For the last few years I was the staff member for Lajconik which changed the way how I was enjoying the con. Yet at Lajconik 15 I could get back to my “usual” role, or at least close to it.
Playing All Day Long
For as long as I recall Lajconik had four rounds of RPG sessions. In good years I was managing to play in all four. After such weekends I was exhausted but happy. At Lajconik 15, however, I only had one session. On Saturday morning I played The One Ring. As a Tolkien aficionado I had to try this RPG. I have the books at home but didn’t manage to read them yet. It was a good session with a lot of role playing.
It is not the RPG session I played, but I didn’t take any pictures during my play.
Once the game finished I spent the rest of my time on conversations and manning the KSF Fan Table. (Quite often I did both those things at the same time). At the table we had two games. One was a convention game where members had to collect stamps to get the awards at the end of the convention. The other was “our own” we used it to have people interested in our SFF club. Players could get the convention pin should they “beat” our club in a challenge. Members could chose between “easy”, “normal” and “hard” variants. Somehow all the people, visiting when I was there, chose the easy one.
Before the con started and later during it I was making the said pins. Every time I am doing it (as it was not the first time), I am amazed by the brilliant idea of how the machine to make them works. The only drawback is the need to use too much strength.
Our Fan Table with pin making machine on the left, and my fanzine, at the bottom.
A Tiny Bit Of Socializing
As mentioned I spent a lot of time socializing with others. These included conversations at the Fan Table, but not only. We were also enjoying art together. Not long before Lajconik 15, the school where the con was held, had some kind of Tolkien related event. As a result, the Games Room had a small exhibition of works inspired by Tolkien, and made by children attending the school. I was impressed by some of those and watched them with pleasure. It was good to have someone to discuss what we saw together.
No picture from the pub evening but here, at least you can see happy people.
I was not planning to attend the evening socializing. I thought that I may spend the evening on working on LAcon V. A friend of mine decided to convince me to go – just for a bit. I was tired and I knew that I wouldn’t do much in the evening anyway, so I decided to spend some time with others. Well, “the tiny bit” came out to be a few hours, but a few hours that were well spent. Thank you Vinga for dragging me out!
Stepping Into The Same River
You cannot step in the same river twice. At least not exactly, and it is the case with me and Lajconik. I went back to being a member and I enjoyed it immensely. For years it was one of my favourite cons, and I wanted to enjoy it in the usual way. I partially succeeded, but it was not the same.
Convention chair thanking the gophers at the closing ceremony. Sadly some gophers had to leave beforehand.
Do I regret the change? By no means! Staffing Lajconik for a few years, was a great adventure. Spending the time at the Fan Table was also very cool way to meet the people. Having the possibility to take it easier allowed me to relax. Not being on staff meant also that I could participate in one competition. To my surprise it brought me an RPG system I was considering to buy – additional plus.
The future will show how all that will develop but there are two things I know for sure. I need to attend the next Lajconik, and I need to keep being close to the team. Whether I’ll re-join the staff or not I want to be part of that community, and support the convention that I love.
You can find more pictures in my FB gallery.