Celebration V Through The Eyes Of Mandy Bulat Posted By D_Martin on August 31, 2010
Echoing the sentiments of others, CV was about community. The opportunity to meet people I’ve only corresponded with online, or to visit with fellow fans that I only see perhaps once or twice a year is a bittersweet pleasure. Knowing that I have roughly four days in which to socialize, host a panel on social media (with Eric, natch), provide coverage via twitter, and potentially remember to sleep was daunting to say the least.
A caveat: this was my first celebration and only second convention (Fandays III was my first). With that said, my mind was suitably blown. Never before have I seen individuals with such delightfully nerdy, like-minded convictions gathered together in one place. It was a home coming of sorts.
Having all of the Teamsters (TFN, Rebelscum, and the Forcecast) together was awesome. (My eloquence is overwhelming, I know.) The chance to meet people that I could pepper with comicbook questions (Dave, Dan, and Jay I’m looking at you…), having Dan Curto wait for me in the hotel lobby every morning while I willed my tired body out of bed, and making fun of Eric at every possible opportunity in person just enriched my Celebration experience. Helping out with the Forcecast was also a great experience. I had no clue about the amount of time and effort it takes to produce just one show. Kudos to Jason and Jimmy for giving us three great shows, plus tons of exclusive content!
Taking on a bit of a different role and being part of the convention itself was also a new experience. Eric and I hosted a panel on Social Media and the Star Wars fandom. With amazing guests and a great audience, I had the absolute best time. This is a nice segue into my next topic: the fans. You, yes you, fellow Star Wars fans are what made my experience truly memorable. From the celebrities, to official Lucasfilm personnel, to a fan from Long Island; nothing made me happier than talking with you and swapping stories. Thank you for coming up and introducing yourself (especially the ladies!).
I won’t mention the Main Event, laughing uncontrollably in the hotel bar until I couldn’t keep my eyes open, running into Bonnie Burton at Walgreens, or being accosted by ClubJaders with fans (of the fanning-type) every day, but know that every little moment of CV was golden.
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