CosmicAvatar

Nah, you were great - the numbering system worked really well on Photo area B as a whole.

Here are mine (please excuse the quality of my scanner):

I bought a Supernatural T-shirt and two bottles of Tru-Blood (one to drink, one to wave around at Bitten ). Plus the usual autograph protectors. I was struggling not to buy a Luke Skywalker lightsabre I saw at one of the dealer stalls (I really want one and haven't seen it around for ages but there were some at this event!), but felt terrible as I already have three sabres. Fortunately I noticed it was £150 instead of £50 as I'd originally thought (I'd bought my last one for £60 so thought this was more of the same) and managed to walk away, but it was really hard. If it had been £50 I'd have probably bought it, lack of display space be damned.

Timelord81r, I was standing next to you for a while while we waited for photographs. I was sure I recognized you from the forums, but didn't have the nerve to ask! I'll try to remember next time. (Great Klingon shot, BTW!)

Yeah, I was chatting to one of the dealers about comments I'd heard about them being inside while the guests were outside, and he said it was to protect the merchandise (as he mainly deals in paper products, it's vital to keep them dry). Which is understandable. I found it way too hot in there anyway - I would have melted waiting in queues to meet guests. With luck the venue will be completed next time - it's not SM's fault that they've been let down again, although if time and resource had permitted, a tarp over the photo queue area might have been a good idea. (I don't remember it being a problem last time, so maybe SM didn't think it would be an issue this time round - I probably wouldn't have been too fussed except that I had a very unhappy chappy behind me in the queue who repeatedly brought my attention to it somewhat.) That was the only time I got dripped on, and I couldn't exactly walk away or I'd lose my place; this was a very small niggle in an otherwise great weekend, though.

I have to say that I'm lousy at making conversation with guests, so they probably made most of the effort! Michelle Forbes - gorgeous, very friendly and welcoming in the photo shoot, and still friendly (if frazzled!) when I went to get her autograph (she'd done several hundred by then). Linda Hamilton - also very friendly and reassuring in the photoshoot (she gave my shoulder an extra squeeze while the photo was being checked) and auto-giving. Kate Mulgrew - my experience with her was briefer, but she was welcoming, especially in the photo-shoots (I prefer these to the autos these days!). Barry Bostwick - complimented me on my hair in the photo-shoot, very happy to talk to people at length. I went to see him for Supernatural (he was surprised by how many fans of the show he'd met), although I did chat to him about his work on War And Remembrance too. Jeffrey Combs - He was kind of adorable, actually. I would love to have talked to him about all his Star Trek roles, but I actually ended up talking about the weather. (D'oh!) Patrick Stewart - very busy when I met him (although I couldn't believe he was open queue by midday on the Sunday!), but still had time to make eye contact and say, "Hello," in the photoshoot and "Thank you," after signing his autographs. (Actually, when it came to the latter, he didn't just say, "Thank you," he projected it. I was impressed. Robert O'Reilly - great fun in Klingon makeup, snarling at all the people waiting for the photoshoots, and polite when I got his auto (sans makeup), although again, I couldn't make any decent conversation, dammit. He and JG Hertzler were having a lot of fun scaring people. As for JG - he was my favourite (and my favourite Klingon!). He had us all in stitches during his solo photoshoot on Saturday (mainly with the suggestions for what poses he should assume), and was coming out with some ridiculous stuff during the Klingon photoshoot as well (for me he started singing, "In xx years I can make you a Klingon!"). I also had the longest conversation with him when I went for his auto - about Latin, of all things. He was great fun to meet. So, yes - all very good!

I didn't ask for any personalizations bar my name (where permitted), so these were all courtesy of the guests themselves, bless 'em! Barry Bostwick - 'The "Trick" is to stay happy' (it was a Supernatural picture) Linda Hamilton - a heart JG Hertzler - 'The Beloved One' (a translation of my name) and 'Martok' Jeffrey Combs - 'Long Live the Dominion' and 'Weyoun' (on a Weyoun picture) Robert O'Reilly - 'Gowron' and 'Qapla' (on a Gowron pic) Kate Mulgrew - 'Good luck' Everyone was very nice and said "Hello," and/or "Thank you," - even the ones who weren't personalizing as they had too many to sign.

Having bought a record number of photoshoots for this event and managed to acquire all the autographs I wanted, I can only agree that this was a brilliant event. (Even the rain on Saturday couldn't dampen my enthusiasm!) Thanks very much, SM!

She is indeed absolutely gorgeous. And so nice and friendly that I can't even hate her for it, dammit. If you get the chance to see her, go do it.

Excellently put. I doubt I'll be getting dressed up myself, but if this convention is a success, then there are plenty of future themes for parties.

OK, I have given in. Forum Name - CosmicAvatar. Real Name - Amanda. Age/Location - 40/Berkshire. What Ticket have you got? Gold. Most wanted guest for Hallowhedon?? ASH is the main reason I signed up. Although I'll be happy with anyone. Hotel? - Thistle. Facebook/MySpace etc - Nah. Chat Email (MSN, Yahoo, AIM etc) - I don't really chat any more, so leaving this too. Favourite Movie? Star Wars was the life-changer, but there are so many good ones... Favourite Other TV Show? Top of the list right now are Supernatural and True Blood. (Handy, given ME's other events!) Favourite Music? I go right across the spectrum, pretty much, although I have a yen for hard rock. Anything else we need to know? I am geek. Photo?: OK.

On the whole, a good effort. I do agree with the others that burying the big-name guests somewhat may not be a good idea, and they appear somewhat sidelined on the right like that, given that the guests are the most important thing for the majority of event attendees, I should imagine, but the overall look is very slick.

So... anyone else seen the commentary from episode 8? Alexander Skarsgård, Stephen Moyer and, er, the director whose name I forget at present. Barely ten minutes in and I'm cackling over some of this stuff. Namely, Stephen calling Eric a "hunk of love", Alexander asking to fast-forward a scene because he's not in it and both of them cackling over Ryan Kwanten being shot in the crotch and wearing clothes for a change. Sweet. (It's also interesting how Alexander pronounces his name. Not like the Swedish at all. I guess he's Americanized it.) Er, I haven't watched any other commentaries yet. I kind of focused on that one. And oh, my lord. What Stephen just said about that scene between Eric and Bill at the church? (Not to mention Alexander's response.) Heeeeee! Oh, please can we have Stephen and Alexander at Bitten? Because, damn, I like the way they think. *snork*

All I can say to that last one is, "Wa-HEY!" Thanks for the links, all.

Yay - everybody wins! Nice one, Jason.

Oh, yes, I'm excited. And my S2 DVD arrived today. Yay! (Not that I'm going to have a chance to watch it for a few days, but I'm looking forward to it.)

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I'm staying at the Premier Inn at Furzton Lake Milton Keynes SW, same one as before. It's pretty close to the stadium (about the same distance as Bletcham Way) and the window for breakfast is very good - I seem to remember it being about 7am - 11am or something like that at the weekends (great if you've got time for a lie-in ).

Word. It took me a while to get into signing events and conventions, but I've been a fan since about LFCC 2 and I can't imagine going with anyone else.

Whoaaaaaa, baby.

Thanks for the update. I'm so glad I recently decided to make a full day of Saturday and Sunday (and the hotel was able to extend my booking in the same room to the Sunday night!), so if my Sat photoshoot ticket is interchangeable for both days I'm sorted, but I hope there isn't too much disappointment for everyone else.

Wow. A kind Klingon. I expected a little more.. bark. YOU WILL COME OVER HUMAN !! GIRRRRRRR! Now that's more like it.

I make it 86 days to go...

That's actually a relief, as I couldn't stay for the Monday. Maybe I'll be able to catch him at a future event.