Poll: Are you coming to fr�con 8?

Let's see if we can get a rough headcount of how many people are planning on coming to Frucon this year. Please respond if you think you might come.

Totally. I *thinK* Lisa O. is coming too but she's not online that much right now with all she's got happening.

(Btw - anyone who might want to share with Drea, Lisa and I should frum me - I think I'll be down for the thursday night too to go see the Air Farce taping)

I don't see how I can possibly afford to come this year. I'm going to try my damnedest to figure something out but I don't know what I can do.

:( I hope you figure out a way. You came 2 years ago with 20 dollars in your pocket. There must be some way. I need me some Gellahugs! :)

Well, if I'm even going to try, I'm going to need exact dates so I can know when to try to get time off.

I thought everyone knew the dates. Fordy plays Friday the 18th. The con will be Saturday the 19th. You are encouraged to come as early and stay as late as possible. I can't promise a snowstorm, however. :)

well, there was never any, like, official committee announcement about when the con would be. or even if there would be one. so i understand gella's confusion.

There really isn't a committee at this point. There is more like a couple of "hosts" which would be me, because I post this stuff, and Kath because she has the checkbook. There is no planning. Frucon is on autopilot. You guys say you want a party, we book a room.

In this case the date was basically set last June when Fordy announced that he'd booked a CD release concert for February 18th (which he knows perfectly well is the traditional Frucon weekend). With that a done deal, I don't think anyone would even want to talk about a different date. As for venues, neither Kath nor I are going to searching for anywhere else to have 25 people when the hotel we've been using has worked fine, so basically unless someone else wants to do something totally different, you can bank on Frucon being the President's day (US) weekend at the Comfort Suites City Centre until it no longere exists, or until band starts touring, whichever comes first.

or until band starts touring, whichever comes first.

What about heat death of the universe?

You'd let that stop us?

Ye of little faith.

-- Pauley ;)

but see, there used to be a committee. and there used to be extensive planning. even two or three years ago, when the cons started getting smaller. and so i think people (and by "people," i mean "me") are kind of used to seeing some sort of announcement or discussion, beginning a few months beforehand. and while i don't think the planning needs to be on the same scale as it was in, say, 2001, i do wish there'd been *some* discussion over the last few months. i mean, i want very much to see fordy's show, but i wasn't going to fly out to toronto just for that--i wanted to make sure there was going to be a frucon first. so i waited to hear *something*, and even created this forum topic, which pretty much died on arrival. and. i mean. yay that frucon's happening, and that i know where to make my hotel reservations, but i do kind of wish i'd known for sure sooner, at least for the selfish reason that i could've gotten a better deal on airfare. :)

me and neal. yay.

Well, we'd like to go.
Really, really, would like to go....

But unless Maine is on anyone's way, I don't think Zilpha and I will be able to make it.

Then again, if people want to make donations to the "get the Zilcott to Fr�con" fund...

if all goes well, i'll be there, with musical instruments in tow. :)

huzzah! we'll need to sing together. most definitely.

I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally want to. Not just for Con-stuff, but to meet some friends outside of that. But the lack of employment is kinda hindering that, and if something doesn't happen soon, I'm not going to be able to afford to go.

-- Pauley

I'm pretty sure I'll be there. If anyone wants to carpool from Buffalo or share a room Friday night, let me know.

Alas...I would love to go, but I don't think I will be able to make it given foreseeable expenses coming up in the near future and my need to try to save money. *sigh*

(though there's a pretty darn low airfare of just about $160 from LGA to YYZ...damn).

For the obvious reasons...

But at least next year it will be way closer :D

I really have no desire to go to the Con itself, but I live in Toronto, and for anyone who wants to hang out, I'm always available.

I'm lots of fun!

But hanging out is all we DO at the con. I fail to understand what you mean by wanting to hang out, but not wanting to be at the con, unless you mean you only want to hang out in a group of 2 or 3.

Not that it matters. I'm just sayin'

I dunno, I can see her point.

I mean.. the whole renting a room to celebrate a band is kinda ... creepy.

I always liked frucon when there was a show, and people to go out on the town with... but the whole con aspect always kinda squicked me.

No offense, of course... it's just not my thing.

as a wise man once said... the band's show was the "excuse".... now that's gone. :)

Nate, when do I ever get to see you?

Or Kath? Or AJ? Or any of the people I used to see when I went to Fruvous shows?

We don't have the band as an excuse anymore. But so long as we still want to keep seeing each other, we still have to figure out a time when we can get together.

That's what FruCon is.

If I hated Moxy Fruvous, but FruCon was an excuse to see you, I'd take FruCon over not seeing you.

*I'm* just saying.

no no, I see what you're saying....

I just think that .. in a way... I was always kinda uncomfortable with the idea of using the band as an excuse to see people.... but I was cool with it when it was "going to see the band play" as the excuse. :)

I guess it's just that, like, still calling it "frucon".... and having it be about this band that broke up a while back... sort of smacks of desperate-ness. I really don't mean that statement to stir up any emotional "grrrrrr-ness" towards me... I'm just sayin.

But, yeah, I just was saying I can identify with leah.... and now, I shall shut up. heh.

then look at it this way - it's not an excuse. it has nothing at all to do with Moxy Fr�vous, other than that that's how most of us met each other. And it happens to be a time when, whether by 'tradition' or forced 'tradition', people chose to gather in the same place. the real excuse for going is to get the most for your money - it's more efficient to see a lot of people in one place over one weekend, especially on a tight budget or lacking a lot of vacation time, then to spend a lot of time going to a dozen different cities, which is fun, and surely quite a bit more satisfying, but most people just don't have the time to go to New York, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, St. Louis, Ohio, Maine, Vancouver, and Toronto all in one year.

I don't think there's anything desperate about that. remember also that 'frucon' is short for 'fruhead convention', not 'moxy fruvous convention'. we're still fruheads, and we're still convening, even if Moxy Fruvous aren't touring.

yeah... no, I totally see your point. (an unrelated note: I have no idea why I always say "yeah... no... I, etc" )

I guess that, like, every time I went to frucon... the actual con itself was the only part that held no interest for me... so now that it's JUST that, I really have no reason to go.

*shrugs*

Again, it's just not my thing.

Except with only roughly 25 people showing up, it isn't like Frucon 3 or 4. There are no fixed activities, there is no schedule, there are just a buch of loony people sitting around in a room, singing Arrogant Worms songs, watching a few videos, listening to a few hastily arranged performances and basically having a party. Couple that with a couple nice dinners, Fordy's show and a couple other crazy-ass impromptu activities like busking in the cold, and you have a helluva weekend.

Sushi. Don't forget all-you-can-eat sushi :-D

Honestly, if I expected fr�con VIII to be like III or IV, I wouldn't be too disapointed about missing them (excluding the fr�show factor).
V was the start of the way I like the con. (From what I've heard, the first was this way too, but that was before my time): A handfull of people and Toronto. That's all.

SUSHI.

and scaring everyone in said all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant.

seriously, frucon last year was hardly a "please come back, moxy fruvous! we miss youuuuuuuuuu!" sort of event. it was all about hanging out with fun people in toronto. i don't think i would've dug the huge, structured frucons of Days Gone By. but last year was a blast, and i'm looking forward to this year.

Days Gone By

Damn you. Carbon Leaf earworm.

Not that that's a bad thing, really, but... yeah.

-- Pauley

> I was always kinda uncomfortable with the idea of using the band as an excuse
> to see people.... but I was cool with it when it was "going to see the band
> play" as the excuse. :) I guess it's just that, like, still calling it
> "frucon".... and having it be about this band that broke up a while back...
> sort of smacks of desperate-ness.

At the risk of soundling like "grrrrrr-ness," I would make two points (strictly IMO, of course): 1) ANYTHING can be made into a convention. There could be 20 people who really dig snails and decide to put together a convention to celebrate their snail fandom. More power to them, I say. I don't think anyone who would plan or attend hypothetical Snail Con should have need to feel like they're outcast or doing something creepy just because their particular fandom falls a bit outside the mainstream. If anyone doesn't like it or can't accept it, tough. As such, doing something like that for a band is downright run-of-the-mill by comparison. Either way, follow your bliss AFAIC. 2) If something like this ceased to be FruCon, if it were just put together as a gathering of friends, it would end up excluding newbies. As a newbie to the online Fru community (I know we're few and far between, but we do trickle in from time to time), I'd hope you well-versed veterans would welcome us to join the party, as it were. Not that I can be there, mind you, but if my financial situation were better, I'd genuinely consider it!

Exactly.

I just really don't see much of a point.

The way I see it, if people want to see me, they will. I really don't feel comfortable in groups a lot of the time, anyway.

Like Nate, said... it's just not my thing.

yeah. I mean, I guess it's the same reason I don't much care for the 'dome at frff..... it's just not a "scene" where I feel comfortable.


I love many many of the people there ... but... I just don't feel at home there.

> I mean.. the whole renting a room to celebrate a band is kinda ... creepy.

It's the Fruhead Convention, not the Fruvous Convention. Not that renting a room to celebrate Fruheads isn't creepy, mind you. :-)

hmmm...so i guess you won't be interested in being the keynote speaker at joshcon 2005?

Oooh sounds fun, but I can't read "Joshcon" without thinking "JoshKosh B'Gosh"

Though I think cons, at this point in life, are just silly.. I'd say to anyone who is thinking of going, ESPECIALLY if you don't usually go to Falcon Ridge, save your money and hit Falcon Ridge instead -- you'll have soooo much more fun, and see at least as many cool people.. ; )

at which point in life now? there's a wide range of ages here, and it doesn't sound like you're just referring to yourself.

yeah, I dunno... I think cons at any point in life are just silly.... but, they kinda become even moreso when the band breaks up. :)

I went to both last year and I have to say that there was something nice about seeing some of the same people outside of Falcon Ridge (as well as meeting new people), enjoying Toronto in February, and being able to sleep on a real bed in a warm room and having running water. I also liked having more down time with people that I didn't really get much of at Falcon Ridge cause I'm wandering around from place to place all hopped up on sleep deprivation (but that's just me). Frucon definitely has its perks. That being said, while I wish I could go to both, I most likely will only go to Falcon Ridge and not Frucon this year cause of the finances (as FR is cheaper for me).

I think each of the events have a different feel, but both can be equally very fun.

being able to sleep on a real bed in a warm room and having running water

see, i get that at frff, too. plus gourmet breakfasts. and a puppy! but then again, i know no b&b could compare to the diagonal joy of camp dar. :D

i agree with lawrence and chris, tho. both very fun events, but fun in very different ways.

at this point in life = since the band broke up

ah. well, tell that to the people who go every year to beatlefest. at least everyone in fruvous is still, like, alive. :)

yuppers. And sometimes FRFF turns out to be a real beetlefest :D

There's a Fruhead band?

And hit the "Reply" button instead of posting a new message..

a fruhead cover band, made of four former oompah band leaders from germany. they do a mean version of "danger bus."

There's a Fruhead band?

yes, I believe they refer to it as the "budgiedome".

;)

We're way cooler than most bands that suck.

hahah Beatlefest... like that band LIVERPOOL that plays every year there should be a band called THORNHILL that plays at Frucon...

Proxy Fruvous.

*facepalm*

I don't deny that people would have fun at either.. I just think there's /more/ fun to be had at FRFF.. and there's *music* too ; )

but that's the nice thing about frucon, too. yes, there's music (Mike is playing on the 18th), but it's not the primary purpose of the trip, whereas at Falcon Ridge, most people's time is spent at one of the stages. there's not nearly as much social time at FRFF as at Frucon.

there's plenty of fun to be had at both. and in completely different ways. I like that Frucon is indoors and has fewer simultanous distractions, so pretty much everyone is involved in all the activities.

Oh, I *totally* disagree.

I spend, like, MAYBE 6% of my time at the stages.
Most of it is spent hanging out with people. :)

See, I would consider that a waste of a perfectly good weekend pass. So that's where we differ.

well, I only want to see about 6% of the musicians there... so, that's also where we differ. :D

But also, I mean, sitting out in the boiling sun at a stage isn't really worth it when you can just listen from camp a lot of the time.

and it's not like there's all that much to see, with most bands.

or, you know, you could just stay home and listen to your own cds.

it's like the people who go to the ravinia festival in chicago as an excuse to have a picnic and drink a lot while some speaker nearby broadcasts the music coming from the stage (approximately 500 miles away). like. dude. you're paying all that money to, basically, listen to the radio. i don't get it.

I fail to see your point.... I mean, I go to the stages for the people I'm really into seeing.... but... for the rest, if I can hear them fine from camp, why sit in the hot sun?

I really don't think that the visual aspect is the ONLY thing that makes it different from a studio recording.
There's also the whole, ya know, live aspect?

then... why go at all? why not just have someone record the show for you, then sit around in an air conditioned house with your friends who haven't forgone four days of bathing and listen to the recording in comfort?

*rolls eyes*

Stop being absurd.

yeesh.

alright, are you not even bothering to read what I wrote?

For the bands/artists I enjoy, I do go to the stages...

for exposure to new artists I may or may not love, I hang out and listen to them in the periphery.... which is, effectively, what happens with people at the stages as well, it's just that I tend to prefer to stay out the direct sun.

perhaps I see slightly less of the on-stage action... but I probably hear and absorb about as much.

I fail to see why I'm under attack here... is it just because my style of experiencing falcon ridge differs from your own?

I fail to see why I'm under attack here... is it just because my style of experiencing falcon ridge differs from your own?

I think part of it is that you came across as very dismissive of how other people spend their time in terms of going to frucon. You may not realize how you sometimes come across, and just saying� "no offense" doesn't *really* shield people from being offended.� I mean...severeal times you implied that people who went to the con are "creepy" for wanting to. Not directly, and probably not intentionally, but that's how it comes across.� So, right or wrong, people are primed to be just as critical or dismissive of how you choose to experience FRFF.

Maybe I'm talking out of turn. It's just you truly seem baffled to have your way of spending time challenged when you did a similar thing regarding the choice of others. Yes, you phrased it in a "I wouldn't want to go, and this is why..." way instead of a direct attack but in reading it, it still felt (to me) like a "I have better things to do with my time than creepy people like y'all." I don't think you meant it that way...but I don't think I'm the only one who read that tone in it.

I apologize for butting in at this point.

ahhh.... then, I apologize... I didn't mean it that way at all.

It is kind of odd the homage paid at a convention to a band that doesn't any longer exist... I can't swallow the comparison made earlier to the beatles because we're not even comparing apples to apples there.� I don't mean to try to speak for nate but I think we both share similar sentiments that we both see the con as a residual good time that was once had..� *My* important reasons for going were to see the band if they showed up at the con, see the shows, explore the city, and hang with folks at/after the shows.�

I guess the best way I can put it is, I just don't understand what the point of the cons are anymore.. and I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for it.. but that's why I don't go, and others do : )

-j

See, I don't think flack comes from just not understanding the appeal and not sharing it. I just think flack comes from perceived attitude. It's one thing not to understand the point of the con...it's another to call it creepy.

It's not really my thing either anymore...but I was just saying I could understand how some can feel a bit defensive, the way it was being discussed. Yes, we are a sensitive bunch and yes, the internet makes intentions less clear than they maybe should be. Hence, tensions raised a bit more than maybe they needed to be. :)

Blah blah blah I know I'm getting schoolmarmy again, why do I always do that? :)

hmm. you're right. i don't see what the point is of getting the chance to see a bunch of my friends, who are scattered around the world, all at once. especially not when i could also see them at frff. i mean, why would you want to see your faraway friends more than once a year? and why on earth would i especially leap at the chance to see a bunch of my fruhead friends *and* a bunch of my other toronto friends in the same trip? especially since all of these people are apparently "creepy" anyway. i guess i'll just stay home that weekend after all.

I think it's important to keep in mind the only thing that may be deamed "Creepy" is the obsession with a frucon.

Why not just have a get together with friends in another city... why does a con for a band that doesn't exist have to bring folks together?

you're hung up on the word 'con'. call it whatever you want. 'frucon'. 'torontocon'. 'fruhead gathering'. 'fruhead get together'. 'fruhead orgy'. 'people who know each other through moxy fruvous shows, fruhead.com, livejournal, and really anything at this point and are friends getting together in toronto to sing and play and hang out and eat sushi and be silly together'.

it doesn't matter. it's all the same thing, and who cares if it's in Toronto in February? it makes a lot of sense to have it pretty much opposite Falcon Ridge, too. I'd be open to doing it in another city, but this year, Mike Ford (who you might remember from the band Moxy Fruvous) is playing a show in Toronto that weekend. Last year, Eddie from Ohio played a show, and since there's a lot of overlap between fruheads and edheads, it made sense to gather that weekend.

but no one is 'obsessed with a frucon' here. only you seem to be. but I'm perfectly fine being 'obsessed' with the idea of actually getting to SEE my friends in person sometimes, rather than communicating with them solely online and occasionally over the telephone. I like being able to see people sometimes, you know?

As Lawrence pointed out, Mike scheduled a show for that weekend. He did that on purpose, there was no coincidence. Last year we moved the con a week to acommodate the Fordy/EFO show, and I think he liked having the Fruhead audience, so he scheduled this show at a time he KNEW there'd be some out-of-towners there to help fill the seats. Obviously HE doesn't think it is creepy to keep having a Frucon (any more creepy than he ever thought Frucon was anyway). :)

You keep forgetting that Frucon is not about celebrating the band, but celebrating the "fruhead effect". Celebrating the amazing convergence of all these people who more or less all like each other. Because you have that mispeception of Frucon , you don't really understand.

Plus if you haven't been to a con since 4 you also don't understand that it is just a bunch of people hanging out in a room and having a good time. Why is that creepy?

Just a difference of opinion here... I'm very *interaction-oriented* when it comes to live music. I like making eye contact with the artist. I like smiling and seeing them smile back. And I like participating in the band-audience banter which sometimes occurs with certain bands. That's why I go to see live music for the most part.

I'm not that visual when it comes to concerts. I don't find that part entirely necessary.

I love live music, except in some specific cases, actually seeing the musician is irrelevant to me. When I go to folk festivals, I rarely stay in one place. I really can't. I listen to the music while doing other things... sitting here, walking around there... it's the ambience. If I were to go to one this summer, I probably would have a very difficult time sitting for a long time because of my blinding nerve pain, but that's neither here nor there.

Also, I find that the sound quality is better when you're farther from the speakers than most people tend to sit.

Also, I find that the sound quality is better when you're farther from the speakers than most people tend to sit.

that is definitely true, although not quite so much at folk festivals. in clubs, it's true because from the front you can hear the monitors, which throw off the overal mix.

I went to see Aimee Mann at the 9:30 Club last summer and stood in the balcony, right in the middle, as opposed to the front right by the stage where I stand for most shows. I had a perfect view of the stage (a little far to pick out chords, unfortunately) and the sound was in perfect stereo and quite good quality. I was impressed, as I normally don't like the 9:30 Club's sound at all.

I like the fact that, at festivals, the music permeates everything. You don't *have* to be right there to enjoy it. That's always been the appeal for me.

so.... how is that different from what frucon has now become? I'm confused.

honestly? I don't know.

The few years I was at frucon, the "con part" was really fruvous-related.....

maybe that's changed.

*shrugs*

well, it's vaguely fruvous related in that when we are singing and playing, we do play a decent number of fruvous songs, simply because that's what everyone there is certain to know how to sing. but a lot of the time is just spent wandering around toronto, eating sushi, and standing in the hotel lobby scaring complete strangers.

and standing in the hotel lobby scaring complete strangers.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Bye.

-- Pauley

Which is so much funnier with the associated movements and motions. I almost wish there was video.



On second thought: no, I don't.

the reply button is your friend.

learn its ways and become one with the universe.

yeah, seriously jay... you jackhole.

yeesh.

REPLY!

:D

Hey Naight - is this the Jay that looks JUST LIKE YOU?

*grin*

noooo... this is the jay that looks just like YOUR MOM IS A WHORE!


:D

*snicker*

for me, I'm into 1/3 the bands at FRff. also, the "hangin out" is a little "tighter" as everyone I was looking "forward" to seeing, and then some, was right in "one" camp.. (yay camp ed head!!). I had a lot of fun both times I went to two different cons, but a lot of the fun "was" the shows and hanging out right after the shows.. I think it's because people were more split "apart" (different hotel rooms, hotels, parts of town, etc.) that made hanging out not as fun as it /could/ have been.. plus it seems a lot less folks I "look" forward to seeing go. I still fruvous "shows" at the iron "horse".


""""

"

dude... CHRIST.
Use. The. Reply. BUTTON.

Christ on toast, is your "friend". It doesn't bite, "I" promise.

here.... look real close. :)

Um. What are you "trying" to "convey" with these randomly placed "quotation" marks?

They "don't" seem to be expressly "for" emphasis, which is "completely" wrong to begin with.

God. I'm obnoxious.

Seriously, though. Barring that, using the reply button makes it so you can actually read the conversation.

I was in a real "sort" of mood....

; p

Yay! he did it!! Drinks are on the house! :)

*runs up to the roof and looks around, confused*

there's liquor in the gutter! :)

there's whiskey in the jar!

there's pie in the pantry and the coffee's alway's hot.

there's pie in the pantry and the coffee's alway's hot.

E....A.... OOOOOOOOE'S!

liquor in the gutter?! but I ....

oh. right.

liquor in the gutter... along with all our minds, apparently.
:)

I'm sorry folks, but so much has happened in my life these past few months that I won't be able to afford to come. After moving to Brooklyn, furnishing the new apartment, and getting a new dog, there is nothing left in my savings for me to afford another trip for awhile. I'm going to miss you all, so have a wonderful time there in TO.

Oooh, John, that's a bummer. But you know, it raises a question. Do we have enough musicians and are we going to need a little sound support? For the last couple years, I think, John has brought his little amp and we've used it for audio. If he's not coming, do we have an alternative, or do we need to rent something (very small)?

Also, I know Lawrence plays guitar well, Kath plays, but I don't know if she knows much fruvous stuff. Who else plays and is bringing an instrument? Josh, are you coming?

I just bought a Roland Microcube, which I intend to bring. It only has a single input, but that should be sufficient. and I'm bringing my banjo and guitar.

I really don't think it'll be an issue anyway, though - for the open mic type things, most people just play unplugged, and it sounds great. and for the jams and sing-a-longs, well, we usually do all right at Falcon Ridge with no amplification, so... :)

as for who plays and who knows how to play what, we can just improvise. since most people don't play, it's more a matter of what people know how to sing than anything.

*wave* i pretend to play. i'm bringing my guitar. if there's an open mic-ish thing again, i'm planning on assaulting people with my attempts at songwriting. consider that fair warning.

er, fair 'warning'? it should serve as incentive for the 9 wishy-washy people who aren't quite sure if they're going to make it to get off their lazy asses and make their hotel reservations now. :)

If someone buys two plane tickets, I'll have the hotel room by noon tomorrow.

Some of us are poor, not wishy-washy ;-)

I don't know yet. Sara and I are most likely going to France in March, so it'd be a lot of traveling. Plus, I've had my share of Toronto in February. Reschedule the thing for a sane month and I'll be there for sure.

So I'm leaning towards no, but it's still a maybe.

France?

Yeah, it's somewhere north of antarctica.

I've had my share of Toronto in February.

I hear that :P

surely a frulad/gbs/something goes on in late spring, no? :P

See, I'd rather visit Toronto in February than the summer. Fewer people in the city, less expensive flights, prettier, better weather (ok, that one is only for me ;-)

But aside from that, according to your website, don't you have a concert that weekend anyways? ;-)

better weather (ok, that one is only for me ;-)

nah, I agree with you on the weather, too. cold and snowy is good. :)

but lots of awesome things happen in the warmer months... hippies selling hand-made jewelry on Queen Street, the Fringe Festival, lots of stuff that doesn't involve road salt...

> don't you have a concert that weekend anyways? ;-)

Oh, I guess that seals the deal then, doesn't it? *grins*

Having class until 5:30 every Friday won't allow me to go. If only I could get my teleporter fixed. . .

'Spose it's time I voted and spoke up...

And I voted "maybe" b/c I just couldn't bring myself to vote "no." There are a couple of other trips I'm thinking about, especially with the new guy's family, the sister's new baby, and the other sister's new house... it's not like I'd be going for the weather. Replacing Toronto with Buffalo, Chicago, or Vermont respectively doesn't really take care of that aspect.

I think it's gonna be an off-year for me.

Yeah, I hate to say no, as well, but I will have to save my travelin' time for FRFF.

I don't think FordyCon is going to be a possibility for me this year. As much as I'd love to see him play a headlining show again (the last one was excellent), I'm not sure how I can work it out. I'd either have to leave *my* Mike alone for a few days, including school days, or I'd have to bring him with me. He loves Toronto, but the whole Con thing would bore him to tears. He is 14, after all ;-) I'll miss seeing everybody, and I really do need a break after last year (Worst. Year. Ever), but I have to be a good mother. Damn.
Heh.

Bring him along! I mean, how much time did we spend at the actual con last year anyway? And if I'm not mistaken, didn't they have vidoe game things in the hotel last year? I miiiis you! I'm sure we can find fun stuff that a 14 year old would find cool. ;)