Illogicon 2013

Over the years, I have gone to a few local cons in North Carolina including StellarCon, ConCarolinas, Crystal Coast Con and the Carolina Gamer's Summit.  I have not had the opportunity to make it out to the comi cons in Charlotte, Raleigh, or Asheville simply because of my work schedule or family things that have come up.  For those of you not familiar with con speak, a con is a convention, whether it'd be Sci-Fi, Comic, Anime or even regular conventions but in geek terms, a convention is a con.  That's ok, because in my book family comes first and that's what is important to me.

However, I had been invited to this small con by a great friend of mine Chris Burnside (whom I have trooped with for years now) and my friends in the 105th Squad aka "Vader's Fist Pump".  Though I didn't know what my work schedule would be like, I decided to give it a chance and drove up to Raleigh for the day, knowing that it was a small con.  In addition, I drove up to the con in my Episode III Padme and even had to stop to get gas along the way so yes there are pictures of me filling my tank in my Padme costume.

The fee for this con was a modest fee like most of the Cons in North Carolina and I knew it was a small con.  Still it was a good little con with tables and dealers room.  One of the biggest areas of the con was the gaming room and though I'm not a big gaming fan, one peek into the room could tell you the gaming was about to get serious.  There were panels that appealed to most Sci-Fi fans and geeks alike and there were artists and photographers taking pictures.

Normally, when I go to cons I just go for socializing and really don't purchase anything unless it's one of my major fandoms or its something that appeals to me.  I did sit in on a panel on female geeks and it was the inspiration for me to start this blog.  Though I'm shy in general, it got me thinking on how being a female geek has changed over the years and how being a geek has affected me personally.

I got to hang around with my friends including those in the 501st, Mando Mercs, and Rebel Legion and I also got to see old friends that I've gone to and have gotten to know over the years like Allegra Torres.  I didn't get many pictures in my Padme because I arrived so late because of things I had to do for work and graduate school but I know I would've had a blast if time had allotted me a chance to stay longer.  Mike Penny, got a few shots of me and Chris Burnside also got a shot of me in Padme' but I am not dissappointed by the lack of pictures, my untimely arrival was my fault and that's ok...I'm not a perfectionist and an attention getter.  I was just there to have fun.

I enjoyed sitting down with my friends including James Rippe aka "Formal Vader" of the 105th, Chris Burnside, Cheralyn Lambeth, Alex Wilson, Steve Deeluew and others.  I love talking about past events and things that we have done together as geeks and what the future has in store for the rest of us.  I did have a great conversation with Cheralyn and Steve about events and what women have brought to the geekdoms as well as past and future events with the 501st and Rebel Legion.

Overall, I think Illogicon has a lot of potential to grow into a big con such as ConCarolinas or even Animazement.  I also would be interested in running a panel on geekdom or Doctor Who, or females in Star Wars and geekdom.  Though that would be a big step for me since I'm very shy but slowly and surely I'm coming out of my shell.

Again, Illogicon was well worth it and I will be attending again in 2014.

Me in my Padme on my way up to Illogicon.