Talyesin's Tales

Does anyone know when the Kaleidoscope Gathering is this year? Their website is singularly unhelpful.

I'm looking at next year's schedule, in terms of travel plans. It's starting to look like I'm heading to California at least twice (maybe three times) - once for the twins' graduation, once for Cindy's wedding, and hopefully, once for the Nerd Prom, Geekapalooza itself, San Diego Comic Con.

But then there's the (relatively) local cons: Ad Astra in March, which I have to (willingly, gleefully even) attend because it's the launch of my short story, "The Mysterious Case of Spell Zero"; Polaris in July... World Fantasy Con in Calgary in November conflicts with Cindy's wedding, which I'm not going to miss. It's unlikely that I'll do Anime North next year, despite the good time I had this year. It's a good con, though... I dunno. It all depends on my finances, ultimately.

Kaleidoscope next year conflicts with my 20-year high school reunion, but I'm not missing KG again if I can absolutely help it. I'll go up for the few days leading up to the reunion on Saturday, drive home for the reunion (missing the Bardic, alas), drive back to KG afterwards. AND San Diego Comic Con is the weekend before KG... I'd have to get off the plane and drive right to the campsite, LOL!

Of course, in order to go to all these conventions and festivals and events, I'll need fifteen days of vacation at least. And the money to pay for them all.

Selling a novel would take care of the money...

Did I forget to mention that all this in the midst of having convinced myself that next year I absolutely, without fail, will go camping at least once a month come summer? LOL...

Back from camping. MAN OH MAN, did I ever need it. People kept telling me they'd never seen me so relaxed, which really was food for thought as to how stressed and tense am I in the city? But four days in nature has renewed my soul. I honestly can't imagine not going next year, and possibly every year.

Of course, four days of walking barefoot left my feet so completely filthy I had to sit down in the shower and scrub them with a brush... Small price for peace of mind and a renewed soul!

Met some wonderful people, got to know acquaintances, and just... relaxed. And, unlike last year, I didn't drink myself stupid! Yes folks, he can be taught!

All this to say, I'm definitely going back next year.

Gone camping, back late Sunday.

"If you can't be good, be good at it." - Keith David

*sigh*

So I can't go to Kaleidoscope.

Oh well.

I received my invitation to pre-register for this year's Kaleidoscope Gathering.

Long-time readers will remember the camping trip I went on last year. It was a pagan festival that I thoroughly, UTTERLY loved. Probably the most relaxing weekend of my life.

I really, really, REALLY want to go this year. There's only two problems, and ironically neither of them is monetary.

The first, and lesser issue, is that the Kaleidoscope Gathering happens to fall the exact weekend before the Gathering of the Gargoyles. I suspect I'll be very busy that weekend with Garg-related business. I know, I can probably get away for a couple of days without the Con falling apart.

The second is getting there and getting back. I don't have a car; the Festival starts the Thursday and ends the Monday, so most folks heading there are going then, not when I can go, which is after work Friday and back Sunday evening.

Last year I went and it was a thoroughly magical experience. I can probably scrape together enough cash to pay my registration, and bring sandwiches and stuff enough to make it two days and an evening, so that all isn't the issue, so much as the lift.

Crap.

Here, hang on...

Kaleidoscope is the weekend BEFORE the Gathering!

O.O

I... I could do... both?!

*HAPPY TAL DANCE*

So you’re probably wondering about my past camping trip vacation weekend getaway.

And if you’re not, I’m going to tell you anyway.

This past five days were probably the most relaxing of my entire life. I didn’t know how much I needed to get away from it all. I got so far away from it I didn’t even think about LLO, email, LJ, or job search AT ALL until Monday morning. Wow.

( Read all about it! )

It was an amazing, unbelievably relaxing, magical weekend, and I’m glad I went. Props go out to t! and Raven. Dez and Hobbes, you ma peeps, yo. Raise it!

After three days, all the optimizing is done. Finally. All the thumbnails and the pics are saved for web.

There's a curious feeling of both accomplishment and simultaneously depressing about taking 20 megs of images and compressing it to 8 megs. Like, 20 megs is Wow, I have this huge body of work! And 8 megs is Oh, only 8 megs... but also, Hey! I compressed it to 8 megs! Go me! I mean, it's still 197 images, regardless, but... ah, I'm rambling again. Brain fried from much things of compressing and stuff.

In other news, I'm heading camping this weekend with t! and his SO. So there won't be any updates or posts from Thursday to Monday. Anyhow. Actually getting away from it all.