I’m so tired I can’t see straight.
Despite that fact, I can’t seem to stop grinning like a fool as I think back on my weekend. I do believe I’ve got myself a new annual tradition. Minus, of course, the timing on that return flight…
My pre-program time started with a bit more ribbon trading. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover how popular my “I ♥♥ Eight” ribbons were. Someone from the Fan Room (where the TARDIS console was on display; I’m so disappointed I can’t remember exactly who it was) came up to me and asked me for some of those ribbons for folks there who were asking. I only had about six left, but gladly handed them over. I’m almost positive I saw Nick Briggs wearing one later. Either he got it from that source or traded a fan for it, because I sadly never got to meet Nick to give him one myself (and thus, he doesn’t really know where it came from ~sigh~)!
Having collected all but my William Russell autograph on Saturday, I could devote Sunday to the programs. I chose to camp out in the ballroom all day. When you start early, you can get a really good seat in between panels, and keep ootching your way closer to front and center (without making yourself overly conspicuous, in case you need to duck out for more coffee or a bathroom break). By this time, you’ve probably found yourself a new con buddy to save your seat while you’re away, which is awesome. It’s how I slipped away for that last autograph.
Oddly, the live commentaries ended up kind of flip-flopped between my expectations and their execution. That is, I was really looking forward to the commentary on The Movie and could give or take those for Let’s Kill Hitler and Day of the Moon. However, I ended up getting a lot more out of the latter than the former. Perhaps it’s because the Series Six episodes were still relatively fresh in the directors’ minds, while much of the Movie gang had not seen it since its release 16 years ago. Whatever the reason, there wasn’t nearly as much chatter as I’d expected (though Daphne Ashbrook, bless her, tried hard to draw the others out). At least Eric Roberts actually joined us this time, unlike at yesterday’s panel. (I have to admit, though, that it made me laugh to realize – as close as I was to the guests’ viewing couch – that it was he who started his own round of applause as the Master’s final scene faded from view.)
The panels “The Classic Companions” (with Ashbrook, Russell, Maureen O’Brien, Richard Franklin, and Louise Jameson) and “Life with Doctor Who” (including Mark Sheppard, Morgan Sheppard, Simon Fisher-Becker, Caitlin Blackwood, and Camille Coduri) each devolved into different forms of weirdness, but were great fun in getting more into the personalities of the actors rather than of the characters we’ve come to know so well. Rarely have I had so much fun, or felt a part of something so big.
As the last farewells of the Closing Ceremonies were said, the guests’ comments contained a common thread: Gally was great. Louise Jameson even went so far as to say it was her favorite con ever. Wow! What an honor to be a part of that. What an honor to be a part of this fandom, and in a twisted sort of way thus of the show itself. I cannot even express how amazing it was to be among those nearly 3200 attendees and yet feel like these actors actually saw me – however briefly – as an individual, a person worth their time and direct attention. I’ve never been prouder to be a fan of Doctor Who.
See ya next year, Gally!