| London Xena Convention Saturday Part 1 |
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| Twinkletoes and GirlWithAChakrem (GWAC, pronounced "gw-ah-k"...*laughing*) were in the lobby when Pandora and I came downstairs about 10:30. Twinkletoes gave me a broccoli t-shirt! It says "Love the Broccoli" on the front, and it has my username and a star on the back. |
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| (Why yes, I am obsessed with broccoli. It goes back to a joke that Twinkletoes started at Burbank. She had this piece of broccoli as big as a tree trunk on her plate at dinner on Sunday night then. Whenever we got to an awkward place in our conversation...which happens almost inevitably in such a big group who knows each other so well...someone would say "how about that broccoli?" and diffuse all the tension.) More hugs and introductions, especially from InkyBlue and from all the XOC-ers I hadn't yet seen in person. Then GWAC, Twinkletoes, Smutterly, Pandora, and I went out to a convenience store for snacks and camera batteries. We went inside and shopped some more. Saraxenite and Sarinou joined us. Saraxenite and Twinkletoes hit it off. I was laughing and taking pictures of the two of them! Paris Jefferson (Athena) was the first on stage. She looked different with her helmet off and her hair styled instead of just brushed straight back. I don't know, though; I thought the helmet was pretty too. She was so funny when she said that her biggest regret was playing Kevin Smith's sister. (Of all his female co-stars, Paris was one who never got to snog him!) So instead she went to one of his concerts, and left him a note saying "Your heavenly sister is in the audience." Speaking of Kevin Smith, we had a tribute to him right after Paris was done with her presentation. First, two classic Ares videos: "Whatever Ares Can Do, Xena Can Do Better," and "Bad To the Bone." Then, Kevin Smith convention clips ("You're fine...that's American for 'handsome'") and concert footage (where he blew me away...wow, he is good-looking). My favorite clip was one from the last concert, which included Danielle Cormack (Ephiny). Since Ephiny is one of my favorite characters, I hope Danielle comes to a convention in the future. I'd decided to go to Starbucks during the auction. Yes...within eyesight of the hotel, the other way from the train station where I'd come, there was a Starbucks. However, Steve Sears was standing near the exit talking to fans. He said hi to me and all the XOC-ers, and after shaking hands, I decided to go ahead and ask my question about Gabrielle and blood innocence. He talked with me for the whole auction. (I was an absolutely unbearable fangirl about the whole thing for the rest of the convention, too, *laughing some more*). Gabrielle is still alive for me...but Mr. Sears sees so much more in her. Thus, there was time to grab a quick latte from the hotel coffee shop instead. (Hey, I was freezing!) British lattes taste exactly like American lattes, by the way. I made it back upstairs in time to greet Brittany Powell. She had gone to Starbucks! She was the same charming person I remembered from Burbank. She had arrived planning to do her usual bra auction for charity--but she ended up answering so many questions about her character and about the show that she didn't have timefor the auction until she only had two minutes left (so they gave her a few minutes extra). She had a particularly insightful observation about her character, Brunhilda. Brunhilda had spent most of her life believing a certain way. Then she did what she thought was right--only that "right" was different from everything she'd ever believed before. ("I defied my god for you, Gabrielle.") |
| The city from the window outside the convention center. |
| Toward the end of Brittany Powell's presentation, I met a Spanish Xenite! She sat close enough so that she could see my notes as I wrote them down, and then she gave me a postcard from Spain. Next we had a series of Xena blooper reels. They were hysterical!! One of the things we fans have commented on is how the show worked so well because everyone was having so much fun on set. My favorite clip was Lucy and Renee, in full Bacchai makeup and teeth, singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas." |
| Steve Sears opened his second presentation talking about his hat. He said that it's become so much a part of his image that if he doesn't wear it, everyone asks, "Where's the hat?" He also said that he's floored by the way that Xena continues to have an impact on people's lives. And, well, there are regular science fiction conventions...but there are also exclusive Xena conventions, and I hope will be for a long time. A lot of the XOC went to Lucy's concert on Saturday night, so it was just me, Pandora, LadyKate, and Unwise Ocean again for supper. One of LadyKate's friends came in and out and talked to us for awhile. We spent a lot of time talking about the XOC, and a lot of time talkign about our experiences and our Xena fandom as a whole. Pandora posts on a lot of different boards, while I don't seem to find the energy for any besides XOC (although I did pledge to get over to Talking Xena and post a few times when I get the time.) We drifted back to the hotel lobby after dinner, and I think this is the place to insert my chance to get to know the two Saras--Saraxenite and Sarinou. (I remember meeting them, and I remember we talked...but I cannot remember when.) Saraxenite pointed at Sarinou and then herself, and said "Subber, Shipper," and explained how much alike they were in every other way. I'm still amazed at the common grounds shippers and subbers can find (especially with people like me, who are really neither...) --we have some of the same favorite episodes, and some of the same thoughts on the different characters. We talked about Xena-centric versus Gab-centric, and what redemption means. |