Lessons from RCFM

[vakkotaur]

Not a complete list, perhaps...

Get my own local area (city) map for wherever a con is. I might not always have as good directions or a navigator.

Find pictures of the guest(s) of honor before the con so I have a shot at recognizing them if I run into them.

Look in the con book for the full schedule and copy relevant bits to something even more portable if not already listed.

Getting a couple cheap cookie sheets to store artwork between during travel is a good idea. While nothing was really bent, it was a close call even with the precautions taken.

Miniaturizing my electronics kit is probably a good idea. I didn't need all that much of it, and space in the trunk was tighter than I cared for. (Granted, much of is taken up with stuff I hope to never use, but I have it in case I do need to use it.)

More large zip-lock bags would be useful.

It is a Bad Idea to seal the cooler without any coolant. Especially in hot weather and especially if not dry inside the cooler. Something will start growing in there.

---

I'm pretty sure I'll go back to RCFM next year. I don't see any reason not to, really. I'll miss the Des Moines RenFest again, assuming it happens again, but that's not too big a deal.

I'm pondering Midwest FurFest now. It's got a few things going for it, for me. It's within one day's drive. It's not as big as AnthroCon. It's not during faire season. It's during a nicely cool time of year. On the downside, it is in Chicago or close enough.

Maybe next week, after Siouxland RenFest this weekend and when KT should be back online again, I'll talk with him about it. Oh yeah, I need to be sure I can take a few days off for it, too, and still be able to deal with Thanksgiving and Christmas travels. In the meantime, any suggestions or recommendations?

Comments

[kiwihunter8.livejournal.com]

cookie sheets!

Never thought of that!

I'm pretty sure I'll go back to RCFM next year.

[jugularjaguar.livejournal.com]

Pretty Sure????

pondering Midwest FurFest

Pondering??? with it sooo close??? heck I know what is free and on what day too!!!

Re: I'm pretty sure I'll go back to RCFM next year.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I want to think things over and be sure I can afford them from a time and money perspective. Give me a couple weeks. I think I only finally got enough sleep again last night.

We'd love to have ya back...

[haystack.livejournal.com]

...and if you're willing, I'd like to repay the money y'spent on my behalf for the Dead Dog party. I know it's only a buck, but that means I shouldn't have any problems flinging a bill (or a Money Order, or a Paypal transaction) yer way.

This has been tickling at my brain the last few days and only just now has it seized me by the frontal lobes and screamed "DO SOMETHING!"... (I know, it's Only A Buck, so I should chill... but that isn't the way I am. :) )

So -- how would a Rafox get a Dollar to Vakkotaur?

Re: We'd love to have ya back...

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I'm planning on being back for RCFM 2005, but until I have registered and the room reserved (and have the time off from work confirmed) nothing is absolutely certain.

See my web site for my snailmail address.

By the way, just what does that shirt mean? No needles? No sewing? No...something else?

Re: We'd love to have ya back...

[haystack.livejournal.com]

Think of things that one might seek in a haystack. ;)

Re: We'd love to have ya back...

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Aha. Makes sense. But now I'm wondering how you got the name "Haystack." Actually I was wondering that for a while.

It's not too hard to explain...

[haystack.livejournal.com]

Stephen King's book IT came out when I was in my teens... I identified very strongly with Ben Hanscom, who was called "Haystack" by one of his friends after laying down a sound whipping on one of the town bullies. Haystack Calhoun was a famous professional wrestler of the era in which part of the book took place; He was a mountain of a man weighing about 600 pounds, I've been told.

When I came into Furrydom back in early 1999, I started off under the name CryptiCoon, but soon decided I didn't like that much, so I cast off in search of a better name. "Haystack" was the most logical (and funny) choice to me, as I (and my personal fur) were pretty darned hefty at the time, and the name seems to fit well with a down-South, good-ol'-boy personality. (It also went well with my fur's fictional profession: race-car driver.) I've changed a lot since then, but I still like the name.

Haystack's real name, Jake Ralph Caldoon, came from the name of my cousin's Rottweiler (good dog!), the name of my favorite race-car driver (Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr.), and... well... the Caldoon was just a pun on Calhoun.

And there you have it. Hopefully it was not too exhaustive (or exhausting) an explanation!