(Re)Generation Who Con-Year 3. I love this convention. I really do. It is one weekend a year that we frivolously drop Jonas off with a family member and we head down to Baltimore with some of our best friends in the world. The ride down is always energetic, fun, and full of anticipation. I love checking into our rooms, dropping off our stuff, and heading down to see the earliest happenings at the convention. I have a lot of interests that inspire great Fandoms, but Doctor Who fans are some of the most inclusive and kind human beings there are. Attending (Re)Generation Who takes me out of my own head about the things that fuel my depression and anxiety and reminds me that solidarity exists and I can be myself. Sometimes my best self.
Here are some highlights from Who Con 2018:
- Rachel Talalay! I attended all of her panels and just love her. I became a fan of hers years ago when I saw the movie she directed, 'Tank Girl'. Since then she's done a lot of amazing work on shows I love, i.e. Sherlock, Doctor Who. During one of my favorite panels, Rachel showed a directors cut scene of Peter Capaldi's regeneration (God, I love his monologues) into the first female Doctor of the series, Jodie Whitaker. Her insight on women, equality, and the rise of the #MeToo movement was inspiring and thought provoking. In addition to that, Rachel was also advocating for gun reform and was raising money for that cause. I was thrilled that I got the opportunity to meet her, shake her hand, and tell her how much I admired her work. She was very kind.
- Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez-I was really surprised that Peter Capaldi came to the convention so soon after his run on the show but was thrilled with the opportunity to see him in person. Our budget couldn't justify the cost for a photo-op but I still got to see him up close and attend his panel. Later on after the meet and greet area was closed, I went and sat in Peter's chair and may have accidentally sniffed his chair...don't ask. Michelle Gomez is fun, hysterical, and NUTS! I probably had the most fun listening to her tell stories on her panel so I was quite excited to hear her spoil that she would be working with Big Finish in the near future.
- The Classic representation-I enjoy the Classic Who panels very much. Over the last year Jer and I have been doing decades worth of binge watching with no dent in episodes in sight. Many times I like a companion or a particular Doctor much more after enjoying their panels at the Who Con. I was disappointed that Sylvester McCoy wasn't at the Con this year...while (so far that I've seen) he isn't necessarily my favorite Classic Doctor, I find his energy, humor, and panel conversations, to be wildly entertaining.
- Standing with Whos Against Gun Violence. Sadly this convention was dampened by a school shooting that killed 17 human beings in Florida in February 2018. Gun violence is an epidemic in America with mass shootings being common news these days. The ease of gaining weapons designed for war and not personal protection, is alarming. AR-15s really have no business in our society. It is a complex debate with strong points on either side of the argument. With that being said I stood with the protesters (along with my friend in Weeping Angel Cosplay) as a representative of their message...Gun violence needs to end. We deserve to feel safe when sending our children to school, attending concerts, going to a museums, etc without the concern of being shot to death in the back of our minds.
- Karaoke-We ran into a guy that lived a couple of streets away from me in my hometown. We went to the same high school though he was older than me and I didn't know him. Talk about coincidence! Anyway, he played the game Heads Up with us for a while before letting us know he had a portable karaoke machine in this tiny bag he was carrying around. We had a blast. Jer still melts my heart with his rendition of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York.
- The usual stuff-Who Dance Party, having drinks and conversation in our hotel rooms, going to sample the Baltimore food choices, walking around the vendor rooms, checking out the panels, and spending time with Jeremiah and our like-minded friends.
Me and Jeremiah (as Matt Smith) causing trouble at Who Con
