Well, what can I say, we certainly had a lot of fun at Space City Con for I am still tired as FRAK from the convention :-) I was a little reluctant setting up a table at the con due to manning. But the one person I did not expect came through for me was my husband (he is a non-science fiction fan but learning the ropes) . He made sure I had some help at the convention for I had only one day turn around to breathe after doing Uncle Sam's bidding for two straight weeks. And the crew and friends that were present there certainly came through for me. So I would like to thank the following members of the Raven Family and Friends Circle that help man the Raven Table and that help the Raven out at the convention as a whole:
Raven Marine Paul "IceWorm" Oakley (Personal Security Detail assigned to me by the Raven Marine OIC)
Lt. Juan "Blindsword" Lopez ( CSO )
Raven Medic Jeanne Lopez
Members of the Raven Classic Viper Squadron: The Blackstar Squadron (especially Greg Goodwin)
My own children especially my oldest one (Raven Marine Private Scorpion) and a friend of his
Ensign Shane "Ogre" Coble- Minotaur 2 ( I hope I spelled his name right ) :-)
Melissa Pumarega
Space City Con had a lot of turn out and more than expected by the people running the convention. They had so much turn out that they even ran out of printed tickets for people that pre-paid autographs, photos ops and amongst other things. So some of us ended up getting hand-written tickets which the staff made sure was honored. They even ran out of badges that can be taken home as a souvenir from the convention that they ended up giving paper wrist band which a lot of people weren't too happy about. I hope the Space City Con Staff will do something for those people that weren't so lucky to get the souveinir con badges. IMHO, the Convention Center should have set aside those badges for people that had pre-paid it ahead of time. It was the right and and only logical thing to do.
During the convention, I took a quick break to get my prepaid autographs tickets to pick them up at a later time. Melissa Pumarega was helping man the table. When I came back, I notice our mother site banner design by Michael Scholer, was taken down and moved by two individuals promoting about job links. I ask Melissa what happen to it. She said these two females just started setting up their table to the left of our table while a few minutes earlier, they were right across our table. I ask the two females why they moved the banner. They stated to me it fell. But the banner was folded like the stand was moved so they can put their table. I told both of them I don't believe them and ask them whether they have permission to be on that spot? They did not answer me. So a lightbulb lighted in my mind that these people do not have permission to be there. I send for one of my people Ensign Shane "Ogre" Coble of the Raven Minotaur Squadron ( he is one of the volunteers at the convention). When he came and I told him what happen, what happened after that was I really laugh inside and smiled. Ensign Coble (Who is as tall as FRAK. I felt like an little Ewok standing beside him) came over to those two females little round table they brought with them and just pick it up and said to them "Maam, I need to move your table over here for you do not belong there!" I guess the two females weren't able to say anything to him other than glare at us for they know they were wrong for doing that. I thank Ensign Coble for fixing the problem for us right then and there and with authority LOL. He stated to me he does not like anyone messing with his fleet or chapter. So I just chuckled deep inside when I saw the reaction of those two females. They did not even stay there that long too. I guess they were trying to get in for free. There was no security posted at that entrance.
That same evening after the convention, I invited my whole crew on the Raven that can make it and treated them to dinner at Chili's Restaurant where we ended up joining the members of the 1701st Fleet commanded by Admiral Cody Glenn. I just wanted to thank them for all the help they have given me so far at the convention. We were also joined by members of the Blackstar Squadron towards the latter portion of the group dinner. We still had a lot of fun and got the chance to take a group picture together.
Sunday, was a lot of fun. We had the Raven Panel where we were joined by members of the Colonial Fleet and of course, the Raven First Classic Series, the Blackstar Squadron. They panel was very informative and lots of information was pass along and got to know each and everyone of us in the group by those who were at the panel. After the panel, we had the Charity MechCorps Entertainment match between the crew of the Raven and the Browncoats. I agreed to this match when we were approached because it was a fund raising dedicated to raising money to help kids read. And I am a mother of three wonderful boys,so I agreed to this and ask the Raven Crew if they want to have some fun. And they all agreed. So four of my people suited up. Win or lose, we were going to have fun and help raise money for the kids charity. It was 4 on 4. So the game began. The following individuals represented the Raven Group:
Lt. Juan "Blindsword" Lopez (representing the Command Staff)
Ensign Shane "Ogre" Coble (representing the viper Squadron Minotaur)
Cpl. Greg "Jubal" Goodwin of the Blackstar Squadron
And my middle son Abraham ( called little Raven)
I on the other hand along with the others that are not playing, watch from the sidelines. I started taking photos and video of the match while at the same time, we all cheered for everyone on the Raven. Even though we lost the match, for a crew that has not played this kind of game, we did not do too bad. In fact, it was a great game and everyone had a lot of fun. We raise about $196.00 for the kids charity of which $42.00 was from the Raven Crew. Everyone had a lot of fun that we were ask if we want to do a re-match with the Browncoats at another convention. We all shook hands after that and had laughs together. I think this was the loudest my voice has ever been cheering from the sideline LOL and laughing. Hey, it was so frakking loud in there that you really have to raise your voice to be heard heheheh. But make no mistake, I know if our pilots was behind an actual viper pilot cockpit, they would reign supreme in the air ;-) :-)
But the best part about being in attendance at this convention for me was meeting two actors from Star Trek I have been wanting to meet: Gowron and Martok I had a chance to talk to Robert O'reilly on the last day for a little bit. Since I missed out on buying the combine photo op with Gowron and Martok with their Klingon Costume on, I decided to approach his table to see if I can buy a photo op with him one on one right then and there. So I approach Robert O'reilly because he was my favorite Klingon out of the two even though I like both of them. I explained to him my situation and to my surprise, he just told me to just go on ahead and we will have a photo taken at no extra charge. So upon hearing that, I was so happy I finally got to meet the infamous Klingon Chancellor Gowron after all this time and had a photo taken with him. So that was a mission accomplished on my part. After we got our photo taken together, we chatted for a little bit. He ask me what branch of service I was in and I told him. He told me that John Garman Hertzler (Martok) is an Air Force Military brat himself because his father served in the Air Force (he was a mechanic). I was like WOW! Robert O'Reilly was such a pleasant person to talk. I really enjoyed talking to him because he really took his time out to do so.
The whole experience at convention as a whole I would say, was really fun. From the very first day of the convention where my children got scared out of their wits inside the elevator when they encountered the loud and boisterous Klingon Group (the Klingon Group tease the heck out of them and I just laugh when my children told me), to doing the Raven Panel, being a part of the MechCorps Children Charity Event, meeting Gowron and Martok and to making new friends and gaining new members to the Raven Family and Friends Circle. I would just say it was a really a blast just being able to hangout with my Raven Crew and meeting some of them for the first time. Hopefully, we get to do it again, somewhere and sometime in the near future. I really enjoy interacting with the fans because like I said, without the fans and members, there is no Raven or little alone, the BFC Fan Club. If there is anything I have learned by the very person mentoring me here at BFC (Shawn O'Donnell) the fans are very important in the continuation of the legacy and spirit of BSG. Through them, the BSG memory lives on and gets pass down to the next generation of BSG Fans whether it be the Classic Series or the New Series. As you can hear in the very beginning of the original BSG Series :
"There are those who believe........"
And that is true to this very day. Stay tune for the photos from the event!
SO SAY WE ALL!
Regards,
DragonLady
BFC Vice President
Commanding Officer-Battlestar Raven-BFC 002
