So I am obviously the morning person out of the group it is 6:30 am, and as usual, my eyes fly open and my brain takes off. No going back to sleep for me. So I get up, and start getting my camera stuff together for ICON trying to be as quiet as possible. Liz steals covers; and chews in her sleep. Ha ha.
Somewhere along this day we have the following words have infiltrated the Michigander's speach patterns: "dude", "totally", "soooo", and talking like the Very Secret Diaries. Nearly everything is funny or is quoteable.
Some time around eight a single shaft of light pierces the room and I go sit in the corner with my journal. I'm still pondering the previous night's Viggo signing. How amazed I am at how modest he seemed. How friendly. None of us felt like we were a bother to him. He signed anything, posed for pictures, and gave many smiles. The staff at ICP were very friendly too. Wonderful experience. I would like to blame lack of sleep and food, sheer exhaustion for me being all dopey. But I am afraid that I did that all by myself. Sailor boy was great, he carried my camera bag for me and he videotaped us all up there with Viggo. It was great. I have even more respect for Viggo. Is that possible?
7:30pm
The day just flew by. We got all turned around trying to get to ICON. Of course I am freaking out because we are going to miss the loon meeting if we don't find this place and soon. Let me just go on the record and say the directions posted for getting to ICON were crap. It should have been a left turn, but the "official directions" clearly said take a right turn. Finally get there, get in through the registration and make our way to the cyberbar.
Cyberbar... a.k.a. the little furnace. Many loons. Very loud. Took a few pictures then sought refuge out of the cyberbar because I don't like crowds. Everyone is talking and joking around, there is a little bit of play fun with the two Loons who have dressed as wringwraiths.
The Question and Answer session with Billy was pretty cool. I video taped it in hopes to transcribe it later. I do not know if I will be able to. His Scots accent, no matter how darling, is thick. Lava and Legend have bb.net t-shirts that they had Viggo sign. Viggo has told them to give Billy the message he has written. Lava's message from Viggo said: Billy Boyd is my master (heart) Viggo. Billy Boyd wrote back on it: I am! I am! Lots of Love Billy Boyd. Legend's shirt says: Pippin is the very finest honorary Gondorian that ever drew breath. signed Viggo a.k.a. Aragorn, Pippin's Bitch. Billy signed it: Thanks King to Be. They go up on stage and give Billy the shirts. Billy gives them hugs. V. happy for them.
Somewhere Stewart's name was mentioned and we finally get to see the "Big Biscuit". Legend and Lava go to talk to him for a bit before the Q&A is over, before he gets overwhelmed by rabid fangirls. I am still fooling with my camera, so I stay put. Dern lithium batteries. Need to go back to hotel. Because I would rather die than speak publicly, I put Liz up to asking my question. I can't even remember it. I am sure I have it written down somewhere. But Billy noticed that Liz had on the t-shirt with the love trike. She later said "Dude, Billy totally checked me out... (pause) ... umm ok. I made that up. But he did notice my shirt." It was really a cute momment.
Now that Liz is back at her seat and I start to notice that the Q&A was winding down. I decide that I wanna go meet Stewart, shake his hand and thank him for the work he does on the site. I go over there quickly say hi, shake his hand, talk for a minute and then cut out quickly because I left Liz alone with my camera.
So the Q&A was over and I am packing up my camera equipment yet again. Let me just use this paragraph to gush..... about my fellow Michiganders. Everyone was so awesome to me. I was having a problem with my asthma which had been aggravated by month long battle of bronchitis, that I finally overcame. But I don't know what it was but they all took turns carrying my camera bag, my tripod. I was left holding either only the camera or nothing at all. I really didn't want to "need" their help. But I did, and they were really awesome about it. Thanks guys.
Why would they not let people stand on the track in line before 4:30? I don't understand this. Other than the fact that they may be afraid that people are going to jump over the rail, but really. Waiting on the steps was ridiculous. Waiting upstairs. The autograph session is clearly taking longer than anyone had expected. The I-CON helpers were circling like buzzards around roadkill. There were new orders everytime they came by. Do this, don't do that. Honestly, I think their talent lies in making rules for conventions. Not running them
I got my autograph around 6:30. Over half an hour after he was supposed to be done. I clicked off a few pics of my fellow Michigander's as they got their autographs. Then he signed my book. I thanked him for staying overtime. That it meant a lot to me that he was so dedicated. We had come from so far, and he just smiled and said that was exactly why he was keeping on. Very nice. My hubby gave me an official movie guide for valentines day, and I now have it signed by Viggo Mortenson and Billy Boyd. It is preciousssss to me. It now sits on my display table with my other LOTR collectables.
We moved forward and spoke with Stewart briefly before we all went downstairs. I listened and laughed to all the great stories about who got hugs, kisses and pictures. Can't wait to develop my film.
Actors panel gets a late start and the woman that is referred to as "MOM" at ICON is really annoying. I thoroughly enjoyed the Actors panel. Everyone was hilarious and interacted with the crowd so well. I had a thought come to mind that I wish I'd had the guts to ask. Because I think they would have done it. They were spread across this large table and I just thought it would be funny to ask them all to pose like they were in Leonardo Davinci's painting: "The Last Supper"... Ok. warped I know. but I thought it would be funny. When everyone finally got there; the actors sat at the table in this order: Billy Boyd, Herb Jefferson, Brian Downey, Andreas Katsulas, Miriam Sirois, Richard Biggs, and Jason Carter. Now I'm loving this because my husband and I used to religiously watch and record Babylon 5.
In summary, Andreas Katsulas is hilarious. Herb Jefferson...I'm sorry, I found him a bit stuffy, Brian Downey also Funny. Interaction between Richard Biggs and Jason Carter priceless. What was I most impressed by? I would have to say it was Miriam Sirois tackling a tough question by a young aspiring actress as to what to do in a situation where her fellow actors are less than inspiring. (I am hoping to have that part on tape. If I do, I will transcribe it and put the question and answer here.)
I shall play this into the ground too. What's your favorite sound? Only because I feel that I have to share my thoughts and reactions on this unexpected answer. What was that? Is he doing what I think he's doing? Yeah... he is. And I'm cracking up because I am instantly reminded of a scene in my cartoon watching days. You know the one... where the skinny little rooster walks into the barn where all the hens are nesting, says one measley cocklee doodle doo and all the hens immediately lay an egg? It was just like that.
Then came the aftermath. After the panel where all the loons who wanted to go out on a Saturday night were trying to get it together. Eventually we all met downstairs again in the cyberbar and awaited to see if Stewart would arrive with news as to wether or not Billy and/or Stewart could go out for drinks. Very cool. Stewart comes downstairs and announces that they are going to have a drink at the official hotel bar and then Billy will most likely go to bed but everyone can buy Stewart drinks and more drinks and more drinks till he gets sick on your shoes and then he'll sign it. Very funny. But everyone is still kinda looking at Stewart like he is going to say more. And he says something like " I don't know what else you want me to say. and commands us all "Fly my children , fly." And everyone starts to leave.
Then some not so cool things happened. People who had directions to the hotel were seemingly unwilling to give them out. When the Michiganders were finally given directions, It was to the wrong directions and it took us two hours of turning around and asking for directions to get to the right place. We arrived and completely missed Stewart and Billy. But that's ok. Because Liz has introduced all to the concept we have affectionately coined as our motto. Blind Faith. Everything about this trip has worked out for the better. Even the things that were scary, frustrating and seemingly going wrong. Every bit of it ended up with a positive outcome. So we all begin to adopt this attitude. We are all becoming very lovey too.
All of us noticed how tired Billy looked at the beginning of the actor's panel. I can only imagine his fatigue after all those autographs. and Q&A, Plus whatever else he might have had to do for ICON. We stayed for a little bit, but eventually we were all ready to go because we were all tired and ready to go back to the hotel.
On our way back to the hotel we stopped and got some alcohol. Back at the hotel it was Smirnoff and Skittles. Lots of giggling. I personally just wanted a long shower and warm bed. A little time to pay attention to new part of tattoo that does not like the waist bands in anything. Very itchy, not a good thing. I just got it on April 17th, it should be kept very moist for a few days, it had dried out a couple times allready. Not to mention that when I got out of the shower, I forgot about it being there and ran the coarse hotel towel across it out of habit. (Screeeech) Real ecstacy can be found in chilled cocoa butter on a fresh tattoo. Before anyone says anything about what to put on tattoos. I've had a total of twelve hours work, cocoa butter works for me. I'm sticking with it.
All the others seem to be enjoying the Smirnoff and the funniest thing is that Sailor Boy says something... can't remember what it was, but Liz takes exception and the next thing you know they're wrestling. And it's not arm wrestling it's like roll all over the floor, kicking butt wrestling. And they don't stop. Neither one of them are giving in. Chair got knocked over. I nearly tripped on them trying to save my camera from their path of destruction.
Liz's comments on the whole thing:
Liz-1 Sailor Boy 0
Liz:I am officially the alpha male. Have delivered the smack-down. Go me!
