(Wednesday) Thirteen: Travel!

Okay, this is a little early, but that's because I leave tomorrow (housesitting) and don't know how good of a computer I'll have access to/how much I'll feel like being online. So as the official kickoff to all my travels, here's a Thursday Thirteen.

13 Reasons I am super excited about my trip!

Part 1: Boston/Northeast Unschooling Conference

1. This will be my FIRST unschooling conference!

2. I'll be staying at Valerie's house, and I have not seen her in a whole year! Then I get to kidnap her and bring her down to Florida and then to Atlanta.

3. So far I have only left the southeast once, when I went to Arizona last year. This will be my first trip to anywhere "up north" (farthest north I've been is Virginia), and only my third trip to a major city (Atlanta and Miami were the others - I don't count Phoenix because we only kind of went to stuff on the outskirts/more in Tempe. And, really I only saw certain parts of Miami, to be technical.) I'm always excited to see someplace new, AND I'll get to learn how to use public transportation. That sounds kinda silly, but I've always lived here, where everyone drives everywhere, so it'll be fun for me.

4. I'll be with plenty of unschooling friends I already know: Keti, Isabella and Trevor (I assume David too, although I've barely met him); Gail, Broc, Logan and Brenna; the Lovejoys (Duncan and Cameron - I'll be meeting Kelly and Ben for the first time). Maybe others, I haven't even kept track of who all is going!

5. I'll be finally FINALLY meeting a bunch of unschooling families I've only known through blogs, but who seem like awesome people. I'd list, but again I haven't been able to keep track of who is going. It's a lot of people! I'm particularly excited about getting to hang out with young adult unschoolers: Cameron and Brenna of course, but also Idzie, Eli and many others who I've talked to a little through blogs. Talking to others who are doing the "uncollege" thing will be particularly great. And, of course there will also be people I have neither met nor heard of that I'll get to meet for the first time.

6. I saw a list of funshops that I *think* is for this year, and it includes some stuff I am really looking forward to. Particularly interesting to me are the GLBT group, making games, ATCs, tie-dye, instrument zoo... okay okay, I want to do ALL of them! I probably won't be able to hit every single one, but it sounds like I'll always be able to find one worth doing.

Part 2: Atlanta/Dragon*con

7. I get to bring Val and Sabrina to Atlanta - have I ever mentioned how much I love Atlanta? Well, if I haven't: I love the hell out of Atlanta. I can't think of any other cities that could manage to combine real diversity, a mostly liberal and gay-friendly atmosphere, a culture that encourages the arts, and Southern friendliness the way Atlanta does.

8. ROAD TRIIIIIIIIP!! We're driving up, so that means six hours of blasting music, acting goofy, pestering Sabrina people who fall asleep in the car, and so forth.

9. I could truthfully list each of these people as a separate reason why I'm excited, but for the sake of brevity I'll put them all here: Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Terry Gilliam, Dana Snyder, and Adam Savage are all going to be at Dragon*con (along with about a zillion other special guests, but those are the ones I care about). Hell yes. I don't know if I'll get to all of their panels, but if I just see Shatner and Nimoy I'll be happy.

10. We're going to Dragon*con night at the Georgia Aquarium! I wanted to go to the GA aquarium last time I was in Atlanta, but money was short. This time we got tickets ahead of time, and it seems like it'll be a huge party with lots of people there.

11. Since we're trying to save money on food, I get to practice my bento skills again. I haven't made bentos in months, so I'm excited about that.

12. Val and I are planning to participate in this. I should not have to explain why that is epic.

13. Surrounded by all kinds of geeks for a whole weekend - need I say more? This kind of con is awesome for a similar reason to unschooling conferences: I get to be surrounded by people who "get" me. (I also get to be surrounded by people I do not get, such as erotic furries and people who speak Elvish, but that is okay. I'm all about diversity among nerds.)

So put all of this together, and you see why I am SUPER PUMPED. Those of you who are going to either of these events - I can't wait to see you there!