So, it's been a while. Went to Bubonicon the last weekend of August, but still no camera. There was some mass confusion on where AL was suppose to go. For a few hours on Friday he ended up in the main hallway where con-goers could take pics. Since the hotel is right next to the airport, quite a few airline pilots came in through the side door where AL was standing. One pilot lamented to his co-pilot "I should replace you with him!" as he was pointing to AL. Everyone had fun with him until the "con people" (those in charge) asked me politely to remove him. I requested to keep him there in the hallway until the 501st shows up. They finally showed up about 7:00pm, hauling AL on a hotel cart at about 8:00pm to the 501st room, which was locked most of the time (great security, but lousy if you want to show off your droid).


Bubonicon was very much like Mile Hi con, a literary convention with lots of local writers and comic book artists. The theme was "zombie", and it seemed if you weren't in a zombie or steampunk or steampunked zombie costume, you weren't getting into the costume contest. Steampunk was all the rage with these guys. The Trekkies and SW fans basically stayed to themselves in their suites.


Things didn't pick up for me until the Droid Hunt Saturday afternoon. I had heard about it, but never seen one in action. I stayed with AL in the 501st con suite where the hunt was taking place and kinda helped as much as possible. Quite a few people in the hunt stopped to ask about AL and the R2BC. One 501st member asked a bunch of questions and took lots of pics. I found out he was one of those that approves costumes, so I asked him a bunch of questions. I wish I could remember his name, nice guy. Seems my jawa outfit is almost ready according to him (based on a couple lousy pictures). I also got a very strong idea from my friend Lionel to do an Imperial Officer uniform. It's not an easy costume, but one I can do. One female showed a lot of interest in building her own R2, but is leaning towards an R5. She took my card and the only R2BC brochure I had left (gotta print out some more of those), very serious about it. Some others showed interest but didn't want to spend any money. If I have just one new R2BC recruit then I did my job at a con. Seems I might have done it quite well at this con, and I didn't even have a table or was displayed at the actually con!


Met so many of the ALB 501st, all of them very nice and very excited to have AL as part of their droid hunt. I was glad to help out. If I go again it's because of them, not the con. I go to cons to hang out with those that are true scifi fans, not zombied vampirical literary types. But alas, with C5 coming up fast (next year, they say), I probably won't be able to afford it again next year. We'll see.....

Parts installed the week of Bubonicon:
shoulder horseshoes
shoulder details
foot details
step-drilled out larger holes for braided hoses (learned how to use step-drill bit, yipeee!)
drilled in holes and screwed on radar eye (so I didn't have to hot-glue it on anymore)
David Shaw's new power couplers
Wayne Orr's side vents

Ordered the second half of JEDI controller, and a "learn to solder" kit. Already got a soldering iron, now it's time to practice.


I think the booster covers were on and radar eye screwed on for Osfest, but I did realign the eye and redrilled/rescrewed on the eye. So, you see I have been working on AL, little by little. Still unpacking his room, though. Boy, dad and grandpa had lots of tools....


Until next time,
Jawa Jaka