I've just been to my first national science fiction and fantasy convention, Au Contraire 2013. It was an absolute blast. Highlights were the filking; the literary GOH speech, from which I gained the concept that perhaps trying to get a "real publisher" might not be so good an idea, and a resolution to buy a Kindle or similar e-reader despite my love of paperbacks; the filk competition, which I managed somehow to win; the board gaming; the late-night filking; the costumes; the speed-filking; the market, at which I sold a chainmail necklace, and several decorated cards with people's names written on in Quenya; oh and did I mention filk singi...