Slog - Comments on Norwescon Wrap-Up

Comment by wench

wench — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:28:59 -0800

Thanks for all the reports! I had a friend that went down there this weekend, and it's always nice to hear what's going on. =) Hope you had fun!

Comment by Jubilation T. Cornball

Jubilation T. Cornball — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:49:34 -0800

Thank god for Slog and coverage of things like this. Can you imagine if Fancher had written a column about this? Christ in heaven.

Well done, team.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:56:25 -0800

Hobbit filking is never to be wished on friends or relations, failsafe one has a large supply of cotton balls to stuff one's ears with ...

Comment by kerri harrop

kerri harrop — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:21:35 -0800

Paul, your reports have been some of the most fascinatingly weird dispatches in Slog history. Thank you.

I would rather gouge my own eyes out than read sci-fi. I barely understood what the fuck you were talking about with some of these posts. All the sickly booze mentioned made me feel sick.

Yet, I could hardly wait for each installment. Well done.

Comment by stinkbug

stinkbug — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:33:55 -0800

I think Norwescon has distorted your sense of time.

Clarke died less than a week ago; not "last month."

Comment by stresskitten

stresskitten — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:43:39 -0800

When I checked out Slog after getting home from Norwescon today, I cringed, expecting to see another edition of Stranger hipster-ironic "HAW HAW HAW LOOK AT ALL THOSE PATHETIC GEEKS" mockery. It was a wonderful surprise to find what seems to be genuine interest in the experience (if not in every activity).

Everybody who goes to NWC has their favorite bits, and bits they absolutely can't stand, and nobody who goes (nobody with any sense, anyway) expects everybody to love everything. That sense of acceptance and safety is a big draw for a lot of people; for a few days, you can forget how shitty the rest of the world usually is and play around, even if the rest of the world thinks you're weird. Sure, there are some people who are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out on the very edge of the bell curve of "socially normal." But at least they've got a place where they can get together, and that's pretty cool.

That said, you are a brave, brave man for trying the filking.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:07:59 -0800

@4 - oh, I don't know, you might enjoy one of the 2008 Hugo nominees, Michael Chabon's "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" ...

Comment by SeattleBrad

SeattleBrad — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:46:17 -0800

I have seen enough Norwescon posts to last me the rest of my life. Please make it stop.

Comment by gnossos

gnossos — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:48:42 -0800

I'm with kerri @4...your posts were well-done and provided a great peak into a subculture that I know fucking zilch about. It ain't my cup of tea at all, but I loved reading about it.

Comment by catnextdoor

catnextdoor — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:49:13 -0800

Yeah this was awesome. I wish they'd do reports like this for the porn convention!

Totally great, and, where can we get one of them alien fuck toys?

Comment by Ogre

Ogre — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:53:22 -0800

NERDS!

Comment by coco 4 love

coco 4 love — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:56:08 -0800

oh it's terrible. i saw some pics about Baghdad bomb on intimatemingle.com which is a dating site for interracial singles. i really can't believe it.

Comment by coco 4 love

coco 4 love — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:59:12 -0800

my god. i send this message wrong.

Comment by KELLY O

KELLY O — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:02:26 -0800

Paul = SLOG hero

Comment by Bob

Bob — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:58:08 -0800

These dispatches were great. Back in the late 90's I was on a business trip to Seattle and after an exhausting day I checked myself into the SeaTac Red Lion. As I'm standing at the desk, I see all these fuckers in costumes wandering around and I think the rat race finally got me. I finally flipped. Freaked my ass out until I realized all the Trekkies and hobbits and robots were part of this Norwescon thing. Weirdest, most disorienting experience (sans psychedelic substances) I'd ever had.

That being said, wouldn't you like to be the lucky guy or gal who got some Xena Warrior Princess time after hours? Man, talk about a place to get some oddball fantasies met.

Comment by Spoogie

Spoogie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:19:21 -0800

Thank god I looked up "filking." I about lost my cookies when I mistakenly thought Paul was referring to "Hobbit felching."

Comment by Emily

Emily — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:09:56 -0800

Next we'll be hearing about how there's this thing called TiVo. You can record shows and watch them later, like on a VCR! How nifty.

I realize not everyone is fannishly inclined, but fanfic has been around since Star Trek originally aired. That's well over four decades, if you're too hung over to do the math. When Harry Potter was huge a few years ago, fanfic was talked about all over then, too. So really, you are far, far behind the pack with the whole "These people WRITE THINGS!" revelations.

Comment by infrequent

infrequent — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:21:06 -0800

Emily, I think there is already a company that works like your Tivo idea. Still, if not, that is a good idea!

Comment by ironymaiden

ironymaiden — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:40:51 -0800

agreeing with stresskitten @6.
thanks for your openminded and evenhanded coverage. Norwescon *is* a safe and happy place, especially for teens who are likely to get abusive treatment from their "peers".

you did miss (i think, since i didn't have regular net access over the weekend) the most powerful expression of the comfort zone - the dances.

Comment by CorasMama

CorasMama — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:43:49 -0800

One slight correction. Slash is fanfic that puts same-sex characters together in romantic or sexual situations/relationships. Slash fic can be rated anywhere from G to NC-17. I'm not telling how I know this, though. *hides* :D