I recently went to Katsucon, a Japanese anime convention in Virginia. I'm not new to fan cons, but this was the first time I went with lots of friends and tried to enjoy as much as I could, as I usually go for business purposes or just to buy things. Well, now that I was actually paying attention, it was hard not to notice that plenty of people were dressed up as their favorite characters. I thought this was really cool. I think more girls than guys dressed up (at least I noticed more girls' costumes... like I'd give a flying handshake about guys dressing up as Sailor Moon).
It dawned upon me that you could easily dress yourself up as a Daria character, but in what venue would you show it off? You can't really go to an anime con as Daria. The only place I could think you could pull it off is at comic cons, but as far as I know, there isn't much costuming (except actors paid to be in costume and one crazy fat guy in a cardboard robot outfit). Daria, Jane, and possibly Quinn outfits are the only characters who could possibly be even recognized, as everyone else wears fairly normal clothes (even Andrea). But then, I don't really follow conventions well. Is there such a thing as a fan animation convention (rather than the usual film festivals like WAC)? Could you get away with it at a sci-fi/fantasy con?
Well, the whole idea grabbed me as being neat, but I don't think it could be pulled off anywhere, unless someone makes a DariaCon (Three whole days of Daria madness! Guests of Honor voice actors & show writers, writing and drawing workshops, cos-play, filking, dancing, late-night hotel room parties, an artist alley, "Daraoke", one screening room, and a whole lot of fans standing around looking at a few trinkets in the dealer's room, located in a large closet). I guess you could take a picture and put it on the web, but it's not the same. And seeing as how I'm a guy (and not really into costuming personally), I probably won't be doing that.
cb - http://animation.acmecity.com/model/347/main.html Original cartoons, video game reviews, cool stuff...
On Tue, 22 Feb 2000 10:07:46 GMT, Buster Logan wrote:
<snip>
I think we're unofficially known as Darianites. I even have a little homage page called the Darianite Revolution, which I haven't updated in yonks and there's nothing there anyway etc, so I won't even bother giving you the URL.
Yes my friend, the idea of a DariaCon is not new. The first stirrings of the idea came, I believe, from Martin Sylvester, our Catholic priest friend from the UK (I checked this at deja.com). It was initially proposed as a series finale (perish the thought!) gathering in a pub in UK, where we can all view past episodes of Daria while downing a few alcoholic beverages (as well as non-alcoholic ones).
As time went on, the topic of a DariaCon came up again in several chat sessions on DALNet, and was carried over to a.t.d. yet again. Where was it to be held? What would we do? Who was going to be responsible for everything? When would we do it? All these questions and more were handled in a relatively speculative manner, nothing was really set in stone.
As such, the future of a possible DariaCon is still very much in limbo. Until someone actually takes on the responsibility for it, which is rather huge already, it'll probably remain a fantasy.
ps: The "Daraoke" idea sounded freaky. Don't get me wrong, but there's something about karaoke that I just don't like... I think it could be the singing part.
Cheers, Nicole Lee
Daria Code: A D T3 Ws Q+ FN^Fr O- OH+Oo+Od m- c+++ MV C5X F:111,213,313 BB- FCD +DT q fN
That seems to be fairly standard. I did coin "Morgendorfferphiles," but it had as much success as it deserved. <g>
To my shame, I can't remember who suggested that an appprpriate time for the first international Dariacon would be the first UK screening of the last episode of the last series.
The advantages of an international Dariacon in the UK include:
- It's an English speaking nation, and many _Daria_ fans speak English
- US fans could combine it with a European vacation
- It's handy for European fans
- Most UK fans have only seen the edited episodes [1], so Dariacon would
enable them to see _Daria_ uncut
- More fans would be able to enjoy their preferred refreshment than if
Dariacon were held in the US. People can legally consume alcoholic drinks
at the age of 18 in the UK (younger if it's with a meal). I want a
real ale venue!
There are, ISTM, two approaches at work: the simple, and the enthusiastic. The simple approach is that all we need is a stack of tapes, somewhere to view them, each other's company, and refreshment. Those who intend to turn up can share out responsibilities, and organise whatever activities actually appeal to them. This is the approach I share, being a devotee of the KISS principle, and thinking that if the first Dariacon starts simple, and succeeds, we can develop more ambitious future Dariacons. Sort of an organic growth model.
The enthusiastic approach has a full and varied social program, with many activities, speakers, and so on. In terms of attracting participants this may be more successful (if one assumes that people who like _Daria_ would be attracted by a full and varied etc.). But for something like this, the organisational workload and financial outlay would each be far from trivial.
We need a committee!
I thought it a really creative idea: as long as I don't have to take part (though I *could* take the mic when we want to clear the room <g>).
Martin.
[1] Channel Five show _Daria_ in a children's TV timeslot, and edit it to make it into a children's show.
Even then, I think "Daria" and "Jane" would have to spend the whole time together as most people would only twig if they saw them both.
Yeah, that's been talked about now and again, though it struck me that a UK one day mini-con would be fairly easy to set up. Basically just need to find a pub with a private function room (prob London would be best) and a big screen TV (which they all have anyway to show football matches).
Also probably need somebody who lives in area with good Channel 5 reception and who's recorded all the episodes. :-)
Aside from that, drinking games, trivia quiz (hands up who knows the date of Daria's first day at Lawndale High) and minimal cost per person, just to cover the room hire.
On Tue, 22 Feb 2000 18:10:24 +0000, Mike Morton wrote:
Speaking of which, how many Darianites (to use a newly coined term, I think) live either in California or close enough that they'd be willing to do a DariaCon hosted here? If I had enough people, I'd be willing to set something up, I think.
Hmm... well... I *may* be moving to Berzerkeley, but, well, it's kind of up in the air right now... Can we do something a little more, say, "centralized?" You know, like a big fete in someplace like, oh, say, Branson, MO? (Grins, ducks and runs.) Hey, it's closer than CA! ;-)
Besides, we can get Elvis impersonators a lot cheaper in MO. Or so I hear.
rich, who kinda wants this DariaCon thing to get off of the ground, but doesn't do the costume or play-acting thing.
Jane: You know, I don't know why people say we have a bad attitude.
Well, I'm up in Las Vegas, so here's an idea. How about in conjunction with Comicon in San Diego? It's a huge comic/sci-fi/fantasy/anime get-together, there's lots of stuff to do there and in the rest of San Diego and it's all kinda relevant
And it's only an hour's flying time and a $39 ticket to get there for me.
Well, it's not too far for me, but overnight accommodation in London is expensive, and this might put off those have a long journey. Would somewhere in the Midlands be cheaper as well as more central?
Far, far, better, to try to tie it in with a visit from one of the US fans. If (s)he brings a stack of tapes, we can see _Daria_ uncut, rather than re-viewing the C5-edited episodes. And it'd be the first international Dariacon! We would need to verify that the VCR and TV in the chosen venue can handle NTSC tapes.
Possibly, but you'd really be looking for a place that's most convenient for the greatest number of people rather then simply geographically central. The thing to do would be to get a show of hands from the people who'd be interested in attending such an event and then taking it from there.
I agree totally, especially if that included the behind the scenes specal and new season 4 episodes which I suspect won't turn up on Channel 5 for while even if C5 said they'll buy them. NTSC/PAL wouldn't be a problem with a bit of notice, there's plenty of places that'll convert recordings.
Michael Morton
School of Information Systems | Everything is linear if
University of East Anglia | plotted on log-log with
Norwich | a fat magic marker.
Well, dream-wise it would be cooler to go to the Midlands (it'd give me a chance to visit my personal Mecca, Birmingham, and I'd get to visit with UK Duranies and visit where Rum Runner used to be, as well as other sites in Birmingham and the suburb of Hollywood..."Oh look, there's Nick Rhodes' childhood home!!"), but reality-wise it would be far easier for someone like me to go to someplace in the U.S. Unless someone can find out if there are any flights out to Birmingham which are chronically severely underbooked and I could get standby tickets for free or for a small fee or something. Ideally we could all meet up in Vegas or Southern California, I could certainly hack that, but...well, I don't know if I could raise the fundage for a UK DariaCon just *yet*. (Although it is a nice dream, going back into England...hey, I could invite Barry!!)
Yeah, good plan. Because converting can be a pain in the ass. It cost me 17 pounds to convert one single 110-minute video with a "I'm a Virgin customer" discount, and even then some of the video was a bit jumpy (so I ended up spending 30 pounds for the video...ah well, at least I have both PAL and NTSC). If a universal VCR can be secured, that'd be really great.
Yeah. How about having non-alcoholic beverages for those who wish not to consume potent potables, though? I tried a beer the third or so day after I turned 21 and I found it hard to choke it down. And I'm sure at least a couple other people must want to remain sober...am I right?
i should imagnne any journey to birminhan would be underbooked :p
englands a bit crap real;y. i think..
drink vodka, then. ;) even if fti tastes disgusstng
probably not . ;)
i;m feeling sorta drunk now.. as you may notice from the typng. i'm not though. i think it must be effexor, which i just started taking.. i'ts fucking knocked me out, lol.
Actually, I *AM* aware that Birmingham's supposed to be the Pittsburgh of England, but (a.) my biggest obsession for almost nine years came out of that and (b.) I...I would like to go to Pittsburgh eventually too.
I don't think so. If I can be aware of about 400 people whose dream it would be to go to Birmingham...then again....
Heh, what *you* think...wait, you said that already. Try living in South Texas...or any place in Texas, really. North Texas particularly frightens me. (runs away from paperpusher)
Yuck. I'm a Nick Rhodes fanatic, but not THAT much. The strongest thing I could choke down is a wine cooler. Which my parents might be proud to know. I don't mind smoking, though. I'm one weird person.
Ah well. *shrugs* If I'm the only one there sober...I wouldn't mind.
*giggle* I totally understand. Why the need for prescription medication, though? What's got you out of commission? (concerned)
LI, listening to "The Lawndale File" from the other room (wish I had a TV set in the computer room)
never been to texas... have known residents to refer to it as texass though, which is probably telling.
very strange.. ;)
it's been suggested several times over the past 3 or so years, mother disapproved so nothing happened. i think they think i'm obsessive-compulsive and were hoping venlafaxine would help that, but, err, i'm not sure i like this, heh.
Where: In southwestern Pennsylvania, Latitude 42N, Longitude 80W, on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers (the source of the Ohio River).
What's wrong with: Usually cloudy and rainy weather (but not today), rugged terrain with lots of hills and valleys, and, from a transportation perspective, winding, sawtooth roads with lots of bridges and tunnels. An aging population (Allegheny County has one of the highest median ages in the US). With the aging population comes a decline in night life and entertainment. The local beer is Iron City. It's really a good place to live, but it's not much to visit.
Formerly, it was a dirty place: lots of steel mills (at one time, 20% of the world's steel was made here), coal mines, and other assorted heavy industry. In the '70s, that changed. Industries shut down, mostly because of excessive taxation, punitive environmental policies, and expensive union labor agreements. Then, the problem became abandoned, decaying industrial properties, high unemployment, increased crime... The sad decay of it all was appealing to certain artistic sensibilites. (Yup, I found a TDR). Now, the problem is that young people don't want to stay. Most of the jobs are in health care (says the paramedic)... taking care of the rest of the aging population. Most of the new construction in the area is nursing homes and retirement communities. Lots of opportunities for "reading with seniors."
For what it's worth, one of Pittsburgh's many neighborhoods is called Birmingham. It's on the "South Side Flats", where the huge Jones & Laughlin steel mill used to be. My grandfather worked there. The mill's gone now, replaced by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Sports Performance Complex (read: practice fields for Pitt's football team and the Pittsburgh Steelers) and UPMC's Central Hospital Supply Center. The air's a lot cleaner now, at least.
Yes, doing a DariaCon--Internationale in the UK would be a bit of a financial crush for a lot of the US fans. Keep in mind what Dilbert's garbageman said about being a Mensa member-- being a genius doesn't always pay that great. ;-)
Perhaps we should have a US Con and a UK Con, and an Australian Con (there are a lot of fans in Oz), and see how it goes. If it starts to take off, then we can start coordinating them all. Heck, we could even have all three at the same time and have a videoconference between the venues... (ok, ok, I know, time zones and stuff...) but still-- we need to start small, and build, IMNSHO.
We could also perhaps fins a way to get some NTSC tapes over to the UK and Oz for the group viewings there.... shouldn't be too difficult to set up-- I've got SVHS tapes-- anyone have an editing deck? ;-) We could prolly find someone to help us out a little... Hey MTV, you listentin'? It's FREE PUBLICITY talking again... *sigh*
And Diane, as for beer-- developing a palate for beer just doesn't happen overnight-- it takes time to develop the proper taste for it. Soon you get to appreciate the smooth, bitter flavor.. mmm.... scuse me... ;-)
rich.
Helen: Bureaucracy is the price we pay for impartiality.
That's what my parents said about tripas (these sauteed small intestines)...I tried them one time...ain't no way I'm going to get used to *that* taste. But...like I said with Father Martin's post, I will be willing to try again...with someone who actually knows about that stuff...like Father Martin...
Same applies, of course, the other way round for UK fans visiting the US; and since there are fewer of us, the chances of finding a handful of us in the position to attend an international con are lower.
We can't deny that, by the very fact of it being an international con, most of us who'll want to attend won't be able to. Most of those who do attend would, I imagine, be incorporating it into a planned vacation, so it would be useful if the venue were in a country that might be a holiday destination for the largest number of fans.
Agreed. I see International Dariacon not as competing with national ones (or regional ones, even), but as complementing them.
It's worth noting, I'm told, that PAL format machines which play NTSC tapes often (if not always) only play single speed NTSC tapes -- so cunning plans to use double speed to get more episodes per tape could render them unviewable once they get over here.
Well, we could move the international Con around every year-- start in the UK, then maybe Oz, then the US... it could travel a little... who knows, maybe even Canada! ;-)
Yeah, I think that'd be the fairest to the most fans.
Well, not to be a video snob, but frankly EP speed doesn't have nearly the quality that SP speed tapes have, and SVHS tapes are so close to broadcast quality, it'll make you cringe. ;-) Actually, a lot of broadcast outlets (in smaller areas) still use SVHS equipment, although a lot are moving to DV.
Rats. Now I'm thirsty again. ;-)
rich.
Jake: Who do you want in an emergency? Superman, or your *damn inner child?*
Lady Interference wrote in message news:[email]...
Absolutely. It'd be an option in any pub or whatever venue we chose. I'd be one of those who'd not take part in the drinking games, preferring to savour my beer, but some would find it fun, I dare say.
Ah, but there's so many to choose from. So many styles, flavours, textures -- quick, nurse, restrain me, before I go into real ale beer bore mode! Ah, that's better.
If only to take photographs of those who don't... ;-) Oh, and keep their airways clear, and so on. 8-)
Oh cool, I didn't know that. How about those who would like to take part in any drinking game, except with non-alcoholic stuff? I'm sure that'd defeat the whole purpose, but it might be fun. And...glad to hear of the desire to enjoy your refreshment slowly.
*giggle* You're going to have to get me to try out various beers then. I'll do it, just so long as I know I'm dealing with an expert such as yourself. (Boy, this is a sign I was born to be Catholic...taking drinking lessons from a *priest*...*shrugs* at least my parents wouldn't have a problem with it...OMG, getting bad flashbacks of my high school principal, a nun, swigging multiple beers at a spring festival...bad flashback, bad flashback...)
Heh heh heh heh. I'm starting to see the allure of this. (prepares to take loads of film and her trusty camera)
I could secure the school's scanner for awhile too, and create .gif files to post up online...*cackle*
Lady Interference wrote in message news:[email]...
bore
I'll do
Oh, you flatterer. <g>
The only problem with that otherwise excellent scheme is that my expertise is in real ales -- those delicious beers brewed by traditional methods using only natural ingredients, and left to mature naturally in the cask or bottle ("cask conditioned" or "bottle conditioned"). Most of the finest examples of the many different styles of real ale are brewed by small independent brewers: I could easily introduce you to their products if you were resident in the UK, but you're not! Perhaps when you make your pilgrimage to the UK we could have a tutored tasting! 8-)
Despite the reputation of American beer, there *are* real ales brewed in the USA, though they're nearly lost among the noise of well-advertised factory-produced brands (the same is true here, perhaps to a lesser extent). Since I'm not really familiar with US real ale breweries (often called craft breweries in the USA), nor do I know which beers are available in your area, it makes things a bit difficult!
Caring for real ale requires skill: not every pub that serves it has competent cellar staff, and a badly kept pint can put someone off for life (I've taken pints back to the bar and demanded replacements, but how does a beginner know it's not *meant* to taste like this?). So I'd want to recommend not only a beer, but also a pub that's known to serve it well. I make extensive use of The Good Beer Guide [1] published by the Campaign for Real Ale [2], whose local members vote on the admission of pubs to the guide (other publications are said to accept payment for entries). The GBG also lists more than 2000 of the real ales presently served in the UK (see what I mean about choice?) and a page of real ale breweries in the USA. I don't know of a similar consumer-driven guide for the USA, nor of an American consumer group similar to Camra [2], which a year ago had 500 American members.
Fear not, though! Real ale beer festivals are an excellent way to sample a range of beers, and no-one will balk if you just taste a swallow and move on to something else, although the custom in festivals over here, among people with a little experience, is to slowly savour half pints of beers brewed in a style they know they like.
The festivals I've attended have mostly been in large halls or sports centres, with rows of trestle tables staffed by enthusiasts serving a few different beers at each table. More than a swallow of each beer will limit your chances of sampling a wide range! Check out the regional (USA only) calendars at Brewing News [3], but note that the entries in the directories at that site appear to be written by the establishments listed (rather than by a consumer group or inspection panel). Look out for festivals offering the chance to sample a range of real ales (craft beers, craft-brewed beers), rather than ones that simply give an opportunity to ingest large quantities of mass-produced beer while listening to Oompah bands!
it...OMG,
multiple
Scary thought <shudder>
I was once, as a seminarian, walking into college bearing a flagon of real ale I'd collected from the real ale offie, when I met the Rector, who'd earlier that week given a talk about the evils of alcohol in students' rooms (we did have a bar, but this was before I'd succeeded in my campaign to introduce real ale to it). My first answer to his question, that what I was carrying was a modern replica of a Thirteenth Century pilgrim's bottle, seemed to leave him only mildly bemused, so I went into beer bore mode and explained at such length the difference between real ale and factory beer, and how the real ale drinker drinks to savour the taste, wheras the factory beer drinker drinks for effect, that he was glad to get away from me. I heard no more about it. 8-)
take
to
Before they awake the next morning, mwahahaha.
Free entry for Kevin if he agrees to be duty paramedic. 8-)
There is also a good book by Michael Jackson (the award-winning beer writer), which introduces different styles of beer and does make reference to some bottle beers brewed in the USA. http://www.bookshop.co.uk/ser/serdsp.asp?siteno=1&shop=3530&isbn=075130591X& DB=220
Especially when one considers the easiest means of simulating the "water squirt" effect ... *looks innocent*
Sincerely Yours, Jordan
"Man, as we know him, is a poor creature; but he is halfway between an ape and a god and he is travelling in the right direction." (Dean William R. Inge)
I thought it was "Darianites"...? *shrugs* Then again, I thought Tony Slattery fans were called "Slatteryholics" until I realized there's no single term for that established yet.