Reasons why you should go to Connexions this year

[thebratqueen]

astarte99 asked me the following question regarding Connexions:

What makes it so cool? I am thinking about attending a fandom con or two for the first time this year (been to lots of other cons, just not fandom ones), and am trying to figure out which ones I should put at the top of the list.

To which I provide the following answers:



1) It's a small con, which makes it much more intimate.

2) It's a slash con, so if you're a slash fan you basically have an entire weekend of safe space to talk about why you love watching two hot guys getting it on. Granted we can all join slash mailing lists and LJ communities and what have you, but it's not the same thing as being able to sit down with a group of people, say something like "So, Tom/Jerry?" and have people you don't even know immediately reply "Oh that's canon".

3) Related to that, it's a fan con. And Martha does a great job of making sure it's just fans. No PTB, no reporters, nobody going around who's not into slash and all its forms. I've been to a few cons of various sorts and I've found that cons with some form of non-fans present just don't have the same feel. They're nice in their way but not the same thing.

To give you an example of what I think best exemplifies why Connexions has such a great, fan-con feel to it, I think I don't have to point any further than the con suite, which last year had so much food contributed to it by con goers that it actually had better food and a greater variety to offer than the hotel restaurant did.

4) Our hotel space is excellent in that all of the con space is on its own floor and therefore is easy to get to (even if you require handicapped access) and makes it easy to keep non-con goers out.

5) Related to that, the hotel is also connected to a bus station and a small food court so it's easy to get to and it's also easy to grab food whenever you want.

6) There are several tracks of programming, plus DIY panels so there's always something going on to interest you.

7) The two vid nights (Friday night is previously premiered vids, Saturday night is vids premiering at Connexions) are great, and if you've never watched vids while in a room full of fans you're definitely missing out on a fun experience. Again this is where the hotel comes into play because the vids actually get shown in a theater that we get all to ourselves and not just on some dinky TV set where you can't see a thing if you're not in the front row.

8) The banquet is a great night to get together, dress up (either formally or in costume) if you're so inclined, and eat good food (and the food is good, not just "well it's good considering what we paid for it" good)

9) The dealer's room is great and filled with all sorts of slashy zines, plus rare fannish stuff that you'll definitely make use of the hotel ATM to make sure you can get your hands on.

10) The art show is filled with pictures of naked men

11) You are allowed to bid on them and possibly buy them.

11a) The pictures, not the men.

12) You'll meet tons of fans you know online and always wanted to know in person. You'll also meet tons of people you've never known but will have fun with because you've got similar kinks.

13) You can have long debates about the minutia of your favorite movie/show/book/character and nobody will look at you strangely.

14) I'll be there! 8)



There's more but now I'm running late for dinner. I now throw the microphone out to you, the viewers at home, to add your own reasons if you are so inclined =)