AnthroCon2006-PE (Pittsburgh Edition)

Pittsburgh - the town

I liked this place! We tend to have these preconceptions of a location, rooted in what we see or read or hear, and most of my knowledge of Pittsburgh was based on Industrial Arts films in school, showing where steel comes from - that, and national TV coverage for a Football or Baseball game, or some newsworthy event, like a disaster or a scandal.

I expected an old, rust-belt urban city, ready to fall apart, with abandoned vehicles stripped and picked clean among the tenements, and trying to sleep while sirens sounded in the distance; except for the central business district - I tend to insert images of manhattan skyscraper-lined canyons in my pictures of unknown "downtown" locations - where surly cops are suspicious of out-of-towners, and here the image is of Chicago's Finest, circa 1968.

But no! We flew in over green, rolling hills and low, forested ridges, with farms and townships scattered about, in the best definition of "open space". Out in the populated areas of California, Open Space means parcels of green scattered among the tract housing developments, Eastern Seaboard states seem to be the exact opposite. I took the 28x Airport Flyer to the city, and was liking everything that I saw, passed a village that the bus driver said was the physical model for "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" (that's right! WQED is Pittsburgh, isn't it?), popped through a tunnel in a hill, there's the Ohio River (I admittedly was expecting something a tad bigger), and the city across the way! It GLEAMED in the morning sun!

The 28x doesn't go to the convention center or the Westin, the closest stop is about 4 blocks away, but they are _small_ blocks; I carried my luggage, my briefcase, and my art "sarcophagus" up to the hotel, and after leaving these items with the bell clerk (tipping appropriately), since a room wasn't ready for me yet ant the lobby was practically overflowing with furfen perched or standing everywhere, I set about exploring the town. Walked all the way up Liberty Ave to the crossroads business center, noting all of the places to eat, and the Culinary academy (a Cordon Bleu school), suggesting there is a LOT of demand for hospitality workers in the vicinity; went to the Three Rivers Folkart Festival, and saw lots of fun and interesting things in the pavilions set up in the business courtyard; ate a pulled-pork sandwich; walked back up Penn Ave, and saw many upscale shops, and noted an emphasis on fine crystal objets d'art; walked through the theater district, noted Heinz Hall, and the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra; the place where "Beauty and The Beast" was playing, and a few lesser playhouses and galleries, and a movie complex; had three opportunities to walk on fantastic iron-link suspension bridges across the Allegheny River, and found the waterfall path under the convention center, leading to a truncated wharf or landing, where I spent a few shady, peaceful hours until the hotel had a room opened.

There are LOTS of things to see and do in Pittsburgh; but I was dead-tired from a very bad, sleepless "red-eye" flight, so I didn't see the National Aviary or any of the museums, or ride to the Inclines for the view.

The Westin

Arriving at the hotel - the revolving door was a bit of a hassle, carrying all my luggage; the entryway is airy, and forms a mini-atrium, but is small; the hotel lobby proper was all right, but it was hard to navigate, as the lobby was full of Furfen, just...hanging out. They weren't in line, they weren't waiting for anything in particular, just...hanging out. The lined the walls, they were sprawled across the floor, they were standing in clusters _right_ in front of the revolving door, inhibiting movement. They occupied all the chairs and benches. some sketching or sharing sketchbooks (traditional behaviour - We Approve), having quiet conversations, having LOUD conversations.

There was no real wait in line for a room, the reception staff were efficient and courteous, but I requested a room on as low a floor as possible. The best that could be done was on the 7th floor (which did prove walkable via the firestairs, as I expected should eventually prove necessary), and I got that only after a breakfast, a long walk around town, a pause by the river, and finally after getting my badge and registration material - late in the afternoon, I think. I kept coming back to the reception desk until I got my room. But this was not the fault of anyone in Reception, or probably even Housekeeping; when I finally _did_ get the room, it was clean and well-appointed, frankly much better than the AdamsMark or the hotel in King of Prussia. And far away from the elevators, right next to the firestairs! This would prove to be a mixed blessing...

Taken all together, the hotel was excellent. The associated dining facilities - I only had the one buffet breakfast, and a lunch at the Brown Bagger - were clean, efficient, well-run, but the breakfast price was exhorbitant. I don't think that any milder word could be used to describe it. I only hope that the wait staff and kitchen staff are getting something better than minimum wage out of what I paid, and the proportionl tip which I left.

I didn't try the in-house pizza, nor the seafood restaurant, but I heard not a single complaint about the quality of service, nor the reception that we received. I probably should have tried the bar, too - but didn't feel driven to it, and didn't know anyone with whom to share a friendly drink.

The Convention Center

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! +++++!!!!!!

...AND they had a snackbar set up inside! That has to be a first, for us!

...And NO ONE could possibly complain about the Art Show lighting!

...And the CC Staff, DESPITE being members of unions which have been under scrutiny from the US Attorney General's Office, were actually friendly, efficient, friendly, helpful, friendly, interested in what we do and who we are and in Doing The Job Right, and were also friendly. Imagine that....

I LIKED the David Lawrence Convention Center.

AnthroCon, Itself...

Likes:
Dealer' Room - best collection and variety of dealers and merchandise, though there coulcd have been more publishers or distributors of literature, be they novels or comic books. Having one or two "all-inclusive" dealers set up mini-comicbook stores is actually _not_ a good idea, the very model of comicbook retail stores with product that can't be seen unless you stop and take time to weed through BINS of comics just creates knots of people, and only so many can shuffle through the bins at a table at a time. Artists need a better way to show off prints, as well - same reason.

IDEA!!! Instead of each artist having to take up table space with a couple of binders that have to be leafed through, one page and one customer at a time, at LEAST for the General audience prints, take that large wall without windows behind the artists, and have them make a Tapestry display of their prints, all out at once, all together, with a little card or strip naming that artist, table, and print number. Let the prospective buyers of prints inspect this "Print Gallery", not what they want, and then go to the dealer and say, "I want print No. 23, from the (whatever particular binder this one would be in), and Print No. 35..."

All that would be needed is wall space, and in this place, you have it in spades. Make a curtain or tapestry of clear document holders, or a net from which the document protectors can be hung. If staff is feeling particularly generous, then small scraps of paper and a cup of small pencils, Just like at the library by the card-file, would suffice for buyers to note what they want from the wall.

ART Show: I have for a while now been working to try to encourage good art from talented people, by buying their artwork at fair prices. I am not alone in this; nor can I take any great credit for having any influence...but I have seen a general improvment in the overall quality of Anthropomorphic Art, so much so that I was staggered by the sheer quantity of talent and skill on display this year, and all of it in a well-lit venue.

I have often helped out hanging the peg-board panels at the start of conventions; this year it was vital, as there seemed to be very few of the usual subordinate staff and volunteer work crews. Even at that, I had to leave PeterCat at about 10:30pm on
Thursday, with only about 2/3rds of the panels hung, or re-hung, as the case may be.

I helped transport art for the adult art auction; we got to see the inner recesses of the convention center, and had fun.

I offered to help after the closing of the artshow; turned out that they needed a couple people to handle the cash, and they must have been very desperate, for they trusted ME with that duty - I, who am a relative stranger to almost everybody, and unknown. But I was consciencious, and kept careful count, paying close attention to the print strips from the tallymen, and I don't think I made any mistakes handling the money; and I tried to move the line as fast as possible, while being fiscally attentive and diligent. The very last artwork paid for was in fact my own; and by the time I was done, I had missed the Art Auction, missed the opportunity to use the UPS people who had set up for shipping our art, and had even missed the closing ceremonies; The Convention was over before I had finished. But at least I felt that I had contributed something of worth, and I hope the auction wasn't a financial disappointment for anybody.

Programming
FoxHunt! - I did well, considering that I was using a borrowed radio, without a special antenna - I was the second person to isolate the signal down to Brian and Tracy Reynold's table, getting within 2 feet of the transmitter before asking if they were or had The Fox. I had to bail out on the second day's hunt, as the batteries in the borrowed scanner died, and I had to use my prize coupons from the first hunt for lunch before the Brown Bagger closed. This is a FUN event, and with more radios and perhaps a clear and simple explanation of what it is, it might make an excellent Pre-con activity, for many of those who were hanging out in the lobby on Thursday.

Fursuit parade - This MAY have been one of the best parades to grace AnthroCon, at any venue - I will always remember seeing all the participants lined up on the side gallery a floor above the convention space, that was spectacular - but that is all I saw of the parade, because it was scheduled RIGHT AS THE ARTSHOW CLOSED OUT!!! I hope the CC staff saw some of it, they seemed to be enthusiastic about us, once they figured out what we were (mostly) about; and I wish that the hotel staff COULD have seen it, they deserved to.

Dances - don't know, didn't get to any this year

"2" the Ranting Griffon - I do not attend "2"'s "Rants"; did _once_, I've seen and heard enough.

UKSH - great, as always; but didn't top Last year's show, or the "Chemistry gets in your Blood" show at the AdamsMark. But then, those were very tough acts to follow.

Masquerade - Heartily endorsed it; this is one of the "CORE" features of any Furry or SF convention, even if it is now more of a variety/talent show; it needs to be longer, or start earlier, or be a noontime event. Frankly, AC's last few years have beat the Furry Variety Show at FC hands-down, at least this past years'; FC2005 was pretty good, both their FVS and the Masquerade judged competition.

Other Programming - again, I failed to get to any other programming, particularly the GOH presentations, or the Literature discussions, or the Animatronic/fursuit/puppet demonstrations (I MISSED THE PAWPETS!) or the spirituality or Fox SIG presentations. This was due to scheduling, and other obligations and duties. I am truly sorry to have missed what were the reunions of the folks from the old ALF Newsgroup.

Displeasures and Disappointments

Elevators - alright, we have been through a number of hotels, now, of various vintages; We must face the fact that the elevator problem is NOT WITH THE FACILITIES, but rather with either the scheduling of events, or with Furfen, themselves - particularly those folks who come to AnthroCon, because I have not seen this problem at FURther CONfusion, at any of the 3 venues that they have had.

Having the Dorsai portion off elevator space in the lobby works, but it doesn't help with people who ride down from the 4th floor to get an elevator bound for the 12th (because when an up-bound car STOPS on the 4th, it is already full to capacity, unless a few more jumbo fans force their way on); and I don't think that the Dorsai are really a resource to be distributed on every floor just to regulate elevator use; it would be more efficient to have 1 Dorsai in each elevator, like in the old days, to regulate who gets on and who gets off, and where. In any event, using Dorsai is a measure which has been forced upon us, and isn't really a solution to the core problem.

Is it scheduling? Are there long periods where the elevators are idle, and only at the breaks for lunch and dinner, or in the scheduled program event times, when people need to go up to their rooms and back? WHY do people go up to their rooms and back?

1) To drop off loot from the dealer's room - so they do not need to carry it around all morning or afternoon. I notice few folks carrying the traditional cloth tote-bags or book-bags; does AnthroCon sell these items? Should people be encouraged in ways to bring such items?

2) To change into suit or character - I know there is a headless lounge - does this double as a changing room? Could there be a locker room, down in the convention center, maybe in the operations space behind the walls, that can be used for suit storage, prep, and donning? I mean, if the Headless Lounge can't be used for anything besides heatstress breaks? THis would also cut down on lading elevators with boxes the sizre of caskets when transporting suits from taxi or car to room to conspace.

3) To use the "facilities" - really, there are public restrooms throughout the hotel and the convention center; they need to be better marked on the map, and they need to be better highlighted in the actual locations. I suspect folks would rather use "their own" bathrooms, for issues of privacy or hygiene, but this isn't practical.

4) To Eat - yes, I bet more Furfen eat in their rooms than in the restaurants at the hotel, or at the restaurants up the street. Pizza ordered in, chinese ordered in, or snacks and sandwiches and sodas - enough sodas to float a battleship - brought from home supplies, mostly due to the cost. Are we TOO CHEAP as a class, to eat a good meal at a coffeeshop or diner? Or is there just so much to do, we can't make the time, or walk the distance, lest we miss something or someone?

5) To sleep - mostly, this is not a constant, all-day thing; discount it as something changable.

I suspect part of the problem is simply behaviour - erratic, unplanned, childish behaviour. Think aqbout the last time you rode an elevator at a furry con! People holding elevators for friend still down the hall; the XXL fans - why is it seeming always the XXL fans? - who are oblivious to already full elevators - or shuttles! - and get on anyway, completely ignoring the protests of those already on board; and the truly stupid gits who actually think that it is fun to see if they can stop the elevator by jumping up and down, or press ALL the elevator floor keys above the floor tht they want, or who just seem to be CRUISING in the elevators, from floor to floor, with no objective at all, unless some impulse strikes their fancy?

I must confess - Last year, two doofuses got on our elevator at the bottom, and made smart-alecy comments at each floor where we stopped, as I tried to keep the body count at 12 or less; finally, on the 8th floor, one asks the other: "dude, where we goin'?" "I dunno - does it matter?" I asked the second party which floor he wanted to go to; and he said "I dunno, maybe this one...or this one.. or this one..." each time, just hitting floor buttons in sequence. At this point, the elevator stopped at the next floor, and I don't know if he was _Happy_ with it,...but I made sure that that was the floor that he was getting off at. I think he bounced when he hit the carpet.

Pre-reg Supersponsor's line at registration - it took an hour and a quarter to process about 50 people in front of me; I got in the line just as they were suposed to open. Same rate for the folks lined up as sponsors. People were getting regular badges down below before I got mine, and then were getting i the Sponsor's pre-reg line to upgrade, and STILL getting badges before I did; something must change, here. Badges had to be dug out of a box, one by onre, as each memeber presented his name/paperwork; each member then had to look over the standards of conduct, and then sign something; I thought that was part of the pre-reg application? Why are we delaying a line to read, individually, the accepted conduct, and then pledging _again_ to adhere to it? Each pre-reg Superspnsor got a bag with his Con book and Schedule and GOH tokens and Personal invitation to the SS Luncheon; I understand that that took a lot of staff time to do; but that wasn't the hang-up, it was pulling the badges out of the box, and reading/signing the conduct pledge.

...Other than that, I think AC2006-PE was a success. But due to the choice of flights and air carriers and days to travel, I can't say whether or not I shall be attending next year; flight into Pittsburgh and then from Pittsburgh to PHL and then after the inevitable weather delay to LAX, and the cramps developed in my legs, was pure hell, and I do not intend to endure that particular kind experience again.