Anyone here going to Ad Astra?

Toothpaste · Feb 25, 2007

Hey all! I was just wondering if any of you guys were planning on attending the Ad Astra convention next weekend here in Toronto? Thought maybe it could be fun to meet up for drinks or something!

If people are going, do show up to the Sunburst Awards Auction, as I will be there as the prize girl, and you will get to see me show off the prizes in spectacular fashion (I hope to be even better than Vanna White, but really that is raising the bar a bit high I suppose). Also the prizes themselves are pretty sweet.

So yeah? Anyone going?

(for those of you curious as to what the heck the convention is, here's there website, and no I am not on any committees or work for them, this isn't advertising, I really do just want to meet up with people: http://www.ad-astra.org/)

PeeDee · Feb 25, 2007

I'm not going (too far away) but if you send pictures, I will do an official comparison between you and Vanna White, for judging purposes.

Toothpaste · Feb 25, 2007

Well so long as you prefer brunettes . . .

PeeDee · Feb 25, 2007

<too much information>

I do, actually.

</too much information>

Toothpaste · Feb 25, 2007

Well there you go then! Vanna can eat my dust (though to be accurate she isn't so much a prize girl or even "that chick who used to turn the letter things and now sort of grazes them with her hand", no she is officially a co-host. I have years to go before I can reach that level of amazingness).

So anyone going to Ad Astra at all? Anyone anyone?

Ashtal · Feb 25, 2007

I am!

Toothpaste · Feb 26, 2007

Awesome Ashtal! What day, or are you doing the whole weekend? Anyone else?

Ashtal · Mar 1, 2007

Whole weekend.

A day? Pshaw. How could I get all the Ad Astra goodness in one day?

Toothpaste · Mar 7, 2007

So Ashtal! Did you have a good time? What did you end up doing? I wound up spending almost the whole Saturday in the hotel bar. Quite pathetic really. But I did do the auction (you can check out my blog if you'd like to read all the very exciting details). I also happen to know that fellow AWer Jim C Hines was there, as, well, we hung out a bit. So there were other people there too despite the lack of response to this thread! Anyone else sneak by?

Ashtal · Mar 10, 2007

I was a panel whore.

I had a friend drag me to a few of her panels, and we ended up switching rooms around because the patio door lock was broken and we had a bit of a flood and a funk.

The second room was much better. Quite nice beds, really.

I do recall seeing Mr. Hines! (I'm too new to AW to have realized he's a member. Hello!) He was in the Ongoing Settings/Occuring Characters panel. I enjoyed that one quite a bit. All the writing panels I attended were informative.

Took lots of notes - even had a guy ask me if I was a professional stenographer! No, sorry, just the end result of four years of university notetaking.

Now, I haven't been to an Ad Astra since 2000 and 2002, but it seemed like it attracted a smaller crowd. Would this be correct? There were lots of writing panels, which was great, but many competing with each other, and I still have no idea where the Con Suite was supposed to be. The Masquerade seemed small. All the events and panels were so spread out into so many rooms, some with not enough seating, some with too much. It felt very disorganized. And no Artist Alley! I sold my friend on going based on what I rememebered of the art, and felt embarassed. At least Beard made it worth her while.

Still enjoyed the hell out of myself and spent all my money on books, but was a little disappointed all the same.

johnzakour · Mar 10, 2007

I would go if it was a month later. It just comes too close to Comic Con NY for me. Plus the weather is so unstable in the North East until like mid April. I do plan to go someday though. it sounds like a cool conference.

Toothpaste · Mar 10, 2007

I have never been before so I have nothing to compare it to. And like I said all I really did was hang out in the bar (aside from working the auction). But I had a total blast and got to meet some really cool people and drink some good whiskey!

Ashtal · Mar 11, 2007

From what I've read, it will be exactly a month later next year, scheduled at the end of March instead of the beginning.

Whiskey, eh? All I managed was a Rum and Coke on Saturday night.

I probably passed you a couple of times on Saturday. I didn't see any toothpaste.

Toothpaste · Mar 11, 2007

But did you see a trio of ladies in bright red dresses?

Good to know about next year's dates.

Anyone here going to Ad Astra?

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Ashtal

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Ashtal

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Ashtal

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Ashtal

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!