From Bette: 

Speaking of DragonCon: 

I went to the Babylon trivia panel, much fun there and Sandra Bruckner will be bringing that to Crusade 4A Cure (so she says).  Went to a discussion panel on Crusade but they had no real news.   Saw the Bablyon Park vid for the first time, very funny.  Saw the Babylon 5 music videos which were beautiful and of course not available as WB would have fit.  :) 

Let's see. 

Supposed to leave Thursday afternoon on AirTran (formerly ValueJet)  :). Decided to go see the noon showing of The Patriot cause I thought Petah would be at DragonCon (ok so I was wrong, he canceled a week earlier).  Movie had about 8 trailers in front of it and it was a bit long.  Got out at 2:50 and started to drive home.  Reached back and took out my plane ticket to verify my 5pmish take-off - to discover that it was a 3:25 take off!!  Drove madly home, went through a red light (didn't mean to but my mind wasn't working normally, fortunately the intersection was empty), ran upstairs, changed into my traveling jeans and shirt, grabbed the bags, shouted "Bye" to the kids and raced to the airport.  Called  travelocity and lied, said there'd been an accident on the highway but I was on my way (naughty me).  They said the plane was delayed anyway til 4:30.  Cool, thought I.   Well, AirtTran's policy is that if you aren't checked in with a boarding pass 10 min before the scheduled flight time (regardless of delay) then you lose your seat to a standby.   So I lost my seat. I entered Standby Hell because I stayed to see Patriot.  Had to wait for the 7:30 flight which because of the delay wouldn't leave til about 8:30.   Got on the plane, got settled, started reading flight magazine.  Then heard several people say "hey look, we have the same seat number".  I got kicked off (I was in Standby Hell and they had been there on time for their flight no matter the double seating).  I had to come back Friday morning for the 6:20 flight.  I was there at 5:30.  :) 

Arrived in Atlanta and took the metro rail to Five Points and then caught a bus. Hey, the metro rail people told me too.  How was I to know that if I'd stayed on for one more stop I'd be right at the hotel?    Anyway,  got there, got checked in to the TraveLodge, dingy looking but near the con and relatively cheap. Walked up and registered, asked if David was there, was told he was but didn't know where.  Had a look around, went to the trivia panel.  Walked over to the Apparel Mart. 

Have any of you gone to DragonCon, besides thyla?  The hotel where the panels and big events are held is here and the place where the dealers room and autograph "Walk of Fame" is    w    a    a    a   a    a   a    a    a    a    a    y      over here one block down and one block over.   It was interesting to walk back and forth to say the least.   And the number of people!!   20,000 at least. Many in marvelous costumes!!!  It was very cool.  Anyway, checked out the dealer room, very  BIG and crowded.  I spent much of Friday wandering around feeling lonely in this hugh crowd.  (Have I mention how I hate attending cons alone?) 

Friday night was the awards dinner.  I'd paid for that thinking it would be the best meal of the weekend.  Hey, where's the meat?   Oh, that tablespoon amount in the pasta sauce!!   But the cake was good.  Sat at a front table of authors who ignored me for the most part and discussed how Jesus was a real political figure.  Also, one of the authors was a tad upset cause his "companion" hadn't showed up, then he was told she couldn't come because she had to stay home with her baby cause her husband wouldn't stay with it.   Oh, what a hoot!!!   And he was upset!!  What a jackass!!    Anyway, after I'd finished my cake I just happened to be looking around the room when I spotted  "him" talking to someone and then leave.  Well, I got up, and since they hadn't spoken to me, I didn't speak to them, I left.   Followed David through the crowd and when he finally stopped to listen to a young lady singing and accompanying herself on an oboe or somesuch, I tapped him on the arm and said hello. 

He smiled and said hello.  We chatted for just a minute cause he was looking for the green room,  I hadn't a clue so couldn't help.  I asked him when he'd be autographing and he said early Saturday.  "I have some stuff for you to sign for the charity auction"  "Didn't I already sign a bunch of stuff for the auction?" "Yes, but I have some more."   He smiled, said ok, brushed my arm and we said good night. 

Sigh,  ok I really must get back to work.  I'll finish this tomorrow. 

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