phoenix trip report, part 2

(Continued from part one)

I read Hammered when I got back to my room until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more, and had one of those awesome nights where I woke up every hour because I was afraid I'd oversleep.

In fact, I was so afraid of oversleeping, I set an alarm and a wakeup call on my cell phone, set an alarm on my clock radio, and ordered up a wakeup call from the hotel, all one minute apart. Then I woke up a few seconds before the first one went off, and laughed at how absurd it was as my hotel room turned into a clock shop for the next five minutes.

I finished Hammered while I ate breakfast (review forthcoming), then made my way back into the vendor's room, about 30 minutes before it opened, so I could scout around, and maybe trade some shiny gold rocks for various geek items.

I made all of my Save vs Shiny! checks, until I rolled a 1 when I saw Flesh Eating Ghouls from Outer Space, a DVD that looked like a classic B horror movie, done entirely with puppets. (I still haven't had time to watch it, but it looks totally awesome and awesome. Also, awesome.)

I walked around the indie artists area -- where my table was set up -- before I sat down as the doors opened for the day.

I was sitting at a table next to Felix Silva, who played Cousin It on the Addam's Family, and Twiki on Buck Rogers. Next to him was Walter Koenig, and next to Walter was Tim Russ. On the other side of me to my right was Steam Crow productions, a local indie company owned by Daniel Davis, who I would spend a lot of time talking with over the weekend. His wife and awesome kid were there with him, and they entertained me with their awesomeness for the whole show. Also, awesome.

For the next few hours, I met tons of WWdN readers, comic fans, Star Trek fans, fellow geeks, and tons and tons of teenagers who were seriously into their anime cosplay, mainly from Naruto and Inuyasha.

The day was a blur of friendly faces, signing autographs and books, shaking hands, posing for pictures, mutual geeking at scientists (there were lots of scientists there, mostly astronomers, who listened patiently to me while I slimed them with my slobbering geekiness) and my constant excitement and wonder that so many people knew about my books and wanted to pick them up.

This went on for a few hours. Then, during a lull in the day around lunchtime, Walter walked over to my end of the table after posing for a picture with some fans and looked at my books.

"I hear you're a writer now," he said, looking at Happiest Days, "What do you write?"

I told him.

"What's this one about?"

I told him, then I showed him the Manga.

"Check it out," I said, opening it to one page, "I totally blew up Leonard!"

He grinned, and I pointed to Dancing Barefoot.

"There's a story in here about the first time I met Bill, and what an ass he was to me," I said.

Walter laughed and said, "Who hasn't he been an ass to?"

I laughed with him. I suspect that if WFS had been there, he probably would have laughed with us . . . before ordering us off the bridge.

"If you're interested, and if you think you'd have time to read it," I said, "I'd love for you to have a copy of Happiest Days."

Walter smiled at me, surprised. "Really?"

"It would mean a lot to me," I said.

"I'd like to buy it from you," he said.

We danced for a minute, me trying to give it to him, and him trying to pay me for it. It was an exquisite tango, and I won't reveal the victor, because it's not that important. What is important to me, though, is that Walter has a copy of my book, which I hope he reads, because there's this story in it about conventions that I think he can appreciate on a different level than most readers.

After Walter and I talked, I grabbed my camera and checked out the rest of the con. After ten minutes or so, it hit me: this con was exactly like the cons I went to when I was a kid. This con, like PAX, reminded me what cons could and should be. There were families, couples young and old, and hundreds of teenagers everywhere, all having a great time being geeks. And that's the thing I love about cons: it's not just accepted, it's encouraged, and it's where I feel home.

I spent the rest of the afternoon the way I spent the morning, including a rather exciting moment when I unexpectedly sold out of Just A Geek, and headed back up to my room around 6 so I could eat dinner, and prepare for my show that was suddenly just two hours away.

While I read blue light special to the pile of pillows on my bed, I had to stop for a minute and acknowledge how lucky I am.

"Here I am in Phoenix," I thought, "preparing to read a story from my third successful book, after having another awesome day at another awesome convention. This is fun. This is awesome. This is a good life."

I finished blue light special, then did Justice, cracking myself up way more than I should publicly admit, because it makes me feel like a dick to say so. But it's really funny, and I'm really proud of it! When I was touring with Just a Geek, I always looked forward to performing The Trade, because it was so fun to do, and I feel the same way about Justice, now. I love blue light special, and it can appeal to people who don't even watch Star Trek or know any of my other work, so it's a great piece of material to perform, but Justice is just plain fun to do.

"Just don't say 'fucking'," I told myself. "Replace it with 'screwing,' because it's funnier that way."

(Of course, when I was performing it, I said "fucking." Sorry about that, people who don't like it when I say "fucking," when I could instead say "screwing" or "care bears.")

I went downstairs and saw that, fifteen minutes before I was scheduled to start, there was already a line around the corner and down the hall to get into my show.

"I used to get nervous, right about now," I thought, "but I'm excited. Yeah, I'm really excited!"

I couldn't wait to get out on stage. I felt good.

The panel before mine emptied out, and I walked into the room. It wasn't that big, probably held about 100 or 120 people or so, about the size of ACME, and if it filled up, it would feel like more -- perfect for comedy.

I walked through a doorway at the edge of the stage, and waited in a hallway behind the room. I reminded myself what I wanted to say when I started, before I started reading, and then I just . . . relaxed for a minute. It was pretty awesome to not feel nervous and terrified, like I did before my PAX keynote, and pretty much every other time I've been on stage since I started doing stuff like this again so many years ago.

I heard my introduction, and walked out on stage.

The room was about 80% full, with a few people standing in the back.

"This is going to be fun," I thought, and it was. For the next hour, I had a great time, entertaining a great audience who was with me the whole time, even when they pretended to turn on me during Justice.

At the end of my performance, most of the audience went to hear Tim Russ get his rock and roll on, and I sat down at a table in the hallway to trade books for shiny gold rocks. This is when I had my most emotional moment of the con.

A young girl, probably no older than 10 or 12, wanted to buy a copy of Happiest Days. I didn't think she'd like it as much as the Manga, so I asked her if she wanted to have that, instead.

"It's in the vendor's room down the hall," I said, "so let me send someone to go pick it up for you --"

"This isn't for me," she said, "this is for my stepdad. He'll really like it."

I almost started to cry. For the first time since I've been raising Ryan and Nolan, I've recently been made to feel the step in stepdad, and it hurts more than anything.

"I'm a stepdad," I said to her, taking a deep breath to steady myself, "and I think it's the greatest thing in the world that you want to do something kind for him."

I blinked back tears as I signed it.

"Here ya go," I said, "You're both very lucky."

I know I signed other books that night, but after that, nothing stands out.

Comments

[kristinalead]

Awesome!

[kristinalead]

Oh wait! I mean, fucking awesome!!

[FusedLight]

You have got to come to Saint Paul (or that OTHER city across the river).

I've said it many times, but when my step son says to me "you may not be my father, but you're my dad" I get choked up. You've done it right, Wil!

[JennyW]

You totally rock, Wil. Thanks again for coming to Arizona. I thoroughly enjoyed basking in your awesomeness. I loved the story about Walter wanting to pay you for your book.

[Syndelin]

Sounds like a great trip all around.

That last little bit there brought tears to my eyes. You know, I've had 2 step-dads, and either one of them separately were more of a dad than my real father ever was to me. The fact that I was lucky enough to have not only one, but two men in my life that were there for me as long as they could be (the first passed away when I was 20ish), and loved me like their own, is something that means the world to me. I have no doubt that it does (or will when they're old enough to appreciate it more!) to Nolan and Ryan as well.

They're very lucky too.

[Andrew]

That last bit took my breath away. What a beautiful moment.

[Coppervale]

I just finished the book (HAPPIEST DAYS) last night. Loved it. And I'm very impressed, Wil.

My own brother is also a Jeremy - and I'm your contemporary, so many of the stories hit home.

I'm glad you felt the way you did about the con. I did, too. Those people make it feel like coming home. And it sure didn't hurt that you were next to Daniel, who is a world-class nice guy!

James

[slackferno]

Flesh Eating Ghouls From Outer Space...awesome? Not so much. Maybe I'm a puppet snob (and I most likely am), but I saw a lot of failed potential in it.

[angie k]

Wow! That sounds like an absolutely awesome con! What great stories. It sounds like the entire time was awesomeness wrapped up and sauteed with total win. (Internet speak aside reading how great it went, the part about Walter Koenig, and the little girl made me very happy. It sounds like there was a lot of joy there. And that's beautiful.)

It makes me want to go to a great con. Maybe I'll beg time off from work this year and go to PAX.

So glad you had a good time. P.S. Your ficlets (care bears) rule.

Cheers!

[beelkay]

I'm sorry to hear about the "step" thing. Keep Chicago in mind while you're touring!
B :0)

[fairnhite451]

Damn you Wil!

I've learned to recognize from tone that there are certain of your posts that I just can't read at work due to the emotional reaction they'll bring out.

And then you went and snuck that last bit in there.

fucker. ;-)

Now I have to close my office door for a few minutes...

[ech]

Always remember that being a dad is about love and not biology.

[hellocasey]

care bears.

wil, i'm a stepparent too and this entry just made me sniffle and squee. thank you for sharing this moment with us.

[Xaqtly]

Wil, I've long been a fan of yours because - well because you're awesome. Your blog, your books, your attitude, everything. That last bit about the stepdad prompted me to post just because it got to me so much. I don't even know why I'm posting other than just to say I identify with it and I appreciate you sharing it with me, and everybody else who reads your blog. As cheesy as it is to say this, I hope you never stop being you.

[Mrs. L]

Also, Awesome.

[Celtic Mama]

Wil, you're awesome, and you are a DAD. Never forget that! You may be a step because they aren't biologically yours, you're still a dad. You don't write about those boys like they some kids who came along with Anne. They are as much a part of you as biological kids would be.

[PrincessWHN]

My stepdad David was a much bigger influence on my life than my "real" dad. He died when I was 12. I still miss him all the time. I think, Wil, that anyone who is willing to put in the kind of time and love and energy with their kids that you are is a great parent first and foremost, and a "step" anything only a distant second.

[canuckotter]

Wil, I'm a biodad, and I have to tell you, there's a difference between a biodad and a stepdad.

...

The stepdad knows who the kids are ahead of time and chooses to be their daddy.

Other than that... Being a father has nothing to do with sharing genes. And the longer I'm a father, the more certain I am of that fact.

[mhaithaca]

Hey, Wil. Thanks for giving me something to tear up about other than the document about Zimbra and Exchange Server I'm editing for my boss.

[MikeN]

The Flesh Eating Ghouls reminds me of the old "mad monster party" perfect - Halloween night viewing. I thought it was a classy move from Koenig to offer to buy your book rather than simply take it but the conversation you had with the young girl was genuinely heart-tugging. You are truly awesome sir.

[Silntbob]

Dude, you are a first class dad to those boys and they know it. It gets proven time and time again in your writing.

And it sounds like you are getting more and more happy being a writer than you ever were or, in my opinion, could be, being an actor. I am very happy for you :)

[TimCost]

"I almost started to cry. For the first time since I've been raising Ryan and Nolan, I've recently been made to feel the step in stepdad, and it hurts more than anything."

I'm a stepdad also, and I know exactly what your talking about. Thank you for putting it in words.

[lizreay]

Dammit, made me cry again. :)

[shepie]

I muat agree with everyone and say that you do not have to be a "bio" in order to love your children. I too am a step-parent (as well as having an adopted mother and a step-father) and I love my daughter like she's my own. As a matter of fact we normally attend cons together, but this time around she couldn't time off from work(I'm sure you didn't need to know that, but I had to throw it out there). She's 19 and I'm very proud of her being on her own, going to school, and working. As I am sure that you are very proud of your sons.
Keep up the great work and I hope to see you again. Until the next con!
Sherill

[Kate]

From one of the astronomers you slimed with your geekiness, thanks for taking the time to chat with my friends and I. It was totally...well, awesome! Your Wesley picture hangs next to the signed Max Rebo in my office and I'm halfway through Happiest Days. I'm loving it. :)