Oh, You Beautiful Doll, 1

Matthias & Yancy

Joy & I just arrived back in Lancaster after a whirlwind weekend in Austin for the ball-jointed doll convention. Joy went down on Wednesday to hang with out-of-state friends that she knows from on line groups; Mar and I drove down on Friday while Marcia arrived very late on Friday night ... We enjoyed the on-going slumber party with the dolls ... well, many dolls were displayed in the sales room, so we mainly talked about Marcia's small (27 cm) Obistu dolls that live in tiny storage boxes ... after all, no one wants Mom to know how many dolls make up the collection (and how much they cost).

Joy was surprised to learn that she and her dolls have fans ... Matthias and Yancy (above) are two AoD elves -- one's a vampire from Angel of Dreams. Yancy has a very large resin girlfriend to whom he presented a wire-wrapped heart ... and he spent the weekend in the hussy's room! Joy had to go up and fetch him down Saturday night. Some boys just shouldn't go out alone! There's no telling whom they'll meet. Matthias is the quieter one, but you know what they say -- watch out for the quiet ones!

My Obistu daughter Colette went to the ball with her Beast, Jurgis -- several BJD ladies want her to stay with him exclusively, but Colette enjoys a bit of a change ... and with a change of wigs and clothes, she becomes another persona. That's the fun part about BJDs -- they can change whenever you like. Alas, Tonner's creations Ellowyne Wilde and Evangeline Ghastly have good sculpts -- and great clothing -- but the writers have given them such a specific back story that the collector can't really create any new stories about the dolls ... and half the fun is making up a story to go with the fabulous outfit or look that you've developed for your doll ... Even ladies who didn't like Barbie get into creating scenarios for BJDs.

How does a BJD convention differ from an anime con? First, the con is very small -- about 100 people, with a few walk-ins for Saturday sales. Second, very few teens and children attend this conference -- and the ones who do have come with their parents -- so the energy level is very mellow. This is a relaxacon -- and no one thinks you're strange if you squeal over a lovely dress or gasp in awe when you see your "grail" doll in the flesh (so to speak). Third, the activities are very limited -- no video rooms, no speakers, only 1-2 workshops per day, and after the sales room closes, everyone heads for dinner and the bar ... well, we didn't most times since this con

had a strict budget -- but we had our own doll convention in the room. Oh, and Sunday's devoted to leaving the hotel -- the con officially ends after the banquet on Saturday night. I suppose the "dead dog" party will occur on line ... The cost? about the same amount as any 3-day convention, once you figure in the food and banquet for attendees.

Would I go again? This is my third ... and I'll be back in 2012!

Dance quote: “Ballet discipline:
only the true believer would suffer the rigors it demanded.”
-Author Unknown