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2011 OFFICIAL XENA CONVENTION
Los Angeles, California, USA

28-30 January 2011

Convention Report by KT

The Day Before....

Con 2011

“You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's a signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Xena Zone!” (Modified some from the original…)

Well, well, well. Here we are again. Celebrating a show that started in 1995, sixteen (long, hard) years ago. I was a mere lass (or a least, barely a matron) when Xena first darkened my door and stole my little pitter pattering heart. Now the main pitter pattering I get is from my creaky old knees going down stairs.

As I’ve said before, the con always starts for me when I get to the airport in L.A. Without consciously looking for them, I will suddenly realize that I’m looking at someone in the airport and saying to myself, “Oh yeah. She’s going to the Xena con”.

Actually this year I didn’t notice anyone actually in the airport – it wasn’t until I was on the shuttle bus that a woman got on whom I immediately recognized as a fellow Xena habitué. (Not that I had ever actually seen her before, I just knew she was one of us.) We rode to the hotel in fine style along with a Thai Airline cabin crew, made up of beautiful people in bright clothing who were talking and giggling so loudly that they totally drowned out the recorded announcements on the PA system. And whose luggage kept rolling around the bus, since they had these enormous bags with wheels that were not tied down. Their giddiness and insouciance really reminded me of we Xena fans and so got me totally in the mood for the con.

As we pulled up to the hotel, there were three women waiting at a bus stop, two of whom had their arms around each other, gazing soulfully into each other’s eyes. And then I knew for sure I was once again back at the Xena con.

Inside the hotel, in the lobby, there were major “HEY! IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN” greetings, hugs, huge smiles, happy laughs, back slapping and probably some surreptitous squeezing amid a feeling of great festivity. The tribe was once again gathering for its annual rejuvenation and celebration. And, like many indigenous societies’ annual get togethers, there is always a slight whiff of “looking for brides” potential in the air.

There were lots of stories of people barely escaping the East Coast snow storms to get here. This is becoming a yearly ritual--squeaking through the storm cancellations and delays.

We had dinner with good Xena friends last night and then, as always went and got registered for the con, hit the bars, laughed ourselves silly and then went to bed. All of us under our own power. But it’s early yet…


Things start in a couple of hours. More later.



KT

 

 

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