Podfic Fangirl Meet Up

[paraka]

I actually started writing this email while in the airport on my way to Vividcon and even then it was super late! I think it's time I finally post it :P

So back in June cantarina emailed me that a couple podfic fangirls were having a get together, and would I be interested in joining them. That was kind of in the middle of my work stress so I welcomed the excuse to get away and said "hell yes!"

The only problem was that the get together was being held on a Wednesday 5 hours from where I live.

Getting the Time Off
Since I had already quite my job at that point, I technically had negative vacation left since I'd lose about a weeks worth for the 1/3 of the year I wasn't going to be working. I made all these plans to go on bended knee to my boss and ask for the time off, but I wasn't hopeful since she's given me trouble when I've asked for days off that I did technically have. :-/

This year my department switched to using an online system for booking vacation rather than going to your boss though, which a coworker reminded me of before I went to beg. The computer system hadn't changed the amount of vacation I had available, so it would allow me to book the days off.

The way the computer system works is there are a number of hours allocated per day to be booked off. That way there aren't too many people off. Most days my department has 16 hours available to be booked.

I really didn't want to involve my boss so I unbooked some vacation from Sept-Dec so I'd have those days available and tried to book the Wednesday and Thursday off. But there was a problem and my request was rejected. Someone else in the department was on vacation that day (so 8 hours gone) and another person had a Dr.'s appointment (2 hours gone). That meant there was only 6 hours left to be booked on the Wednesday.

I figured that the party would likely be in the evening so I could work for 2 hours and drive down after that. So I booked the time available (after a couple tries, I kept getting midnight and noon mixed up).

Only to find out that the podfic party was actually going to be in the afternoon! Gah!
I also found out that every time I had booked something, unbooked it, or attempted to book it (but got rejected), my boss got an email about it. So as I was freaking out about making it on time, my boss came over to ask what the heck I was tying to do. When I explained she told me to just take the whole day (she'd approve it) and have fun.

So that was a whole lot of stress and complication for nothing :P

Podfic Fangirls!
I had so much fun at the meetup! cantarina, fishpatrol, lunchy_munchy and scintilla10 were there. We mostly just hung out talking and recorded podfic. lunchy_munchy brought yummy Australian snacks for us.

We recorded 3 podfics while together, although In An Interstellar Burst is the only one we've posted so far (as far as I know). cantarina also recorded a cracky one on her own with the rest of us providing the giggle track. And oh yeah! We all sang "This Is Our Song" for cantarina's pod_together project, Unexpected Happily Ever After.

We did some really cool stuff with some of the other ones so I can't wait to hear how they turn out.

I know I had more to say on this get together, but waiting 2 months to post about it has made most of those thoughts disappear. :-/

Comments

[lunate8]

I know I had more to say on this get together, but waiting 2 months to post about it has made most of those thoughts disappear. :-/

OMG, tell me about it. Did you know I went to Vividcon? And CONvergence? And had awesome times that I haven't posted about yet? (Well, you know more about the ones at the former. ;) ) I'm trying to remind myself that squee has no expiration date and to get typing...

Your get-together sounds cool, I'm glad it worked out!

[paraka]

Yeah, god, I totally want to make a Vividcon post but it might not happen as I continue to procrastinate.

[weimar27]

I'm jealous that i wasn't there. It sounds like a lot of fun.

[paraka]

Aw, I wish you had been there too!

Every once in a while (read: far too often) I get the urge to declare a podfic slumber party at my house or something and just invite all the awesome podficcers I know to come over and squee with me. But then I feel like it would probably be creepy to actually do it. :S

Why does everyone have to live so far away?

[weimar27]

I know. :( But that's the wonders of the internet, meeting people from different parts.

[paraka]

I have a folder on my computer with all these plans in it for running a podfic con. :P

I've put them on hold since general_jinjur did a poll recently about running one herself. She's planning hers in France though so I haven't given up the idea of running one myself, since there are a lot of people that probably won't be able to make a European con but could make a North American one. Also I'm not sure if she's planning to do it just once or making it an annual thing.

But in the mean time I will happily continue squeeing with everyone online. :D

[weimar27]

Yeah. a european one would be kinda impossible cash wise.

Though If you ever want to put a north american one together, I can def help out.

[scintilla10]

Oh jeez, I didn't realize you'd been through so much just to GET there! I'm so glad you made it. :) And I look forward to the other stuff you ladies created!

[via_ostiense]

Hey, I've recorded the AI8 fic Firsts and it's up at amplificathon. :D I'm working on one more audiofic for your help_japan donation, Jerakeen's werewolf AU.