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Posting Board Party 2002 - my weekend

Friday 15th February
When I arrived at the pre-party on Friday night, I'd been awake for about 25 hours, but arriving there and meeting other Bronzers was an amazing adrenaline rush! The first Bronzer I met was Meteor (though not at the pre-party), then Happy who's been a kind of penpal for the last eighteen months. It was great to finally meet, and talk face to face after all this time 'talking' on the net. I also met Sionell and several members of the Bronze Shelter, DualSlayers and the Butt Monkey, SlayerDaddy, Nikki, Morbius, and Phoenix.
I recognised so many board names, but even though I didn't get chance to talk with them it was great to finally get a face to go with the name. I won a prize in the raffle - a limited edition of the "Once More With Feeling" poster - which put me further up on cloud nine than I thought possible!

Saturday 16th February
Happy and I joined a group of Bronzers on a sightseeing trip which we dubbed the 'stalker-geek-paloozer' (don't ask!). We hired a mini-bus and went to Torrance, home of 'Sunnydale High School' and '1630 Revello Drive'. A friendly teacher at the school told us about filming there, and even how to get in to the grounds around the block from where we were, but only one of our party managed that (by going over the fence!). The driver probably thought we were all nuts, but he very kindly took photos for each of us outside the school, and watched bemusedly as we took turns posing excitedly outside "someone's house" while the neighbours looked on with puzzled faces. Then we went to the Ennis-Brown House, designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, which was used as Angel's mansion in seasons two and three. More photos outside, but sadly we couldn't get in for a tour. That's on my "to do" list for next year.

Saturday night - party night! - started at 7 for me, when I arrived at the Legion Hall and received my entrance bracelet (which didn't come off til the following Friday!). More familiar names, including Swoop from CityofAngel, and such an amazing atmosphere! I wandered around for a while, simply in awe at being there.
When the VIPs started arriving, my eyes were nearly popping out of my head! I bought the Sunnydale High Yearbook, and managed to get several VIPs to autograph it - Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar), Marti Noxon - who told me her family came from Wales - David Fury (impressed when I explained my boardname), Amy Acker (Fred), Danny Strong (Jonathan), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Andy Hallet (The Host), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn), Alexis Denisof (Wesley), and Bailey Chase (Graham). I got within inches of Alyson Hannigan (Willow) and J.August Richards (Gunn) but Aly was ushered away by security before I could get her autograph, and someone trod on my foot in the J. crowd and I had to sit down for a while. I had little hurried chats with Marti, David, Andy, Alexis, and Bailey - all very sweet and genuine people - and generally took photos when and where ever I could. I TALKED with Joss Whedon (!!!!!) but was so reduced to a babbling idiot by the occasion that I forgot to ask him for his autograph.
The music was provided by Common Rotation, Adam Busch's (Warren) band, with Jonathan joining in for several songs from "OMWF", and then by Four Star Mary. Both bands rawk, let me tell you! After the cheque presentation, when all the VIPs got up on stage and Joss addressed the audience, Andy Hallet entertained us with his amazing voice. All too soon, the party was over, and we headed back to our hotel, quietly stunned by the whole thing (well I was, anyway! my roomies are old hands at this!)

Sunday 17th February
On Sunday, I had brunch with Happy and her friend Doug at the Hard Rock Cafe, Beverley Boulevard, and later wandered around Hollywood, taking in the sights. That night, Common Rotation were doing a gig at the Hard Rock and I planned to go along, but was so jet-lagged by mid-afternoon that I could hardly think straight so I decided to be sensible and get an early night since I had to be at the airport for 8 the following morning. As it turned out I hardly slept at all, and deeply regret not going to that gig, which I heard was awesome and went on til about 4 am! Another thing to add to my "to do" list for next year!

Monday 18th February
So, Monday morning, up at 5, saying bye to fellow Bronzers I'd only just met that weekend, and heading off for the airport as the sun rose over LA. God, was I sad to be leaving! I arrived home on Tuesday, 8am GMT, and got to bed around 2pm so that was another 25hour day! It had been a hectic, emotional, amazing, gobsmackingly overwhelming weekend with very little sleep and loads of laughs and not enough to eat (no time!) and too much to drink ...... but worth every second!