Older and Wiser, I Still Like Dressing Like a Pirate for Sci-fi/Fantasy Conventions

Older and Wiser, I Still Like Dressing Like a Pirate for Sci-fi/Fantasy Conventions

It's convention season again, that time of year when those of us who consider ourselves geeks, or maybe nerds, get all excited. Some folks I know who, unlike me, can sew, have already begun work on what they hope might be this year's winning costumes for conventions like Norwescon, the largest sci-fi/fantasy convention that happens in the Northwest. It happens every Easter weekend and I've been going since I was in my early thirties, shortly after I moved from Chicago to the Northwest in 1987, to be closer to my daughter (who was then just entering her teens, and is turning 36 this year! Yep, time sure flies!), and pursue my dream of a writing career.

In the beginning, I went, not only to hang out with other Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Red Dwarf (and other, later sci-fi and fantasy movies and shows) fans, but also with an agenda of maybe, finding a like minded partner. Mostly, from the mid to late nineties, the latter hope didn't materialize, though I did make some lifelong friends, and even saw those friends, like myself, move from wild, young things, to older folks, often needing canes and sometimes wheelchairs to navigate the increasingly crowded convention. I also watched couples get together, having met at this sort of “Brigadoon,” an organic, ever-changing world, that we, the fans, create every year anew. And I watched children grow up to become the next generation of fans, often accompanying their now, older parents.

This experience became even more special after I finally did meet the partner of my dreams, who luckily shared my zeal for the wacky, fun, and occasionally bizarre world that is Norwescon.

As I started to attend the convention with a partner, the whole experience broadened, and we, as a couple, made more friends and attended events I'd not considered before, like the burlesque shows and a few on site concerts, as well as late night parties (though my partner's taste in music and mine are different enough that the loud parties are something we have tended to make an appearance at, then leave when my partner let it be known that the noise was more than he could handle).

Everything changed again, two-plus years ago, when I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer—ductal carcinoma in situ, a treatable cancer that I've chosen to treat with medical cannabis, instead of the standard, Western medicine treatment. Suddenly, I had to take into account that I had to bring along my “night medicine” (an indica “doobie” to smoke, so I could sleep), and find a safe place to do that, wanting not to attract a lot of attention, as we were in a non-smoking room. I also found myself somewhat overwhelmed by the crowds of happy “con” goers, as I was still adjusting to the (at the time), devastating news of my diagnosis. My partner patiently put up with my crying on his shoulder that first year, in our room, after I'd basically maxed out on crowds and suddenly found myself exhausted and dizzy, my body engaged in the hard fight to rid itself of this invader.

I dried my eyes, put on my “night costume,” and we rejoined the evening crowd at the Sea-Tac Denny's, where just about all the fans hang out and get dinner before heading to the evening's room parties. They are a place to meet and greet folks met earlier in the day. Or a place to pick someone for hanging out and some private fun. I felt lucky I no longer had that as my agenda and cheered up, even dancing at a few parties while my partner endured the loud music as long as he could.

This year, I’m well into what looks to be the beginning of remission from my cancer. (Though I'm still cautious, having had hopes dented a bit, with a mammogram a year ago that revealed though the mass was stable, it was not shrinking as fast as hoped.) But, I'm nervously looking forward to returning to this exciting event. I'm already eagerly watching rented videos like Lexx—a trippy, over the top sci-fi show from the 90s, featuring a powerful planet-destroying ship, called Lexx, and a sexy, wacky crew that garnered a still loyal fan base. Also, Dr. Who for costume ideas. It's the high point of my year. This is true particularly as I move through week after week of taking high doses of cannabis concentrate to, as I put it on my Facebook page, “kick this bad roomie out of my body.” I look forward to catching up with old friends, making new friends, and having some quality time with my partner, both in and out of Norwescon events and parties. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our tight budget (particularly tight now that I'm not working and my partner's part-time job helps to pay for my medicine) will allow at least one or two fun purchases in the “dealer's room,” that vending area where one can purchase sci-fi oriented wear or items like mugs, buttons, and the like. Before, Norwescon, however, I hope to attend this year's Emerald City Comicon, and maybe pick up a few new comics, as I'm still a comic book fan at 59 years young. After Norwescon, I'm hoping to make an appearance at Crypticon (the Northwest's annual horror convention)and get back to my dream of being a horror writer, the dream that's been interrupted as I fight this cancer. This and other dreams of seeing my partner's astrology business get up and going, keep me going on nights when I take the concentrate and my whole perspective changes for the day and half as my body detoxes, until the next round of “green chemo.”

Maybe I'll just be a pirate again, or maybe I'll luck out and find some interesting pieces for a new costume, a more creative costume in one of the thrift stores I like to haunt. Whatever, I can't wait for Easter weekend!

James Stansberry

James is a Seattle writer/cancer warrior/psychic/medium

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