I went to my very first Supernatural Convention.
Think ComicCon, but for one specific show.
The convention was held in Toronto. It officially began on the Friday, but some events took place on Thursday October 5th. The Con finished up late on Sunday the 8th.
I decided to go down on the Wednesday and come home on the Monday.
Note: This happened to be Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend.
There is NO way I could possibly cover everything there is to say, but I'll try to hit the highlights.I took the train - Business Class - there and back.
First time on a train too, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Business class gets a nice hot meal, snacks and drinks. Yes - Drinks.
When I arrived, I was met by a friend who I had only chatted with on-line and by phone/Skype (or the Facebook equivalent to be precise). Pamela was there with a sign to greet me.
You see, she and I had been scheming a bit over the past few ...months.We were part of an online group of girls who were all going to attend this Convention. I had the idea of doing up some special "bling" for our group, and the idea took off. Pamela and I both contributed bits and pieces and surprises to make loot-bags for our whole group. We called ourselves the SPN Posse.
I made up door hangers and personalized etched glasses. I did some special - hand made Bling (Floating Locket style) and picked up leather bracelets and chain necklaces - all SPN Themed. Pamela found some Awesome Supernatural lanyards to include. I picked up some "blind patches" from HotTopic , did some magnets and stickers. We also included Gum and Tissue packs adorned with our SPN Posse stickers.
Knowing this, we tried to organize a meet-n-greet with our Posse. I volunteered my room for everyone to drop in on the Thursday evening, or anytime folks needed to crash, chat or have a snack. (Note, I was going to meet 2 new friends, who would also be my roommates. They seemed ok with my offering of our room.)
Back to my arrival.
We grabbed a cab from the train station to the Hotel - all of 2 blocks, but man I had a lot of stuff. Pamela helped me with check in and she was able to find what would be her room - just down the hall from mine. That night the Loot-Bags were put together.
The next morning, we set off to pick up supplies; $150+ at the LCBO and another $90 at the grocery store and we were exhausted!! Pamela had was our local ambassador and set out several times to greet our Posse members as they arrived in town. Meanwhile, I was setting up our mini-bar and snacks.
Folks started to arrive, check in and drop by later that afternoon. Including my roommates; Karen and JinJu!! I could not have asked for better roomies! These girls were great.
We did our best to make room for our posse to drop in, have a drink, snack, chat and check the loot-bags. They were a hit, btw. :) We all had a blast, and although not everyone was able to make in for Thursday evening, the crew that did show up was fantastic!! (Not just our Posse either. Other folks were welcome and did stop by.)
Pamela was taking part in one of the early Con events scheduled on Thursday evening, so she popped in and out as she could. We got to hear all about the PJ Party with Kim and Bri. (Her story to tell, but she had a blast!!)
Pre-registration (check-in) started on Thursday evening, and we had a chance to exchange our printed tickets for out passes. Some photo-ops needed to be exchanged as well. We also had the opportunity to buy autograph or photo ops that we still needed/wanted.The vendors' room was also open, although it would grow a bit over the weekend.
The Con was put on by Creation Entertainment and they had t tables set up - one with a whole slew of merchandise; t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, tote bags and some other cool swag... Their other table was covered - COVERED - in 8x10 prints. Mostly, they were available to purchase and use for autographs, but they had others that were already signed as well.I made a decision, after seeing the schedule, that the best idea, for me, was to purchase 8x10 for each of my autographs (or combos). Ideally, I would have a photo op, then use the print to get an autograph, but the schedule suggested that the timing might not work out, so I opted for the 8x10s.
Friday - Con Day 1.
I was excited, confused, lost and in complete awe.First up was Death! Yes Death! Played by Julian Richings.
To say I was excited would be an understatement.
Let me start by saying that the (my) first event was a panel (Q&A) with Julian, but...
Rich (Richard Speight Jr) was the MC of the con, accompanies by Rob (Rob Benedict) and Louden Swain to introduce, play on and off each panel guest.
I didn't know what to expect, and it would have soared miles above even if I had expectations.Julian was funny, engaging, charismatic, and completely delightful.
Now - I have to be honest - the whole weekend was a bit of a blur, so some of the details may be out of order...
Up next was a panel with Emily Swallow. (She plays The Darkness!!! ie. God's Sister)This played out well, as Rob (see above) Plays God and he's already up on stage with Rich (Who Place the Arch Angel Gabriel). They had a (not so) tender family reunion - all in good fun!
These first two panels set the stage for what would be a crazy few days.
Next up were a few Photo Ops.
Being a first time Con-goer, I really was not on top of things and only managed to make it to my first Op with Death thanks to my good friend Tristan! (Thank you again buddy!!)
Me and Death - Death and Me...It was crazy fun and when I exited the Op room, I ran into Tristan again. Along with his wife Shannon, we hurried up the escalator as I happily chanted "I survived my brush with Death, I survived my brush with death". Just then, as if on cue, my flip-flop got caught on the metal edge escalator step and I smashed the underside of my toes into the sharp edge. Almost took a wipe-out/face plant into the metal steps. My chant changed to " I didn't survive, I didn't survive..." . There was no blood, but a bruise was already starting.
I took that opportunity to run (hobble) back to my hotel room and change into some sensible shoes.
•Me, Rich & Rob: I went in for a full on hug sandwich with Rich and Rob, but mixed it up for the other Ops.
•Me with Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster; Kim plays Sheriff Jodi Mills, Briana plays Sheriff Donna Hanscum.
For my Op with the Girls, I found myself speaking super fast: "I wannd do the thing with the guns but I don't know how." Kim, the pro she is, guided me super quick : you stand here and point your gun like this." and boom - we got this shot. Could not have turned out better.
•Me with Rob (solo op): I had made a sign for my photo with Rob (God). No words were needed. I walked up holding my sign, he read it, laughed and we posed.
After the Photo Ops, there were a few Autograph sessions:
Richard Speight Jr:
Robert Benedict:
Julian Richings:
Briana Buckmaster & Kin Rhodes:
Emily Swallow:
Then there was a moment to breath.We headed back to our hotel rooms. Some of our Posse and some new friends stopped by to chat, share, drink, snack... We all mostly had stories or photos to share and we were all already running on adrenalin. (Did I mention it was JinJu's Birthday Weekend?!)
That evening was the Karaoke Party.
The theme of the evening was Old Timey Carnival.
I had brushed off and brought my old Clown kit and stocked up on balloons.
I swear to Chuck that all I wanted to do was make a few balloon dogs or giraffes or whatever - just to have some fun.
I practiced a few animals and did a flower or two... then we were off to Karaoke.
(It's probably pertinent to mention that I hadn't eaten almost at all by that point in the day.)
We arrived in the hall and we were not early by any means. There were already lots of people up by the stage ready to sing and dance and have some fun.
The idea of the night was, folks had submitted a song they would like to sing and if they were called, they would be asked up on stage to sing with the celebrities.
Now, a few crazy things happened - more than a few.The crowed gathered and I started to pull out my balloons. I did a few simple animals them someone asked if I could do an... "adult" balloon. So I did... and that was it for animals. Only Dick Balloons for the rest of the night. I make 'em so you can put them on your head - like a Dick Head...
Then the celebrities came on stage. (Celebs included all that had been there throughout the day and the addition of Matt Cohen who plays Young John/Arch Angel Michael) They did there thing and introduced each other as planned, but they were facing a crowd with a bunch of Dicks staring back at them... and I kept makin' 'em ...
They mostly laughed and thought is was funny, and considering one of the celebs (Matt) came on stage with a blow-up doll, it all seemed to be within the flow of the evening.
The women celebs, whom I respect dearly, seemed to be offended. Not sure why a blow-up doll is ok, but not a balloon dick.Speaking of the blow-up doll, we named her Doris and she crowd surfed. When she made it back on stage... you guessed it, she had a balloon dick.
The first song that was called was "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves, a favorite from the show as it's associated with Charlie (played by Felicia Day). As was the plan, Tristan and Shannon (who happened to be celebrating their honeymoon at the con) we called up to sing. Wow!!! Awesome! Great song and so appropriately the first. They sang with the celebs and the whole room. Loud and Proud - we sang it strong - every word!
It was at this point that I started to feel a little sick. It was warm, I was exhausted and hadn't eaten.
There were lots of names called and songs sung. Then we hear Pamela's name called - Awesome.
She chose "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies. That's one hard song. The karaoke machine couldn't even keep up, but Pamela pulled it off. I believe it was Rich that said: "That is the braves thing I've ever seen anyone do at Karaoke!" Most of us could only watch in awe with our jaws on the floor.
There were more songs and more balloons and there were some special photo ops with the celebs in their carnival gear. I was able to do up some balloon puppies and hand them over to Sophia (One of our Posse girls) who had an Op with the Kim & Bri. She handed them over as an apology for the "other balloons" ;) Lots of fun. Thank you Sophia!!Saturday - Con Day 2
First up - Panel with Kim & Bri.
Super fantastic women. Funny, smart, very engaging and happy to chat about whatever questions came their way. They were inspiring to listen to.
Next up - Panel with Rob, Rick and Matt.(A little bizarre as Rob and Rich being the MCs and to announce themselves on stage.)
Again - Fantastic experience - they were all so engaging, gracious and personable.
It was at this point that I realized just how overwhelmingly drop-dead gorgeous Matt truly is. But enough of that.
There was a bit of a break, but even brakes are full of stuff to do and see at an SPN Con.There was a Costume Contest (JinJu dressed up like a Bee) with 3 categories, one for the under 16? or was it 14?... One for the adults and one specifically for folks dressed up as Castiel.
I zipped out with T&S to see what was happening in the Vendor's room. Much to our surprise, Louden Swain strolled in and began an impromptu, informal unplugged jam session. It was Fantastic to see.
I had to rush away for a Photo Ops with an Angel of the Lord: Ah Misha. I asked for a "sexy hug". He did his part, but I look a little too goofy for it to be called sexy. But Misha and goofy kinda go together. I loved my Misha hug.
It was back to the Q&A room for Mark Shepard's Panel:
He was looking rough, he explained that he was sick, but he did his best to continue - such a trooper. He was apparently a little crustier than his usual self, but I guess that's to be expected when you're sick... and the King of Hell.He gave some sarcastic and 1-word answered, but softened up when he was asked bout his daughter.
He's a good guy, who was feeling crappy.
Next Up Photo Op with Misha & Mark.
I had on my Raise a Little Hell t-shirt, my newly acquired Sock Monkey hat and had an idea about what I wanted for the Op. However, as I entered the "picture taking zone", before I had a chance to explain, Misha grabbed the dangly bit on my Sock Monkey hat and pulled me in, pretending to give me a kiss. "This" I said, "I want this!" Love them both!!
Next Op was R2M: Another cute story. As the person in front of me left after their picture, (music is always playing in the Op Room) Matt did a huge Rock 'n Roll jump with an awesome scream face. I gave him an approving look and said that that's what I wanted in my op. They delivered!!
Back to the Panel for Q&A with Misha. Oh Boy - he started right off with an intimate discussion about his mother-in-law and ... Porn - '70's porn, or as he put it, it epitome of porn... He's awesome and seems to have no boundaries or filters. It seems like a blur now, but I enjoyed every second of it!! (He also mentioned about an on-set 'prank' - more like torture - that Jensen pulled on him whilst filming S13E01 - made us simultaneously giggle and cringe. Good Times.)
Next up was Autographs from Mark, Matt and Misha:
Mark Shepard: Mark looked tired, but did his best for the fans, he's a pro!
Matt Cohen: Even hotter close up. Crazy good looking! Also, very nice guy.
Misha Collins: He was sweet (I took the opportunity, on behalf of my entire Gishwhes team to say, and I quote "What the F&%#, Misha?!" He looked up and laughed. I love his smile.
The day gave way to evening rather quickly and it was soon time for Saturday Night Special.
I laughed, I cried, I sang, I clapped, I danced a little...
I think it's about time I mention one of the superstars of the weekend - Chris Schmelke. This guy is an unsung hero in my books, although, if you've been to, or seen posts of Photo Ops taken at a con, you already know who he is. He's the Fantastic photographer responsible for making each and every person look like a million bucks! And he plays guitar! He was up there, on stage, belting it out!! Multi-talented, he is!Sunday - Con Day 3
These guys are on point all the time. They play off each other so well and they are so comfortable with who they and their characters are. It's unbelievable to watch them together.
Next up was autographs from Jim Beaver. He's such a cool down-to-earth guy. I thanked him for filing in last minute and said he was a rock star. He cracked a joke and we laughed together for a moment.
Up next was Photo Op J3 (Jared, Jensen & Jim). We were lining up to wait for the ops, the guys had taken a break, music was playing. I was in the op room, maybe 15th in line or so. The line curved around the room, and where I was, there was a door (sort of) behind me. "Stuck in the Middle with You" was playing and I was singing along. The door opened and the guys came in. Jensen was singing too, and as the line split (at me) his eyes met mine and we sang the chorus to each other (with the obligatory point at the end). I could have died right then and there.
When I finally got up for my Op, I stupidly told Jared to stand behind me because "I think you're still taller than me". What? ...what?! Anyhooo - I love this picture!
Op J2M (Jared, Jensen, Misha):
Again the inspiration for this op came moments prior. I had with me a stuffed sock monkey and Moose. I snagged a t-shirt with a squirrel on it in the Merch room. I handed the Moose to Jared: "Love your Moose", the Sock Monkey to MIsha: "Love your Monkey", then turned to Jensen, pointed to my shirt with the squirrel and mouthed "Love your Squirrel", with smile. He gave me a knowing look & a nod, then scooped me in for an awesome hug.
As if they thought I would breathe after that, there was more to come.
Q&A Panel Samantha Smith; she plays the boys' mother on the show. She's rather soft spoken, but a complete delight. She's funny and engaging. She has a lot of insight to her character and how she fits in the show.
Next up was Jim Beaver's Panel - He plays Bobby Singer, the boys' surrogate father on the show. He's super funny and he received the only standing ovation (for a panel) during the entire weekend. He was a super replacement for JDM. And we were all so happy to see & meet him!
Next Panel was J2 - Ya - the place was Packed!! and these guys did not disappoint! while only the Gold ticket holders got to go to their earlier panel, everyone could come to this one. It was beyond great.A few points of interest. (and forgive me if I get the 2 panels mixed up)
 |
| Photo by Em_Nightingale Emilie Rossignol |
There was a girl asking a question, but she started off by telling the guys that she named her cat Winchester. Jared, trying to show interest: "Awe, what kind of cat?" He almost immediately regretted the question. The girl replied "Russian Blue". The ensuing hilarity revealed that Jared has zero knowledge of cats... and Jensen wasn't much better, but managed not to 'step in it' as much. Jared pondered if "Cheshire" was a breed of cat. Jensen could only shake his head...
Another funny moment came when a little girl was at the mic to ask a question. The boys very sweetly asked her her name. When she replied: "Lilith" both Jared and Jensen, as if on cue, leapt from their chairs and bolted to the other side of the stage. It was Perfect!!! The audience roared with approval.It could not have been planned any better.
They also had an on-going joke... "talk amongst yourselves"
These guys are fan-freaking-tastic.
Next for me was a Photo Op with The King of Hell. While I'm not 100% certain, I do believe that this is the point that the King of Hell gave me the Cold from Hell. (It wasn't really that bad - I wore it like a badge of honour.) Love Mark.
My final Op of the Con was J2. I had full intentions, that since I hugged Jensen on the J2M Op, that I would do a Hug Sandwich facing Jared, but when I got there, it was Jensen all the way. Sorry Moose.
All that was left were Autographs: J2 & Samantha.
I was able to chat a wee bit with each.
Jared Padalecki:
I asked Jared how he was holding up - Long day? He looked at his watch and said he was still good to go, that it was only 5 (or so) Vancouver time! Power to him - I'm sure he's used to it, but I know I was exhausted.
Jensen Ackles:
With Jensen I was able to tell him that when I first started watching, that I felt I needed to protect them from all the evil, but that now... (with a wink) I would be happy for them to protect me. I got a smile for that comment. Good Chuck he's a good looking man.
Samantha Smith: I was able to tell her that she is an inspiring and beautiful woman. She held my hand and thanked me. I thanked her right back.
Managed to get a few Selfies with Chris before it all wrapped up...
And then it was time to sleep. The events of that afternoon had all run a little late and it was crazy late by the time it was all done.
Monday: Post Con Day 1
The next morning - Canadian Thanksgiving Monday - many of our Posse met for breakfast and chatted - bitter-sweet. We were still on a high, but we were leaving, checking out, going back to normal.
Oh, We also met Lilith in the Lobby.
Not so scary. ;)
The Con experience was fantastic and I met many new friends with whom I will share a bond forever.
Thank you Toronto, Thank you Creation Entertainment, Thank you to all who came and to all I met and to all the volunteers and organizers and staff. Thank you to my awesome roommates and friends who kept me sane and on time.
#SPNFamily #SPNTor
Please note - Many of the pictures are mine, but more than a few have been swiped from twitter. I've left all watermarks on, and will happily give credit to the photographers, or if they wish, I will remove completely.
