Friday, September 7, 2012

Dragon*Con 2012

"Live long and prosper" and may we all attend many, many more Dragon*Cons! This year's Dragon*Con was totally awesome!



When I checked in on Friday morning, I heard (unofficially) that more than 46,000 conventioneers had already registered. And that doesn't include the walk-ups over the four days of the Convention. Those tens of thousands of people—many in-the-know—were about to embark on a journey unlike any in Atlanta...or nearly anywhere else in the U.S. for that matter.


Travis S. Taylor with R2-D2
Me with R2-D2
With nearly 400 celebrity guests attending, I had a long list of who I wanted to meet, see, hear and rub elbows with. The top of that list was Nichelle Nichols--the pioneering character Lt. Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series.

I indeed got to meet her and got to see her another several times throughout the Convention, on panels and as a judge at the third annual Miss Star Trek Universe pageant. Nichelle is incredible! When I asked her if she's still having fun doing all the Trek stuff, she told me, "I only do that which brings me joy." I fell in love with her a little more at that very moment.

At one of the panels, one of the conventioneers recalled Nichelle's television first—the first interracial kiss, with Captain Kirk (William Shatner). After talking a few moments more, Nichelle motioned him to come to the stage and...you guessed it...she gave him a kiss.


Cosplayers at Dragon*Con 2012
Dragon*Con 2012
There were countless moments like that throughout the Convention...I had so much fun!

On the first day, before I got to the first host hotel, there just a few feet away from me was Richard Hatch (Apollo on the original Battlestar Galactica). Later I passed Aaron Douglas from the newest Battlestar Galactica, and later in the Convention I passed Virginia Hey (Farscape) in the hallway and told her how much I love her work. Also got to see John Barrowman, Jamie Bamber, Lou Ferrigno, Katee Sackoff, Sean Maher, Dean Cain, Gil Gerard, and way too many more to list here.

Okay...a few more...these are all from Star Trek. I also got to see Jonathan Frakes, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, Michael Dorn, Garrett Wang, and Connor Trineer who I got an autograph from, chatted with and shook his hand.


Dragon*Con 2012
Dragon*Con 2012
Yes. It's true. I'm a celebrity-spotter. And I'm proud of it. It's all in good fun...no stalking whatsoever. Really. And Atlanta has proven to be quite great for celebrity-spotting...Dragon*Con included.

So, there was also the Dragon*Con Parade, the Miss Star Trek Universe pageant, panels, scientific presentations, movie nights, parties, an artist alley, and tons and tons of cosplayers graciously willing to pose for photographs.

Next year, I think I'm going to get a room at one of the host hotels...and spend 24 hours-a-day at the Con instead of 10-12!


Trekkers at Dragon*Con 2012
Trekkers at Dragon*Con 2012

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