Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Mission Monitor Board The Next Gathering

hey all i know its been ages but i'll probably see some of y'all in the convention hall (or beer halls). see ya!

I just got back a little while ago from taking a 4 hour walk downtown. I ended up meeting a nice young couple spending their honeymoon at SDCC, talk about our kind of people!

Spent most of the day checking out the aircraft carrier with some friends. Picked up my badge after but decided to skip the preview night after thinking about how little I was able to get done last year on it, among other reasons. Looking for the real start of the con tomorrow.

Man, I didn't think I would, but I'm really missing San Diego this year. Two years in a row spoiled me. Though, once I sat in that massive line again for several hours, I'd probably be all "I'm never coming again!" again.

I hope you all have fun!

Had a very productive day today. I went to the Farscape 10th Anniversary panel, won some cool stuff at the Marvel gameshow, hungout with friends (including Cali & MEL), and got more sketches.

I know how you feel. I keep catching pictures and blog posts about the con and I really wish I could have afforded it this year. Well, there's always next year...

Finally was able to catch-up with Ronda today. As for what else I did today was mainly panels. I made it into Chuck, Dark Reign, and True Blood.

Sounds like you are having a great time - even without us.

I know... now that I know you guys, I totally want to go back. Time to start saving those frequent flier miles for 2010...

I watched the G4 San Diego Comic Con special today and it looked insane! I want to go SO bad.

Took in the Phineas & Ferb panel, it was probably the most entertaining panel I've ever been to. Got some more sketches, some t-shirts, and gifts for friends. Back at the hotel now using my mad Tetris skillz to pack for the flight(s) back tomorrow.

Hmmm... We had a good sized group there in 06, the largest LW gathering ever in 08, and 10 is just eleven months away.

I'm just sayin'...

Time flies when you need to save, save, SAVE!!
Oh and thanks for the heads up Quank! So LW's how should we coordinate meeting up at the con. Any suggetions for locations and times?

Just booked my flight and hotel for SD '10. Is it too early to start a countdown?

in the past, we've traded cell #s in advance, and those driving have even helped in airport pickups. We've also shared hotel info (and even rooms).

This is the Con Of All Cons - choosing a meeting space on the floor is like trying to find a quiet place to smoke on an aircraft carrier that is hosting every high school band in the known universe - it's bigger than big, there ain't no reliable/constant quiet space, there ain't no reliable/constant uncrowded space, and it can be very difficult to navigate within the crowds. We pulled it off in 08 because we chipped in on the table.

I suggest an off-site meeting point at the outset, perhaps the hotel lobby of whoever is staying closest to the Con. Once one has fought one's way inside the lines, you can try to find a common meeting point out on the back deck/back steps, once people have the lay of the land and can figure out how to get to/from there.

If you plan a Wednesday meet-up, make it early enough in the afternoon, as some people will want/try to get into the preview night. With all floor and no programming that night, meeting inside will be impossible.

Having helped with logistics for several LW meet-ups, I can assure you San D is the hardest, simply because of its magnitude. But it can be done.

a few thoughts:
-do not try to drive/park anywhere near the Con site. It ain't worth the price or aggravation. There are shuttle buses, city buses and the trolley; all work fine.

-The Outdoor Miner rule: eat a big breakfast and plan to skip lunch. The pickings inside aren't the best (nor the worst), and ain't cheap. If you're like me and cannot skip a meal that easily, avoid the nearby restaurants at lunchtime (they'll be packed) at hit the grocery store about a half-dozen blocks diagonally north. Best prices and the prepared foods are not bad at all. Short lines, too.

-do not plan to meet up anywhere within 45 minutes on either side of the floor closing; your plans will not work. Do not plan meet-ups at the DC booth; they will have their own lines and events, and it can get very crowded at unexpected times.

-keep an eye on the Padres home-game schedule; the stadium is right next door. They try nor to have home games during the Con, but it can happen anyway. The extra foot and vehicle traffic further complicates meet-up plans.

-keep your cell phones charged and on, or at least check your messages a 1/2 hour prior to planned meet-up times, to see if there are any changes. Other people may become aware of complications you haven;t encountered.

-if you chose to meet up for an evening meal, choose restaurants at least 6 blocks from the Con Center.

-do yourself a favor and take at least a half-day to see something other than the Con. San D has lots of attractions (the Zoo, Balboa Park, Old Town, SeaWorld, among others), and Mexico is an easy trip down the trolley line.

All good advice. The grocery store in question is open 24-7, I believe, though the prepared foods section closes at some point at night.

Those of you who also can't skip a meal could consider bringing meal bars of some kind in your bags or backpacks. Also remember to drink lots of water as both the SD air and proximity to the masses will suck the moisture right out of you.

The basic con rules for looking after onself tend to go like this:

- eat at least 2 real meals a day. A handful of chips and a soda does not count as a meal.

- take at least one shower a day.

- get at least six hours of sleep a night, or whenever. I find this one to be the hardest to adhere to, especially if the con is rockin' (like this year's Dragon*Con was). Do your best.

- also consider bringing cold medicine or whatnot just in case. You'll be spending a lot of time in rooms with hundreds if not thousands of other people. Washing your hands after each trip to the bathroom should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway.

For me, having the table as a "safe haven" was what made the '08 con work. It was a place to come back to, a place to stash stuff, and a ready-made meeting spot. Anyone seriously organizing a LegionWorld meetup at the '10 con should seriously consider doing a fan table. I'm going to try to go next year and would definitely be willing to kick in some money on the table again (especially since it got me an exhibitor's badge!)

Well, I'm definitely down for a LW 2010 gathering. I'm not much on the whole organization side of things, but (as Sudro states above) if someone were to step into that role, I'd gladly contribute to the table costs, as well.

Hmmm.... should I go? If I do go, it is mainly to meet up with other Legion Worlders.

I'm with Quis on that. The Con was interesting for people-watching, but it was overwhelming for almost anything else. Meeting up with my LW folks would be the most important thing for me too. If we decide to do it, I'll also contribute towards a table.

An LW meetup is the only thing that would even get me to consider SD again at this point.

Count me in for a LW Table...

with a table, one also gets Exhibitor badges - which mean you get in without having to stand in the long lines.

if memory serves, two come free with the table, plus you can buy more at regular membership rates. I was rather surprised how few people jumped at this last time 'round; people actually rushed to buy regular memberships instead.

there is a little bit of paperwork that goes with it, but it's not a hardship by any means as long as one keeps track of 3 or 4 simple deadlines. it's more convoluted if you are having materials shipped to the con center, or require certain display materials.

As I recall, our biggest hardship was the prohibition on stickers, that we'd get charged for any that needed to be cleaned up. we got around this by applying the stickers ourselves - not giving them out to be stuck anywhere by the recipient.

whoever applies/coordinates, please remember to note that we had a table in '08 - that gives us extra points as a repeating exhibitor. In other words, if Con is swamped with applications for the fan table section, we'd get priority over a bunch of first-timers.

Deposit deadlines/initial applications are due in winter, I seem to recall. If selected, there are subsequent deadlines.

I'd be willing to work on this. But, since the first deadline is in December, let me get my finances in order first.

Who was it who took point on this for '08? Was that Kent? Does that person remember whether we had to submit the standard exhibitor form or did we use something for just fan tables?