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Oh god, you are most likely thinking, he's an anorak. Actually, no. A sci-fi fan is sometimes mis-represented as a geek who can't get a girlfriend and has no life away from his TV. This is un-fair especially since it is now considered cool to like Star Wars since Samuel. L. Jackson said he was a fan and then played a Jedi. So, here is a little rundown of some of the conventions I've been to and some of the people, famous or otherwise, that I have met. If you have bumped into me at a convention and would like to leave a message, then tag me on the front page or send me an e-mail. |
| When I got interested in
science-fiction, I also started to buy the magazines that
went with it. Inside the pages, alongside the comic
strips and book reviews, were Ads for various shops selling merchandise, next to these were smaller ads
consisting of other fans who wanted to communicate with
fellow "Trekkers". Lines that read "Troi
seeks Riker" or "Wanted: Minbari to
join Grey Council". I had no idea what these
meant until it suddenly hit me. These people were fans of
one show or another that wanted to meet up with other
fans wherever they might be. Some were young (or not so
young) people who wanted to have meaningful
relationships with partners who had the same interests as
them, others were just people who wanted to have some fun
talking about their favorite shows and others who were
just lonely & wanted to feel part of a group that
wouldn't laugh at them for what they enjoyed. Thanks to
my friend John, I attended my first sci-fi meeting/mini-convention
soon after, it was at Bournemouth University on a
Saturday Afternoon and featured episodes of Star Trek
and other sci-fi programs shown on the Uni's large cinema-style
screens. Also there were vendor's stands selling
merchandise ranging from rubber "Spock" ears
to "Buffy" board games to "Stargate"
arm patches.
While I was at the meeting a large mass
moved past me and I recognized it as a Babylon 5
style Vorlon, I asked John who built it and was told
"Clive Did". I was also told that Clive was
inside working the lights on it. I chased after the
"Vorlon" and addressed it's chest (as that's
where Clive's head was) and asked him about his costume.
Later I met Clive again (sans Vorlon) and we've been
friends ever since. I guess I should explain that Excalibur is actually
called The U.S.S.
Excalibur, and is part of a Star
Trek and Sci-Fi fan group called StarFleet : Quadrant 2, a country-wide network of groups including the
Excalibur, The U.S.S.
Pendragon in Woolston (which is
part of Southampton) and others around the country. Most
(if not all) have chosen charities that they give money
to by having fundraising events, and having raffles at
their monthly meeting (or Mini-Cons). Excalibur's Charity
is the The Macmillon Cancer Trust, Pendragon's is The Special Baby Care
Unit at The Princess Ann Hospital in Southampton. Joining any of these
groups is easy. To join Starfleet :Q2 costs around 10 pounds a year. Added to the fact you don't have to be a member of StarFleet to visit a group's meeting, Pendragon for one will welcome visitors, of course a small charge is made at the door to pay for the renting of the hall or wherever they meet. StarFleet members get in a bit cheaper. If you want to meet us come to the address below. Woolston Community
Centre |
| I can happily say that I have found a great number of good friends in Sci-Fi who are not the anorak wearing no-lives that most non-Sci-Fi people take them for. To the near right is Nicky, she was on the Excalibur's Float in the 2000 Poole Carnival which won a prize for it's design, which if you didn't realize was Doctor Who & The Daleks. Middle right is my mate Alex as Jango Fett from Star Wars: Episode II, and Far Right is Alex as A Jaffa from StarGate: SG-1. |
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The SF Ball The StarFleet Ball is a yearly Event held on or around the Valentines weekend and usually has a fairly large number of special guests. It also has a themed party on Saturday Night. You can come dressed up to conventions as shown in the pic of my friend Jenny as a "Buffy" Vampire and her one armed companion "Ash" from the Evil Dead movies. You can also get "picked up" by a few chaps from the Star Wars movies as Anna-li found out. Visit the Ball's official website |
As well as the ball, I have attended several one night conventions known as "An Evening With.....". These are single one-on-one get-togethers with a single star. Previous evenings have been with Andrew Robinson (Garek from DS9), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius from Farscape) and three gentlemen who were the villains from Deep Space 9 amongst others.
Note: I do not have permission from the featured actors to show these images, therefore I have had to make them very small AND place the "Copyrighted Image" sign on them. Please don't bother to download them or place them on any other website, It's not worth it!!-Maddragon2
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Left:
Myself and Alice Krige(Star Trek's The
Borg Queen) Right:
Me with Hattie Hayridge (Holly, Red Dwarf) |
Getting
snapped with Jeffrey Combs (DS9's Weyoun) |
Marc
Aliamo (Gul Dukat in DS9) proves that he's a nice
guy in real life. And he is! |
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Don't worry if you don't
recognise the lady on the left of this picture of DS9's Chase
Masterson, as she's more used to being behind the camera. This is Script Supervisor extraordinaire, Lolita Fajo of DS9 &
Voyager |
Robin Curtis - Saavik in
Star Trek's III & IV- chats to her many fans |
I know it's small, and a
bit fuzzy, |
This is what Scorpius
looks like on his day off. Then, he's known as Wayne Pygram |
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I'm a lucky so and so. I get to get pictured with the very lovely Jennifer Lien, that's Kes from Voyager |
