Saturday 1 August 2015

Blaugust 1, 2015: Blaugventions

Ladies and gentlemen, once again I'm back for Blaugust, that most auspicious of calendar months. As is traditional, I shall now declare the rules I'm following:

1) I shall write a minimum of 31,000 words for the month.
2) I shall write a minimum of 31 posts.
3) I shall endeavour to have new content up each day, but I'll forgive myself if I don't.

Knowing me there will be more than a couple of posts about plants, probably a couple about games, and I hope you will stick around when I inevitably delve into my psyche, pull up some dreck, and put it on display for all to see (Though I made myself a promise to be less maudlin this year, which disappointed Thom. Unfortunately for him I've been in a good mood lately so I'll probably manage it. Oh well Thom, there are always the later seasons of M*A*S*H!).

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Some of you may not know that I came back to AVCon this year after a long dummy-spit. That delightful scamp John (or was it Ale?) asked if I'd like to run a board games section, and because I'm a mad fool I even said yes! I'd returned as an attendee last year, but it was an empty experience as nearly everyone I'd wanted to catch up with was busy running things. This may have influenced my decision.

On the whole, I had an excellent time. There are ways in which I wish I had been better prepared, though John and Ale and Denzil picked up my slack (Thohn, Thale, Thenzil). There were also many things that hadn't been considered ahead of time by anyone that we now know to improve in the future. But for a first time out, for AVCon-run tabletop, it kicked butt.

It was good to be involved again, especially in such a way as to be insulated from any potential committee politics, drama, worry, or fury-building. I was able to contribute to running something in association with a bunch of my friends and have people enjoy what we'd done, which was what AVCon was for me in the beginning. I have declared that Tabletop should be the AVCon Retirement Village for tired old warhorses, and I'm actively recruiting (assuming they'll let me be involved again next year).

Importantly for an introverted nerd like me it was a great chance to be social. There were a good dozen people I got to talk to that I haven't seen in years, and it was an excellent chance to get to know a few folk I'd only seen on the periphery of my social circles. I even got to meet a few interesting new people, of all things. Once upon a time AVCon people were the best people, and it seems like things are almost coming full circle for me in that regard. Good old AVCon.

My other convention experience this year is going to be PAX in Melbourne. A few of us are planning a road trip, which should be delightful. As I'll be one of the drivers I promise I'll take maddening detours to see plants.

PAX is unlike AVCon. I went last year as an enforcer (volunteer), which was a good experience but I found that there was so much to see and do that having half of my convention time taken up with what was essentially work left me with too few opportunities. I suspect that given a year or two of attendance I'll get this out of my system, but for now I'm genuinely interested in the panels, the demonstrations, the tabletop hall...

Oh my but the tabletop hall is wondrous; a magnificent sight to behold. It is very likely I'll spend a fair bit of time there, shopping and playing games with friends and strangers. So this time around PAX gets my money and not my effort.

8 comments:

  1. Woo PAX! Don't forget that you need to drive past my house right~?

    Also, you did an amazing job this year at AVCon :) <3

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  2. If the warhorses can participate by skype, I'm in. I'm pretty sure I count as a warhorse these days.

    Roll up the maudlin. You know why I'm here. Maybe I can get used to this new...enthusiastic Mark, but it might take a while...

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    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXx1S6O-T30

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    2. Can we just have a Ted hug pillow to sit behind the Smash TO's desk?

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    3. The idea of a Ted hug pillow terrifies me. Kinda thankful that there wouldn't be much of a market for the product.

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  3. Very sad I missed out on AVCon board games. Glad to see it kicked off and then went around and kicked everyone else as well.

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