kevin_standlee | Opening Ceremonies

MARCon's Opening Ceremonies opened with a bang, or rather a lot of bangs, as in banging on a drum, as a drummer led a parade of different fan groups who are running fan tables at the convention. After that, Toastmaster Steven Brust opened by announcing, for the benefit of anyone who hadn't yet heard, about Robert Asprin's death and that Jody Lynn Nye and Bill Fawcett will consequently not be attending either. Trying to make the best of things, he went on to introduce the rest of the Guests of Honor, including me. None of us actually said or did anything other than wave to the audience, except for Alexander James, who sang the title cut from his new album (shipping in about three weeks).

Here's Rebecca Forstadt, Alexander James, me, and Toni Weisskopf, seated at the far left end of the head table of Guests.

Brust also made an official announcement of the launch of the Reno in 2011 Worldcon bid. They have a table here at MARCon as well.

And that was about that. Things having broken up a little early, Lisa and I had a chance to go grab a bite of dinner in the food court located one flight of escalators down from the function space before going to an interview with Rebecca Forstadt, which was a relatively intimate affair, with only twenty or so people present.

Then we came upstairs so we could get a photo uploaded and an entry made before my internet time runs out for today. We'll head back out in a few minutes to be sociable.