Tampa Here I Come (Hanna willing)!

Zomg YES!  I get to go to Tampa for the FLCC, thanks to the generosity of none other than Stroker Serpentine, who’s letting me crash on his couch (or some other area in his abode)!  I’m not doing the “official” convention, the SLCC, mainly due to budget & the shift in focus of the convention tracks.  Were I not quite so broke or had gotten clearance for travel sooner, I would’ve stayed at the convention hotel, but one does not quibble about these things when one cannot change them.

Thursday night there is to be an Invitation Only Luau at Chez Serpentine, I do believe I will be on shuttle driver duty (hehehe), bringing partiers from the hotel out to Stroker’s villa, poolside.  Saturday night, of course, is Strokerz Ball (make of that what you will), at a local venue, it’s a Leather, Lace and Latex themed Mascarade Ball.  Last year’s blow out at the Hilton here in Chicago was memorable, tres’ facionable, and I expect this year to be maybe even more outrageous as we’ll not be subject to the “rules” of the Hilton’s decorum & circumstance.

Nala will be one of the featured DJ’s at the Ball, I am looking forward to hearing what the Peenk Cheecken lays down! Also, this will be the biggest gathering of RadioRadio DJ’s to date, as Vertigo Paris, Sezmra Svorag, Trinity Serpentine, Nala Galatea and myself, Madame Maracas, will all be in attendance. How cool is that?

Mostly I’m there “for the hugs” to spend time with those I know and love online and those I only know or know of a little bit.  Last year between my very sizable time sink duties running Registry and my cruddy health (needed to sleep pretty much whenever I wasn’t working I was wiped out), I didn’t get in nearly enough socializing, and frankly didn’t see any of the presentations.  So this year, the presentations aren’t really up my alley, my health is better, my budget is tighter.  As I’d said last year, if it wasn’t right here, 8 miles from my house, I’d not have been there, and honestly, I didn’t think I could go until about a little over a week ago.

SO, from tomorrow afternoon until late Monday I’ll be out of town.  I’ve not flown in years, I’m much smaller than last time, but I’m sure it will still be a squishy tight fit, I’ll manage.  My main concern once I am there is to remember not to get sunburnt.  I’ve spent my life w/a nice base tan, I doubt I’ve gotten really sunburnt more than 5 times in my whole life.  However I’m going there as pale as I was when I was born, so I’ll be a slathering on the protective goo!  Other than that, I’ll help out Stroker and his krew as best I can, hang out w/Trin & Nala and Co. whenever possible and will giggle, laugh, and hug folks as much as can improbably be allowed!