Only at bicon would I find myself having a conversation about quantum mechaics with a roomful of semi-naked people.

bmovie last night was great fun. Was good to meet flannelcat and practice some BSL. I keep meaning to find a night class and brush up on my skills, but the way work is going at the moment I just don't have the energy to take on much more :-/

Today I'm off to Edgware, Stanmore and Elstree on a ringing outing. Looking forward to this as it's the first big association event I'll be attending since starting to teach the new folk from the start of the year. It's doubly exciting as until I came along, the bells hadn't been rung regularly for about 30 years. It'll be a good opportunity to forge links with other people in the district. Hmm. I should eat and head out - I need to be at Edgware at 3pm.

Housey stuff: Had a wasp person in on Thursday. I think that bees/wasps are one of my only phobias. I used to be sligtly uneasy around dogs, but that seems to have subsided in recent years. Chimney repair guy isn't coming today, and will come on Monday instead.

Heading to Wales for Bicon on Thursday! Rar. I so need this break. Plus it'll be a great opportunity to catch up with people that I've not seen for far too long.

A work machine has died, and annoyingly it can't be fixed remotely. Thankfully it can wait until I get back this evening, though it'll mean heading all the way into town, a few minutes work there (I hope) and then trek all the way back.

Wow. A fantastic weekend. The team did us all proud.

Workshops attended: relaunch of bi.org, third gender, transgender and sexuality, anonymous confessions, snog in, coming out and staying in at work, cover bis, future bicons, BSL/Deaf awareness.

Much debauchery was had, and quite a lot of drinking compared to my own usual levels. Bi snog-in was an achievement - huge kudos to bethanthepurple for organising it. Only got one comment from Other People, but didn't hear what they said due to getting carried away :-)

Highlights of the weekend were the Ceillidh and the picnic on the lawn on Sunday night.

Flat Cunt Monkey II was ace - consisiting of me, softfruit, glamcarnation, angeoverhere, johnnydefective, heiroglyphe, rainbowqueen, loopy_lorna and beadqueen.

It came to leaving time and I was a little dispondant that I would be the only one from BiCon on my particular train, though discovered mid-afternoon in the bar that C. would be on the same one so we had a chance to get to know one another and snuggle a little. Sorry it'd taken 3 years. Though in a way it's good that our community is so huge that we can't get to know everyone immediately.

The closing plenary is always a moving time as people say their thanks and the team are thanked and people are given awards. In particular, djm4's acceptance speech was very moving, containing the quote
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. - Jane Howard
It really hit home and made me weepy, though tears of joy :-)

BiCon comedown has been fairly minimal compared to 2002, though I do have a followup post to make at some stage.

Clicky - flash animation. Not worksafe in the least. Catchy melody though.

*luffs* to new friends.