Which, like its namesake, is making people feel some kind of way about its very existence, whether they like it or not.
Good stuff:
Weather. Holy shit this weather has been beautiful. Partly cloudy and if it ever got over 80F I'll be impressed. Comfortable for walking in most costumes, good photo lighting, it's just been awesome.
Crowds. I know it's been two years. Being in the crowd, it looks more like it's been 12 years. Social distancing was never really possible, but damned if it doesn't feel like it, the way you're able to move.
Questionable:
Shift change. Seems to be concentrated in the Marriott after sunset (which should surprise nobody who's been there before). I managed to have a nightcap with a colleague in the food court shortly before midnight without having to avoid much in the way of stupid. Speaking of which...
Stupidity. Mercifully, seems to be minimal. Equating "I have a drink in my hand" with "I'm drinking" as a mask-off excuse seems to be the most popular. And even then, your mileage varies.
Ugly:
People being shits to each other about their respective choices. Full stop.
Jerks have always been a part of life at con.
For that matter, restrictions on your behavior have always been a part of life at con.
I got a tattoo at my 20th Dragoncon then stopped counting. The list of rules in the program hasn't grown very much since the 90's. When it did, it was because new things became problems (selfie sticks, drones, parasitic entrepreneurship) or old things evolved into problems (leaving unapproved flyers lying around turned from marketing into littering too easily). Masks and vaxing is just the latest in a line of very few and very far between rules that keep your fun from hurting other people. Fucking deal with it.
(Side note: weeks ago, I wished that Mayor Bottoms would pull permits from both Dragoncon and the two football games being played this weekend. Her doing so is the only way that acts of god clauses would have kicked into the multitude of contracts in place.
If Dragoncon had cancelled without it, especially after a virtual only year, then I guarantee you bankruptcy and disappearance would have immediately ensued. You want to call the con greedy and heartless for wanting to survive as a business entity? You're viciously, not to mention stupidly, barking up the wrong fucking tree. Knock it off. End side note.)
To be completely honest, if I had booked this year as a guest? I'd have cancelled a few weeks ago. Meet-n-greets, walk of fame and suchlike is outside my own comfort zone here.
But as an ordinary patron who can stay in my damn room as circumstances dictate? Being able to come, even in a limited fashion, is doing wonders for my put-through-the-fucking-wringer-in-the-last-two-years mental health.
There's probably folks out there cursing me for darkening the door out here. Oh well. I've had people sneering viciously at me for my choices in personal defense weapons my entire adult life. Even when they had no idea what choices I'd made. They wanna add this for making me a bit more of a better human? That's their bile to collect, not mine.
Take care of yourselves out there.
Good stuff:
Weather. Holy shit this weather has been beautiful. Partly cloudy and if it ever got over 80F I'll be impressed. Comfortable for walking in most costumes, good photo lighting, it's just been awesome.
Crowds. I know it's been two years. Being in the crowd, it looks more like it's been 12 years. Social distancing was never really possible, but damned if it doesn't feel like it, the way you're able to move.
Questionable:
Shift change. Seems to be concentrated in the Marriott after sunset (which should surprise nobody who's been there before). I managed to have a nightcap with a colleague in the food court shortly before midnight without having to avoid much in the way of stupid. Speaking of which...
Stupidity. Mercifully, seems to be minimal. Equating "I have a drink in my hand" with "I'm drinking" as a mask-off excuse seems to be the most popular. And even then, your mileage varies.
Ugly:
People being shits to each other about their respective choices. Full stop.
Jerks have always been a part of life at con.
For that matter, restrictions on your behavior have always been a part of life at con.
I got a tattoo at my 20th Dragoncon then stopped counting. The list of rules in the program hasn't grown very much since the 90's. When it did, it was because new things became problems (selfie sticks, drones, parasitic entrepreneurship) or old things evolved into problems (leaving unapproved flyers lying around turned from marketing into littering too easily). Masks and vaxing is just the latest in a line of very few and very far between rules that keep your fun from hurting other people. Fucking deal with it.
(Side note: weeks ago, I wished that Mayor Bottoms would pull permits from both Dragoncon and the two football games being played this weekend. Her doing so is the only way that acts of god clauses would have kicked into the multitude of contracts in place.
If Dragoncon had cancelled without it, especially after a virtual only year, then I guarantee you bankruptcy and disappearance would have immediately ensued. You want to call the con greedy and heartless for wanting to survive as a business entity? You're viciously, not to mention stupidly, barking up the wrong fucking tree. Knock it off. End side note.)
To be completely honest, if I had booked this year as a guest? I'd have cancelled a few weeks ago. Meet-n-greets, walk of fame and suchlike is outside my own comfort zone here.
But as an ordinary patron who can stay in my damn room as circumstances dictate? Being able to come, even in a limited fashion, is doing wonders for my put-through-the-fucking-wringer-in-the-last-two-years mental health.
There's probably folks out there cursing me for darkening the door out here. Oh well. I've had people sneering viciously at me for my choices in personal defense weapons my entire adult life. Even when they had no idea what choices I'd made. They wanna add this for making me a bit more of a better human? That's their bile to collect, not mine.
Take care of yourselves out there.
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