midnightmurdina

we didn’t make registration the next day. but we got checked in, and it tured out our room was right near the main hall so. despite Ally having to face the creaking old elevator of doom sounds. we made the party in good time. I as ‘alternative Harriet the spy’ and ally as an operative of the Federations Section 31.

we called it a night a lot earlier than we usually would, mainly to remove blue (i had a photoshoot the next day)

we went on duty during the final talks and i tested the reach of my new Camera’s zoom.

Very few people I know still read and even less use LiveJournal posts anymore, but its like a tradition to post updates to my strange little world here. ever since I met aeron_lanart .

so.
Its the begining of the 4th month of the year, April 1st 2018 15:00 and the british weather is as dreary and wet as you'd expect for february, only its April. at least in the fandom/music verse, my year is looking good.

Gigs:
Normally I end the year complaining that I've not been to enough gigs. and while 2 bands and one solo artist I want to see are playing and I can't see them, this year I cannot complain 2 bands I thought i'd never get to see are doing brief tours of the UK this year, and I have bagged tickets for my and my little trio to See Within Temptation, and me and my Parabatai to see Nightwish.

Conventions:

I missed my chance to meet Tom Wisdom when he did a Starfury in February. most people don't mark the chances they missed but I do. because it reminds me i want to Cosplay Michael at some future event.

Anyway....At the start of this year I was expecting a quiet one, a bit like last year after Forsaken was, I had my ticket for Italian Institute con in Milan and Sam and i were busy planning that..but as always Sean never lets me rest in peace (and mild boredom) he added 4 conventions to the 2018 roster. 2 regs and 2 new. 2 are one side of TIC two are the other. but its always best to prepare before, not

Currently, Including none starfury I have tickets to 3 conventions but I have 12 on my want to do list (including the three I have tickets for) I tried to be logical, weigh up what I can/could/should do.. but to be logical, well..frankly it never works with cons.

Wales Comic Con was a given. I've only missed maybe 1 April WCC and that was because of New Zealand. I go even if theres no one I majorly want to meet because its tradition. this year so far (after cancelations) I have 2 people I'm interested in : Craig Parker (LOTR, LOTS, Spartacus) and Amy Jo Johnson (MMPR).

Starfury: Ultimates is another thats become tradition, because I am a fan of a lot of the shows it covers, and because it falls around Aeron's birthday. this year I have one draw Melanie Scrofano (Wynnona Earp,Frankie Drake) but Starfury cons themselfs are reason to go in themselves

Collectormania 25 - ok so this ones hit and miss. i've only been to one other collectormania and that was so Aeron could meet Ming Na Wen (again, her birthday) but this year is one for all three of us. 3 cast from the original Highlander movie are going and . well. my little trio and Highlander - has to be done. now. I call it Hit and Miss because I'm..not really a Movie fan. I'm more about the tv show. but for the other two, their fans of both. and Aeron went to see it at the cinema when it first came out.  its not till June so they may yet get someone from the show. but we're all going as Immortals, which, unless you know the verse, for me, will look very underdressed at a con :D I've an idea for a photoshoot, but not sure he'll be up for it, we'll see.

Starfury:Enchanted-  a OUAT convention, which for me, is a must for reasons that have nothing to do with its subject. Jaime Murray (WH13, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena and Defiance) and Kirstin Baur Van Straten (True Blood)

<TIC2: see Pandemonium con at lists end.>


LFCC: so far this is the biggest maybe of all maybes as its the same month as I am in Milan. but if I can make it there is one reason so far. and its an important one.

Invasion: original a "con for actors who don't fit in the wheel houses of other cons but who people want to see attend Starfury con" this years is mainly Dark Matter themed, with Killjoys cast and Eve Myles and Allison Scagliotti along for the madness.
I love Eve Myles, but from the second this con was announced my reasoning has been defined: Killjoys. one of the few decent scifis in the pas few years. and one hell of a cast. the Killjoy guests for this outing will be led by one of the Jaquobis brothers - Aaron Ashmore (WH13, Lost Girl, Smallville, Killjoys)





Destination Star Trek: i've wanted to attend a DST for a while. but I'm currently not sure how to make this one work anymore than i've been sure how to make previous ones happen. its DS9 themed this year with the shows anninversary. but the draws for me both come from the Federations recent Addition: Discovery Jayne Brook (ST:Disco, Chicago hope) who plays Vice Admiral Katrina Cornwell and Jason Isaacs  (Pan, Harry Potter) who plays Lorca

Cal Mah: so. a few weeks..maybe actually a few months ago FCD organiser Will started asking if people would be interested in a convention specifically for Gaters (Stargate fans). then a about a fortnight ago he announced it was happening, in November, and tomorrow we should get the first guest and the final location (we know its leicestershire) now. everyone knows I am a gater. and I have wanted to do an FCD con for ages and missed my chance last year. so this.. this is a 2fer.

Starfury: Vampire Ball 9 - Vampire ball used to be our 'traditional' con but then finances and RL decided to be an ass. and we've since missed 4. now. we were planning on doing 9. this was reinforced by Sean announcing a guest who made even Heather want to say "Holy shitballs." in Ksenia Solo (Lost Girl)



Wales Comic Con 10.2  - ever year I don't seem destined to do Wales point 2. mainly because of whitby. but this year I'm more determined than ever to try because of one man. James Frain (Tudors, Gotham, Grimm, Disco, The Cape...) originaly signed to do point 1 had to reschedule because of filming. its one of 3 events in December so.. could be tight

and that leads me to the most suprising con announcment of the year so far. Pandemonium con;

Pandemonium con- a LONDON Shadowhunters convention has been announced for December, by a Spanish organiser, now, most people would be kicking themselves for not waiting just a bit longer, and buying tickets for a con in Milan. but I'm not. I saw the pics from last year and am looking forward to The Italian Convention2 and if then I meet the actors again in December, I'd say thats a bonus really.

December. My Birthday month, usual deader than tank tops has 3 cons I wanna do. plus the Nightwish gig which I already have tickets for. so. like i said.. could be interesting

in other upcoming things My mother will turn 70 in 4 days.

Forsaken- the uk's first (and most likely last) Shadowhunter verse convention

What more can I say but>>>>> <<<<I've tried to quantify what happened, into words, I've asked for quotes. and nothing sums up the fall of Rogue Events. especially not for those who attended its swansong

Minnie: my little black and grey familliar has had her troubles this year. teeth and liver both givng her jip. but she is still here and barking. and I thiank every angel, watchtower, demon and deitiy for her every chance I get. and I do not care if that is soppy.

Ave Aqua Vale (2017)
Ave Aqua Vale means Hail and Farewell. it comes from Cassandra Clares Shadowhunters, it is what they (Shadowhunters) say in place of the mundane "rest in peace." in our world it comes mainly from Catullus 101 by  Gaius Valerius Catullus "atque in perpetuum frater ave atque vale" which translates as "and forever brother, hail and farewell"

What a lot of people have been saying about 2017 is that it hasn't seen the departure of many 'stars and celebrities' and their right. last year I had to create a seprate section to my review to say a fitting farewell to those who would not see out the year. this year however, while smaller, it is no less disheartening.

John Hurt 1940 - 2017
most famous recently for his work in the Harry Potter franchise playing Garrick Olivander, with a career spanning nearly 60 years, SIR John Vincent Hurt CBE is/was/will always be one of Englands greatest acting talents.

Stephen Furst 1976 - 2017
To me Stephen will always Vir Coto, the bumbling loveable attaché to Ambassador Londo Molari in Babylon 5.

Nelsan Ellis 1977 - 2017
Nelsan is best known for playing the flamboyant short order chef Lafayette in HBO's True Blood. no fan will ever forget his face to face with a group of rednecks demanding "who ordered the burger, with aids!"

Chester Bennington 1976 - 2017
I'm not sure what to say here. Chester was the leader of one of the greatest bands ever! Linkin Park. their music spanned genre/fandoms/situations. you just had to listen and there was one of their songs somewhere.

personally after I did a mini AAV video after i found out it wasn't a prank, I didn't feel quiet up to listening to the band for a while, and that left me without anything to really write to...then I decided to go by a quote from Satai Delenn "we die, but what is built lingers." he's gone. but he'll never be forgotten, like all great musical artists he'll live on in his music

Chester lost a good friend of his to Suicide a few months before his own in fellow singer Chris Cornell in May. it affected him and some believe this lead to what happened in July.

Chris Cornell 1964 - 2017
both deaths were recorded as Suicide by Hanging.
both  death leaves a hole in music


Jonghyun - 1990- 2017
just this week as I was compiling this the world of Kpop lost Kim Jong-hyun better known mononymously as Jonghyun the leader singer of the band SHINee

one of my two best friends lost her parents this year, her father before her birthday and her mother just recently. before christmas. I never had the privilige of meeting her father. but the way she spoke about him made both myself and Heather feel we would have gotten along

The women (Ally and her two sisters) are. speaks volumes for the type of people her parents were. and thought I don't understand the belief system they held. I hope that wheever they have moved on to that they are happy.

1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
Hmmm... well, not as much as I would have liked.
*Went to Scotland with my Parabatai and my dad. its not my first trip to Scotland but its the first time I've been away with my dad and my Parabatai. hell it is the first time a friends been on holiday with us ever.  don't count Haye festival as that was two sets of friends (dad and his mine and heather) who happened to be going to the same place, for different reasons so shared a car, but stayed separately) mom stayed home to Dog sit, but there are plans afoot for us all to go off somewhere.

*Went to Wakefield comic con (its unusual if you know me, where I live and my opinion on said place)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don't do new year's resolutions. I don' see the point in them, their promise to do things that you make to yourself all year anyway the only special thing is their made on a certain date.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
about 15 days ago. my friend Midget had a little girl. Waverlee

4. Did anyone close to you die?
no. Thank the angel.

5. What countries did you visit?
England, Scotland, Wales (if you count Wrexham)

6. What would you like to have in 2018  that you lacked in 2017?.
More Gigs, More cons, Less owing people, more travelling.

7. What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I'm pants with dates but:
*Meeting the members of Counterfeit
*Forsaken convention
*meeting Casper Zafer
*meeting Carlos Valdes

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Can't says there has been any big achieving going on this year. it has been pretty limp

9. What was your biggest failure?
the fact that there hasn't been any big achieving or meets going on this year. missed most of the epicness.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
the usual teeth bs.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
well I am looking at updating my camera as a christmas present as we speak.
but I'd probably say at the moment the best buy of the year...can't think of one. probably my Starkweather ring which while not 'official' fits the description of a Shadowhunter family ring in the books.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Ally.
Anthony Rapp.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depresssed?
how long do you have?
Not going into the whys and wherefores but this year has made me really wonder about the fandoms I am part of. I'd never leave, not for all the verses but I just despair.

14. Where did most of your money go?
the usual. cons

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Forsaken - Meeting Jon Cor was...epicness

16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
Counterfeit's Romeo , Clean Bandits Symphony or probably Macklemore's Glorious I think

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?  meh.
b) thinner or fatter?  meh.
c) richer or poorer?  meh.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
cons. gigs. the usual.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
everything else (except travelling with friends)

20. How did you spend Christmas?
not there yet but I can pretty much tell you how its going to go. like every other year, slow and boring.

21. What was your favourite month of 2017?
April - Counterfeit gig and Forsaken.

22. Did you fall in love in 2017? &  23. How many one-night stands?

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
best i can give you is top 4.
Shadowhunters, Wynonna Earp, Emerald City and Midnight Texas,

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
oh so many people.

26. What was the best book you read?
its a coin flip between Ben A's "The Hanging tree". and Miss Gail Carrigers "Romancing the Werewolf."

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Far as I can think there hasn't been one this year.
I like Auger who supported Cruxshadows in Sheffield this year but I wouldn't say they qualify

28. What did you want and get?
To Forsaken, to meet Counterfeit.

29. What did you want and not get?
To Meet Joseph Morgan and Paul Wesley (another case of the less said the better)
To London - not been able to get to the capital properly at all this year.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
currently? don't have one but i'm still waiting to see Justice League after a month of cancelations and bad timing.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
33, went to York with the Parabatai and watched movies.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
probably going to the Italian Institute con instead of I9

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
old gothic fat chick with a cosplay and geek bent.

34. What kept you sane?
ha! thats a larf

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
see 22 and 23


36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Trumps determined to start world war 3, destroy freedom of speech and take us down with his country.
meanwhile our country (despite election results) continiues its slide down the porcelain p hole.

37. Who did you miss?
Didn't get to see Scott or Erykah this year. was odd.


40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year."
" Skin to bone, steel to rust
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
Let tomorrow have its way
With the promises we made
Skin to bone, steel to rust."


41. sum your __2017 up in pictures (IN NO ORDER)
This is going to be in my review which I am still working on.

1. What did you do in _____ that you'd never done before?

So a year ago today I would have been at the first party of the convention at Wolfsbane 4. its when i tried out Vodka Gumi bears for the first time. or should that be liquidated vodka gumi's since they didn't survive the trip, we then got handed a strange concotion from Hunter and as with my memory thats about the last point i can recall that night.

Wolfsbane 1-4 were some of my most fun times at a convention, I met some amazing people and got to finally talk Tok'ra with my SG1 hero, and got to share mask tales with Arsenal before he walked off into the sunset (on the show).

Wolfsbane will always be to me an important convention because it was the first time I'd been to a convention more or less solo since before Hub 3 in 2009 ish, I had my issues with solo cons or even just cons in London in general. I was so used to being the beta of a pair that it didn't seem normal to be... well, i guess I should start calling myself a veteran of cons, though i think i'm only on my 12th year now and I know people going for their 30th.
Anyway, London + Heather at my side +JR & Tyler H = a very happy me..

Sadly nearly all of my pictures were lost in a hard drive malfunction at the begining of this year. but that means that the sparse fews i do still have mean more to me than the copies upon copies i have from some other conventions.

2017 Rogue Folded and with it home for a 5th or any version there of.
but what remains is the pack. and every person in it knows who they are and that I am there when needed.

Amour, toux et fumée en secret ne sont demeurés.