darsynia ([personal profile] darsynia) wrote2008-07-16 04:34 pm

BEST CON EVER (or How Darsy Was a Troublemaker At Shore Leave and Got Rewarded For It)

HI GUYS! Here is your long-awaited Story of Epic Proportions! Short version? I had quite literally the perfect 'first conference' experience a girl could have, I really did.


Okay, so I still need to finish up typing out my official con report, but I thought I'd do this one first, because, well, I wanna use the icon I made from one of my photo-op pics and it kind of gives away the story! SO:

A few weeks before the conference, Shirt Woot had this design for sale:


I was like, GRABBY HANDS, because really, who doesn't want a cool shirt to wear to a photo op?? I also was given a really gorgeous card by [livejournal.com profile] vida_boheme which I'll display for real under the cut, but I wanted the image to be big to show detail! So there I am, wearing the bright green shirt with the terrified lemons on it and holding this adorable card of John and Rodney holding candy and flowers--and I got lots of comments on both!

Oh, and, I should add--it turns out, I don't get starstruck at all. This isn't to say that I'm not SUPER EXCITED to see actors I like, and hey, pretty much everyone I saw that was getting excited was adorable, but this was like, a really, really nice thing to know about myself, and it basically made the rest of my day possible.

****Here's where I link to [livejournal.com profile] vida_boheme's AMAZING con report from Meet the Hewletts, where you can see more of her awesome South Parkesque art and David being pretty much the most amazing and funny actor EVER.****

[livejournal.com profile] grammarwoman, who is also amazing as well as generous, offered our lovely group of roomies (*waves to [livejournal.com profile] ladycat777, [livejournal.com profile] stillane, and [livejournal.com profile] wolfshark*) the chance to horn in on one of her photo op pictures, and we picked the David and Kate one. So, when we trouped in to do the picture, the first thing I did was hold out my shirt rather than hold it to my chest, cause, my chest is, um. Prominent enough as it is and say, "Hey David! I wore this for you!"

David took one look at the shirt, held up a hand, and turned his back to sneeze. The four of us and Kate ([livejournal.com profile] wolfshark graciously bowed out of our pic because she had bought one of her own with Kate and David) started to snicker, because really, that's kind of cheesy! David turned around and saw us laughing at him and kind of made the 'What?' face, and his sister said something about the sneeze, to which David replied "What? I had to sneeze!"

Kate: You are SUCH a loser.
Us: LOL


So as we're still laughing at Kate's comment, I turned to David and said, "Actually, it kind of looked like a fake sneeze--and I was surprised, because hey, you're a really good actor! So I figured it HAD to be played up because of the allergy thing..." I missed his reaction, because, well, DAVID HEWLETT, and because we were setting up for the picture. As we smiled for the camera, David said, "Okay, everyone look REAL" in a bit of a snarky tone, and my little heart went THUMP THUMP SQUEE.

So then...

When we got out into the hall, [livejournal.com profile] grammarwoman and I danced over to the end of the line for those of us with photo op pictures with David by himself (SQUEE.). Here's where I apologize to [livejournal.com profile] stillane and [livejournal.com profile] ladycat777 because ladies, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU WENT after we left the group picture because I was so high from having teased David Hewlett... sorry! I should add that the hallways were narrow, poorly ventilated, filled with sweaty, excited people, and HOT. They were also a lot of fun, once you get past all of that! I met a really wonderful woman in a blue shirt whose username I wrote down (it had a dragon in it!) and promptly lost, so if that's you, let me know! So as we stood in line, I turned to
[livejournal.com profile] grammarwoman and said:

Darsy: I need to think of something funny to say to David when I go back in there!
Grammarwoman: You should hand him a tissue!
Darsy: YES! Do you have one?
Grammarwoman: *makes 'DUH' face* *hands me minipack of tissues*
Darsy: YOU ARE A GENIUS.


We panted, sweated, and vibrated our way (don't look at me like that! It's a perfectly interesting description for 'was excited and shaking'!) down the hallways bit by bit (with a break for David to eat something, which our wing of the line was all in favor of) until we were finally there and ready to do pictures.

Darsy: This is for you! *hands David minipack of tissues with a butter-won't-melt-in-her-mouth facial expression*
David: *friendly glare* Very funny.


Then we took the picture, and looking back I KICK MYSELF because I didn't touch him besides the handshake, but I think that's a part of my weird 'don't stare at special people' behavior pattern, cause I did that with the other pictures too. I did, however, tip my head sideways, and David... well, you've probably already peeked at the picture, 'cause I sure would have...



I really hope my squeak of 'DAVID HEWLETT POINTED AT MY SHIRT' wasn't audible from in the room, but my guess is that it wasn't. I also didn't actually say it very loudly, but you know how we all worry about those sorts of things... We went to get some air (THANK GOD) and water before the next picture, and I wandered off by myself and ended up waiting in line for my David & Jewel photo op by myself. I had a great chat with people in line, and I give a shout-out to some of the folks I saw in line throughout the day--[livejournal.com profile] ailurophile06, [livejournal.com profile] beeej, [livejournal.com profile] unamaga, and others whose names I know and have inconveniently forgotten, because guys, David is ridiculously gorgeous in person. Like, WOW.

I was calm, hot, and confident right up until I reached the ante-chamber thing where we wait our turn for the pictures, and then I realized that... I'd given David shit TWICE in a row! What was he going to say to me NOW?!

Darsy: *hooks her hands together in front of her and twists in imitation of someone who could possibly be shy* I promise to be good this time!
David: *teasing, exasperated, burning hot glare* Yeah right, Lemons.
Darsy's Fangirlish Brain: *haz a niknaem*




Poor Jewel probably wondered why I bothered to have a photo taken with her in it and I was too shy to say anything to her (plus it looks almost like I'm leaning away from her! AAK)! I feel kinda guilty about that in retrospect but that's mostly overcome by NICKNAME OMG.

And then... /oblique reference to Finger Story

Then, it was time for the Q&A. [livejournal.com profile] vaginasaurus, you'll be proud to know I asked him the same question I asked you! I'll elaborate more on the AWESOME (yes, that's right, awesome, darnit!) that were the Q&A sessions later, but what you need to know for now is that there was a podium thingie with a microphone set in the middle of the audience (300 people, guys? 200? 400? I really have no concept of that kind of thing...) on an aisle, so everyone could hear the questions. I waited in line through the really weird and slightly boring questions that David was wonderfully expert at turning into not weird and boring until it was my turn, and then got up to ask my question.

Darsy: So, my question is a bit complex, but you already knew I was a troublemaker...
David: *squinting adorably through the lights at the audience* Is that you, Lemons?
Darsy's Fangirlish Brain: *melts*
Darsy: Yep! Okay--so, if you took Team Sheppard and let everyone keep their own personalities, but switched their roles, who would you cast as whom?
David: *blank look*
Darsy: *tries to make more sense*
David: No, I think you've got it--that sound is just me thinking.
Kate: Oh, so that's why I haven't heard it before!


Kate had teased David earlier about his wearing a 'listening face' in a similar fashion. I REALLY love those two together! Here's a video taken by [livejournal.com profile] grammarwoman (who missed him calling me 'Lemons' in front of THE ENTIRE ROOM but that's okay!) of the question and his reaction/answer:



[livejournal.com profile] stillane showed me some of the pictures she'd taken once we got back to the hotel that night, and it turned out that I'd done Arms of Yay \o/ at some point during David's answer! We had to watch the video to figure out when it was, and I'm ashamed to admit I apparently did it without realizing it, because I couldn't remember it at all! We're pretty sure it was when David talked about himself in a dress. (He says "I'll play you--in a dress" to Kate) [livejournal.com profile] hebrew_hernia has a picture of me trying to explain my question, but it's not the best angle in the world but I'll spare you that in favor of \o/.


And then...

I was pretty much on Cloud 42 at this point and thinking that the day really couldn't possibly get more awesome, but we still had the AUTOGRAPHS to go through! The line was long and windy--but VENTILATED THANK GOD--(and, that's 'whinedy' not 'win-dy') but we finally made it to the table. I'd decided to save one picture for the next day's signing, so I got the one of David, myself, and Jewel signed along with [livejournal.com profile] vida_boheme's lovely card:



Which, Finn, is absolutely GORGEOUS and everyone who saw it was completely blown away and loved it like woah. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them visit my blog to find yours and ask you to put your Pegasus Heroes shirts onto Cafe Press or something...

Unbeknownst to me (and maybe David? Then again, he's got lots of practice ignoring video cameras...), [livejournal.com profile] grammarwoman taped our interaction!



So, there's now VIDEO PROOF of my nickname! I honestly couldn't have had a better experience and that was just in terms of David himself--SO much additional fun was had for the rest of the conference! I hope you enjoyed my Story of Epic Proportions, guys!

OOPS! I almost forgot the signature on the back of Finn's card!



Love,
LEMONS!!!!

Edit: Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] vida_boheme:

[identity profile] clear-as-blood.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 10:49 pm (UTC)(link)
*flail* That's so awesome. Kinda busy now, but will comment properly later.

Oh, and I'm super, super jealous. 0pty3oqaehsd

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
Hee! Thanks! I'm actually REALLY glad this was me, because I don't know if I could have handled the jealousy had it not been, if that makes sense... heh.

iadorespike: (Rodney beautiful by oxoniensis)

BEST CON EVER (or How Darsy Was a Troublemaker At Shore Leave and Got Rewarded For It)

[personal profile] iadorespike 2008-07-16 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
No wonder you changed your LJ name...a nickname given you by DH, no less. You lucky dog, you. ;) Thanks so much for sharing, sweetie! I can't wait to see the rest of your report. Woot!

*twirls you*

Re: BEST CON EVER (or How Darsy Was a Troublemaker At Shore Leave and Got Rewarded For It)

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, as much as I love the nickname [livejournal.com profile] lilbreck gave me, it's definitely not often one's favorite actor gives you a nickname that doesn't have to do with being a creepy stalker ;)

[identity profile] amberlynne.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. Thanks for being such a hard act to follow! ;)

I don't remember you doing those arms either and I was sitting right there. *snort*
ext_16562: <lj user="black_balloonxx"> (grant owns my <3)

[identity profile] kashmir1.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for being such a hard act to follow!

You're one to talk, Miss Ambers.

*mock-stern face*

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[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com - 2008-07-18 05:26 (UTC) - Expand
ext_2410: (Aha!)

[identity profile] kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Lemons! HAHA! He is just the best con guest ever. Made my first actor con experience SO FUN!!

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
Knowing you're such a fan I was actually secretly rooting for you to have a great time, cause you've done so much and been so involved, you know? So I'm really, really glad to hear you had fun.

[identity profile] beahorgana.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
LOTS OF LOVE AND ATTITUDE. DAVID HEWLETT SNARKED YOU.

*flaaaaaaail*

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
I KNOW, RIGHT?! I also COMPLETELY FORGOT (which, I agree with [livejournal.com profile] unamaga, is unforgivable!) that I snarked him at the Q&A another time, too--he told us Kate was going to sing the song she sang at his wedding and I'd read reports from Meet the Hewletts that said he cried during her song at the wedding. So I was all 'Are you going to cry?' and he glared at me in a friendly way and said 'No, I'm not going to cry. You are SO dead at recess.'

\o/

(no subject)

[identity profile] beahorgana.livejournal.com - 2008-07-18 15:22 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] altyronsmaker.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
ACK! So sweet! I think I'd die. Well, actually, I know I'd forget my own name. I've already done that!

Whhheeeee! Sounds like you all had a GREAT time. David and Kate are awesome siblings, teasing each other and what not. *sigh* Thanks for the report! And LEMONS! OMG, how awesome is that!

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
I did a lot of forgetting--I'd come out of the photo op room going 'SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT I DID!' and I ended up not touching him, which makes me SAD, because it's not like I'd have done anything untoward, but I would have loved to... I don't know, I'm a tactile person, you know? A casual arm around the waist wouldn't have killed my sense of propriety, but it didn't agree with me, I guess.

ANYWAY.

I did have such a great time! They really are hilarious siblings--and now I don't feel so silly for having made a big deal about lemons ever since I started watching Rodney McKay... it all makes sense, now!

[identity profile] bitter-crimson.livejournal.com 2008-07-16 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A SUPER-FANTASTIC TIME! I AM VERY HAPPY FOR YOU BB =D =D

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
I REALLY DID! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HAPPINESS, I AM HAPPY TO SPREAD HAPPY-MAKING THINGS.

[identity profile] vaginasaurus.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
EEEEEEE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS POST IS AMAZING!

I like the video of the signing especially, where he got all confused about who "Darsy" was, because he totally just thinks of you as "Lemons" now!

OHH, LEMONS! :D

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Thank you! HEE I know! That and how apparently no one spells Darsy with an S :D

LEMONNNSSS

Oh and I LOVE your new userpic!

[identity profile] velvetwhip.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
First things first: You're such a cutie pie!

Second: We panted, sweated, and vibrated our way

I have no idea how to react to that...


Gabrielle

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
Awww shucks! Thanks dearie!

Yeah, on re-reading that, I'm surprised at my phrasing, but really, it had to do with being hot--I mean, it was hard to breathe in the narrow passage...

Um. I give up.

*winks*
ext_1718: (David & Me)

[identity profile] beeej.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
HEE! You are adorable. Image

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
OH oh oh oh LOVELY pic! *cheers for you!*

*smooches*

[identity profile] shotgundivorce.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
I started reading this in a horrifically bad mood, but you're so damn cute and cheerful and ... cute that I ended up giggling to myself >_>

Anywho, I'm glad you had an awesome time :)

PS. Is it weird that the first thing I noticed about Jewel was "Oooh, I like her shoes"?
Edited 2008-07-17 01:45 (UTC)

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I'm glad to hear that! I've only been able to skim journals in the past week or two due to being stupidly busy, and I'm glad I could at least indirectly help with the icky!

Her shoes were REALLY awesome... well, along with the rest of her. Yow. She's so NICE, too--real, if that makes sense. They all were. It was very eye-opening, because at the same time I could see what VERY good actors they were, Malcolm McDowell, Mark Sheppard, Jewel, Kate, David, just... so cool.

[identity profile] rinsbane.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
eeee! I love this report! Thanks so much for posting it. It sounds like you had so much fun. And how much do I love David? *squeak* I have yet to peak at the vid clips in here that go with the narrative - I'll have to take a look at them, too.

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! It was a whole lot of fun to put together, and a complete and utter blast on the day! The videos are fun! The brother-sister stuff on the first one makes me giggle!
grammarwoman: (Hewlett)

[personal profile] grammarwoman 2008-07-17 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Hee! I do seem to figure somewhat in this story, eh?

*grin* Big smooches to you, Lemons! This is the kind of story you can bask in for years to come.

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes you do, lovey! It really is something I can always treasure. I think about [livejournal.com profile] ladykat777's reasonings not to get autographs usually (that people change, and someday I will wonder why I spent money on them, which is a completely valid argument and in some ways I do agree) and I think in this case, I have such a great story to go with everything that they're not going to be regretted at all :)

(no subject)

[personal profile] grammarwoman - 2008-07-18 14:03 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] littleblueghost.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
Awesome - glad you had a great time and met... hmm... now let me think.. who was it again????

How many times did you mention that name.. must have only been once or twice :P


Sorry (I am in such a silly mood)... pain meds and tiredness do odd things to me...

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:45 pm (UTC)(link)
:P DAVID DAVID DAVID! I HAVE NO SHAME!

EEEEEE!

[identity profile] cathalin.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Now that I read this, I can't believe you could write a single *word* during the con!!!! I would be totally devoted to just pure squee had I been you!

OMG, what an amazing story. YOUR VERY OWN SNARK.

Thanks for this awesome report. It's very happy-making.:)

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I wrote about 5,000 words (with edits and deleted passages) that weekend. I'd actually planned to write Saturday night, but... yeah, that didn't happen. I was um. Kind of keyed up. :D

I KNOW, and I actually FORGOT part of the story kind of, because during the Q&A, Kate got all set up to sing the song she'd sung at his wedding, right? Well David told us about it and in a lull in the audience noise I got to ask if he was going to cry (referencing the story from Meet the Hewletts)! He said "No, I'm not going to cry. You are SO dead at recess."

I blame Kate. She'd so have approved of that comment! :P
ext_16562: <lj user="black_balloonxx"> (all rodney got :()

[identity profile] kashmir1.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
Hi I love you and you are so smishable and cute. <3

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:55 pm (UTC)(link)
EEEE! You as well are those things as well as gorgeous and sweet and *GRABBY HANDS*! Love the icon, too. STOP BEING MADE OF SUCH RENOVATED ROOMS!

[identity profile] sam-gamgee.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
I can't wait to read the rest of your report. :-D

I'm glad you had such a great time! And I'm glad I got to share some of it with you.

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:59 pm (UTC)(link)
HEE! I'm glad I got to meet you, too! It's so great to share stuff like that with people and then get to interact with them later--it's like a slice of the conference!

(no subject)

[identity profile] sam-gamgee.livejournal.com - 2008-07-20 02:14 (UTC) - Expand

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[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com - 2008-07-20 12:18 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] argosy.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
How fun! I'm glad you had such a great time. Next year I wanna start going to cons.

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:04 pm (UTC)(link)
From what I understand, actor cons are very different from other cons, and Shore Leave in particular was very different in that it's cross-pollinated between 'media' fandom (us) and 'literature' fandom (old school star wars fans, comics and companion books, I think). The former is mostly women and the latter mostly men--but our con was close to half and half.

And thank you!
ext_21822: (sga / striptease)

[identity profile] perardua.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 08:52 am (UTC)(link)
That is so awesome! Lucky you. :D

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I was quite beside myself for most of the weekend :D

[identity profile] taiteilija.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 09:56 am (UTC)(link)
LEMONS!

*is so not jealous*

What a con. I'm so glad you had such a great time (and DH got you a nickname!) :D


*squishes*
Edited 2008-07-17 09:56 (UTC)

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/

[identity profile] indybaggins.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 09:57 am (UTC)(link)
*insane amoutn of squee* Omg!!! You're so lucky :)

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
It sure made the whole not finishing thing a HELL of a lot easier to bear, that's for sure. About halfway through *photo ops*, I was saying it was all worth it... and there was still like, five more encounters left to the weekend!
ext_22485: (john - OMG)

[identity profile] unaccompanied-g.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
*flails* David Hewlett gave you a nickname! \o/

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I KNOW, RIGHT?! EEEEEEEEEEEEE.

\o/

SQUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEE!!!

[identity profile] vida-boheme.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG. OH MY GOD.

I can't tell you how much this has made my year. Loved the video of the card :D :D and him recognising the badges!!! I adore your arms of yaay! But most of all....HE GAVE YOU A NICKNAME!

DAVID HEWLETT GAVE YOU A NICKNAME.

Image

Re: SQUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEE!!!

[identity profile] darsynia.livejournal.com 2008-07-18 01:29 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG LOOK AT THE HAPPY LEMON!! I was thinking of you a lot that weekend, cause of your lovely card and telling the story of him making the faces and poses in the pics with your kids!

CLOUD 7x6, BAYBEE!

[identity profile] sammymc.livejournal.com 2008-07-19 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I remember you Lemons! I saw you right after your single pic with David, you were telling everyone that you had a pic with David where he was pointing at your bosoms. Now I see exactly why you were so psyched!! Yay for Lemons!!
ext_2673: Tree with flowers and blue sky (Default)

[identity profile] dangerous-47.livejournal.com 2008-07-20 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
Dude, that is just woah. Cool.

And readin this kinda cheered me up. XD So, I guess thanks. lol.

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