FOLLOW  YOUR  HEART

The Beauty and the Beast 2003 Convention

Peter Alcott's Garden. Miniature by Chandler

Sunday

Is it the last day of the Con already? Just can't believe it, time has flown so fast!

The first thing we do when meeting a Con Team member is enquire about Deb. No broken bones, but she's in a lot of pain, lying on ice. And of course she didn't take all her pain meds, not wanting to "miss" the end of the con.

It starts with the Favorite Moments Brunch, an optional event. Food is delicious, and after eating we get to watch a wonderful video. All along the year polls have taken place on the Con website to ask the fans to vote for their favorite scenes. Favorite V&C scene, favorite V&Father scene, favorite C& Joe scene, and more...Novtek has put them all together, and it's a true delight. Watching scenes from the show on a big screen is a treat. The colors are more vivid, the details more precise, and we get to notice lots of stuff we'd never seen before, gestures, undertext, facial expressions, all those little things that make characters truly themselves, and add meaning and depth to the scenes. Priceless!

We also watch a promo video of Kansas City, where the next Con will be held.

Then, unexpected bonus, we're granted another view of THE video. Yesterday night we watched it in a blissful haze, now we have the opportunity to look at details. Point of views, intentions and feelings expressed by the actors, every one of those kisses is different, and fascinating. Siiiigh!

After a short break, time for the art auctions. Most of the art exposed in the artroom was for sale, with bidding sheets on it, some has already gone in quick sales or to the only bidder. The rest is now proposed to us by JoAnn and Lori. Treasures! I bid a couple of times, but just can't follow up. At one moment Deb makes a  much applauded reappearance, smiling despite what she's going through. She is one great lady!

We stop for a while to say goodbye to Roy and Jay. David has already gone but Jamie is staying until Wednesday, and soon finds himself enrolled for the auction.

We're offered ice-creams while the auctions go on, and when they end, it's time for the closing ceremonies.

 Deb, Larry, Karen, JoAnn, PatK, Lori, Chandler, CathyM, Shelia, Suze and Sandy2, our fantastic Con Team

Again you'll have to look in other reports for an accurate recounting of it. When I get emotional (and I was almost all the time), things tend to get blurred in my mind, and I just was too busy looking, listening, soaking it all up through my very skin, to take the time to write anything down.

I remember a lot of thank-you's to all those, present and absent, who contributed in one way or another. An announcement about the Schwartzie Award, given by the Colorado group to outstanding figures in fandom (the first to get it in 2000 was David Schwartz, hence the name). Then the passage of the candle to Lori, head of the KC con team. The Con is over.

No time to get sad, though. We get almost instantly enrolled by Chandler "Hey you people who did so good setting up the artroom, we're taking it down right now!" No time to lose, the rooms must be vacated quickly, so off we go!

We take apart the panels we tied together on Thursday, tuck safely away all the remaining treasures (lots of them have been sold) and move everything to the two rooms the con will keep until tomorrow. There are quite a few of us so things go fast.

We help Chandler take down the costumes and pack them. I get to fold the "fandom" Vincent's costume (donated by Ron Perlman to be displayed for the fans) back into its suitcase . As I  tuck them snugly in I reverently caress the cream-colored sweater, and the gray ribbed vest...and, girls..I got my hand on Vinnie's pants!! Ashamed? Who, me? Never!

Finally we get the place cleared. Still some packing work to be done, but tomorrow is another day. Time for Beastro by the Bay!

We change and head to 30th floor; The view from up there is breathtaking and we linger near the windows for a while before sitting down at the tables. A very noisy, joyful table in a corner: the Con Team, mission almost accomplished, is taking a much needed break and letting some steam out. Deb is there, too, walking from table to table despite the best efforts of all those who want to make her sit down and rest. Time to talk with friends and take more pictures.

The "international fans" Sandra, Angelique, Marina, yours truly, S and Cecilia, surrounding Jamie Murray
missing Sigma, who's already flown back to Japan (pic from Jamie Murray)

The days have been so full we haven't found time yet to sign the BBTV Con Cards, so this is the time to do it. The cards go from table to table, and this time Deb HAS to sit down!

Good food, good company, once more, and a Karaoke for fun. There are more talented people in this fandom than we saw at the Talent Show! Meanwhile, another round of Beast Bingo goes on at the back of the room.

Another wonderful day ends. The Con is over, but our time together is not! More adventures tomorrow!

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