Collectormania - home again by Jane0904

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Jane0904

Collectormania - home again
Sunday, June 7, 2009

Okay, so I went yesterday (Saturday). Getting up at 4.00 am to get to Milton Keynes by 9.00 am was fine, but the weather wasn't. It was so COLD, and WET, and ... honestly, the best part was getting another autograph off Nathan and then doing the photoshoot.

But I am ahead of myself. For those of you that didn't make it, the venue was at the MK Dons hockey stadium, which is open to the elements. And I mean elements. It rained most of the day, and since the only part actually out of the cold was the dealer's area, you can imagine how packed that was.

But after I'd make a circuit of the concourse a couple of times, I admit I was bored. Unlike other cons I've been to, the signers (is there a word?) were back in little alcoves, which meant there was little oppportunity to take pictures, at least without getting somebody else's head in the way, so unless you wanted to fork out an average of £20 per autograph, photos were not really an option.

Anyway, Nathan was getting through his at a rate of knots, and even though I was no. 237 I was at his table by about 11.20 am. As I was queueing he stood up, stretched, shaking out his hands. It was so cold he had a blanket over his knees! I did take a couple of shots of him from the queue, but they're a bit shaky because I didn't want to use the flash, but I'll upload them into the BSR.

Anyway, we shook hands, he asked my name and said it was nice to meet me, and signed the photo (it's the publicity shot from Castle of him standing against a burnt orange background in brown leather jacket, blue shirt and jeans). I said something about how I'd managed to see a couple of episodes of Castle and how I was glad that it had been picked up for a second season, and he said it was nice for actors to have a paying gig. I thanked him for the photo, and that was it. Done. Have to walk away.

The photoshoot wasn't until 1.00 pm, so I sat around, writing, drinking coffee to try and warm up, and eventually got into the queue.

I have to admit, I don't know how he does it. It's a production line - stand still, smile, snap, check, next. Literally as fast as you've read it. There were four hundred tickets for his photos, and I bet every one got used, so four hundred people in an hour. That is FAST.

By then it was around 1.55 pm, so I thought hard about whether to stay for the photo to come back, but that would take at least a couple of hours, and there wasn't anything else for me to do. I couldn't watch him signing autographs (okay, this isn't actually as crazy lady stalker mode as it sounds) because I couldn't see him properly, and two hours of glimpses? No. If the weather had been decent I would probably have sat in the stands and just written, but as it was I decided to get the bus back to the train station and come home.

And there it ended. I'm waiting for the photo to arrive, and if it's any good I might scan it and post it here, but if it's the usual of me, I may have to edit that out. I hate seeing myself in pictures!

Nathan tweeted on his Twitter page that MK was freezing, and asking where he could get a stiff drink. I hope someone responded, but he was right. As much as I enjoyed myself, and I'm very glad I went, the thing that will stick in my mind the most is seeing him with a blanket over his legs and being cold ...

COMMENTS

Sunday, June 7, 2009 2:26 PM

ANGELLEMARCS

And you didn't ask him if you could warm him up....Jayne, you're failing on me....LOL!! Okay, so that might have sounded a bit stalkerish (is that a word?) so I can understand why you didn't. I am glad you were able to see him again....hope the picture turned out well

Sunday, June 7, 2009 12:32 PM

WAKEUPSOON

As I said on one of your pictures in the BSR, I wish I could've gone! There were quite a few people there I wanted to see :/ Oh well, there's one in Manchester (I can get there quick && easy) in the summer, I just hope some cool people come along!
Anna.x.(:

Sunday, June 7, 2009 9:12 AM

KATESFRIEND

Actors deserve perks after putting up with so many people wanting something from them, but cold in June doesn't sound like fun for anyone. English clothing materials starts to make more sense in that context. As a long time Midwesterner, what we get here is hot and humid and thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Glad you had a good time, and probably Nathan won't forget that con anytime soon!

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