I remember, so clearly, the first time I saw Amanda Tapping in the flesh. It'll be four years this November and I can still, when I think about it, reach out and touch those emotions - as if I keep them in a tiny box by my bed and they're waiting for that day when things aren't so great, when you need a reminder of what a truly awesome moment feels like. And I go there, from time to time, because even though I have had many, many encounters with Ms Tapping since and each experience has always been a rewarding one, there is nothing quite like the moment you experience when you see someone whom you admire, so very much, for the first time.


Yesterday evening, I got to see Elizabeth Mitchell being interviewed at a "Meet the Cast" event at the Apple store in London. If there is one person on the planet who surpasses my admiration for Amanda Tapping, it is the gracious Elizabeth Mitchell. I cursed the ridiculous tears in my eyes as she walked out. In hindsight, it's almost a blessing that we weren't able to say our own personal greetings to the cast of V or shake their hands because I know I wouldn't have been able to hold back my emotion. I'm an emotional human being, I know this, and this was a big deal to me, and I knew that if I were any closer to her than I actually was, I would have cried. Not because I'm hysterical, but because I get overwhelmed when I meet people that I have a great respect for and because I can't often find the words right away, my body translates them into tears.

( continued... )

Part Four

Sunday April 5th

The last day dawned. I clearly remember rejecting the reality of the alarm going off. Unacceptable creature. I know I spent today running around on pure adrenalin. By the time we went to dinner much later that evening, I was slightly shaky. A banana and granola bar at breakfast - and my faithful diet coke - was all that had sustained me up until then. This is what happens when you still have 4 panels to sit through (as N John Smith plus Brad Wright and Rob Cooper did talks - I recommend you go HERE for some good scoop on the latter's panel) and 2 more photo ops to get done... a break was non optional.

( The finale... x--x )

Part Two

Friday April 3rd

On Friday, the con really kicked into gear. With panels from David Nkyl, Dan Shea, Connor Trinneer, and Teryl Rothery, we were kept incredibly busy. My memory of these panels is hazy at best, I was still quite overwhelmed from the previous days venture. I swear I make up for it later on!

( Enter the occasional madness... x--x )

Up until now I've kept 2 livejournals. The first is kept open purely to house a con report. I am now moving  my AT2 con report to this journal. 

Saturday 18th November 2006

I had set my alarm for five a.m. I know me, I don't do well without a morning shower. Plus, y'know, I didn't want to meet Amanda for the first time wearing yesterday's hair! Of course, instead of being woken by the bird chirp and musical interlude that is the alarm on my cellular phone - I was woo hoo wide awake at 04.15. It did occur to me at this point that I should just crawl my way to the bathroom and get started... but I live in England, and England is dark. There is nothing on this planet that could drag me out of bed at that hour without due cause. Only the gravitational effects of a black hole would do it, and there weren't any around.

Five AM. I figured I would be out the door by 06.30. I figured wrong. Missed the bus, and opted to walk to the station. Took two hours to get to Heathrow. Time check - 08.40. Time Gabit said things were kicking off - 09.00. Okay, no panic. No clue where the hotel Hoppa Bus is. No time to get a clue. Drag suitcase and self to the taxi bay. Seven pounds later, arrive at the Renaissance Hotel. Time check - 08.50. All praise for Marriott hotels, from my race through the entrance to the Check In desk, the place looked smashing! Bless too, the nice man at the counter for a most speedy check in, and the concierge for so graciously relieving me of my luggage when I all but threw it at him. Run to registration like a bat outta hell, momentarily recognise that it is Kay aka Mumsey sitting behind the desk, and the sigh in huge relief that I've arrived safe and sound with zero point two seconds to spare.

 

( read on for the full con report... x--x )