Eurogamesfest for February is doing a donation drive, details here:
http://users.livejournal.com/_bigjobbies_/81262.html

angriest is editing a fanzine as a fundraiser for the BBQ event we're running, details here:
http://angriest.livejournal.com/317968.html

cupidsbow also does a round up of several efforts on the go in order to provide relief, details here:
http://cupidsbow.livejournal.com/319120.html

sassamifrass is encouraging people to donate to http://wildlifevictoria.org.au/ as well, as many of their shelters were destroyed and they are currently trying to rescue and rehabilitate many native animals injured by these fires.

I also want to mention that Daniel Zachariou, who is the Event Director of Supanova (http://www.supanova.com.au/), has offered up several signed posters from past Supanova guests to be auctioned off as fundraisers for the BBQ.

Also: It's been brought to my attention that the Salvation Army has also indicated a preference for monetary aid as opposed to goods. I'll still enable any goods that are brought in for this getting to them in support of the bushfire relief, but would request that as much as possible I'd like to honour what's been requested by the organisations involved.

Lastly but not least, thank you to everyone who has contributed in some way to us starting to put together the BBQ and the Fanzine - we're all awed and glad to be part of a community where outreach is so natural.

Final note, the irony of what kind of event we're running was not ignored - reasoning given here: http://angriest.livejournal.com/317968.html?thread=4306448#t4306448 But in summary chosen for ease of making it all happen, and without any intent of it meaning anything other than a mechanism to bring people together, in order to make a difference.

Where am I? home Feeling... exhausted Compelled listening... nil Define... # australian fandom, being human, bushfires, community, connectionism, fandom, love, making a difference, people, relief, supanova, support

I had a brilliant time - for all that I barely shopped and didn't go to a single panel, and spent many hours sitting on the Swancon table.

I spoke to many people. Some of them were friends and many were people randomly interested in Swancon, and I'm hoping to see a couple of them there :)

Wai-Con was really well run, the volunteers were brilliant all around, especially Leah who did all the trader organising/wrangling.

Everything was easy. Fellow traders stigian and I were all around wonderful and brilliant x eleventy billion (they picked me up at stupid am this morning).

As to the steam punk perspective, aforementioned traders were totally about the Steam Punk - lots of awesome bits of jewellery, plume like pens and bits and pieces that looked to come from another era - I was fascinated.

There were several other small elements where the steam punk was emphasised - mostly in people's costuming that they wore, several clever things that were designed to look steam punk-y.

On costuming - omg there was so many! Lots of awesome and brilliant costumes!! I was very impressed.

My favourite bit was the fact that Daniel Z of Supanova had made it over from Sydney to attend the event, and we spent quite a number of hours chatting happily! He's such a lovely and affable, kind man who is also completely business savvy. (sp?) I can't wait for Supanova - I'm hoping to go to one of the eastern states events, but even if not Perth's going to be -AWESOME-. I'm looking forward to not being on the swancon committee so I can volunteer for Supanova and enjoy the lovely family and core of volunteers that work brilliantly to make it all happen.

I also had several small geeky moments of appreciation for animes I'm familiar with and love, like Tenchi Muyo, Fushigi Yuugi, Ranma and Slayers! etc... managed not to by a plushie of Ryo-Oki.... I must make some time to get familiar with some of the other new animes around, and finish watching stuff I've started like Vampire Knights etc.

Wai-Con provided some love for me for the anime side of my fannishness that is often too busy to be indulged. It was a nice vacation to anime-land for a while :)

Where am I? home Feeling... exhausted Compelled listening... nil Define... # 2009, amazing conversations, anime, conventions, supanova, wai-con

It's done, and dusted and over. Wow. I had one of the most amazing weekends of my life.

I spent time with a woman who has changed the world, made it a better place. I spent time with another woman who gave up the opportunity to appear at the final wrap party for the series she's been involved with, in order to be here in Australia.

And if that wasn't shiny enough... I met the people who put the supanova event together. I met the Joffre Street guys who do Cool Shite, I adored catching up with mdep again - it's always too long between chats! Also, this is the best chance we've had for catching up since I had her over here for Fandomedia :) I met F and M who are just amazing as far as guest managers go, and hot damn I aspire to be like them.

I caught up with Jennifer Fallon again and really enjoyed chatting to her - and the hugs. She gives good hug. Met her Secondborn and dearly enjoyed the conversation and company... it was all just freaking amazing. I finally met DZ the event director, his best friend and right hand, various others of his family members - all there helping out, making it run, and it was so awesome! He was so awesome! I'm so deeply pleased to have been able to put a face to the name, and enjoy seeing him do his thing, and do it well. So very well.

Perth Supanova rocked. We had more people through the door here than in Melbourne :) Also, it's not a once off - they're committed to coming back. They're pairing the line up of guests with the Sydney event which makes the break even a whole lot easier to reach as far as these things go.

I'm amused that Perth Convention Centre continues to price itself out of the market.

It was a great event and it was an incredible experience to see some of the way it works - I'd love to be more involved as a volunteer, it was amazing. It's also totally different to Swancon, it does different things, and there's a great crossover, but it's never going to be a replacement and they're not interested in doing that - they want to work with everyone, and have a community where everyone gets ahead, everyone benefits. It's not lip service either, I saw it in action.

Bring on Supanova 2009! I am so very there!

I learned so much that I hope to apply to Swancon as well, just minute things, comparison things, ideas and approach and appeal. It'll be interesting and very cool to debrief with my committee.

I'm too tired to gush any more, but if you thought it was all about the commercial side, then you'd be mostly wrong, because there is a bottom line element to it - you can't bring A list guests to Australia and not be thinking of it on some level.

But there is a whole lot more, it's a family run business, they're real people and they keep it down to earth and accessible and interesting - something different, and a little bit of something for everyone, also what an awesome array of sellers from over east coming over to Perth! Lots of new and interesting stuff I haven't seen before, and wished I had more spending money to appreciate.

As it was my overspending on budget went to photos, a portrait with Nichelle Nichols, and autograph - because having the opportunity to freeze a moment in time with a woman who is so deeply amazing, utterly worthwhile. So inspiring. And one with Kandyse Mcclure - because she's a darling person and she's become utterly smitten by Australia and Perth. I can buy 'stuff' any time, but something to remember to very special women by... you can't just make that appear out of thin air, and I never want to forget those moments shared, and all the things I wonder and hope for and want to do, pouring forth.

My beloved was in the cosplay and came runner up in the best individual overall section, which was incredible! He looked so pretty and was obviously having the most amazing time (while I was running around doing all of the above). I'm so proud of him!

I spent heaps of time with the Swancon stall, and we had great success in talking to people and getting the word out there, I am feeling fairly confident that we'll get some very positive results out of it. Now to collate all the mass of the information we received.

Also, kathrynlinge is worth a mountain of gold - the fliers and posters were spectacular hon, and you utterly deserve eleventy billion internets for doing such an amazing job! People were impressed and drawn to them and I can't stop looking at them! I think they'll be totally worth the cost of printing - even if that's wince worthy right this second. Many thanks to the amazing 2009 committee for weathering colds and honeymoon take offs in order to sit the desk and put Swancon out there to the Perth masses :)

Where am I? home Feeling... enthralled Compelled listening... nil Define... # amazing friends, amazing people, events, fandom, inspiring, moments to remember, sc2009, supanova, swancon, transcending

But you'll have to forgive me that... it's been an extraordinary day.

I was at Supanova talking about Swancon and stuffs, lots of people, cruisy and an enjoyable day. Networked my little heart out with people that I've met before people they introduced me to, had drinks with a rfriend and an awesome ex-Fandomedia guest of mine, and then the unexpected happened and I go to go out with several awesome people from the event, and some of the guests and party with them for a while. It was awesome, and I'm still grateful in a way that I can't quite articulate. My beloved kae_dash was very very pretty today, and will be in the cosplay tomorrow :) Should be spectacular! I did also make it past madradish's party in the end - a little unexpectedly, but I was pleased to see those who were still there. All my cleavage appreciation goes to madradish and splanky!

More Supanova tomorrow - looking forward to it. Especially more time chatting with M and F if possible, as they are event coordinating moguls! (or something to that effect).

Now, I sleep. I realise that this is far shorter than it deserves, but I have no brain power for more right now.

Where am I? home Feeling... ecstatic Compelled listening... nil Define... # amazing conversations, events, moments to remember, supanova

I'm off to Supanova!!!!

*is excited*

Via Rifo's in Vic Park for breakfast and coffee :)

Hope to see a heap of you there!!

Where am I? home Feeling... excited Compelled listening... nil Define... # supanova

Hi all,

This weekend is Supanova, boasting an amazing guest line up! Swancon will also be there, you can find us in 'Artist's Alley' and memberships and T-shirts will be available. We would love to see you there, so please feel free to come past and have a chat in between the sampling of what promises to be an amazing weekend judging by the Perth schedule:

http://www.supanova.com.au/assets/files/pdf/Perth_event_guide_08.pdf

Just as a highlight of the Perth guest line up from the Supanova website:

Movies and Television: http://www.supanova.com.au/movies-and-tv
Jewel Staite - of Firefly, Serenity and Stargate: Atlantis
Nichelle Nichols - known best for her role as Lt Uhura in Star Trek
Kandyse McClure - whom has been in several television roles including Dark Angel, The Outer Limits, Andromeda, Smallville and most recently the new BSG.

Anime: http://www.supanova.com.au/anime
Jeff Nimoy - Digimon: Digital Monsters
Sean Schemmel - Dragon Ball Z
Quinton Flyn - this particular person's achievements are far to numerous for me to summarise (I failed twice - go have a look at the website).

Comics: http://www.supanova.com.au/comics
Gary Chaloner, Howard Chaykin, Joe Jusko, David Yardin and Ben Templesmith.
Again I had difficulty summarising their collectively amazing achievements, take a look at the website and have a look at some of the very cool things they've done, and have coming up next.

Not to mention, of personal interest to me is the fact that my beloved kae_dash is involved with the cosplay events, and I believe will be there Sunday with my housemate and the others involved with their plan - it should be rather spectactular judging from all the costuming explosions happening at the house recently - certainly the bits and pieces I've seen have me grinning widely with lustful appreciation of my fiance ;) *grins*

Where am I? DPC Feeling... ecstatic Compelled listening... "Take On Me" - Aha Define... # fandom, k, social, supanova

Still going really well. Got up at not so stupid o'clock, but still freezing my ass off o'clock to get there this morning.

Did leg concentration stuffs. My feet still try and cling when I'm doing the balancy stuff which is in many ways very cool, and makes me feel like if I were walking up or down a wall that i could grip quite nicely, but in other ways is actually just painful, in shoes, trying to not do that.

Did bridge move, this time was the 2 point elevation - two limbs raised then the other two, and keep going as long as possible. 1 min 36. Last week was the 3 point elevation (one limb raised at a time, keep going as long as possible). 1 min 30 exactly.

Next week we're going to try for a 3min plain bridge - but I'm wondering if I might just be able to hit 3 min 30. *ponders* We shall see.

I expect that I will once again sms Mel to let her know that I and my muscles are thinking of her tomorrow.

I miss Fairbridge already. Especially the Friday night kitchen floor.

I'm looking forward to Supanova, and expect I'll be hanging around most of the weekend either on the Swancon table, 'not' buying books, or being available to help out on the swancon table. I'm hoping I might have the energy to go to madradish's party on Saturday night (and will be thinking fond thoughts of Spank! too...) but it will all depend on the day. lady_niav and I are catching up with the ever wonderful mdep on the Saturday evening which will be awesome :)

Still trying to get all my invoices processed for end of financial year, still having multiple phonecalls to OSS daily to sort stuff, put stuff back on the system that has fallen off and double check for the umpteenth time that stuff hasn't become unvalidated and is still going through for payment.

My mobile is starting to play up and i need a new one. I want the Nokia N95.

I also would like my broadband connected - appointment shuffled to Thursday which is not nearly so convenient for having someone home (no i'm not gambling a $109 fee on the off chance the won't need to access the property).

Work today involved blasting a supplier company first up. There are these invoices from 2006 that are in dispute and they keep reassigning the case to someone else, and not giving them the information about what's happened so far and what I've requested by way of proof of delivery to facilitate payment. Today i told the new guy who called to get the notes, get in touch with the previous case manager and call me when they could provide the details I'd asked for twice before. I was mean. I'm okay with this.

Okay, now off to meet cricketk which will be just brilliant, I've missed her lotses!!!!!!

And now, an icon :)

Where am I? DPC - leaving now! Feeling... busy Compelled listening... nil Define... # achievements, general, goals, gym, supanova, swancon, tech, work