At 10:00 pm Friday night we tried to see Cowboy Bebop 
again.  This time they were having sound problems, and while 
they tried to clear them up, they played some anime song videos, 
including one that all of us loved:  "Going the Distance", by 
Cake, with clips from Speedracer.  It was really well done!

        Finally, Cowboy Bebop is on.  It's all in black and white, 
which is not how it's really supposed to be, and we never learn 
why it's being shown this way.  However, that didn't matter; the 
series has a noir feel that was probably even enhanced by being 
only in black and white.  This show rocks!  I can only say it's the 
best thing we've seen this weekend bar none!

        We spent a lot of time in our room just talking and looking 
at all our art books.  I went back online and read the latest news 
of the weird digest, then, at Anthony's suggestion, visited 
www.forteantimes.com, another site for very odd stories.  I also 
played around with one of the online anagram generators.  We 
didn't get to bed until 2:00 am.

        In the morning we ate breakfast at the hotel buffet, then 
cruised the dealer's room again.  I bought a CD finally -- the first 
of the three Revolutionary Girl Utena soundtracks.  Anthony 
bought two expensive art books that are designed like the various 
Studio Ghibli movie art books, but these were for the movie 
Angel's Egg and Arion.  Jeff bought some more Nuku Nuku 
CDs, and also a DVD to play on his laptop -- Ayane's High Kick.  
(Sky says:  "Jeff went on a Nuku Nuku rampage -- he's bought 
almost nothing but filk, Megumi Hayashibara, and Nuku Nuku 
CDs").

        Tom and Sky have easily outspent Anthony, Jeff and I.  
Sky's take so far:  20 art books (anywhere from $15.00 for the 
cheapest one to $100.00 each for two Yuki Nobuteru art books), 
6 CDs, and a Futaba Kun-Change graphic novel.  He's thinking 
of buying some of the Utena doujinshi and/or another 
Rubification CD, but he's finally running low on money.  
Meanwhile, Tom has more than half a dozen art books plus four 
Tenchi laser disc boxed sets and also managed to find the elusive 
and out-of-print Book of Heaven Tenchi LD set that includes the 
first seven episodes -- Sky already owns the Book of Earth, and I 
don't have either and likely never will.  =(

        Back in the hotel room Jeff watched some of his Ayane's 
High Kick DVD while I goofed off on my pc or something, I 
don't really even remember.  I was only waiting for the fanfiction 
panel, which was about half an hour away.  Finally, Jeff and I 
headed out for the panel.

        The fan fiction panel consisted of Nick Leifker (moderator), 
Laura Bartram, Richard Lawson, Sean Gaffney, Megazone, and 
Chris Willmore.  About halfway through, Lawson had to leave, 
and Rod 'RpM' Malapitan filled in (he was supposed to be there 
to start with but had troubles getting to the con).

        I won't bore you with the details of the panel, except to note 
that things never got out-of-hand, and there were a lot of writers 
in the audience, including Stephen Tsai and Zen, and lots of 
others that I've already forgotten, just like they've forgotten about 
me.  ^_^  But the good news is that I'll be going out for sushi this 
evening with a group of them, so it should be interesting.  ^_^

        Right now I'm sitting in my room.  Sky and Anthony have 
just left for dinner, and I'm about to join them as soon as I get this 
posted.  They'll be in the bar, so I'll just hang with them until the 
other writers show up for dinner.  With any luck I'll pound out a 
good short-short to post tonight, since Jed asked so nicely.  ^_^  
No guarantees, mind you!

        More overheard lines from the con:  "Give me a thousand 
condoms, and I'll give you a luv-luv monster."

        And from the fanfic panel:

        Sean Gaffney (panelist):  I don't mind flames!  They just 
make me stronger!

        Zen (in the audience):  Then why aren't you the strongest 
man in the world by now?



        Miko