The guys above are part of Vader’s Fist, also known as the 501st Legion. They appear at charity events for causes like the Ronald McDonald House and the Make-A-Wish Foundation and “spread the magic of Star Wars.”

I’ve learned that it’s possible to have fangs installed for $50. I’m considering doing it, just for a little camoflage. I wonder if I can put them on my expense account.

I’ve also learned about the existence of Scott Bakula parties. Apparently, there’s a Scott Bakula fan organization here at Norwescon that promotes the work of the Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise star. They’ve become known here at the convention for their wild and crazy parties, which get nuttier every year. Apparently, this year, they’re trying to make sure that people know that, yes, they do throw crazy, raucous parties, but they’re also really serious Scott Bakula fans. I’m going to try to track down this organization and get the skinny on both Bakula and the parties.

Last hour, I attended a discussion about the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and why they sustain themselves over so many genres and decades. One of the kind of unspoken elephants in the room was the fact that Lovecraft was a horrible writer, although one of the panelists hinted at that when he suggested that people read his books and say “Maybe I can do that!” It was an hour-long talk about a writer and his weird spiritual resonance, and it was a lovely time, exactly what I’ve been looking for here today.

I talked with a panelist just now in the hallway about how Norwescon has fewer actual walking-around points of interest. “It’s all about the costumes now,” he said. A slutty pirate girl walked by him, as if in an act of human punctuation. He seemed exasperated. I felt sorry for him.