Is it High School All Over Again?

Ah... High School. I'm sure the majority of fen remember those so-called glory days very differently than the former cheerleaders and jocks. It was during those years that many fen found themselves gravitating towards one another out of common interest and survival instinct. Most young fen weren't invited to the “cool” parties and found being bullied to be the normal experience. Those fen who weren't bullied and/or were popular were the exceptions, not the rule. High school was not a pleasant time for most fen.

We've created the exact same, painful, hierarchy within fandom. We call our cheerleaders and jocks, SMOFs. I'm not talking about the local organizers of small events and conventions. For this discussion, we will call them smofs. All caps will be reserved for our problem children.

I have spent many years involved in the local general fandom scene and in national genre specific fandom. The more I stick my nose into the national and global general fandom scene, the less I like it. From my fellow fans I've heard horrible phrases like, “We have to pick the obnoxious guy with money to represent us, because the SMOFs like their egos stroked in person.” or “If you offend the SMOFs, you tank your chances.” This should sound all too familiar to many fen, bringing back horrible adolescent memories.

What this has caused is stagnant and repetitive general fandom. If you want to find anything truly exciting or attractive to the young people, you have to go to that other evil... corporate America. Unlike the SMOFs, corporate America realizes that the fen are customers with money in their pockets. Those customers want stuff and if you give them their stuff, they will come and spend their money. This is why cons like DragonCon, SDCC, and NDSK succeed.

Hello SMOFs, I'm ready to offend you in the name of saving non-commercial general fandom. Get off your collective asses and stop lording your gray haired “traditions” over fandom. If you don't want to host the last generation of non-commercial general sf cons, you need to open up. You need to let the young people in and sweep the dust bunnies out. Make your identities and decisions known to the public. The reasons for those decisions also should be known. I don't ask that you let the peanut gallery make the decisions. That's disastrous. Just be transparent.

When making your decisions, don't base them completely on your own desires and interests. Take a good look at the whole body of fen out there. Think seriously about what the majority of them want. The fen ARE NOT here for your amusement. You are here for OUR amusement.

My Week's Fannish Schedule

Throughout all of this I will be handling the email, telephone and in person correspondence needed for CONduit. I read a lot, serious too much probably. I'm always looking for book recommendations.

July 11th-17th
Monday: Watching Alphas
Tuesday: Nothing specific planned
Wednesday: Watching A Game of Thrones
Thursday: Watching A Game of Thrones
Friday: Tabletop gaming group (Vampire: The Masquerade)
Saturday: Tabletop gaming group (Scion)
Sunday: Oh Mundania, must you rear your ugly head? I suppose I should do stuff like mow and wash laundry. Sneak in some Harry Potter screen time.

Books: A Game of Thrones 1-4, The Sword (comic) 1-24


July 18th-24th
Monday: Wacthing Alphas
Tuesday: Salt Lake Astronomical Society meeting
Wednesday: Watching A Game of Thrones
Thursday: Nothing specific planned
Friday: U.S.S. Retributor karaoke night
Saturday: Tabletop gaming group (Scion)
Sunday: Oh Mundania, must you rear your ugly head? I suppose I should do stuff like mow and wash laundry. Sneak in some Captain America screen time.

Books: A Game of Thrones 5, Dr. Who NSA 1-5

My Week's Fannish Schedule

I will post my weekly fannish plans, so that folks have an idea of where to corner me with their ideas for CONduit. My goal is to make one club event at least every two weeks, if not every week.

July 4th-10th
Monday: Filk songs for 50/90
Tuesday: SLC Camarilla Domain Meeting
Wednesday: Filk songs for 50/90
Thursday: ERT Ghostbusters Dinner
Friday: Filk songs for 50/90 and Utah Filk Organization's Housefilk
Saturday: CONduit ConCom and my tabletop gaming group
Sunday: Oh Mundania, must you rear your ugly head? I suppose I should do stuff like mow and wash laundry...

Letter From the Trustees on CONduit Offices

Hi all,

We wanted to thank absolutely everyone who applied for one of the new department head positions with CONduit. We deeply appreciate everyone's willingness to offer their help. We had a lot of great applications, and in many cases had to make hard choices between several qualified candidates.

After some long discussions and a long meeting today we decided on who is going to fill nearly all the different Dept Head positions for this first year under the new structure. We will be sending out acceptance and rejection e-mails to people soon, and announcing the new Dept Heads at the July meeting.

Please don't take any rejection e-mail you may receive personally, we had more applicants than we expected and we could only give the job to one person. We feel that everyone who volunteered had good skills and/or perspectives to offer, and we hope that everyone can find somewhere they would like to help because our new Dept Heads will need lots of volunteers to help them.

We did want to announce one new Dept Head so she can hit the ground running as it were. Erin Ruston will be the Chairbeing for CONduit 22. We have every confidence that Erin will do a great job leading CONduit back to it's roots while preserving all of the good things we still do.

-- The Doctor is dead... Long live The Doctor!
_
|_|_| Brad Hawks
|_| | brad@hawks5.net

Applications for CONduit Admin Committee Due TODAY!

If you think that you can make a difference on the committee, please apply! The individual Department Heads will have a lot of freedom in how to run their department.

Business: Oversees Hotel Liaison, Art Show, Dealers Room, and Procurement.

Chair: Chair of the Administrative Committee and the general CONduit Convention Committee (ConCom). The department includes Co-chair (if there is one), Secretary, Treasurer, and Fan Club Liaison

Computer Services: Head of the Computer Services department and in charge of the website, mailing lists, preregistration, and membership database.

Events/Contests: Head of the Events and Contests department is in charge of major events during the con (masquerade, ice cream social, signings, filking, etc.) and all contests (before or during the con).

Gaming: Head of the Gaming department which handles all roleplaying, LARPing, boardgaming, card games, wargaming, etc.

Hospitality: Head of the Hospitality department which handles the consuite, guests (guests of honor liaison(s), participating guests (local guest liaison)), and green room.

Marketing/Publications: Head of the Marketing and Publications department which handles publicity, working with outside companies (for sponsorship), the program book, and pocket program. Coordinates with procurement.

Operations: Head of the Operations department which handles all at-con operations and organization (registration, programming ops, security, volunteers, and gophers).

Scheduling: Head of the Scheduling department which handles programming, anime and media rooms, and overall space assignment at the con.

Apply Here!

The discussion is very active on the CONduit chat email list, as well as the CONduit Facebook page. Please give the Trustees your two pennies. Pennies can add up to something really cool. To joint the chat list email conduit-chat-request@sfcon.org

Facebook Group

The change that has been so desperately desired by myself and so many of you that have contributed to this blog can only happen if we DO something about it. The Trustees are putting this thing into the hands of the fen. This is our chance to take back that which once was ours. If enough people who want a more vibrant and inclusive convention volunteer and push forward, those who refuse to accept the change will be forced to accept it or step out of our way.

The next ConCom meeting will be July 9th, 10am, at the West Valley City Library, 2880 W. 3650 S. Not only will this be where the new Administrative Committee will be announced, this is where the shaping of CONduit 22 will begin.

Open Letter to CONduit Trustees and Their Reply

Carl Stark posted a public letter to the Trustees of CONduit.
Open Letter to the Trustees

The Trustees have replied.
Open Letter Response

Please read both letters. I think the Trustees are making a concerted effort to make the changes desired by the majority of Utah fen. This does include Trustees attending club events and answering questions in person. Keep in mind that no convention, club, organization, group, etc. can please all of the people all of the time. All CONduit can hope to do is please the majority of the people the majority of the time.

Now the hard part. The convention needs people who want to see this vision through to volunteer to lead that vision. Applications for the Department Head positions are being accepted through July 1st. If you truly want to see CONduit become the convention that you want it to be, apply to take a role in that change. If you aren't selected, volunteer to help the new Department Heads by working one of their sub-departments. This is an all volunteer, not for profit organization after all.

Apply Here!

Help a Fellow Fan Save Her House...

...and get some awesome collectables too!

Greetings everyone

Please feel free to forward this to any email lists or blogs.

Ruth Burns is holding a yard sale this weekend. This is to raise money to help her save her house and to clear out a lot of Science Fiction and Fantasy collectibles that she has. She informed me that there will be a lot of Star Trek, Star Wars, Dragons and Unicorns at this sale. There will also be some old China and a heavy duty sewing machine for sale as well.

This yard sale will run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from Friday to Monday. July 1st-4th

Ruth's house is located at 4271 West 3930 South in West Valley City. You can call 801-870-6213 if you get lost.

Thanks for all of your help,
Carl Stark

Obligatory Sappy Post - Dave Powell

Cheryl Sneddon hosted a cook out yesterday. I unfortunately was late enough to miss some folks. I'm terribly sorry about that. When I got there I saw a nice mix of folks. There were old timers and newer folks, local folks and former locals passing through town, fan club folks and con only folks. This lovely rainbow included Robert Aswin, Chris Blair, Carl and Erica Stark, Brad and Tamara Hawks, Charles Galaway, Cheryl the host, and from Spokane were Randy and Char MacKay.

Amidst this lovely mix of people was a little shrine to Dave Powell; a picture of him dressed as Isaac Asimov leaned against a ceramic TARDIS and his poor, beat up propeller hat was hanging off it. It took an act of will to not burst into tears right there. Every time I think about Dave, I feel heartsick at the loss to the fannish world.

When I first moved to Salt Lake, I was a hick kid from a dying, Midwestern, blue collar town who's entire economy was dependent on agriculture and one automobile factory. Salt Lake was the big city to me. My one anchor was fandom and gaming. I found out about this thing called a "science fiction convention" from a group of Trekkies who called themselves the U.S.S. Kelly. They had invaded the Waldenbooks by my high school. I sold the idea of this thing to my gaming club and we sold it to our academic sponsors. Thus, the Associated Gamers of West had a field trip to CONduit 2.

It was at CONduit 2 that I met Dave. He was this goofy, older guy who was absolutely welcoming to all. He must have immediately noticed how lost I and my friends were. This complete stranger took the time to show us around and (after we lost the others in the game room) introduce me around to people. I felt completely at ease with odd, older fellow. When he offered me a ride home, I knew that I was safe in that big Star Trek van of his. My mother was initially freaked out, but also judged him as a good person. I trust her instincts. She'd never been wrong on the quality of people.

That started years of me riding around to fan clubs all over the valley with Dave. There was a little group of us. Heidi, Karen and I were the SMOFettes to Dave's Poppa SMOF. I skipped the cool kid parties to go and hang out with Dave at Outer Gallifrey, the U.S.S. Kelly, Rebels Associated, and more. I'd give anything for those old, crazy days of 25 nerds of all ages trick-or-treating his neighborhood together.

Dave was a strong unifying force within fandom. All of the various fan groups and categories knew they had a fan in Dave. We desperately need such a person or group of people now. Poppa SMOF, how I miss you...

The Future of Utah Fandom

...not just a convention.

Until fairly recently, being a geek, nerd, dork, etc. was far from cool. Most older and a few younger fen can share stories of bullying, mockery and other ill treatment at the hands of the "mundane" world. These are stories of survival. This is something we share with many other sub-cultures.

We all need to take a big step back away from the ongoing debates. Many arguments are encroaching on that self-same bullying and mockery. It is not pandering or selling out to be inclusive. Think back through your lives. I'm sure everyone of us has a painful memory of not being included or of having our efforts to include ourselves laughed at. Please, don't do this to your fellow fen. Our fellow fen are our family by choice. How would we like for some of the things said to our fellow fen to be said to our brothers, sisters, spouses, parents, etc.

NOBODY'S FANDOM IS SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER FEN'S FANDOM!! PERIOD!!

CONduit June SFCon Business Meeting

Hunter Library Jun 18, 10:00am

10:20-10:23 Brad Draws!!!

10:25 - Brad asks for those knowledgeable about corporate structure, since the SFCOn needs to issue new articles of incorporation. SFCon is currently a non-profit corporation. I am breaking down the comparisons by posting a link: http://www.themoneyalert.com/Corp-Entity-Table.html SFCon will look into the 501c3 filing and re-issuing their articles of incorporation. The specific details will be moved into a smaller meeting with the Trustees and a small group. Eddy Roberts has volunteered to research the requirements for a C Corp and 501c3 in detail. 501c3: IRS application to file (5 years of financials down to every penny, fee based on gross revenue), file yearly tax report (990 form), list with state consumer protection agency any charitable donations (including pass through). Our current charity pass through is the Christa McAuliffe Foundation. Typical convention cash flow problem: 1/4 of income before the con. 3/4 of income during con. 1/2 of bills need to be paid before the con. SFCon is more likely to qualify as 501c7 than a 501c3, due to the nature of what we are. Being a 501c? will allow for tax write-off donations, but marketing departments have more money than donations departments. The only advantage is getting grants, but who would give us a grant? It would eliminate our tax burden. (spending $850 to save $200-300 in taxes) What scrutiny are we under now? (Report income and pay taxes.) Debbie says that we should wait on filing for 501c? until we are Tom's monster, since when do file it becomes written in stone.

11:58 - Martin motions for a vote to table the concern.

11:59 - Brad and Mike O. debate the specific wording of non-profit vs not-for-profit. Boils down to non-profit at the state level and not-for-profit at the federal level. Joe interjected that they state and fed changed the labels and made them interchangeable. Mail services do exist to reduce mailing cost. Do not need to be a 501c? to qualify for postal non-profit. SFCon most qualifies as an education.

11:04 - Ruth seconds Martin's proposal to table.

11:05 - Need improved web presence. Embedding changeable (blogs, calendars, etc.) content improves search engine results.

11:08 - Unanimous Trustee vote to table the filing of a 501c?. SFCon will remain a C Corp non-profit.

11:09 - Articles of incorporation are messy. Determined that was really the bylaws. Need to review the bylaws completely. Need to come up with a design and change the bylaws to match the design.

11:11 - Ruth proposes that a sub-committee be formed to develop the new bylaws, rather than in an open meeting.

11:12 - Articles of incorporation are simple. Cheryl proposes a standing governance committee, separate from the Trustees and ConCom. They would be the ones who would handle organizational procedures, policies, reviewing, etc. on an organic basis at the direction of the Trustees. Set up a committee of 3-5 members to review bylaws and chuck the old ones to build new ones. If we want to see change in CONduit, we need new bylaws. Debate over reviewing current vs just chucking them and starting over.

11:22 - What is the vision of CONduit? Brad (CONduit is suffering from the tyranny of the mob, since we operate on a random voting procedure that can be attended by anyone. Voting on issues is sometimes voted on by different people than those who participated in the original discussion. Schizophrenic to self-destructive. Extremely dangerous to the corporation due to the fact that the corporation is legally responsible for the decisions of the mob.) Eddy (CONduit is the textbook case of corporate negligence.) Brad (Create a hierarchical system of Trustees -> Department Heads -> Everyone else. The only ones with votes would be the Trustees and Department Heads. This would eliminate the the chaos. CEO-COO-CFO on the Executive Committee (Trustees). Administrative Committee would be the Chair and the Department Heads (Business, Scheduling, Gaming, Hospitality, Marketing, Operations, Computer Services, Events/Competitions). Membership in the 11 man committee would be decided on by the committee. Due to these positions not existing right now, the first year will involve a lot of appointment by the Trustees. Allow for applications as well as nominees.) Tom (Proposes that the first year be completely handled by the Trustees, bypassing applications and appointments.) Joe (Articles of incorporation and bylaws are now linked on the CONduit website.) Ruth (Trustees should just appoint the first year, so that everything can be in place by the July ConCom meeting.) Eddy (Supports the unilateral hiring decision of the Trustees. Make it clear that this is a 2012 decision and 2013 will be handled through the application/nomination process.) Tom (The con is getting weak because of the mob.) Brad (Trustees can fire any department head.) Debbie (Worried that making this decision will accidentally shut out the people who wish to be included.) Martin (Agrees with the idea.) Carl (Could forward these ideas to the UtahFandom list to see about interested parties.) Mike (Some questions about who did what.) Joe (Wants to send out an email to the general fandom lists asking for applications by July 1st.) Eddy (Doesn't like the email ideas since it will create 3 weeks of chaos. Prefers the unilateral decisions.) Mike O (This will change monthly meetings drastically.) Tom (Monthly meetings: 1st hour should be the sub-committees, 2nd hour the Admin/Exec committee.) Carl (Doesn't think the Exec Committee members should not be members of the Admin Committee.) Tamara (Should decide the Admin Committee then have nominations for the people to serve under the Admin Committee.) Ruth (Trustees need to decide the Admin Heads and avoid nominations and move to applications.) Jennifer (Need to just have the heads decided, but allow for platforms.) Martin (Who or what is the governing committee.) Eddy (Governing Committee is part of the corporate entity. The Admin Committee is CONduit specific.)

Business (Con Chair) - Hotel Liaison, procurement, Fan Club Liaison, Treasurer, etc.
Scheduling - Programming, film rooms, etc.
Hospitality - Consuit, green room, guest liaison, etc.
Marketing - Marketing to and from the con (sales force, publicity, etc.)
Operations - At con operations (gophers, security)
Computer Services - Self explanation
Events/Competition - Contests, Ice Cream Social, Filking, etc.

11:59 - Brad moves to enact the Executive Committee/Admin Committee model, details to be worked out in the bylaws. The Admin Committee should be decided before July ConCom. Initiate re-writing the bylaws to reflect this.

12:03 - Unanimous Trustee vote to implement Brad's outline with fine tuning. Applications for 2012 will be accepted through the CONduit website until July 1st. http://conduit.sfcon.org/

12:08 - Brad Hawks will be the CEO. Debbie Lords will be COO. Pam Oberg will be CFO.

12:09 - Brad (Executive Committee will not vote on the same things as the Administrative Committee. Executive Committee can veto a budget, not edit it but veto it. Executive Committee can fire any members of the Admin Committee with a 60% vote.) Brad (Administrative Committee heads will have ultimate power over their department. They can choose to have things handled internal things by vote or not. Administrative Committee would be the ones to vote on major budgetary things like hotel, guest, etc.) Brad (Separating the powers would allow for some overlap to happen between committees without conflicts of interest.) Brad (Chair is the first among equals and will work with the Executive Committee to handle oversight of the department heads.) (The Administrative Committee can call for the resignation of any member of the Executive Committee with a 60% vote. To replace or add an Executive Committee member would be a vote of the combined Executive or Administrative Committee.) (If no one is specifically assigned to do something it won't be done. Keeping it small will reduce political in-fighting.) (Shot down the idea of the Administrative Committee being financially liable, due to the complexity of implementation.) (Admin Committee could vote one of their own out with a 60% vote.) (DO NOT want to be corporate sponsored, but room level sponsorships up to a total of 1/3 of the budget.) Mike O (Trustees are liable, but others would step up to help. Volunteers should never be financially liable.) Martin (Should this work, we will eliminate the problem of it being the same 20-30 people will go away.) Eddy (Make the hiring decisions so that they can make the details decisions.)

12:43 - Break for lunch and the U.S.S. Kelly Party

Utah Geek Events Calendar

So, chatting with Carl today brought on a shiny, not so new idea. We need a monthly event calendar that compiles all the conventions, club events and other geek goings on. Part of our problem isn't only loss of communications between the cons and clubs. Large sectors of the clubs don't really talk to each other. The calendar can be posted in an easily found place and emailed to every geek list we can find. People could also subscribe to it solo. This would not only increase inter-club communication... it just may net some recruits for folks.

To make this work; I need every speculative fiction (literature, media, gaming, etc.) fan club and open to the public event to email me their schedules. Right now I have the event listing Debbie posted in my previous blog, the Camarilla, Utah Filk Organization, the 7th Fleet and the Browncoats' CSTS showing. There has got to be more than that. The Alpine Garrison, Rogue Base, Jurassic Park team, RPGA, furries, Fifth Column, Krayt Clan and more all have to have SOMETHING going on in the next couple months.

Please send me your schedules for June, July and if you have it August.

CONduit June ConCom Meeting

I had promised several folks that I'd blog the details of the meeting. It rambles badly, since I typed as things were said.
==========
Day Riverside Library 06/11/2011 10:00am

Open 10:14: Chair announces upcoming meetings.
18 June 2011 Hunter Library (10:00am) SFCon Business Meeting
25 June 2011 Cheryl Powell (4201 S. Normandie (535 E.) Fandom Party!
09 July 2011 WVC Library (10:00am) July CONcom meeting
Laundry list of upcoming conventions. (I will build a link to a con list.)

Meeting Idea 10:24: Brad Hawks proposed having a side room for kids, to allow more people to attend.

Finance 10:25: Can't discuss numbers of attendance since the registrar had "real life" issues. Estimate of more than 600 attendees. Totals are unknown since not all receipts are in, but CONduit looks to be in the black and a little ahead of last year. 59 pre-reg (15 GM/Staff, 44 Full Weekend) for CONduit 22 which is comparable to last year's pre-reg. Debate over a use of PayPal pre-reg. Committee resistance based on the complexity of building the complex grid of payments based on all the membership types. Decided on a webhosting meeting to resolve the problems, to allow for web based membership payment.

Leftover CONduit 21 Business 10:35: Hotel contracts will be re-written and hotel will be giving a discount to CONduit in the future for prior difficulties. CONduit has contract with Radisson for 2012 and 2013. The convention can get out of the 2012 contract up to the end of this month. The hotel can get out of the 2013 contract up to the end of June 2013. CONduit had the CVB run a general request for bids and all hotels were at least $1000 higher than the Radisson. Members of the audience offered to make use of their own contacts to look for other options. 72 gamers turned in game store discount coupons. Zombie Podcast has hit 2500 downloads.

Message from the Chair 10:47: A lot of this were very clear to me from this last CONduit. One is that I am very burned out. I would like to step down for awhile. The second things is that I saw really clearly that we need to make fundamental changes in the way we do things. We need a better training program for people. Our fundamental structure has things that I just don't agree with. What we are doing isn't neccissarily wrong, but our focus has gotten completely off kilter. Please respect your fellow CONcom, yourself, the fans and the guests. Please understand that everything we do we do for a reason. Please before you go knocking down walls, check to see which ones are load bearing. Right now we are "riding the dragon" of enthusiasm and we need to ride it, not tether it.

Mike's Message 10:52: Con this year had fewer of the usual gripes. More things got props and there were no real big complaints.

Praise 10:53: Charlie for dealing with room mix up, issued panelist schedules on time, knowing what panelists showed up. Toad for great job under stress. Mike Tanner for getting a lot of media stuff. Tom for getting the publicity and podcast. Alita for the program book and CONsuite. Adam for a lot of work at registration. Janelle for registration. Joe of gaming praised everyone for working together. Joe for getting a big tv for gaming and driving gaming publicity. Julia for getting really good radios for really cheap and tv for the media room. Debbie for maintaining good humor. Richard for wrangling the hotel. Kathy for the freebie table. Chris for helping gaming and setting up the open board games. Toni for stepping up to fill in. Kami for art show, anime and chocoholics. Pam for printing program book for cheaper than ever. Joe Monson for art show. Kudos to Jaimee for giving us our newest con member. Erin (Me) and Carl for getting post-CONduit discussion rolling. Lori for publicity. Martin for the swap meet. Julie for the media room. Brad for great behind the scenes stuff. Tamora for hard work. Kirsten for hard work and contests. Andrew for the tv in the media room. Mike for the hard work he did. Ruth Roper for working despite coming out of surgery. Wes for the miniature case. George for micro-shorts. Helge and other judges for hall costumes. Cheryl for the ice cream social and getting the jesters. A lot of random commentary about baseball hats and gold coins followed.

Needs Improvement 11:16: Badges need to be better printed. Need to get the media started earlier. More sponsorship needed. (Does CONduit want to grow or stay small? The asking of the question turned into a debate on what is gripes vs brainstorming.) Need a better pre-con walk through. Hotel media person told CONduit's media person to effectively drop dead. Gaming needs to build on sponsors and diversity. Needs to diversify the guest list. The poets weren't findable. Art show needs more volunteers and organization, which results in the art show opens 4-5 hours late. There was extreme lack of communication with the hotel. Need a better way to organize volunteers. If you want to fix things, you need to be at all the meetings. Programming has become very narrow; lack of tv and movie related programming needed. People hurt the con by back talking in public; need to be very careful. Not getting the progress report out. The con itself needs to be more visually stunning. Need to add a media waiver to website.

CONduit 21 ends 11:39

CONDuit 22 brainstorming 11:40: Allow people to opt out of progress report online and post it online. Big billboard on I-15. Revitalize and re-build CONduit from top to bottom with nothing off the table. Artists alley, author alley, podcast alley, club alley, etc. Get galleries and frameries interested in our art show. Advertising in organic food stores. Get Dead Gentlemen Productions for gamers and independent film making. Paper downtown with CONduit ads; menu specials, posters, etc. Need more dealers and dealer space. Ask media people to come it never hurts. Absolutely need a strong media track. Get the libraries involved in CONduit. Need a bigger hotel with gather space. Need room parties. Need to re-think the concept of the media and anime rooms. Need to come up with guidelines for sponsorship of guests. Discount for people who show up in a costume. $1000 prize for best costume. Iron GM contest. Pass out coupons to people in awesome costumes for the next year's con. Give clubs time in programming to do with whatever they want. Cool nerd car car show at the con. Model show at the con. Coupons for the fan clubs if they present their club IDs. Star Trek simulator provided by the clubs. Con BINGO for visiting sites at the con. Quest giver games. Green Lantern comic artist lives in Clearfield. Add fan fiction category to writing contests. Video contests. Baen books wants to do an event with CONduit. Pre-paid, pre-ordered box lunches through the hotel, so that con goers can wander about con space with their food. Need more hall costume activities. Re-work the Masquerade to draw back in the more casual costumers. Fashion parade in addition to the Masquerade for people to show off their costumes, not necessarily compete. Use Skype for virtual guests. Get the clubs more involved in the programming. Interactive programming, more like BOFFs and games instead of an expert panel. Anything visual the con does will bring another tv station. Have the con ready on time on Friday. Stage alien invasions, zombie walks, 501st marches, car shows, etc. as advertising. Get PC Laptops to sponsor video game tournies. Need to improve web presence. Have a CONduit bookstore in the Dealer's Room to centralize where con-goers can get the books of all the authors at the con. Switch to an Exhibitor's Hall and eliminate the Dealer's Room as we know it. Sponsors for rooms and consignment shop for the sponsors. Activities are more important than guests. Have a communal pot for hall costume prize money. Amateur fiction reading gong show. Website with the ability for anyone to register activities and what you want to do with text alerts; also allows live blogging. Ebay and Overstock involvement in the swapmeet. Build a "fan" track where the clubs and activities can be gathered. Sign up for a chance to meet with the published authors and editors for a chance to speak with them about the signee's work. Need the literary panels to be directed at the readers as well as writers. Don't neglect literary in the search for more media involvement. Bring back "what's new in literature, film, gaming, tv, etc." Add shared world (Firefly, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.) book panels. Improve and use the announce list. Publish the winners of the contests in the program book of the following year. Invest in a new art show structure that is lighter and easier to set up. Need to eliminate the "us vs them" language and get to a "we." Change the name from CONduit to something else. Add a mass autograph signing to eliminate all the little signings. Use the iPhone app Conventioner. Hotel restaurant have a sample hour in the CONsuite to advertise the restaurant. Move away from Memorial Day weekend. More people need to be at the ConCom meetings. Have ConCom meeting, then department meetings, then re-gather the ConCom all on the same day. Add a fan guest of honor. Filk is out growing the Masquerade. Need a social dance.

Lunch 12:55: Chinese Buffet

Quality Over Quantity

People in general, and fans especially, are not confrontational. When they are displeased with something there are back room grumbling and silent walk-aways. You rarely see people stand up and freely speak their mind in a productive forum. For every 7th Fleet that stands up and is a squeaky wheel, there are a half-dozen Camarillas or Mandalorian Mercs who just simply walk away.

When I and others argue about the loss of fans at CONduit, we get countered by "but we had more people than last year." I counter that, it's not just about quantities. How many of those numbers are people that we'll never see again? As anyone in the hotel industry will tell you, one loyal guest is worth more than two transient ones. The convention has to not only draw them in, the convention has to keep them.

When I brought the Camarilla back to CONduit, it was noticed and commented on. As it stands, there is talk of walking away again. Other than selling buttons and knit Cthulhus at the hall table as a fund raiser, there is very little that is of interest to the club's members. People like them who are willing to come year after year are the people that the convention needs to be reaching out to.

I freely admit to being a shit stirrer. In this case, somebody has to do it. Our last one, Rex, has given up. No, I don't expect to get everything that I want. I am politic enough to understand the concept of compromise. As a general sf con, CONduit can't provide everything to any group of people without alienating the rest. LTUE is our academic pro oriented convention. Let's return CONduit to it's core fun, fan oriented roots.

Thank you everyone for participating in this blog's discussion of our future. I truly hope that something positive comes of all of this.

Filk Videos

Videos of the songs performed by the Utah Filk Organization at CONduit 21. We are the convention's traditional half-time show for the Masquerade. They are in the order they were performed.

Cthuhulud

Heart of a Star

I Hate Vampires Who Sparkle

Wings

Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock

Post CONduit Thoughts

I have been attending CONduit for 20 years. My first one was CONduit 2. It was the only one where I didn't volunteer, run an event or serve on the committee. I have discovered that I am one of those people who can't work a con that I am attending in some way, otherwise I get bored. My official roles at CONduit have included; dealer, game master, panelist, performer, Fan Club Liaison, Print Shop Coordinator, and Gaming Chair. My unofficial roles have included; club member, gamer, costumer, filker, fan and friend. I deeply enjoy both my official and unofficial roles.

Unfortunately, I have watched my fannish home slowly wither over the years. Gradually the fan clubs, bigger dealers and out of town fans stopped coming. Some of this was due to the usual politics that happen when you get enough strong willed and demanding personalities in the same place. In other cases it was due to stagnation; seeing the same panels, costumes, product and hearing the same jokes or stories year after year. As fandom has changed the convention has not. This was even visible this year. Other than a few select panels and events, there were an awful lot of empty seats. Most of the dealers I spoke with didn't do very well this year, either.

This isn't just an issue with CONduit as an individual convention. With a few exceptions, the general sf conventions are all facing these problems. We are in the information age. Other than conventions like DragonCon, Fandemonium and a few others; the general sf con is aging itself out of existence. Fans can get a lot of what is provided at most general sf cons through the internet.

What CONduit needs to do is provide what can't be provided on the internet; guests that they really want to meet, commercial interests who will provide event specific items and a vibrant social atmosphere. The ice cream social and chocoholics are cute, but not exactly vibrant. The golden oldies of filk are fun, but the moon landing doesn't hold the same grip on the younger folks as it does the older. The young people love cosplay games, interactive entertainment like dances, and songs about World of Warcraft.

I saw some steps in that direction this year with the inclusion of several podcasts, performance art and two nerd rock bands. Unfortunately, the convention attendees weren't prepared for one of the rock bands. I was. Tri-Destiny is no longer the folksy, filkish singing trio that the old timers remember. They have evolved into a full-fledged Celtic rock band. Unlike many folks, I actually went to their website and listened to their newer stuff. The mass walk out of the old timers at the concert will not encourage such diversity of performance in the future.

On the guest front, the convention needs to be willing to pay speaking fees. Writers, actors, musicians and filmmakers who elicit enough interest in their fannish demographic will pay for themselves in additional memberships and other sales. The increased attendance can also pay off in increased participation in other events. You just have to be very selective about who you choose and what their demographic is. Someone who made a couple appearances in Star Trek won't cost much and will elicit interest from a fan demographic that we have always included in the convention base. Stephanie Meyers would cost too much and merely ruin the convention for everyone else. Her largely mundane fans will swarm her and ignore or damage the rest of the con. San Diego ComiCon learned that lesson.

The convention leadership has lost contact with the every-fan. Where does the every-fan get his fannish needs met when not at the convention or on the internet? That would be with their fan clubs. The Trek clubs have an absolutely thriving social scene. The gaming clubs regularly run events and games. The anime clubs even started their own "little" event, called Anime Bonzai. There are also a plethora of other clubs hosting events; Alpine Garrison of the 501st, the Rebel Legion, the Utah Browncoats, the Ghostbusters of Utah, the Utah Filk Organization, etc. (If I didn't list your club it's not intentional.) CONduit used to have a department head level position called Fan Club Liaison. This position hasn't been filled for years. It needs to be resurrected and filled with someone who is willing to spend a lot of their personal time attending fan events of all sorts. The convention needs to reach out to the fan base in the clubs.

I think we are reaching a point where decisions need to be made as to whether the convention will thrive and grow or wither and die. I want it to thrive. We don't need to eliminate the literary base of the convention to do this. We just need to be inclusive of the other aspects of fandom; truly inclusive. Telling people to participate than poo-pooing their ideas or interests is not inclusive.

Now, here's the other side of the coin. If you want something to happen at the convention you need to fight for it. DO NOT walk away at the first sign of confrontation. Show up to committee meetings in numbers (everything is a vote and numbers count) and make your demands heard. The old adage is true. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If every fan I've heard express dislike of the way things are going and of individuals in leadership positions showed up to the meetings, the bums would be out and the convention direction would shift. So you unhappy people have yourselves to blame as much as the "old guard" that you hate. Don't let "tradition" hold you back. The fans are more important than any stuffy old tradition.

In closing. Change or die.

I Am a Childe of Caine

Parody Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Original Lyrics: Naomi Ward Randal and Darwin Wolford (I Am a Child of G-d)
Original Tune: Mildred Tanner Pettit (I Am a Child of G-d)

I am a Childe of Caine
And he has made me here,
Has given me an eternal quest
With powers strong and queer.
Keep me, drive me, chase behind me,
Teach me all the rites.
Drill me in all I must do
To be as strong some night.

I am a Childe of Caine
And so my Beast is great;
Help me to comprehend this news
Before it grows to late.
Keep me, drive me, chase behind me,
Teach me all the rites.
Drill me in all I must do
To be as strong some night.

I am a Childe of Caine.
Rich vitae is in store;
If I but learn to hunt my prey,
I’ll live for all time more.
Keep me, drive me, chase behind me,
Teach me all the rites.
Drill me in all I must do
To be as strong some night.

I am a Childe of Caine.
I commit for sure;
Eternal glory shall be ours
If my pack can endure.
Keep me, drive me, chase behind me,
Teach me all the rites.
Drill me in all I must do
To be as strong some night

NOTE: This is from the perspective of the Sabbat in Vampire: the Masquerade. It's the first filk I have ever entered into a writing contest and it won the first prize in the parody category. This was at CONduit 21.

Another Scion RPG Filk

Called to Action
Parody Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Original Lyrics: Grace Gordon (Called to Serve)
Original Music: Adam Geibel (Called to Serve)

Called to action, break the bonds of chattle
Chosen e’er to struggle against retreat,
Far and wide we fight the holy battle,
Far and wide our foes defeat.

Forward, pressing forward, as we battle for our homes;
Forward, pressing forward, as we battle for our homes;
Beyond, ever beyond, as clam’ring battle rings
Worship our power; thrust beyond ever,
Called to fight our war.

Called to guide the people of this the world-
Sons and daughters, children of the gods-
Strong of soul, fury and vigor hurled,
Triumph against all the odds.

NOTES: Filk song inspired by the Scion RPG.

Scion RPG Filk

I’ll Be a Weapon
Parody Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Original Lyrics: Nellie Talbot (I’ll Be a Sunbeam)
Original Music: Edwin O. Excell (I’ll Be a Sunbeam)

Amun wants me for a weapon,
To kill for him each foe;
In ev-ry way try to kill them,
In shine, in rain, in snow.

A weapon a weapon,
Amun wants me for a weapon.
A weapon a weapon,
I’ll be a weapon for him.

Amun wants me to be cunning
And kill all foes I see,
Showing how rapid and ready
His righteous wrath can be.

A weapon a weapon,
Amun wants me for a weapon.
A weapon a weapon,
I’ll be a weapon for him.


NOTE: This was inspired by my Scion RPG sniper, child of Amun-Ra, player character.

This Week's Convention

Despite what my previous rant may have made you think, I truly do participate and help improve our local convention. I have been a part of the CONduit family for a very long time. We're just going through a dysfunctional period and I'm trying to decided whether to move out of the house into my own place or help the family work on the existing house.

I plan on dressing in costume for at least all day Saturday. Friday is a maybe on the costume front and Sunday is a definite no on costuming. Sunday is my sloppy shorts and nerd t-shirt day due to lack of sleep. I'll be bringing my laptop and dice, that way I can drop in on any game that may appeal to me.

The Camarilla and UFO will have hall tables. The Camarilla will be selling the usual awesome buttons and NEW this year are hand crocheted, stuffed Chtulhus of various sizes and colors. UFO will be selling the group's CD, UFO: First Contact. Please buy from both groups. The money helps pay for the clubs' activities. Come say hi to me, I will be sitting off and on at both tables throughout the weekend.

Here is my official panel/events list for CONduit. These are just the ones where I am officially listed. It looks like the bulk of my stuff is on Friday. I will do my best to not fall asleep during the Sunday one, as I doubt I will be sleeping much Saturday night due to the all night filk on Saturday.

Friday
Noon: Convention Etiquette 101
4pm: Why to join a fan club. You start your new job. What happens when your co-workers find out that you are a Lt. Commander on the USS Tsunami or that you are an Honorable Lady in the SCA? What you could say could frighten them off or introduce them as possible new members to your organization.
5pm: Archaeology in SF media
9pm: Filk Showcase as part of the UFO Chorus
10pm: Late Night Filking/Hymnal Filk Never been to a Filksing? Come try it out! We’ll be here late! (2:00am) We will start the evening off with a sing along and then move to a poker chip-bardic circle. Hymnals included!

Saturday
6pm: Bad fairy! You're NOT a Vampire! How recent books and media have warped Vampires into fairies and love interests.
8pmish: Halftime Masquerade Show as part of the UFO Chorus

Sunday
11am: A day in the life of an ancient Egyptian

The only way to make things the way you want them to be is to make an effort at doing so. Show up to CONduit. Enter suggestions on the comments cards. Go to the praise and gripe panel on Sunday. Tell them where they went wrong or right. Let them know what fandom really thinks, not just what they think it should think.

CONduit and My Future

Other than our local general SF con, CONduit, I really only went to gaming specific conventions (Camarilla or GENcon) and the San Diego Comicon. Having dropped the Camarilla as an option, I've been using that money and time for filk and general SF cons. I never knew what I was missing, until I started doing that. Other conventions are so vibrant and active!

CONduit is slowly killing itself. They are aiming more solidly at being an writers' con and less at being a fan's con. This is fine, but they need to stop billing themselves as a general SF con. Perhaps a weekend long SF oriented writers' workshop might be better.

As a reader, I love literature. It isn't automatically a superior art form. Excellent, thought provoking stories are exhibited on the written page, in film and in music. They are all equally valid art forms. The people who create such things are not equally valid. Self-published does not automatically make one an author. Ask most fan fiction writes about that one. Self-published lands you in the same category as self-made films. Some of these things take off, most do not. The self-published, local author should not automatically be treated any better than the self-produced local filmmaker or the self-produced local musician.

When I first started attending CONduit there was a vibrant fan club scene, hall costumes were the norm, gaming was active and all over the con space, the dealer's room was full of interesting offerings, and filk was a cherished part of the convention. Over the years the fan clubs have been driven or dropped out. Gaming and filk are usually treated like the convention's red headed step children. Hall costumes are the exception, not the rule... and they are frequently the same ones you saw the year before.

The general age of attendees is getting older. The only young people regularly seen are the children or grandchildren of older attendees. Also, the majority of the organizing committee comes from a very specific cultural group. The majority of the Salt Lake Valley and Salt Lake Valley Fandom are no longer a part of that cultural group. This shift in population has yet to be truly dealt with by the convention.

The younger people are leaving town for other conventions or saving their money for conventions at other times of the year. The conventions they attend are ones where they can actually party (Yes, this sometimes means booze.), cosplay in the halls (Yikes, racier clothing than is accepted in a G rated film!), and see the things that they are truly interested in. The young people are much more interested in media than they are into literature. Think movies, anime, video games, tv shows, etc.

How this year's CONduit goes will determine if I join the younger people. Do I really have fun, or am I just going through the motions. If I find that I'm just going through the motions, I will spend my money elsewhere. Voting with my voice has rarely worked, so I will vote with my feet and my dollars.

Scion RPG Microfilk

I am a Child of Ra
Parody Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Original Lyrics: Naomi Ward Randal and Darwin Wolford (I Am a Child of God)
Original Tune: Mildred Tanner Pettit (I Am a Child of God)

I am a child of Ra,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me this magic gun
With bullets strong with fear.
Lead me, sight me, missile guide me,
Help me find the foe.
Show me who that I must kill
To be with him aglow.

This was inspired by a post game conversation about Scion RPG character concepts. When I expressed interest in playing a scion of Ra who was a Mossad sniper, one of my friends piped up with "I am a Child of Ra." This popped into my head just about whole cloth as I was crawling into bed after.

Fitting In or Not

Finding a group that works for you involves more than just finding fellow nerds who love to roll dice and play pretend. Once you've gone to the effort of finding a group, you then need to find out if it's a group that you can enjoy spending time with.

Don't base your decision to join a group exclusively on their game choice. All role-playing games can be taken in any direction that the group desires. What the publisher intends does flavor the game, but this expectation ends once a group rolls up their characters. If a group really wants to, they can run a hack and slash monster of the week Vampire: the Masquerade game. They could also run a politics heavy Dungeons and Dragons game that's more dependent on the player's interaction than dice.

Don't base your decision to join a group exclusively on them being your friends outside of game. When looking at joining a gaming group, you may want to sit in on a session or two. You may find your style conflicts with the group's. You may also find that the group's play style doesn't necessarily conflict with yours, but may overwhelm yours. Nobody should ever lose their friends over a game.

If you enjoy a good bawdy tale of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll and the rest of the group blushes at the word "crap," it may not be the group for you. When you are disastrously socially awkward and the rest of the game enjoys confrontational party role-play, it will just be stressful for you. You will find yourself sidelined if you prefer subtle, almost internal role-play, and the rest of the group tends towards the loud, active, expression of character. Should the rest of the group enjoy involved (to the point of taking time outside of game) intellectual exercises and you want nothing more than a beer and pretzels adventure, you will find nothing but frustration.

No group will ever be a perfect fit and nobody will have fun at all times. There are always compromises in a group dynamic. Everyone will have some give and take. The key is to not be selfish. The entire group cannot be expected to completely change to fit the needs of one player.

A Star Wars Filk

I'm still fussing with this one a tad, but here's my first solo full length song.

"Dear Mr. Chancellor"
Parody Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Original Music and Lyrics: Pink, Billy Mann (Dear Mr. President)

Dear Mr. Chancellor,
Come have a chat with me.
Let's assume we're just two beings and
I'm not younger than thee.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the troopers on the march?
Who do you care for that has been killed in this war?
What do you think as you look out the window?
Are you pleased?

Why do you smile when the Jedi all die?
Why do you scheme while worlds are destroyed and war intensifies?
Why do you ignore people's outcry?
How can you look me in the eye
And tell me lies?

Dear Mr. Chancellor,
Were you a needy boy?
Are you a needy boy?
Are you a needy boy?
How can you claim
That you mean well and are kind?
Some suspect where you're aligned.
You make them all disappear
And take control using fear.

What kind of leader marches his own people into hell?
And what kind of leader might crush his own people if they rebel?
If only the Council were able to foretell
And they were not blinded by your clever spell.

Why do you smile when the Jedi all die?
Why do you scheme while worlds are destroyed and war intensifies?
Why do you ignore people's outcry?
How can you look me in the eye?

Please don't tell me 'bout dark side
It's raging anger and it's roiling power
Please don't tell me 'bout dark side
You're pledges and temptations will not make me cower
Please don't tell me 'bout dark side
Killing all the Younglings in the tower
Please don't tell me 'bout dark side
Dark side
Dark side
I don't wanna know 'bout dark side
Dark side
Dark Side
Oh

Why do you smile and lie?
Why do you ignore people's outcry?
Dear Mr. Chancellor,
You just want to kill us all,
Don't you?

Notes: This song is from the perspective of a very insightful Jedi Padawan.

Star Fart Song (I'm a Little Star Fart)

Lyrics: Erin Ruston
Music: Teapot Song (I'm a Little Teapot)

I'm a little star fart,
Long and swell,
Here are my ions (wave one hand behind butt),
Here is my smell (wave the other hand in front of your nose),
When I get all cooped up,
See me fell,
Tips you over and makes you yell! (wave both arms about and make grossed out face)

Story behind the song. At the U.F.O. housefilk on 02/25/2011 we were particularly silly and decided that comets were star farts. Julia West sung the one line, "I'm a Little Star Fart" and it stuck in my head. Here's the result. Enjoy or mock, whichever makes you happier.

Table Top RPGs or LARP... and the Creeping Advance of Technology

Something that I’ve noticed more with each year is the pervasiveness of electronics in our gaming lives. Initially it was just calculators at the table for those games that actually involved equations.

Next it was tools for the Game Master, like mapping software and NPC generators. This technology didn’t actually end up at the table, just its product. Gradually as dice rollers and character creators became more advanced, players and GMs began bringing PDAs or laptops to games. We are now in the age where e-readers, tablets and netbooks almost outnumber the players in games. As much as I like my laptop, I am discovering that gaming groups and LARP troupes are being damaged by the prevalence of technology.

Yes, it’s wonderful to have PDFs of every book related to your game ever published. Yes, it’s handy to be able to just zoom onto the internet to find that specific piece of data that you want at that exact moment. Unfortunately, this also means that players don’t truly learn and retain their game’s mechanics or setting. Why remember something when you can just look it up? When you don’t bother to learn something for yourself and just “look it up,” you don’t get as much out of it. Your experience of the subject matter is much more superficial.

Electronics are also horrible distraction. You are not successfully multi-tasking. Several studies have been published concerning so-called high efficiency multi-taskers. It actually takes them longer to accomplish all of their tasks together than it does for them to do them one at a time. Instead of paying attention to other peoples’ actions while waiting for your turn, you find Facebook or your email to be summoning you for “a quick peek.” When your turn comes around, you have to ask for a recap or even have to be prodded into taking your turn. This wastes everyone else’s time and frustrates your fellow players.

Lastly, they tend to distance the participants from one another. You find yourself looking at the screens rather than one another. What used to be a social event has turned into a slightly over glorified MMO. Everyone rolls their dice at the appropriate moment and mechanically takes their actions, but there is very little interaction or actual role-playing. The game has ceased to be a shared world experience has turned into a series of tasks to be completed.

The GM, ideally, should be the only one at the table or LARP with an electronic aide. Even his or hers should only ever be used to look up a book or material directly related to the game. If you find your GM to be spending more time staring at their screen than interacting with the players, perhaps it’s time for a new GM.

The single biggest argument against banning electronics is the argument about book costs. Our games are made by companies who spend their time producing creative, niche products for a niche audience. They don’t have the reduced production costs of something like a Harry Potter novel. They charge what they do, just to keep the doors open. If you want more gaming books, buy the ones you use. If you can’t afford all of the books yourself, perhaps your gaming group can look at building up a group library. Each person in the group buys a few books.

A group library also means that no one person is dragging a huge pile of books to game. Everyone brings a small handful and shares at the table. You can use your PDFs between games for character updates and ideas, printing out the pertinent details to bring to game for your own use. To avoid dragging my entire VtM library to games, I’ve printed an important page or two before.

I have also heard the time constraint complaint. People claiming that they don’t have the time to read or mess with their characters between games. That’s complete bologna. Gaming is an interactive hobby. Like any interactive hobby it does require effort between games. Softball player practice their skills between games. RC pilots work on their planes between flights. Reading up on where your character comes from or rules applicable to your character doesn’t require a huge amount of time. It’s not like you are being asked to be an obsessive setting or rules guru, just competent. If you aren’t willing to spend a little time on your hobby outside of the actual “events,” maybe it isn’t something you are really all that interested in.

This is not an attack on other gamers. I have done and said all of the above negative things. From this day forward, I resolve to leave my laptop at home or in another room when I am attending a Table Top RPG or LARP. I will use books and paper character sheets at games. I will learn and retain the rules and settings for myself, rather than just looking them up. I will immerse myself in my characters at games and role-play my heart out. I will enjoy the game and the time with my friends.

I ask you all to do the same.

Road Trips to Conventions in a Group

This is about basic courtesy and etiquette when on a mass road trip to any geek event. I’ve been road tripping with geeks for 20 years now and hope that I have enough experience to be considered knowledgeable on the subject. The advice is universally applicable to all fandoms.

1. Pre-trip plans and the ugly issue of money.

Don’t plan trips you can’t afford. Yes, it sucks to watch your friends do fun things and be stuck at home with nothing but the soft glow of the computer monitor for company. I’ve been there, I know. Unfortunately, unless we want to be homeless, starve or live in squalor, we have to be responsible adults. If you are seriously debating between paying a bill and going to the convention, pay the damn bill. There will always be another convention.

Don’t commit to a convention that you are real iffy about being able to attend, only to drop out of the trip at the last minute. You should know at least one month in advance if you can go on the trip. If you commit to a trip, your friends will be budgeting based on you paying your share of fuel and lodgings. Dropping out closer to the trip than one month out is inconsiderate of your friends and their need to budget. Sometimes, all it takes is one last minute drop out to make the trip impossible for the entire group. Instead of committing to the iffy trip, hoard the money for a later convention.

This one shouldn’t even have to be said, but here it is. If your friends have been kind enough to help with your finances on the trip, don’t abuse it. Don’t use the slack to overspend your own money and then ask your friends to help beyond what they committed to before the trip. When they are covering your meals, don’t order anything more expensive than what they order for themselves. This is not the time to go for the surf-n-turf. A burger is just as filling.

2. Packing the vehicle.

Don’t pack enough for a major wilderness expedition. You are not leaving known civilization. You are going to a convention, in a hotel, with restaurants and convenience stores nearby. Most trips have a travel leader or coordinator. This individual will look at available space in the vehicle and determine how much luggage each person is allowed. Stick to this amount of stuff and don’t try to wheedle more space. Munchies DO count against your allotted space. If you need a special item for the trip, look at dropping the unnecessary stuff to make room for it. Nobody needs more costumes than days of the trip or enough munchies to feed twice the number of people in the vehicle. If too much is packed, there are things crammed in all crannies and even under foot. This makes everyone in the vehicle uncomfortable.

Don’t pack a lot of open containers and loose items. This does nothing but create chaos and a mess. Nobody wants your crumbs or leaky drink sitting on their electronics or guitar. Make sure all of your drinks and munchies seal tight and are in bags that zip, snap or Velcro closed. Keeping your munchies contained will help you to find the things you want later. If you have a half eaten package of cookies or bag of chips and want to bring it, put them in a Ziploc bag. This will keep them from becoming a mess inside their bag. Any munchies or drinks taken on the trip should have minimal odor. What may smell great to you may be nauseating to your companions.

If you have a small item (book, e-reader, notepad, iPod, knitting, etc.) that you intend on using while on the road, keep it with you. Your heavier luggage will always be packed at the bottom of the pile and forcing a complete re-pack of all of the luggage mid-trip is rude. Don’t insist on your things being on top. The vehicle owner and travel leader/coordinator will pack the luggage into the vehicle for most efficient usage of space, not ease of access to packed things.

Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene… Make sure you, your luggage and your clothing is clean. You will be in very close proximity for a very log time. If you smoke, air out and fabreeze everything you bring. Not everyone wants to smell your habit and they don’t want their things to smell like your habit. If you have pets, use a lint roller on everything you bring. Some people are allergic enough to your beloved family member to react even to the fuzz on your luggage. Shower regularly and please for the love of all that is holy, don’t wear the same stinky costume for the entire trip. Its awesomeness is greatly reduced by its odiferousness.

Last but not least, the only baggage that should come on a trip is the luggage. Leave your foul moods and drama at home. If you find yourself unexpectedly in a foul mood, behave. Don’t snap at your friends or be passive aggressive with them. You don’t have to be all smiles, but be polite and keep your drama to yourself.

3. On the road.

The travel leader/coordinator should set a specific rendezvous time for leaving. Be on time! I can’t stress this more. Don’t force your friends to cat herd. Travel times are very important. Leaving on time can make a huge difference in the total amount of time on the road. It can make the difference between whether you hit rush hour or you don’t.

While on the road, gas and pee stops should not become expeditions. Every truck stop has a variety of the same chochkies with the label slightly changed. You really don’t need to examine every single one in every single truck stop. A 12-hour drive can quickly become an 18-hour one based on the length of the pit stops.

All of the trash in the vehicle should be dumped at each stop. There is no need to hoard the trash for the final destination. Saving trash of any kind in the vehicle is unsanitary. If you are concerned with saving bottles, use a re-usable container rather than saving pop or water bottles. One reusable water bottle and one reusable hot drink container is not only more sanitary, but it’s more economical and takes up less space.

4. At the convention.

When sharing a room with others, you should endeavor to be neat and tidy. Even if your things aren’t kept in your luggage, they should stay within a designated area. This prevents your roommates from tripping on things and prevents you from leaving things behind. It’s also easier for you to find the things you want, when you want them. That quick dash to the room for a specific book or prop really is just a quick dash.

If the group plans to do something together, the travel leader/coordinator should establish a meeting place and time. Everyone should be at the designated location on time. If you are not going to participate in the group activity, notify the travel leader/coordinator. Again, we’re back to the cat herding issue.

When there isn’t a planned group activity, entertain yourself. Most conventions have plenty to do. If you find yourself with a con babe or stud, don’t spring your newfound partner on your roommates. Nobody wants to randomly walk in on or wake up to his or her roommate having sex. Period. If you are going to imbibe in an adult beverage or two, notify your roommates in advance. This will allow them to keep an eye out for you and your safety. Along with this, don’t get so intoxicated that you are getting sick in the room.

Don’t buy any excessively large or a large number of souvenirs without consulting with your companions. If the item too big, or there too many, for the vehicle be prepared to ship it. If you can’t afford to ship it, don’t buy it. You can’t expect your friends to sacrifice their comfort or ability to get their own souvenirs for your need to have a huge item or to take all 50 of those impossible to find in your hometown items with you. In general, your souvenirs should fit in the original luggage that you brought with you.

When preparing to leave the convention, pack the night before you hit the road. This prevents last minute scrambling and makes it easier to verify that you have all of your stuff. When you pack ahead, the morning checkout process becomes easy and you get on the road on time.

5. In closing.

HAVE FUN! If you find yourself not having fun more often than not on such trips, maybe it’s something you should look at not doing in the future.

The Awkward First Game

Every gaming group has that awkward first game. Whether it's the first time that you meet or just the first time that your new PCs meet, it happens. When it's the first time a group of players meet, it can best be dealt with by the group spending that first night being social and not focusing on the game. A meet and greet as it were. Folks can tell their crazy "no shit there I was" gaming stories and share a night of light concept building.

When it's an established group and the characters are the only ones who are meeting for the first time, this is a little more complex. There are a few basic things that can be done by the players to make this easier.

1. Have concepts that have a reason to be around other PCs. Nothing sucks more than trying to drag the "people watcher" PC into a group. Don't make your fellow players work harder to include you than they do to include themselves. Eventually they will get bored with the chase and just stop trying to include your PC.

2. Don't always try to be the center of attention. You aren't the only one who is trying to flesh out your concept and role-play. Hogging the game-master's attention is a good way to annoy your fellow players. Again, they will stop trying to include your PC.

3. In group oriented games, don't push your concept to the exclusion of the group. Be willing to bend a little to improve overall game enjoyment. If everyone else has to bend to one player's concept, they will stop trying to include that PC.

4. Be proactive. The game-master has a lot of work keeping track of their plot and game rules. They don't need to have to drag you around by the nose. If they drop a hint or plot point that should drive the group together, chase it!

5. Don't lose character development time to the discussion on minutia. Yes, the fact that this obscure person in setting history did this obscure thing is cool. How does it apply to the immediate group dynamic? If you have to think through more than 2 steps away from the PCs, it doesn't apply. Drop it.

6. Build character ties! Nothing works better than the player having built in reasons for their PCs to hang out. "Yeh, we served in the Clone Wars together." to "Remember that time we got caught stowing away on that Lookshy ship? Long swim wasn't it?"

There are also a few things that can be done by the game-master to make this easier, as well.

1. Give the PCs a reason to be together. It can range from everyone being victimized by the same Lich King to them all being members of S.H.I.E.L.D.

2. If the players aren't being proactive about being together as a group, force the issue. Nothing forces group interaction like a little action. Have the Elysium they are in get attacked by Sabbat or the local mayor draft them save his daughter from some goblins.

3. Demand solid concepts from them before they even sit down to the table. They don't have to have their sheets filled out. Some players may need help with sheet build. Players should be able to come up with their own concepts though.

4. Don't lose character development time to the discussion on minutia. Yes, the fact that this obscure person in setting history did this obscure thing is cool. How does it apply to the immediate group dynamic? If you have to think through more than 2 steps away from the PCs, it doesn't apply. Drop it.

5. If you are going to use ANY rules that do not appear in the base materials, notify your players in advance. This will limit rules discussions and arguments that tend to derail the game.

Gaming is a group endeavor. We share our universes with one another. Keep that in mind... share. Let everyone shine.