I am in a masquerade contest there; we've been working like dogs getting ready and finishing the costumes. I have also been working getting my Graysith costume ready for the Masquerade Ball and roaming the halls after, where I plan on handing out business cards to advertise the Pod.

Anyway, that's why I've not been here much lately, and why I will be gone some more beginning Thursday. I come home Labor Day; my labs begin the next day!! so I should be getting back into a normal routine again and get some posting done and help move the storyline in Jedi Praxeum/Sith Temple, which seems a bit stalled at the moment.

Sorry for this inconvenience, but things will get back to normal once this is over. I'll be sure to get some pics here from the con!

The convention was great (World Science Fiction Convention), the costumes awesome, and the city beautiful. In costuming, there are three divisions: novice, journeyman and master. Once you make so many wins in one (or one biggie) you get "bumped up" into the next category.

Well.

We entered as Journeymen... and basically swept the division. We got Best Presentation, Journeymen; Best Workmanship, Journeymen; the Chicago Costumer's Guild's Choice Award for their favorite costume overall, and the special George R. R. Martin Award for best costume inspired by one of his books. (He was the Guest of Honor at the convention, and one of the masquerade judges). The latter award has a nice big cash prize with it, which really went a long way to help paying back the cost of materials. We were in costume from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. what with the actual contest and various and sundry photo shoots before and after.

I'll get pics of us up here as soon as we get them. I'll post a link to the Torcon site as soon as they get anything up there as well.

Anyway, I really enjoyed myself at this convention: seeing a bit of Toronto, going to Niagara Falls. Great little bistros to eat in. Really a fun place!