Another Quick, Enjoyable Day Out

Back in October, I went to the cardmodel convention again.  I had gone yearly (in drab) for several years and then stopped for a while.  I went as Meg in 2013 (posts here and here) and again this year.  Charity came along this year.

The convention is always very casual, the kind of place where you put on whatever happens to be in

The pictures ALL stunk that day!

your closet (or lying on the floor) and that's about it.  It's also almost all guys.

I dressed down, but, being Meg, it was dressier than anyone else there.  Again, that's a low bar.

The day was... ordinary.  I have a love-hate relationship with days like that.  I love the drama- and confrontation-free environment, so ordinary is good.  But then I hate that I don't have a lot to write about.  That's not going to stop me though.

I saw several people I had seen last year and in years past when I was in drab.  Other than one guy, no-one remembered Meg from last year.  I have mentioned before that I consider this a plus: it means people aren't looking for the t-girl, or even taking particular note that one was there.  In this environment, I do find it a bit odd....  You'd think a (mildly overdressed) woman where 98% of the visitors are men would stand out.  Maybe if I was 20.

As I did in previous years, I spoke to a number of the vendors and displayers about their models and purchased a couple of kits from different people, including one I've bought from when both in drab and dressed.

I also take part in the list and talked about being there but still I was wallpaper.

Because of other commitments, it was a one-event day.  I had to head back and change instead of dine or shop.  But I had a good time and I always enjoy civilian events, like this and the game group.

And I leave you with a little more Chanukah deadhead art.  A friend of mine puts these together.

I know.  Two candles short.  Shhhh....

It's Fun to Stay at the IPMC

My outing started with an unusual note.  It seems like I never see anyone when I'm in the elevator or
 lobby.  I generally only take the elevator down when I'm in heels anyway.

On the fifth floor, the elevator stopped and a young woman with two young daughters got on.  I said hi, she said hi, the girls didn't say anything, and we rode down.  I had to remind myself to exit the elevator without waiting and holding the door (although it would have been appropriate, since she had to herd those cats.  I think.  I don't know all the rules yet).

The hotel was very quiet when I walked in.  I saw a sign directing visitors to the meeting rooms.  There was a restroom between the entrance and the meeting room so I thought I'd take care of business while it was quiet and no-one might think to follow the "intruder" to see what she's up to.  No, that's never happened, but I try to plan ahead and be safe and non-annoying no matter how I'm dressed.  The ladies' room was empty while I was in there.

There was no sign-in desk this time, but I was greeted by a man who thrust a "visitor's choice" ballot into my hand and explained that I should vote for the model I thought was best.  I thanked him and talked briefly about the models at his table and moved on.

I spoke with many of the guys who were exhibiting models.  It was kind of lunch time, so people were

Yes, it's paper

leaving tables unattended.  I complimented several guys on their fantastic models and said, more than once, "now I won't build for the next few months because I'll remember how good these were and know I can't do the same kits justice."  Which is true.  I'm not an artist nor extremely serious modeller.  My current works-in-progress include a Very Large Dalek and an Edmund Fitzgerald.  The ship isn't going together well, but I feel confident in blaming the model (even though I could never design anything like this myself).  The eggcrate just isn't adequate, and the fore/aft sections don't mesh as well as they should.  On the other

Also paper.  The treads are made one piece at a time

hand, someone had a spectacular Notre Dame ~ I have the kit and put it aside when I started doing the same structure Over and Over again.  It can be tedious, especially if not every one comes out perfectly.  The same builder had a Japanese plane transport ship that had about two dozen perfectly identical Zeroes on deck.  Each was no more than an inch and a half long.  Each had a shaped fuselage and wing.  If I didn't go insane before finishing, the first and last would resemble each other as little as the starting and ending word in a game of telephone played by nursery school students.

I spoke to one guy who's name I recognised as another old timer. 

Paper Laura Croft was very complex, according to the builder

We had spoken last time I was there (at least five years ago).  We both remembered one modeller who had a plane with spinning propellers.  I said "I remember.  It was hooked up to a fueling truck which contained the batteries."  When we were done chatting, he said "it's nice to see you again," which is really special, if you think about it.

Near the end of the second room, one guy said "you're Meg from the list."  I was floored and said "how did you know?"  He said my picture shows up next to my posts.  I had asked a question about the convention and he had answered it.

I asked him to point to give me some scale!

I did chat with several guys I'd met in years past (in drab).  I didn't identify myself; I wasn't identified.  I still don't know if that was the right course of action.  I'll see if anyone (including me) starts talking on the list and take it from there.

Halloween bonus below.

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Convention Logistics

update to fix bad editing

As I mentioned yesterday, Saturday was the International Paper Modeler's Convention.  It was less international than in years past, when we had a few exhibitors from Europe showing their wares.  It still occupied three meeting rooms in the hotel, with 30 or so exhibitors and some very cool models.

As I also mentioned, it's a pretty casual affair and Meg doesn't do casual well.  I went with a cowl neck sweater, long wool skirt, and boots.

as casual as I get

I did my own makeup for a change (Charity was out late the night before and I didn't want to wake her).  I'm running low on foundation so I brought my bottle along in hopes I could stop afterwards to replenish.
My full day plan was to go to the convention and look around for a while (and maybe shop), then maybe go to the Nordstrom's Rack that's pretty close to the convention hotel to look around (and maybe shop), then down to the mall to buy that foundation (and maybe shop).

I wanted to be home by 4:30.  My friend Sharon needed a place to put on her Halloween costume for a little bar hopping with the local t-group.  I decided to pass on that, but I could certainly offer a safe place to a friend.

The day started off as expected, and I had fun at the convention.  I was there for a couple of hours (that story is set for Thursday) and then I found Nordstrom's.  I looked at dresses and shoes (but I didn't buy) and then walked over to the Dress Barn and Ross that were in the same strip mall.  I spent some time at each, but no money.  When entering Dress Barn, there was a woman sitting at a small table who wanted to know if I wanted to get some "free" Mary Kay products "and some pampering."  I declined, partly because of time, partly because I didn't want to hear what I'd have to do in order to get the "free" treatment and product.

I still had some time so I headed south towards the mall.

That's where the rest of my time went.

It seems that, between the time I purchased my Prius with the built-in GPS (four years ago) and now, Sterling was overhauled.  The GPS tried to get me on the road I needed to take, but it kept telling me to get on roads that ended, or turned into housing developments.  It wanted me to get off what seemed to be through roads.  I was never sure if I should follow the traffic (much of which went into other shopping centres) or the GPS or just head south or east, towards home.

Several backtracks later, I ended up on a very backed up road with the clock ticking and my be-home-by-4:30 deadline looming so I skipped the mall.

I stayed dressed while Sharon came and changed.  When she left, I changed (my burgandy cowl dress again) and went to a nearby restaurant for an uneventful (but not especially tasty) dinner.  Proper pronouns and titles as expected, at dinner, which made up for the mediocre meal.

Sunday was game day at Star's house and it was already late when I returned home and changed.

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Fright Night

(Writing before the event)

I'm going to do something that's different this Saturday.  Different, and a bit scary.

I have been cardmodelling for a long time.  Once a year, there is the "International Paper Modeller's Convention," which, for the past 14 years, has been held in Northern Virginia.

I've also been mildly active on their list for a long time, sometimes (but not often) contributing.  But I haven't been to the convention since maybe 2008.

Over the past 18 months, my male self has dropped off the list as far as anything active goes.  But Meg has filled in the (small) void.

I have spoken with many of the guys (it's almost all guys) who exhibit at the convention.  Some know me by sight when I walk in.

Not this time.  I plan for Meg to make an appearance.

I'm not sure if I should say "remember me?  I know I look different, but, hey, it's been five years.  What do you expect?" or if I should just be Meg.  Or say "hey, it's me.  It's costume season and I'm going to a party from here."

I expect to get some attention because most women who visit are there with families.  A single woman will stand out.  A single overdressed woman will definitely stand out.

And that's another problem.  There might be a larger concentration of kids there than I'm used to, as well as a larger ratio of guys-to-girls than I'm comfortable with.

It's late in the week and I'm still not sure what to wear when jeans is considered dressing up for this gang.
I'll be going alone, which means the first thing I'll need to do is check any butterflies at the door.  Especially since I'll know the guy at the registration desk.

I have one saving grace: nobody notices women over a certain age.  I'm beyond that age.

I'll have a report and pictures over the next few days.  I expect it to all be good.

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