9 Mar 2004 @ 21:02, by Craig Lang
Each year, I attend one or more SF conventions, partly as a way to meet experiencers, partly as a way to drum up a little business - and yes, partly as a time to let the hair down and party a little bit. This year was no exception.
There were some unique elements to this year, however. As always, this was a weekend of creativity at its finest. yet it seemed to me that, even more so than in years past, there was a sense of free-association in the air. It was a sense similar to what I have noted at the Rennaisance festival, and other creative fairs. And it's power was an overwhelming joy to behold.
What I noticed was the variety of themes, all of which combined into a synergy of time-periods, and all rolled into one SF/Fantasty universe. Klingons, Babylon 5 characters, Knights and Fair Maidens, and many others from many assorted SF/Fantasty metaphors, all combined to make up a multiverse of creativity.
There was also a spiritual/emotional undertone to it, and this was what seemed to be the most impacting. There were several things at the convo - the music, drama, etc., that tugged at the heartstrings. And at the end of the last day I left with the feeling that one has when seeing an emotional drama of the heart.
The other thing that occurred, especially on the last day was a powerful emphasis on fostering further creativity. Several authors and publishers were there, giving workshops on writing characters, getting published, and other aspects of creating SF and fantasty as well as non-fiction. Many of us felt the stirrings of new (or perhaps previously-dormant) SF story-lines rattling around in our brains.
It was an encouraging time, and a refreshingly creative change of pace. For anyone who wants a pleasant escape from the workaday grind, and a neat creative outlet, I highly recommend a sci-fi con. They are a fun little piece of the universe beamed down to Earth.
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