Chambanacon

[billroper]

Back from Chambanacon-in-exile in Springfield.

Sadly, attendance was down this year, at least in part due to the hotel telling people trying to reserve rooms that there were no double-doubles available. In fact, there was considerable trouble trying to get the hotel to cough up the double-doubles for the folks who had reserved them. I understand the hotel has been given a stern talking to.

Other than the shortage of bodies, it was a good time. The filking was fun in the evenings and included bedlamhouse, ladyat, tigertoy, tnatj, Carol Ferraro, Bill Rintz, and Juanita. Con suite was its usual excellent self. Conversations were good and reasonably plentiful. Tim Zahn and his wife, Anna, were fun and gracious guests of honor, and Pat Beese spoke well as toastmistress.

At the banquet, we ended up sitting one table away from Todd and Lani. There had been discussion of a butter fight between the tables and when we saw the miniature Frisbees that Phread had provided as toys, we considered using them as a butter delivery system. But then ladyat discovered that the miniature dragons that Phread had also provided could be loaded with ice water from your glass and could fire a stream of water fifteen feet or more.

Mayhem ensued. The only surprising thing was that none of us thought to use the line, "I aim to misbehave." I did, however, comment that they had given a bunch of DI weapons -- did they expect that none of them would be used?

I suspect that the dealers in general didn't do well, which is a shame, but not a surprise, given attendance. There's very little wrong with the con that couldn't be solved by doubling the number of folks there, but that may be very hard to do in Springfield.

But I understand a hotel search is starting...

Comments

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

they have demolished the chancellor and are going to (theoretically) have a new hotel and convention center built by next summer...hopefully chambanacon will come home where it belongs....

[billroper]

The problem, of course, is that the IHSA football playoffs will still be in town, across the street from the old Chambanacon site.