Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Flowers from our dinner table, transferred behind someone's ear to the parking garage, wind up stuck into the machine where you pay for parking.

Saturday was the wrap-up meeting for Otakon, which is the day we get together and talk about how things went, take care of any remaining business involving this year's convention.

The Gryphon kindly brought his laptop along so I could do some design work for Wild Violet. I'm a chronic multitasker; if I'm not doing at least two things at once, I feel I'm wasting my time.

The Pirate stayed overnight at our place the night before so we could carpool in. He handled the gas and we got the tolls. We got the better deal, considering the current gas prices! But I think it was his way of repaying us for our hospitality, as well.

During a break in the meeting, he came up to me, and while using a pocketknife to open a popsicle, asked, "What is it about me that reminds you of a pirate?" I just laughed.

Another staffer, overhearing this, volunteered, "Well, the knife for starters. And the hair, your body language," and she listed more physical characteristics.

He said, "Well, I guess I'm just missing some parrot crap down my back." I told him if the nickname bothered him I'd change it, but he said it was fine. At least, he said, I'd given him the courtesy of offering to change it, which is something he usually doesn't get for his acquired nicknames.

The meeting was held at the top floor of a hotel in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. For once, we were actually sharing that floor with another group. I found out who they were towards the end of the day, when a one-year-old girl toddled towards me, speaking gibberish. I nodded my head as if I understood, until she paused and waited for a response. Then I admitted to her mother, "I have no idea what she just said."

The mother laughed and asked us what our group was. I explained we were the people who put on the annual convention in Baltimore that focuses on Japanese animation and culture. She told me that her group was a Christian-based opportunity for women entrepreneurs. This explained why the hallway tables had been set up with displays of household decorative items, while from the microphone in the other room, you could hear what sounded like a church service.

During the meeting I got a chance to talk to some friends, including Mistress Chimera. We had a good time talking about The Sims, although she's moved on to Sims 2, which apparently features a lot of high weirdness. I finally figured out why I get along with her so well; she reminds me of one of my good friends from college, from her personality to her dark eyes and complexion and voluptuous body type. Why it took me so long to figure out, I have no idea, but it did make a lot of sense.

The con chair made good on his promise for ice cream, providing a cooler in the hallway with a selection of popsicle flavors. I had a strawberry shortcake, because the chocolate was running low and I know some people won't eat anything but chocolate ice cream. It was yummy.

After the meeting, Mistress Chimera asked The Gryphon and I to join her and a group of people from Gopher Ops for dinner. At the same time, old college buddies The Dormouse and the Con Chair (for whom I promise to eventually find a better nickname; it's tempting to call him Pimp Daddy just because of his wearing a purple pimp hat all throughout this year's con, but I don't know how he'd react to that) also asked us to join them. We compromised by suggesting the whole group eat together, and we all headed downtown together.

But first, everyone left the building while The Gryphon was still saying his good-byes to some friends, such as the other half of the Alice Collective, who's the friend who indirectly got us together. She was hanging around with him a lot at Otakon 2003, and she was also my hotel roommate that year. Since she was so busy I rarely saw her in the room, I would seek her out in Con Ops and then stay to talk to The Gryphon, as well. Funny how things happen.

We rejoined everyone at street level, but lost people along the way. The Dormouse and Pimp Daddy (OK, I'm giving into my impish streak) took off on their own, and the rest of us started walking to the harbor area. We'd been headed for Fuddrucker's until one person complained he went there every time he comes to Baltimore. Someone suggested Hooter's instead, which got a lukewarm response. Finally, someone pointed out a seafood restaurant nearby.

We went inside to check it out and found out the prices were regular and they could seat a large group right away. But unfortunately, about four or five people split off because they don't like seafood. We still had nine people at the table, although I know some people were disappointed that we didn't all stay together.

Still, we had a lot of fun. This group of people are in their mid- to late 20's, about my sister's age, and they tend to be good-natured, intelligent, quick on their feet with humor. I really love spending time with them and was glad to finally enjoy a little time with them in a low stress situation.

Plus, the food was not only delicious but pretty enough to photograph.

Afterwards, we drove back home, but we got to the pet sitter's later than usual. I apologized profusely, though they didn't seem to mind. They just said that Una had been waiting by the door for a couple hours! I think she knows the usual routine and was getting a little nervous. She does the same thing when The Gryphon is late coming home from work.

The Pirate had just missed the last train, so he stayed another night in the guest room and The Gryphon woke him early enough to catch a morning train so he could keep his commitments to friends for Sunday.

Copyright 2005 by Alyce Wilson

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