SpaceGypsies

In my time I’ve met a lot of celebrities. Very, very rarely do I get starstruck, but today, while strolling Dragon*Con’s Walk of Fame, I came across Sean Maher, who played Simon Tam on Firefly, and I froze. Literally. I froze where I stood, in the middle of the room, glancing over at him (not creepily, I swear…) He had the most charming, captivating smile I’ve ever seen, and while he looked so welcoming, I freaked out and couldn’t even go to his table for fear of being a squealy “that girl”. I can own my fangirlness, but when representing this site and, well, myself, I like to be professional.

I’m going to give it another try tomorrow, to meet him and say “hello, I loved your character, and I wish you the best on your career”, and maybe I’ll still do it if I’m feeling a little squealy.

The other boy who made 13-year-old TiaraLa swoon a little inside was Corky Nemec (he will always be Corky to me). You see, I’ve never seen him on Stargate, but Parker Lewis Can’t Lose was one of my favorite shows in middle school. He was the sort of cool geek that I really felt like, and I identified with him so completely. I had his poster on my wall from Teen Beat… along with fellow Dragon*Con guest Edward Furlong, who played John Connor in Terminator 2 and was every bit the dreamy skater boy that I loved at the time.

So this year, the middle schooler in me is squealing and jumping up and down all excited-like. Guts have never come into play when meeting and greeting celebrities, even my favorites. I could even handle meeting Sean Astin, my first movie star crush (Mikey on Goonies was SO CUTE). This year I think it’s teenage crush overload, though, in the Walk of Fame. I’m hoping to feel a little less starstruck tomorrow. Until then, SQUEEEEEEE!!

AND… off we go.  The SpaceGypsies have loaded their Gypsy wagons with all their goodies and headed out from all sectors of the universe to descend en masse in Atlanta, Georgia for Dragon*Con 2010.

Aside from trying to catch Michael Shanks and Lexi Doig,  we’re off hunting some Ghost Hunters… as in Steve and Tango – those Taps guys.

Next?   Ben Browder is on our list to get a gander at.   And this SpaceGypsy is really really going to search the Dragon*Con world over for Marina Sirtis… oh yeah, we certainly need some Counseling from  Troi!  We have plans to nab and gab this one, she’s one of our favorite TNG stars!

SpaceGypsies will be setting up camp with the RPGs, getting to some panels and filming for our readers!  We’ll be having that up for you soon as humanly and non-hunanly possible.

There are so many people, places and things to do that even with an entire camp of SpaceGypsies we are going to be on the run to get to everyone and everything.

Not only Michael Shanks, Lexa Doig, Ben Browder, Summer Glau!  Virginia Hey!  Jason Momoa,  and all the other StarGaters, StarTrekers, Ghost Hunters, StarWars-ers and partiers, but every thing in between will be right here for you – coming soon… It’s Dragon*Con 2010!

The SpaceGypsies are anxiously awaiting Dragon*Con 2010. There’s really nothing quite like it! Since two of us were newbies to the Dragon*Con wonder last year, I thought it would be great to give you a Dragon*Con 2009 Top 10!

#10. Since it was my first big Con… I got my first real look at Steampunk costumes… awesome!

#9. The Walk of Fame.  Autographs, chatting (Like walking up and chatting with Virginia Hey (Zhann – Farscape)

#8. The Walk of Fame.   Face to face with favorite characters of favorite shows.  I actually, literally, accidentally bumped into Ron Glass (Shepard Book-Firefly).

#7. Sitting in lines where you can watch the sights abound in front of you and chat with other fans waiting for their favorite panel which happens to be yours also.

#6. By the fifth Jayne Hat I was in awe of the magnitude of fandom!

#5. The Walk of Fame.  That Ben Browder smile?  Oh yeah, it’s real!  And Claudia Black… omg, she is such a sweetheart.  And Jason Momoa…er…my gods he’s…something else.

#4. Seeing certain SpaceGypsies in costume… one as Farscape’s DRD ‘One Eye’ and one as ’1812′.

#3. Standing in the hall and being nudged by another SpaceGypsy who said….”Look!”  It was Patrick Stewart walking less than three feet in front of me!

#2. Interviewing Claudia Black… and having Ben Browder drop by!  Priceless…literally priceless.

#1. Walking outside with Claudia Black and chatting one on one about incense (her favorite is Nagchampa), Montessori School vs Waldorf School education and our basic views of life.

Let’s start with number one…er…why not?

Number One: Shower Daily!   Yep, that’s right, it has to be said!
  For those who forgot how please follow this simple yet time proven method:

Remove clothes

Turn on shower to very warm water

Step in … do not be afraid!

Unwrap soap provided or open tiny bottle of body wash provided

Suds up on a wash cloth (also provided)

SCRUB…EVERYWHERE

Rinse off

Get out

Dry off – Towel is also provided (don’t forget to get dressed)

The rest follow number one…

Don’t be afraid to let your geek flag fly!!!! Dragon Con is filled with people just like you and about forty thousand who are not at all like you.  All will be geeking out… not a soul on this planet and several other planets will make fun of you…Everyone… every one … is there to geek out!  You’re gonna love it!

If you are doing one photo op or another photo op- take a chill pill, remember hundreds are waiting and for the sake of all living entities in the universe…keep your hands above waist level!

Asking Panel Questions – be prepared!   Practice in the mirror.  Avoid rambling and NO ONE wants to hear your story… Ask the dang question people.

Be kind, considerate and open minded like:

Don’t stop in the middle of the heavy traffic areas… move aside so you are not blocking about forty people, and have to fear for you life…some of them are Klingons!

When at a panel please remember that there are others also waiting to ask their very important question… so no multi part questions… give the extra ones over to friends and push them up to the line… one question please.  I know it’s going to hurt a bit, but you can do it!

Don’t hold a spot in line for more than two people and let the ones behind you know you are holding that spot !!!!

Photo’s of Con participants are fun and cool… but ask first…some of those creatures actually snack on humans.

Er…could you PLEASE put your cell phone on vibrate…you can put it in your lap if you want to, but the rest of us came for the panel!

TIPS!

Show up early to everything! There are always lines.   Eat often, stash powerbars, go early or late for real meals.

Stay hydrated!  Bring bottled water…the lines for buying are very long- you will need a bottle while in line to buy a bottle.

Check the information boards daily for changes to schedules, events and panels…It happens and you need to know!

Bring friends to sit in lines for you and hold your place -worth paying their admission!

Talk to people, especially the ones that keep showing up in the same lines you do.

Bring costumes and join in.  Remember:   Don’t be afraid to let your geek flag fly!!!!

Bring extra cards for pics, or film, or batteries etc. You’re gonna need it.

Get Photo Ops Set up… you will be sooo sorry if you don’t!   Look Here and Here also

And check the DragonCon FAQs here - or the DragonCon FirstTimers here-

Wow! Legions of characters swarm around from conference center hotels with costumes so bizarre you wonder if they are real, or simply ‘Jayne’ hats that once you notice the second one, or the third one then you get it and realize by the 100^th, how popular Firefly really is!

Klingons saunter down the walkways or have a beer at the bar with Stormtroopers.

Darth Vader and Kayle have a casual chat outside.

Andorians and Reavers wait in Starbucks lines.

Steampunks and their amazing costumes mill around posing for pictures and mixing it up with Ninja’s, Battlestar Galactic cylons and Wraith queens.

SG-1 and SG-Atlantis teams in every BDU you’ve ever seen are rushing to the next Stargate panel, followed closely by a few Romulans.

Aeryn Sun and John Crichton run past you as you make your way through the throng of Con goers, (Aeryn carrying that amazingly large gun).

Anime characters scurry through the masses on their way to meetups.

Vulcans go up the up escalator as Ori Priors go down the down escalator.

It’s a fantastic sight! Not to be missed.

SpaceGypsies will be there reporting, videoing and getting all the things you missed out on to post right here– you know – We Fan Girl So You Don’t Have To! That means you don’t have to angst over going to one panel and missing another one!

Here’s the scoop. Plan to come. Everything you need to know is here!

Look for me, SpaceGypsyMama, I’ll be there somewhere!