Most of you didn’t even know I was gone, but I was! And for a long time, too! First to the Supernatural convention in Parsippany, then off to the beach for a nice long vacation. Not long enough, but hey, leave while you’re having fun, right? I’m glad to be back home and back at my desk, which, despite my having been gone, looks like a tornado tore through it. Where did all this mail come from?! All these bills?!

Anyway, the Supernatural convention was super fun. I have to say, I wasn’t that jazzed about it, because once again…neither J was there. It’s pretty much the height of lame to have a fan convention without the two lead stars, isn’t it? The Js carry that show. That’s why I watch it. That’s who I’d like to see. But really, we all know I’d explode in the presence of Jensen Ackles, which wouldn’t be pretty and would possibly scar him for life, rendering him incapable of attending a fan convention ever again. So I guess it’s a good thing neither of them were there.

I wasn’t jazzed about going until the day before, when they announced Matt Cohen (aka Baby John Winchester) would be attending, presumably to help take the place of a couple guests who dropped out. We also got the bonus of Fred Lehne, aka the Yellow Eyed Demon. He was fantastic! Funny, personable, just an all around interesting guest. And Baby John? What can I say about him? If you’ve done any following of the con at all (and I’ll admit it, I never pay attention to con updates for cons I haven’t been to) he gave FREE HUGS. Umm….

Okay. I don’t like hugs. I mean, I’m not morally opposed to them or anything, I just don’t like to give or receive them, especially from strangers. Even really hot strangers. But what could I do? When Matt Cohen opens his arms and says “free hugs” what sane person turns that down? I think I got five hugs, total. That’s a lot of up close and personal full frontal body contact with a stranger for me. But I survived it! (And yes, he is really super cute, but also super funny, VERY sweet and quite entertaining.)

By the way, we all loved Matt so much we opted to go back and get a SECOND photo op with him and the four of us. Because he was just that fabulous.

Misha Collins. What can you say about him? I was there last year in NJ when he had his first con experience, and let’s just say he seems to have quite taken to it. He’s hilarious, not at all like Castiel (which um, makes sense, doesn’t it?) and he’s deliciously irreverent. I say delicious because that’s kind of a perfect word to describe him. DELICIOUS.  Mishalicious? I wasn’t going to get a photo opp with him because I got one last year, and had said, (stupidly) –why do I need another one? Umm…DUH. Because. I wanted one. So, I got one. It was the standard three seconds long. No big deal. I’d already spoken to him, albeit briefly, at the dessert party the night before. He sat right next to me, and I could’ve moved my leg away, but I did not. (Would you?)I’d already fondled the pie he left behind. I’d already asked him a question during the Q and A. And really, I don’t have a *crush* on him — love him on the show, think he’s a fantastic guest, but I don’t really have a crush.

Strike that.

Didn’t have a crush.

So I get up there, it’s time for my photo, it’s not a big deal. Really. You don’t have time to blink, much less have a conversation, or even be nervous. You’re cattle-shooted through the line, take your picture, you’re out of there. So I get up there, I get the instructions from the line monitor: “Go to Misha’s left side, then exit around the back.” No problem. To do this, you have to cross in front of him. So, I do. I say to him, “go to the left and then behind. I can manage that.” Yes, it sounded dirty, a little, but I didn’t mean it to. Pose at his left side. The flash goes. (This is literally 3-5 seconds, I’m not kidding) — I turn to him to say “thank you” — he looks at me. I look at him.

I am not even kidding you when I say I was utterly starstruck. Struck dumb. I think I mumbled thank you, I’m sure my mouth opened. I looked at him and was like…duhhhhhhhrrrrrmmmmmm…

I’m sure he gets that a lot. I’m sure to him I was just one more random, dumbstruck idjit. It was the longest 2 seconds of my life, staring into Misha Collins’ face.

(Misha, you’re awesome.)

The other guests, Aldis Hodge, Alona Tal, Rob Benedict, Katherine Boecher, Samantha Smith…also incredibly entertaining and interesting. There was so much that happened, I’m not sure I can even do any of it justice.

This was my second fan convention. The second without either of the Js. I had an even better time this year than I did last year, which was pretty stellar. But would I go again? I dunno. It’s a lot of money to spend without the Js there. (Though I guess I’d spend more if they were.) It’s fun and I go with friends and I have a great time, but…will I go again next year? I didn’t buy my seats in advance, so I’m risking not having as good of seats if I do decide to go. I can’t really decide until they at least put up the guest list. Misha makes it worth it, and so do the other guests, totally. But a Supernatural con without either Jensen or Jared just doesn’t seem quite right. So I might not. I had a really great time, I don’t regret it. But…not sure I’ll go again.

Now, though, I have to finish clearing off my desk, paying some bills, and get to writing!

M