Diversicon 2000

Despite the weird dress and "accentS" (please note the PLURAL on accent) of one of the bartenders (...something about escaping from a rubber room in a country near Transylvania), the MISFITS Pillow Party, held Saturday, July 29th at the Diversicon 9 (hosted by SF Minnesota) science fiction convention, was anything BUT a sleeper. It "Might have helped" that guests were "warned" that falling asleep on the pillows meant a "quick trip into the nearby Pool - clothes and all" :).

The party officially started at 8:00PM, 9:00PM AND 10:00PM - HEY! It was a relaxicon type of thing - depending on who could be sent out into the Wild of DIversicon to find the ice machine for the margaritas. Luckily, thanks to Sarah and George Richard and friends there were plenty of little OPEN parasols available per drink to hold the Limes in place (a critical part of ANY drink) in each glass.

Absolutely NO programming occurred at the pillow party (other than the Diversicon Panels which were already scheduled), only mingling, fun and laughter were allowed, and anyone even suspiciously looking like they might start a panel were banished to the "Wilds of Diversicon" to get it out of their system!!

We hasten to add that MISFITS Board member Tim Wick was officially escorted to NUMEROUS panels by his son Alex Wick! Not to worry though, Alex (who is REALLY a Party Animal - not bad for a 10 month old) then proceeded to come back to the pillow party and "boogie down" minus his Dad. If anyone found a plastic teething-toy key ring in their drink, Alex heartily apologizes - he got a little frisky around the pillows for awhile there (whenever he was not captivating the female populaces). Sorry ladies, but his mother, Pat Wick, is taking all messages for him at this time - she muttered something about him having a curfew.

"Pillow Party Survival Kits" (skillfully assembled by Pat and Alex Wick, Emily Stewart and Lauren Lenzen) - contained:

1. survival bubbles (with instructions for people to start blowing the bubbles whenever they got lost in the vast and deep WILDS of Diversicon - closest thing we could come to a Flare gun:);
2. emergency rations - with a pick of either Oreos or Cheese Nips (with instructions to eat the emergency rations ONLY after you had blown the survival bubbles - that way you could "snack" while waiting to be rescued from the wiley deep of Diversicon); and
3. squirt guns - with instructions to use to keep the Wild animals/Diversicon attendees AWAY from your emergency rations, while you waited to be rescued.

Official bubble blowers for the party were Bryan Anderson and David Kingsley - and would have done Lawrence Welk proud!

Mini Doughnuts and "Cheesie Poufs" were the hordevoures for the evening, with Quesedillas and sour cream mixed with salsa dip as the main course. Luckily there was a SANE bartender there (compliments to TJ Starbuck) who managed to find out how to turn ON the microwave to actually re-heat the main course.

Despite numerous attempts by the crowd of Diversicon and party attendees, an official NEW drink was established and cheerfully named the "Tidy Bowl Special". A lovely dark blue in color, with just a hint of effervescence - sure to clean out your system in no time (if not, it at least really left your teeth enamel white).

A good time was had by all and the room even cleaned up pretty good afterwards!

submitted by E. Lorenz
anonymous bartender and part time bubble blower.