JadeCon 2009 – Murder Most Foul

Folks continued their gaming and breaking of budgets on the con floor. The rest of us spent time talking social networking, gadgets to get on said social networks, and having Star Wars comic story time.

Our evening shindig was a murder mystery set in a newly opened Cloud City casino. (Along with our now-traditional Boba Fettucini dinner from Bordeaux Pizza. Yum!)

Most, if not all, of the characters were corrupt or just, plain nuts. And apparently we were all promiscuous, as well. Trying to untangle the affairs was quite difficult.

The Best Acting award went to Diane; although Willow, Rox’s service dog, stole the show as the accountant.

Mike S. covered for Dan as bartender; trying his hardest to memorise Mary’s Bar Guide as he went.

The next event for the evening was our annual auction to benefit Reading is Fundamental. We raised just over $900! In spite of the current economy, Club Jade members are to be applauded.

Afterwards was our usual silliness. Doug read an ode to the current Traviss trauma. Luci sang a filk to “Day-O” called “Sith Lord.”. “Sith lord come and me wanna go home.” And there was much laughter over Doug’s Robe Squadron outfit and Will Turner’s residence in Cindy’s cleavage; prompting Doug to say,”Now that’s a pirate’s chest.”

With the bar down to its last bottles, those leaving early started the hug fest as a preview of the Post-Con Depression Breakfast to kick off in just a little while.

Unless something of import happens during the PCD breakfast or the subsequent Dead Ewok gathering, this will be our last entry from JadeCon.

Please give us a day or two to get back to our usual coverage of all things amusing and interesting in sci-fi and fantasy. (Or just amusing to us.)

JadeCon 2009 – Cloud City Chaos!

A fun day of mayhem, yesterday. Our first time with an actual fire! But I digress.

Our gamers headed out early for what ended up being an unsatisfying game, but it was still gaming, so it’s not all bad.

Back in the suite, we talked geek crafting, filking, veil dancing, and wine and cheese. We’re nothing if not a diverse group.

In the evening, a group of us went to the river to play Cloud City Chaos. First up was the Cloud Car Races. The paddle boat course was enough for everyone to work off all con food for the weekend. This was followed by the water gun fight disguised as reenacting the scene when Han tries to fire at Vader. Sean succeeded in getting the gun away. We ended up with an impossibly hard “rebuild the 3PO” game.

When we got back to the suite, we realized that Luci, who had said she was running to a store and would meet us, never made it back to the suite. We were devising a search grid when a check of her room found her there, wondering why Dunc was all worried.

So now the flames. We got dinner catered from Moe’s. One of the tissue papers covering the tortillas caught fire. We’re talking flames that went several feet up. Panic ensued until Sean, always our calming presence, realized it was burning on glass and tile and would burn out quickly. We were just thrilled it didn’t set off the sprinklers. That would have been an expensive bill!

The evening’s festivities included “Black Sabacc;” the Cloud City version of Blackjack. The Project Runway finale featured the strip teasing Jedi who came to strip for Tendra’s bachelorette party. (Amazingly embarrassing; even when they’re dolls.).

And there was supposed to be filking after that, but this reporter had to get to sleep to get up in time for the Indy Knights breakfast to raise funds towards Aaron Allston’s medical bills.

Maybe we can get the filkers to perform again tonight.

JadeCon 2009 – Day One on the books

Greetings from downtown Indianapolis, home of JadeCon and, oh yeah, a little gathering called GenCon.

This is our annual gathering of Jaders, so please forgive the lack of real world news as we enjoy each others’ company. And if there are any entries that don’t make sense to you, they do to us. (Or, at least, they did when we posted them under the influence of a Young Obi-Wan.)

Yesterday was the arrival of most of the rest of the group. As usual, there were travel delays and bleary eyes, but much happiness at seeing each other again.

Many of us headed to the gaming tables and did well. Others shopped their wallets out in the dealer’s room. Still others of us headed to the Children’s Museum to see the King Tut exhibit. They also had a small Clone Wars exhibit with macquets and drawings. We got to see George’s infamous OK stamp, as well as the slightly less infamous “Plo kool” stamp of Dave Filoni. Of more excitement to most of us were the real-life costumes for Anakin, Mace, and Padme. Thankfully no small children were injured in the perusal of this exhibit.

Last night was Games Night. A lot of bursts of laughter. A few deep discussions. Then retirement to the suite for hang time.

The suite has this great clear glass ceiling, but this spiral staircase in the middle is destined to become the source of the first JadeCon injury, I’m sure.

Today begins the seminar schedule and, shocker, another party. Life is good.

Gate Geek – The Endings and The Beginnings

David Hewlett (Rodney McKay) is fairly convinced that the lack of contact with the show’s producers means there will be no Atlantis movie.  And it makes him sad.

But the newbies to the franchise are enjoying the hype that comes with a new (and still supported) show at the Television Critics Association:

  • The ladies get caught doing Wookiee impressions (two e’s people…geez)
  • David Blue outs himself…as a geek (no surprise to anyone following his Tweets) and Lou Diamond Phillips scores the biggest laugh of the panel in this summary.
  • And the producers try changing tacks from the earliest marketing disaster to saying they’re trying to “broaden” the Stargate appeal.

Genre TV Round-Up

Now that everyone has gotten over Johnny Depp’s appearance and that smooch between John Barrowman and David Tennant, Airlock Alpha catches us up on all we missed with sci-fi TV:

And now let’s see what scoopage E! is covering:

And one final tidbit for crushed Jericho fans:  it looks like they’re trying for a wrap-up movie.

Mickey Rocks! Congrats to Club Jade SDCC Masquerade winners

They had a little help from some friends, but we are thrilled for the Club Jaders who helped create and present ‘Bring it On: Rock the Mouse;’ winner of Best Presentation at Comic-Con Masquerade 2009.

Congratulations to Caitlin Shindler (choreographer and costumer extraordinaire).  Other Club Jade participants included Rogue Shindler, Mike Chiesi and Stephanie Chiesi.   Um. You rock?

Io9 has a nice gallery up featuring the cast.

Gate Geek – Universe Premiere and Other Tidbits

Emmy’s are Diggin’ the Geeks

The Emmy Award Nominations are out and the geeks seem to be doing the same as always.  But hey, the folks who do all the technical stuff work hard on it.  Let’s congratulate the great crew of our favorite geeky shows on jobs well done.  (And there are some major ones in there.)

  • Robot Chicken – Animation Series,  and Voiceover for the Star Wars Episode II episode
  • The Big Bang Theory – Best Comedic Actor, Art Direction
  • Lost – Best Drama Series, Best Supporting Actor, Sound Editing (Series), Writing (Drama)
  • Heroes – Art Direction, Visual Effects (Series)
  • Battlestar Galactica – Directing (Drama), Single-Camera Editing (Hour-Long), Sound Editing (Episode), Sound Editing (Series), Visual Effects (Series) and Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Program
  • Legend of the Seeker – Original Music Composition
  • Smallville – Sound Editing
  • Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Program
  • Terminator – Sound Editing
  • Sanctuary – Visual Effects (Series)
  • Chuck – Stunts

We scour the complete PDF so you don’t have to!