Korean consumables and con

Yes, I had a fabulous twelve hours at Norwescon, but first this: Nibs had to get examined for her SSI application. It just so happened that the office in Federal Way (?!) where it took place is in the same strip mall - 2200 S 320th ST - as a good-sized Korean supermarket a la Uwajimaya. Let me sing the praises of the wonder that is Paldo World! An entire large fridge case of dried squid & cuttlefish! (If it's dried, why refrigerate it?) Tens of aisle-feet devoted to chili paste & powder! Tea in boxes with silhouettes of naked chicks on them! Not one but two restaurants, which my son wants to visit if he earns the privilege. My son & I were the only non-Koreans in there for a while. For a side trip that I thought was going to be a drag hanging out with my bored son in a waiting room, that turned out rather well.

And now for the twelve hours of Norwescon, made fabulous by the generosity of alexiarnps, grace_batmonkey, and beaq. For all of you who I only saw for a few minutes, I would love to have had more time with you, but you know how it is. Nibs & I agreed that I'd be home by noon, but I cabbed it home before 4 a.m. so I could log into work at 10:30 or so. That turned out to be a smart move on my part. The highlights:

• There were a few of you with whom I did get to spend some time.
• Goth babies! That sounds like they're the new doll craze. They're not, but they ought to be.
• icprncs taking an 18th century look two feet over the top, literally. I hope that wig & bicorn hat didn't give her a headache.
• Seeing a girl of about 13 do a double take when she realized the nurse from 1913 wasn't quite as she first appeared.
• Running into a doughboy and a nurse from 1937 at the same time. Costume synchronicity!
• Eye candy. Dear Bob, the eye candy. And at Norwescon, one need not be ashamed to be constantly looking out of the corners of one's eyes because everyone's doing it.
• Meeting people who had previously only been imaginary internet people.
• A particular room party that lacked in size, thanks to the Man, but more than made up for it in ahem.

more on con: bad idea, good idea

I'm getting the urge to throw a Norwescon room party and invite people I want to see so I'll see them.



I should lie down until this urge passes, shouldn't I? I mean, even if I knew how to raise the time and $ for this sort of thing, it's an epic hassle.

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Oh yeah: Speaking of Norwescon and fabulous costumes therein, celluloid_jam was a hunter of Gungans with Jar Jar's head on a pike. Right on.