DragonCon...Monday

[whiski_sour]

For our last day, we got up early, checked out, stowed our luggage, and headed over for a Ghost Hunters panel. The panel reaffirmed my decision to like Robb. He didn't talk much, but when he did, it was good. Grant was hilarious. Tango has some of the best facial expressions. But I think the best story came from Dustin.

They were asked what about the con startled them or caught them off guard. Dustin said he was standing on the corner, waiting to cross the street, and right behind him a guy dressed as Batman was cursing out a girl dressed as an angel. After four days, we're all very familiar with that sort of surreality.


Slightly better pics at this panel (we were five rows back this time). Left to right: Robb, Tango, Grant, and Dustin.

After the panel we went to the dealer rooms. The day before, I had chatted with a dealer outside while having a smoke and I wanted to check out her stuff. Plus, I still needed to find something for the girls. I finally found a couple of dragons that wrap around your arm. Very cool.

We hung out for quite awhile on the Atrium level waiting for our last panel.

We decided to end our con experience by going to the closing of the Stargate Track room. We wanted a chance to thank Marsha and James (James ran the interactive episode panel) and say goodbye.

All weekend, the track had been raising money for this year's DragonCon charity, the American Heart Association. It just so happens that after the charity was named, an intended guest and beloved castmember, Don S. Davis, passed away from a heart attack. The track was big on raising as much money as possible in his honor.



They held an auction as well as a silent auction, but still had a few items left over, so they auctioned them off at the closing panel. Even though it was Monday and everybody was broke, we dug deep on the items they offered.

Carrie won a SGA book signed by the author. I won a David Nykl autograph. He signed two of his name cards from the megapanels and since I didn't get to meet him (and really wanted to, but four days wasn't enough time this year), it was the next best thing. Plus, it was for charity and a rare item.

In the end, our track alone raised 10K (though, as they talley up all of the auction money and donations, they think the final figure will be closer to 11K).

After the panel, we stuck around and thanked Marsha and talked for quite awhile to James and Watcher from the Gateworld forum.

But eventually, it had to end.

Everything became our last. Last meal in the food court. Last walk through the Marriott. Last walk to the Sheraton.

We got a cab and headed to the airport, where we camped out for three hours waiting for our flight. I thought Atlanta security would be dicks, but they were actually much nicer than Bloomington.

The flight home was smooth (and it was funny because there was a family on our flight home that was on our flight to Atlanta) and my stepdad and Hammie were waiting to meet us.

Don't be fooled. Hammie wasn't anxious to see us. She just wanted to stay up late and she really wanted her autograph.

On one hand, I was sad to have it all end. On the other hand, I was happy to be home. Even if the cats were pissed I took my bed back.