Shore Leave (US convention)/1997

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Convention
Name:	Shore Leave (US convention)
Dates:	July 11-13, 1997
Frequency:
Location:	Baltimore, Maryland
Type:
Focus:	multi-fandom
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:
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Shore Leave is an annual fan-run convention that takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

It was founded by the Star Trek Association of Towson which continues to run it. The first convention took place in 1979; the con was still running as of 2025.

The con's focus was initially on Star Trek, but it has since broadened to include other science fiction media.

1997: Shore Leave 19

It was held July 11-13, 1997.

front cover of the 1997 program book

1997: Programming

• Showcase: Con Play: Opening sketch: “Riverborg,” Episode MST-ed: TNG: “Justice” by Mystery Trekkie Theater (see for more information on the con's skits in general)
• other unknown

1997: Gallery of Ephemera and Samples from the Program Book

• 

  badge, 1997

1997: General Con Reports

My very first “real” convention was Shore Leave 13 in 1991, and it’s hard to believe it has been 6 years already. I hadn’t been back to Shore Leave in several years, so it was a little like going home. The people who organize this fan-run convention have been at this for a lot of years now and know what they are doing.

With one exception - they tried doing the autograph line by badge numbers, which is a good idea. However, they neglected to let people know what was going on so when it came time for autographs, it was mass confusion. A lot of trouble could have been avoided if they had just made a few announcements and/or put up some notices explaining to everyone how the autographs would be done. Other than that, everything seemed to go smoothly.

The guests were Mojo, Tony Todd, Jerry Doyle and Ethan Philips.

The dance was a vast improvement over the last few I have been to. The DJ was very good, and actually played music you could dance to, rather than the headbanger stuff that seemed to predominate over the past few years.

The costume contest, as usual, had many entries, some of them quite outstanding. The big winners were the green army men from Toy Story, whose costumes were extremely well-done.

I also very much enjoyed the Boogie Knights, who are a regular Shore Leave attraction. For those of you who have never been, the Boogie Knights are a group of filksingers who dress up in medieval garb and sing parodies of familiar songs (and some originals), such as “Xena” to the tune of “Venus”, or “Jousting” to the tune of The Kinks’ “Come Dancing”.

I have also come to appreciate the Hunt Valley Inn as an excellent place for conventions, not just for the facilities, but for the friendliness and cooperation of the hotel staff. Not all hotels know how to treat the fans.

I had a fun, relaxing weekend. For anyone who has not been to a big convention, I would recommend Shore Leave as an example of how a Star Trek convention should be run.

1997: Con Reports by K/S Fans

Note that most of the art auction reports, skits, art show, and discussions described by K/S fans in the letterzine, The K/S Press did not happen in public venues, but instead at the annual K/S Press room parties. In fact, many K/S fans did not attend much of the official programming, but were there as part of a "con within a con."

Shore Leave has always been such a beautiful time, a gathering with K/S friends in such a perfect atmosphere for reveling, and a big dose of Star Trek at the same time. But this year was even more of a high, with so many more K/S'ers. I loved seeing everyone I already know, and loved meeting in person those I've only recently come to know through corresponding, and everyone I don't know personally...I loved all of it, all of you, all of us.

But it wasn't enough. I would like a week or so, to get totally talked out, is that possible amongst K/S'ers? I don't think so. (I didn't lose my voice like I did last year, though I should have.) The Friday night party was wonderful, bringing us all together in one place, but I still didn't get to talk to everyone I wanted to, not by any means. I don't need a whole week of dealer's rooms, though; I couldn't handle that. I found some vintage ST treasures this year, as I always do; but the best is zines. So many new zines this year! Not enough used zines, though, and my collection is far from complete. But I feel rich right now, with all these stories to read by all these wonderful people, and knowing all the rest of us are also reading these stories.

Kirk and Spock, Kirk and Spock, Kirk and Spock.

And the art. The art show is always great, but what a treat it was to have all those walls at our party filled with K/S art in all its naked glory.

And of course the Chris Soto wall. So her spirit was with us....

Gigantic thanks to Jenna for being the main force behind the party, all the planning and organizing. She is nothing short of awesome. But then we had a great collective energy in shopping, setting up and cleaning up. (How many K/S'ers does it take to....)

I know others are telling all the details about the party, the entertainment, etc., and the whole weekend, so I won't repeat it all, but every moment of it is etched in my memory forever.

I actually did see the guests, the only con activity I usually manage to do. Jerry Doyle is gorgeous (though I overheard a sexist remark when he was drinking) and Ethan Phillips is darling and funny.

There was a workshop at the end of the day Sunday (no, I didn't go), "Is Star Trek Addictive?" Well, K/S is, and I am happily hooked. For my particular personality, I've always loved K/S in that I can be doing my creative thing, and enjoying and getting off on everyone else's creative thing, yet still have my nice quiet, solo life. But then the friendships developed out of this shared obsession have been so fulfilling, and the chance to be all together physically has become the highlight of the year for me. I want more.

And of course I think about everyone who wasn't there; and I hope at least once you manage to make it.

In the twenty-four years I’ve been obsessed with Star Trek, I have really enjoyed the show mostly on my own. I’ve always had friends who were into Trek and we talked about it at length and went to the movies and everything. We even went to a couple of Cons. However, those trips consisted mostly of walking around, looking at dealers tables, hearing a speaker or two. Never before have I worshiped at the Star Trek shrine with a large "group" of people as obsessed as myself. I calculate that in the 72 hours I spent in Baltimore, there were maybe 5 hours when I wasn’t discussing Kirk, Spock and the rest of the Star Trek universe. And yes, I’m including the hours I was asleep, (which weren’t that many), because I dreamed about Trek every night. I should mention that I didn’t spend one minute attending the actual convention. My every waking moment was filled socializing with all of these wonderful women I had just met! It was an amazing and fun-filled experience and I’m so grateful to everyone, (Shelley), who insisted that I had to make the journey.

I hesitate to start naming my favorite moments, because I know that inevitably I’ll leave something or someone out. But there are a few things I want to single out.

First of all, it was wonderful to attach faces to all the names, and to hear the voices of people I’ve been talking to online for months. And, I felt totally star-struck meeting so many of the authors and artists whose work I admire and love so much. Wow! It was really nice to be able to thank them in person for all their hard work and effort in creating such wonderful stories and art.

Second, the Dancing Penii. What can I possibly say that would do justice to this modern dance masterpiece? The brilliance of everyone involved cannot be overestimated. My mind was just agog at what I was seeing. I kept thinking that no one outside of K/S fandom would ever understand why gigantic, pink and green dancing penises are so hysterically funny.

Third, I never realized I could laugh so much in one weekend. As if the Dancing Penii weren’t enough, we also had Beth reading out-loud, “Journey to Georgia” by Pam Rose and another brilliant, but (as yet) unfinished comedic masterpiece. As well as Anna’s inimitable reading of the Spock-is-caned-on-the-bridge story. (Thanks for bringing it, Ruth.) I laughed so hard I had trouble breathing.

And finally, watching Linda’s compilation tape of favorite K/S moments in a hotel room packed with thirty (or more) women was a definite highlight. I don’t know what the neighbors were thinking when they heard thirty female voices screaming in delight and then shouting “Rewind! Rewind!”. The energy was just fabulous — to realize that everyone else in the room sees what you see when Kirk gives Spock “that” look, (or vice versa).

This was my very first Shore Leave. It was delightfully overwhelming from start to finish. It included the best party I've ever been to in my life, so I've decided to describe the Friday Night K/S Bash in some detail.

We started setting up at 5pm, the party began in earnest at 8pm, and we finished our final clean-up at midnight. I had the wonderful task of putting up some of the incredible K/S artwork. Picture a large part room. You walk in and see walls covered with K/S art, from "G" to "X" rated. Several sections of wall displayed Chris Soto's work, along with a picture of Chris and the dates of her life. Jenna Sinclair and Carolyn Spencer brought some of Chris' works from their collections to share with us. Robin brought new ones to sell. I purchased "The Diver", which accompanied Carolyn Spencer's excellent story of the same name and showed Spock with a very large sword and no clothes. Yum! Shelley Butler had a large selection of her works, originals and prints. We all worshipped her too-beautiful-for-words "Pieta". Yes, you can now see it on the back cover of First Time 46. There were also works by The Southern Cross, DEW, and Marilyn Cole, and others. [Dianne B] had sent her collection of laminated K/S art to show. It was all heavenly, and I thought I'd been transported to another universe.

Many fans brought food, and we ate things like "Kirk's Golden Balls" and pink and green chocolate penises and a cake decorated with pink and green penises by Shelley. (However, baked by Jenna and Carolyn! -- SB) Jo Ann Bevers brought deep chocolate cake that was so delicious. We ate throughout the night.

The entertainment started around 9pm with fantastic filking by Jenna Sinclair and JS Cavalcante. Their beautiful voices singing songs they wrote themselves gave us a transcendent experience.

Then we went from sublime to the ridiculous, the limerick contest. They were all funny and very much appreciated, although not all of them, including the winner, were technically limericks. Here's the unforgettable winner:

Twinkle, twinkle little Spock.

How I'd love to suck your cock.

I wish I may, I wish I might

Be the one on top tonight.

Next was an appearance of the out-of-this-world "P.P.'s", as Amanda Warrington called them. Yes, the famous Dancing Penises! They were wonderfully brought to life by Terri Rett and Carolyn Spencer, and the choreography was superbly done by Carol D. Yup, music and everything. You gotta see it to believe it.

We also had videos of K/S moments, by Linda Wan. And, of course, we talked, talked, talked. I only wish I could have talked to all of you. There were about 50 plus of us, and we were a most congenial group. Many, many thanks to Jenna and Shelley for such a great time!

I'm going to leave the rest for others or another time. I came home broke, exhausted, and happy. Thanks to everyone for coming and making it such a great con!

Shore Leave 19, (unbelievably my fifth time, as it seems just a short time ago I walked into the Hunt Valley Inn for the first time) has come and gone.

The consensus was that this was truly the most unusual and different Shore Leave ever, mostly because of the big K/S party and the number of K/Sers at the con. After all, just the people who were able to be there at that time in Baltimore was huge, not even counting the many who couldn't attend.

Thursday day and night, the people begin arriving. You could feel the excitement in the air. Captain, there be Klingons here! However, most of Thursday was taken up with arriving, settling in (arguing at the front desk with a very patient person." But I confirmed my rooms a few days ago!"), and having pizza by the pool with some early arrivals. Friday morning, the dawn of the premiere K/S party. With three hours time difference, I awoke at like 6 AM after going to bed at about 2:30 (sleep is unknown at Shore Leave) and wondering what to do first and I didn't want something to go on without me!

Well, first things first, and my cappuccino arrived promptly! (Kathy Stanis travels with her cappuccino machine and makes cappuccinos on demand -- I wave my hand in the air, thusly. "I'd like a cappuccino now.") Then it was off to the Art Show room with my most wonderful assistant, Bevers, and new this year and extremely helpful: Jonesy (dubbed as such to differentiate her from all the other Carols and Caroles in the group).

That accomplished, I could finally relax and become even more frenzied as preparations for the party commenced and the Dealers Room opened! Well, my dear K/Sers, you should have seen the veritable feeding frenzy of new zines! Robin told of fights in the recent zine box ("No! This First Time is mine!") and people waving money in her face exclaiming "Take my money! Take my money!". All the publishers there with new zines practically sold out that first day.

Then there was the "Stuff". You know, all the fine and fabulous Star Trek collectibles that we covet. Things like the "Piece Of The Action" dolls that sold for $300 to all the gorgeous plates to photos and magazines and moist towelettes.

One of my personal treasures is another issue of the small dioramas that depict scenes from various episodes. I got the new "Space Seed" that shows Kirk landing a flying kick to Khan's chest! It's so cool!

We were all like ants, milling around then finding each other briefly, exchanging greetings and comments, then hurrying away. It was an excellent Dealers' Room this year, although there really was a lack of used zines. In the past, Bill Hupe had always been there with his vast resource of used zines, but as we know, he's retired. She might say elsewhere in this issue, but Bevers craves to have KSX and/or KSX2. Anyone?

During all this were preparations for the party, including transporting at least 100 cans of various sodas, vast quantities of potato chips, many cookies and one penis cake (that's two penises and one cake) - fittings for the penis costumes (boy! You know where our our heads were at...), rehearsals, and finally, setting up the room. Art work went up on the walls (with the most irritating gummy stuff that sometimes didn't stick), and included a special section of Chris Soto art.

[...]

Then it was time to go get dressed. Jonesy (see above mention) volunteered to stay and guard the room from prying eyes and outworlders. When questioned, she said she wanted to stay and bask in all the glorious K/S art.

The party began. We charged a "suggested" donation of $2 and I wish I could name all the names of the incredibly generous K/Sers who gave way more money! You know who you are and we thank you deeply. For me, it was thrilling to meet in person some of our subscribers! I don't know who I can mention (it gets so complicated with names, some want them printed, some don't), but I loved meeting all of you.

An especially wonderful thrill was meeting many of the on-line ladies - Killashandra (of terrific-writer renown), Kim K. (who delighted us by recounting her conversation with the actor Jason Alexander who told of his long-standing admiration for William Shatner!), Kim A. (who I know from my neighborhood!), Michele (another terrific writer), and many more to whom I barely got to say hello.

Of special note for me was my very own impromptu art lesson from Caren Parnes and Deeb, both of whom stimulated my creative K/S juices, so-to-speak.

So back to the party itself - the room filled and Jenna began the event. I spoke briefly (of course with hands and arms waving in the air - my signature) and we had a limerick contest, beautiful filking with Jenna and JS Cavalcante, a song rendition by Juliea - our lovely Romulan princess, door prize giveaways, and we were going to do charades using quotes from the series, but we only had time to read them aloud.

The food was all delicious - some of it brought by other attendees, and included the aforementioned dual penis cake (pink and green) that Jenna and Carolyn Spencer had baked and I had frosted (the fun part).

But the highlight of the evening had to be the famous "Dancing Penises"! This was an idea from what had been performed at a K/S con many years ago. Actually, this time, the idea came from CD (she's extremely modest) and she put in so much work, it was amazing. This woman designed and sewed these enormous costumes all herself, fitted them to the players, made the accompanying music tape, rehearsed and choreographed. She is simply an amazing woman.

The show was hilarious. Rett played Kirk's penis and her entrance was funny and scary as she knocked over a large screen on her way to Spock's penis, played by Spencer. Just the sight of this giant pink penis bouncing in to strains of "Macho Man" brought the house down. And the giant double-ridged penis, sitting sadly by itself to the music of "I Am A Rock" was so funny. But the best part was their excited erections and climaxes to the tune of "The 1812 Overture"! Mere words cannot describe how funny this all was. These two huge writhing, erect and rampant penises dancing around was a sight to behold. Brava to CD! I wish I could tell you her name because she deserves to be honored for all that hard work. But most of you know of whom we speak.

But two more Brava's go to Rett and Spencer who bemoaned their fate at having been volunteered to do this and who sweated inside the hot costumes and got a case of stage-nerves before showtime and who performed (so-to- speak) beautifully!

Then, when the party was over, in what seemed a blink of an eye, the entire room was cleaned and repositioned in its original form. Jenna had been informed by the committee that the tables and chairs were to be exactly as she had found them. So many people helped! Thank you to all of you.

Saturday dawned and we were off to the Dealers' Room and the Art Show Room and of course, the de rigeur pizza place. There was time to accost [Elizabeth Scott]], the extraordinary writer, and with pleads, begs and assorted terms of harassment, get her to write again.

I had the art auction looming ahead at 6:30 and I was only slightly nervous this year (in previous years I have been known to have had the vapors - whatever those are, I had them). The day was punctuated by others' brief sightings of gorgeous Garibaldi (heart-be-still) from Babylon 5, who was one of the featured guests at the con along with Neelix from Voyager.

A few of my pieces in the art show had two bids so they went to auction. My pride and joy, only my second color-pencil piece showing Mirror Kirk went for the second highest price of the auction. The highest went to a stunning Gayle F color work that I had seen in the art show and had actually thought about buying. It is so beautiful and Caren Parnes got it. I told her later that I'd come over at midnight and steal it.

There were a myriad of terrific activities at this con, maybe one of which I attended (part of the masquerade). But that's usual every year because we are all so busy with the Dealers' Room, zines, the art and each other that we barely have time for anything. Of special note, however, was my "close encounter of the Garibaldi kind".

And I can't forget the very crowded get-together in one of the hotel rooms where they showed a wonderful tape of many K/S moments from the series. I only saw part of it, but boy, there's so much K/S in all those episodes! Please read Kim Adams' report for more details on that event!

Sunday things begin to wind down, dealers pack up, time for last minute bargains, saying good-bye to the 546 new people you just met, packing (always a major event -- "Where do all these zines that weigh ninety-five pounds go?"), continually sighing "I can't believe it's over.", and asking Terri to announce "Only three-hundred and sixty-two more days!"

So many more things happened, I hope some of the others will tell because I tried to describe Shore Leave from my personal POV! But it is certainly an event like no other, especially for us K/Sers. Besides, these Shore Leave cons have always been the best Star Trek convention of all I have ever been to over many years. One of the reasons is it is fan run and organized. What a difference alone that makes! No uptight attitudes from big money making organizations like Creation. Only genuine enthusiasm and lots of colorful people and a very well-run con. The hotel is really nice, surrounded by beautiful trees and it's relatively small and intimate to create a wonderful togetherness amongst all the Trekkers.

My heart is filled with the joy and rapture of K/S. So I will end this con report with the words that we always go back to no matter what the conversation: "Kirk and Spock. Kirk and Spock."

Best unheard comment of the evening: From [Judith G's] twenty-something daughter to my twenty-something daughter (reported after the con): “I can’t believe our MOTHERS are doing this!”

How was the K/S party? I had a great time! But I was so darn busy taking care of this and that, that I can only remember sitting down and saying hello to someone I didn’t know once, and that only lasted a minute or two. I wish I could have talked to everybody who attended, and met the many people there I didn’t know.

And I didn’t get a chance to eat a thing! Not a single golden ball or verdant log or even a candy penis. Rats!

I’ll always regret that JS and I had to leave to sing in the official con filking presentation. We missed a good hour of the party. I didn’t leave because I wanted to, folks, I wanted to stay! Hopefully that problem will be straightened out next year. Next year? Oh, yes, don’t you think we must have a next year? Plans are already underway.

I’ll add my own question here. What did I like best about the party? Besides all the lovely people and the inspiring enthusiasm, I loved all the artwork up on the walls.

Shelley’s and DEW’s original works were there in all their glory, enough to take your breath away, and give the vice squad fits, too, if they’d been invited. (Before I left, my husband solemnly assured me that he would disavow any knowledge of me if he received a midnight phone call from the Hunt Valley police ....) I especially liked seeing the laminated art sent by [Dianne B]. There was a wonderful variety from many years of K/S, the work of artists that we don’t see very often, and that was a special treat.

More than 50 people came to The K/S Press party, which was terrific. It’s just what we had hoped would happen... There was far more interest in K/S at Shore Leave than I’d expected.

[...]

Also, a note of thanks to all of you who listened to JS and myself sing our K/S filks. I know a liking for filks is not something everyone shares, but you all were more than kind in your attention to us. And do you know, not a single person came up to me and teased me for forgetting the lyrics to my own song? Now that’s a nice group of people! Oddly enough, I wasn’t very embarrassed when that happened, I felt so comfortable among a group of friends.

[...]

Shore Leave is all about people, meeting folks you’ve corresponded with but never met, dear friends you only get a chance to see once a year, new fans who will become friends. I could never list all the names of all the people I saw, with whom I wanted to speak for hours but only managed a few minutes, but there are just a few I must mention.

[...]

Did you laugh at the Dancing Penises? Is the Pope Catholic? Does Spock have pointed ears? How could you see that performance and not laugh? And as Kim said last month, no one outside K/S fandom would ever understand. I showed my dearest beloved a picture of the pink and green towers, and he just shook his head. Also murmured something about not bargaining for this when we met at the altar ....

Nobody so far has mentioned the technical glitch that marked the opening of the DP skit. We had to ask everybody to close their eyes while the organs in question got into position, then we were going to start the tape with the music. But the music wasn’t cued properly, and everybody was really understanding, and in the dark, while we fixed the problem. Thanks for your patience!

The skit opened to I Am a Rock by Simon and Garfunkel, while Spock drooped with disinterested unhappiness. Then Kirk entered, all jauntiness, to The Village People’s Macho Man. Nobody struts and turns those jaunty shoulders like Terri does! And hey, guess what, Spock perked up a little! Then the guys swayed next to one another during Bread’s Baby I’ma Want You, occasionally rubbing, ah, heads and otherwise expressing the highest of emotions. This produced considerable interest and an expansion in length and energized movement during Let’s Get Physical. Finally, the event reached the heights, and its most logical conclusion, during The War of 1812 Overture.

[...]

The art show closed by about 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, far too soon in my opinion, especially since it didn’t really open until Friday early afternoon. Some pieces of art weren’t even hung until Saturday morning. There are two rooms downstairs used for the art; one is the big room where the drawings and portraits and cartoons are displayed. (I’ve got to say here that Shelley’s artwork was, as always, breathtaking. Especially her color pieces. She’s just begun to work in color pencil, which I know is a brand new medium for her. Sort of like me trying to write K/S stories in Russian! But you should see them! The best was her Mirror Kirk (actually, she reassured me that this was really OUR Kirk in the Mirror universe), which I believe took second place in the art show (what a travesty the judging in the art show is! Everyone agrees that the judges must have sawdust for brains. The first place entry was a joke; couldn’t touch the effort and touch and delicacy and sheer effort that went into Shelley’s picture. Of course, I’m not prejudiced in the least ....) This Kirk was so magnificent, the color in it so arresting. Original, enhancing the piece without overwhelming it, adding nuances to the portrait that simply weren’t there before, but which truly revealed shades of characterization totally consistent with the subject .... I’m trying to say that this was really, really good, folks! I stood before this piece a long time, trying to memorize it. I hope Shelley is going to issue color prints of this picture, because it deserves to have a wide audience. And I want it!)

There’s also a smaller room next door where most of the 3-D work is displayed: things like magnets and goblets. I was happy to see work by TACS (The Artist Carole Swoboda) in that room. She had three bags on display. One had a picture of a young series Spock and a dragon, (remember the dragons of Berengaria he mentioned in This Side of Paradise?), and the other two featured her pictures of the movie Kirk and the movie Spock.

[...]

For those of you who have never been to Shore Leave, the dealers’ rooms there compare favorably to any I’ve ever seen. There’s one really big room stuffed with tables and merchandise, and then a smaller room next door that accommodates maybe ten? twelve? tables, and then more tables down both sides of the long hall on one side of the large room, and more tables in the front foyer and hall. I had the great pleasure of attending the wonderful, enormous, fan-run Star Trek cons in New York in the seventies, and I don’t think those were any better, especially since there was much less merchandise out then. (Hey, we were lucky Trek was even surviving back then, before the movies began.) I remember being impressed by the huge dealers’ room at the 25th anniversary con in Los Angeles, but even in there I got a little bored, and I never seem to get bored at Shore Leave.

(One thing I remember from the old New York cons, that I wish we had today, was a room devoted exclusively to zines. Can you imagine it? There was so much being produced back then. Of course, that was before the dawn of printed K/S, but there were still some glorious relationship and hurt-comfort zines printed. I would spend two hours or so in that room, spend absolutely all my money, and then be ready to go home. After the zines, what more could I want?)

Shore Leave and K/S have a lot in common. First, there is invariably extensive foreplay. For Shore Leave it lasts 360 days. Then, there is a brief period of intense pleasure. At Shore Leave this takes about 5 days. Finally, the deflation as friends withdraw and leave and vendors pack their wares. However, both Shore leave and K/S leave a warm glow and a desire for more. Heavenly!

For me, the K/S Press party on Friday was a definite high point. The concluding ‘romance of the penises’ is something I will not forget soon. The two penile implants who brought such artistic spasming to the performance have my appreciation and respect. There was also excellent food, some of it very tasty and cleverly presented. Filks, contests and games added peaks of pleasure to an already terrific evening. It was truly wonderful to see over 50-odd (just a figure of speech) K/Sers in one room. Thanks to Jenna and Shelley ( I know, you only ate bon- bons) for all their work. The result will be long remembered.

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of getting reacquainted with ladies I had met last year. Too brief a time, too few conversation opportunities, too many friends. There were many new faces as well...

[...]

The only down note of the weekend was the absence of Chris Soto. I had met Chris only once, at Shore Leave. Regretfully, I was too intimidated to tell her how much I admired both her art and her writing. I will always regret not expressing to her how much pleasure her work gave me. At the party there was a nice tribute to her art and that kept her in all our thoughts. I guess she was still with us after all.

AAAHHHHHH! It was the best. That line from Fat's Domino keeps going through my head " I found my thrill." I got there on Thursday, Ruth and Judith were throwing a K/S Circle party. It spoke my language. The food was great. May I say that Judith is the Martha Stewart of Star Trek and K/S food. The tranya was so good, it put hair on your chest. The array of logs and balls. You name it, it was there. I never seen so many food wrapped and rolled all at the same place. The clear blue Romulan ale, was smokin'. It was definitely a feast for the palettes. Beth, great Rum Balls, it left my mouth breathless I tell you. Dorothy made these wonderful name tags for the circle and I was finally able to put name to face. There were K/S story readings . Anna, hands down is the favorite voice of K/Sers. Two Thumbs up. Thanks guys, it was great!

Con starts. Roamed around like a restless buffalo until the Dealer's Room opened at ungodly hour of 2 p.m. That seems to take forever, but the monotony was broken when my fellow K/Sers convened at the patio area behind the pool room for lunch. It was so cool. Everyone spoke what you wanted to hear, great K/S stories, good writers, the K/S relationships such energy such verve. Who said the K/S fandom is dying out, that's just bull cookies. Come two, I shot out of there like a bat out of hell, all I could think about was the new zines and how they would be all gone if I waited too long. I zoomed straight for Merry Men Press, the yummiest table I ever seen. K/S illos on them covers as far as the eyes could see. I drooled quietly over them before I very nit pickily picked out the best copies of Scattered Stars 9, First Time 46, and First Light. Then I scooted over to the other delectable table beside it and got a copy of KaleidoScope 6. I swear, I died and gone to heaven. After that, I warped speed to Orion Press because I knew, I just knew if I didn't get my grubby hand on a copy of Conduct Unbecoming that it would be all gone.

After all the rave, I immediately looked through every copy and got me the best one cause they were all gone come early Saturday morning. I then scuttle over to the next table and got my copies of T'hy'la 18 and 19. I could barely squeezed through the crowd that hover around that table like bees to a hive. Well, when the nectar's good.... It was also a great place to get used Star Trek and K/S zines and there were some gems. You name it everything under the Star Trek sun is there. There were some great rare fines of photos with our two main squeeze together from various episode. After all the zine and photo buying, everything else just pales in comparison.

K/S Party. It was a blast. One of the many highlights of Shoreleave. Shelley and Jenna quite out done themselves. The walls were covered with wall to wall K/S illustrations from Shelley Butler to Chris Soto. There were K/S music videos being played, buttload of food especially the biggest most delicious dick cake I ever ate. Also, the mmmmm hmmmm green and pink chocolate scrumptious, melt in your mouth and not in your hands to die for phallic candies that I have ever tasted. My big ten gallon hats off to Jo and Liz for making them all individually by hand. Boggles the mind. God, they were so good. A banquet for the taste buds. There were door prizes being given. I was pea green with envy when one of the K/Ser's got a 1987 Star Trek calendar, the lucky devil. The limerick contest. The best part of the party was when Joanne and Jenna did the filking. It wasn't anything I thought it would be. It was really cool to hear such tributes to our favorite guys. So when is the tape coming out with these filk songs? I wished that I had recorded it. Another gem. The party ended with the traditional c--- dance which I had only heard of and never seen. Boy, was it an eye opener. It was fantastic and many applause to the dancers and coordinator for give such a splendid performance. As for me, I was running around like a chicken with you know what cut off trying to find the people who own the K/S music videos and see if I can get my hands on a copy of them. I know most undignifed, but shoot we're talking about K/S. Thanks for a truly knock out bodacious party.

Saturday, I scavenged the Dealer's Room. Nothing. Guzzle the usual, if you do not have reservation at the hotel dinning room, the all time favorite Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza. Tony Todd was funny, Jerry Doyle was funny, Ethan Phillips needs all the help he can get. Got autographs. Highlight! Highlight! Highlight! It was the mega awesome K/S party at Kathy's and Caren's room. As Homer Simpson would say "Wo hooo! " People were talking in my native K/Ser tongue. Made new friends, meet new people. There were enough drinks to make a Klingon hiccupy and happy. I finally met Indrani up close and personal. Next year, I might get the exclusive. Beth read a story by Pamela Rose that made everyone guffawed, chuckle, and snortle. We watch the K/S moments, but the one and only best part about the showing of videos was Catlow with Leonard Nimoy in all his young naked glorious studlines. We kept rewinding just to be sure if that was the family jewels flapping in the wind and came to the inevitable conclusion that it was. Anna showed her tape that she did for T.V. Great show and even greater acting with the guy you have to work with. As I say, who needs sleep when you party with the best. It was definitely a con to remember.