Post-Con fatigue is very real.
Particularly for this hardcore introvert.
It’s not that I don’t absolutely love Can*Con, or everyone who shows up to the event. I very much do. I’ve really missed everyone. It was so great catching up with familiar people and meeting new ones. But being there with the number of people and level of noise takes a lot of focus and energy bandwidth that is thoroughly depleting. It’s so hard to explain without it sounding like I’m complaining! I’m not complaining, I promise! I had a brilliant time.
Friday was great. I arrived early as my ride (thanks, Dad!) had to spend the day prepping for a dinner, and I was more than okay with taking the day to wander around downtown Ottawa in the cold. I set up - not the first despite being there so very early - and then fetched myself some breakfast. I sat down to write my morning pages (more on that in a later post, I think), and relaxed before heading back to the hotel to write the blog post that was supposed to have gone up Monday. I did more wandering, before heading to Kyoto Sushi on Bank St, where it has become my tradition to stop in for lunch on the Friday of Can*Con. I returned a little early in search of more caffeine, which was free (lovingly provided by JenEric Coffee) in the Con Suite.
I was a little early - the suite hadn’t opened yet, so I helped set things up before getting my brew and heading down again.
It was great coffee.
Then, suddenly, it was time. The convention began, and I was behind my table, caffeinated and ready. It was a blast, and too soon I was off for my first panel of the weekend - Creating a Chivalric Order. It was a blast. I was in a goofy mood, and I think it showed. Not sure I was interesting or intelligent, but I had fun.
Saturday was great. I spent the morning and the early afternoon teaching martial arts, as is my usual Saturday. Then I raced to the convention with the help of one of my students (thank you, Kaylee!) and made it just in time for my hour of the Renaissance 10th anniversary party, book launch and major announcement. I’ll talk more on that major announcement in a later post. Then the rest of the afternoon was spent behind the table, before heading up for the launch of Marie Bilodeau’s latest book. It sounds amazing, by the by. Get ye a copy of Oath Breaker! By then, however, I was utterly spent. I dashed home as soon as I was able. I wish I had the energy to stay longer, but I just couldn’t.
Despite having slept long and well, I was totally out of it on Sunday. I stayed behind my table, trying very hard to focus, but couldn’t. I spent a lot of the time away with the fairies, as my grandmother would say. I jumped on a panel in the afternoon - Serious Fighting. I wasn’t originally scheduled for that panel, but one of the panellists had to leave early so I filled in. It was a great panel. Fonda Lee was an absolute font of writing wisdom and also a lovely person. I would have loved to stay and chat martial arts with her more, but she is a busy woman in high demand, so I opted to return to my table where I spaced out for the last 30 minutes of the con.
Then it was home, given a ride by Nathan (thanks, Nathan!), I hauled my nonsense up the four flights of stairs to my apartment, ordered some dinner because I was too exhausted to cook, cuddled my cat, and slept like the dead.
As always, Can*Con was a wonderful event filled with wonderful people. I cannot recommend this convention enough. And, this year was particularly exciting because I have not one, but two announcements to make, but those will have to happen later. I’m tired again, and have to go grocery shopping or there’ll be nothing to eat this week.
Ciao!