Friday, Oct 15.
Arrive in San Francisco via airplane. Wander around the airport, then go to designated 'pickup' spot - sidewalk outside baggage claim area. I will be met by Ceallach and Kendaa in Ceallach's van. I entertain myself while waiting by checking out the number of people attempting to use cell phones in that noisy location, make a few cell calls of my own and watch a couple of San Francisco's finest haul a guy away in handcuffs.

As the time approaches to be picked up, I start looking for as Kendaa put it "A blue Chrysler or Dodge van" You have to understand - we've never met - I've seen Kendaa in photos and I sent her one of me on Thursday. So - it was just a matter of finding each other ....

I looked up and saw the van! Kendaa was in the passenger seat ... I recognized her right off! I hopped into the van with my backpack and met the two of them, and Cassopeia! Cass was surprised I only had my backpack, no luggage.

We toddled off to San Francisco to check our luggage at the Golden Gate Holiday Inn (GGHI). Kendaa navigated.

When we got to the hotel, we checked our bags and met up with Bastet. I *think* this is where we met Illusia and other Amazons.

Off to adventure!

First we went to the park at the SF side of the Golden Gate Bridge. We took pictures of the bridge and each other. Cass found out first hand how cold the water is when a wave broke over her as I was about to take a picture of her with the lovely large wave behind her ...

After making sure her camera was ok and Cass was ok, we continued - a little damper than when we had begun.

Next, we drove through the Presidio - the now nonArmy base. Cool place.

Don't remember if we did this before or after the Poseidon Adventure , but Ceal took us down Lombard Street. In the van. That's the real wiggly street you see in postcards sometimes in SF. We parked downhill and most got out to take pics of where we'd been. Me'n Bastet stayed in the van - we already had pics of it. I had a great time chatting with her whilst everyone else took wiggly pictures.

Next, it was time for lunch! We went to a really nice place at Pier 39 and had a wonderful time. You'd think we'd known each other forever with the amount of gabbing and giggling that went on. After lunch, we stopped to take pictures of each other with Alcatraz in the background. We walked down the Pier to see the sea lions. That was alot of fun. They are so noisy and I kept expecting one to fall right in the ocean!!

Walking back down Pier 39, we were kidnapped and dragged, kicking and screaming into a chocolate shop with Kendaa leading the way *snicker*. Laden down with various sugary delights, we made our way back to the van.

On the way, I had an idea (these Amazons hadn't known me long enough to be wary of me and my ideas!) There was a statue of a sea lion on the sidewalk and I wanted a group picture on this sculpture.

But first, I had to find a victim - to take our picture ... you have to be careful in these matters - you have to pick someone that will either speak your language or looks intelligent enough to use a point and shoot camera. You also have to make sure they won't just run off with the camera!

I decided to be the one to accost the victim. Spying a group of three 40ish men wearing Polo shirts and Khaki pants, I pounced. I jumped in and convinced him I didn't want money or food or anything else, just a picture. Wish I had a picture of his face when I leapt out in front of him ...
I dragged them back to the sculpture, where we gave them the simplest camera to use (whose was it? Kendaa's maybe?)

We got our picture taken then went back to the van to check into the hotel and meet up with the other Amazons we were going to dinner with.

We started unpacking a bit and Cass gave out the *best* nametags. People that brought them exchanged small gifts. We then signed AW's thank you for GABS certificate.

We found all of the people that we were supposed to and managed to find Plouf, the cute waiters, Lil and champagne ... after a little wait, we sat outside and gabbed some more. Whisper gave out cute "Con Memory" books for us to write in. Whisper had her video camera and was checking our sobriety .... The food was nice, the waiters cute and Lil is wonderful for puttin it together.

After a while we got tired, so we left Lil and Whisper to chat and have dessert. We found a cab and climbed in. Cass got the front seat, and four of us got in back - we got to be *very* close friends!

We went back, giggled some more, and I thought I saw my toothbrush where I hadn't left it. Strange. Then I realized it wasn't mine at all - someone else had a purple toothbrush too! When I mentioned it, I not only found out that it was Cass's, but that Kendaa had one also! I think Bastet was relieved that hers was green.. Weird huh? Then we realized that the three of us were born on March 4,6, and 8. All Pisces, along with Mr. Smith himself.... Purple Piscean Toothbrush Triplets.

We finally went to sleep.

Saturday, we got up and got ready for the breakfast, code named GABS.

It was a ton of fun ... everyone was so friendly ... I got to meet alot of Amazon friends,including a co-Castle denizen, Shamba, who'd come up for the day.

Batrochides stopped by and gave us all hand-drawn dinars. He's nice and that was a thoughtful gift. Cass had GABS badges folders and magnets, Whisper had some *really* interesting games - no, my team didn't win but we had fun and Kendaa distributed the TimTams which I had been closely guarding. The food was pretty good (Blackberries! yum!) and the coffee was plentiful. I lost track but think I had 9 cups ...

Next: trolley to the Masonic Center, where we waited outside for a bit and I took pictures. Those with two day passes turned them in for plastic armbands. (I remember them as orange, but they're green in the pics ...) They were holding my Cabaret and Shamba's Con tickets at the desk, so we picked them up and proceeded to the picture line.

I bought a bunch of Kevin Smith pics - but they didn't have my fav (As Iphy). I found my seat just as the Callisto video came on ... it was great. The guy next to me was a little ... odd, so I scooted up a row and sat with Kendaa and Cass.

They showed an Australian 60 minutes segment about Hercules and Xena next. After that, Robert Field ((Xena editor) came on and showed footage of the same scene twice - once the editors cut and one the producer's cut. I think. That was interesting. Then he had a Q&A session, then showed Xena blooper reel. It was funny - the usual slipping, sliding falling. The misspoken lines and people that can't stop giggling.

After that we saw the top ten Xena scenes. Not the show, the character. I don't actally remember which ones they were tho. Slideshow of upcoming eps was next, but not very informative.

Intermission!

I scrambled out and zoomed into the lobby to get more pics! I'd forgotten that I'd need one for Timothy Omundson (Eli) to sign. So I got one of him, more Smithy pics and a Callisto pic. After that, I got tshirts for the folks back home. I was on my way back to the auditorium when I passed a table with cool woven wire necklaces. I bought 3 - one for me and two for friends. I went back into the auditorium and sat with Cass and Kendaa again The new seat I was in had not been sold - no one ever came to claim it.

We saw the Herc blooper reel next. Funnier than Xena's 'cause Kevin Sorbo is a very mischievous person. And a total trip. After that was the Tribute to Iolaus video. I liked it a whole lot.

Following the Iolaus video was an odd offering - what they called "The Making of the Bitter Suite" Electronic Press kit. Sounded and looked to me like a bunch of video "soundbites" with Lucy and Renee saying basically the same thing over and over and over. No making of anything there...

Auction next - guy behind me was very hyped! Lil got a really nice framed set of autographed pictures. The items seemed to be going for about half of retail. I really liked the heavy leather motocycle jackets - I might have bid if they were Herc jackets.

Finally, Music Video for Eli, "Missionary Man". Very well done.

Tim came on stage in a dark suit looking a little lost. He quickly caught on to the Q&A session and added a few cute memories about playing "Eli" on X:WP. He was asked about the father of Xena's baby (all the guest stars were asked that!) - but he didn't tell. After a while, he relaxed enough to actually walk around the stage a bit. He stayed pretty far away for the most part, I had 400 speed film and it was kinda dark in there so my pics are a wee bit underexposed and fuzzy. He also had a habit of walking up to someone as they asked a question - then whirling around and walking off as he answered. Difficult to snap a good pic!