, he was my biggest draw (especially after Hoech’s cancellation), because I know him from TW as well as Arrow, and Roy is one of my faves on there. Colton is a gem. He played along with our photo op idea (dude, that’s not a scared face though :P), he was an absolute sweetheart in the auto session with my kiddo, and I am so totally holding him to the whole Hoechlin and Darren thing. Personal fav memory: “Duh, BEST friends.” when I said he’s friends with Hoechlin. 

Gage. Beautiful, precious, amazing Gage. I’m so glad we got to see her at her first con, and I hope the way she looked all smiley and happy will mean more appearances in the future. She’s a precious cupcake and meeting her just reaffirmed that my fics will continue to ignore canon and have Erica in about everything TW-themed that I write. Also, I’m glad the whole shipping and fandom thing didn’t seem to scare her off :D

Ian and JR. I can’t even separate those two, because most of my memories of those two from the weekend are somehow related. Except Ian walking into the autograph room on Sunday morning in those goddamned sweatpants. Because, dude, not fair. They’re both funnier than I expected, and whoever introduced them to Periscope ... that will be interesting to see if they keep it up LOL Also, yeah, I totally ship Chris/Peter now. Oops?

Posey. I’ll start with: yeah, I still have an issue with his choice of words re: Sterek and Sterek shippers. I always will, because no matter how he meant it, what he was trying to say, that was uncool and fucked up, and knowing how much shit it caused, those were words he should never have said out loud. (it springs to mind: does he have the same disdain for people who watch TW for any of the other couples, like Scallisson, Skittles, Stydia, Allydia and anyone else, or is it only Sterek shippers he thinks of that way? Jury’s out on that one.)  That out of the way, I will fight anyone who bitches about what he said at WB3 on Sunday. That’s a hill I’m willing to die on. He was asked to talk to people about fighting depression and anxiety, and the timing of his recent spell of depression resulted in one of the most chilling moments I’ve heard from anyone talking about it. There was barely a person who wasn’t touched by his words, and the room was dead quiet while he struggled for what to say. That includes people on stage with him (bless JR for stepping in to try and help). Depression is a bitch, and it’s fucking hard to put it in words, it’s fucking hard to talk about to people you know, to people who are strangers, to anyone. The way he described the low, the feeling of drowning but not wanting to take the offered helping hand... been there. And losing a parent? Don’t fucking underestimate how it feels impossible to get over, no matter how old you are, or they were, or how close or distanced you were. I still can’t talk about it without feeling like it’s something that isn’t my life. I don’t know if I ever will. So yeah, people who claim he’s playing things up for sympathy? Fuck you. If you weren’t in the room, there’s no way you can judge what he said and how he said it. I’d argue with him on some points, but also some of the words were likely not formed the way he’d have wanted them to, because he was not saying a speech he had rehearsed or thought of before.  On that note, he was our first photo op, and I’ve walked out of there more nervous than I expected, but also laughing because of how he played along with our idea ;) So glad he did like it when we showed him the pic the next day. (also dude, Eaddy definitely was not impressed that you took up her space on the poster ;P)

I wish I had a chance to thank Ian, Colton, JR, Posey and Dylan for how they answered my kiddo’s question, though. She was set on going up and asking them from Saturday, and then when she froze, they were awesome. I’ve missed some bits of what they actually did answer, because I was focusing on her more, but even though it didn’t have the punch of the stuff from before (aka Posey’s talk), it was still important, all of it. And man, having the five of them look at you from the stage, having all their attention? No wonder kiddo froze (ironic as it might be, considering her question was if they ever get stage fright). I hope I’ll find a video of it somewhere. 

Beyond the guests, though, there were people I met, people I talked to, people who will hopefully stay in touch even afterwards. Aeron ‘Scott’, timeywhimeydaffy, sinyhale, omg-lu-universe (even if it was only on the way back), Mako, Emma, Trine, Tanja and everyone else I’ve talked to in queues and elsewhere. I forgot how amazing it is to talk to people who get your love for a thing in real life. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone.