The 5 W's of DunneCon

What is DunneCon?
This all stems from Steven and I being bored and wanting to go to Youmacon but having no money last year.  Also, with my mild social anxiety, large conventions are severely taxing to me.  I do them anyway, but UGH the toll I pay for it is enormous!

So, we asked the question: What if we just dressed up in costumes all weekend, maybe post a few things on social media?  That would be fun, sure!

Steven then remembered a time when he was in Indiana all by himself and hosted a 1 man online Con.  No one responded.  He was sad about it, but he kept making posts anyway to entertain himself.  He said it was a sad and lonely time in his life. Then I said... "Well that was then, this is now, you are surrounded with a bunch of NEW people, and I'll betcha everyone will play along."

"This is a terrible idea, Dee... Let's do it!"

Thus the birth of Dunne Con

So, we invited our friends to dress up in costumes all weekend.  Our kids are living with their respective other parents, we had a nice little landing pad.  We see this as a celebration of our friends, and of our marriage and of all things geeky.  DunneCon Prime, as we call ourselves, will be going about our normal weekend activities, but adding a bit of magic to it. Costumes, witty ideas, online "workshops", you name it! Use your imagination!

We celebrate YOU this weekend. All of you in your uniquely you-ness.  Be who you are and we will love you for it.  Even if who you are right now is Batman, who am I kidding?  Especially if you are Batman!  Even if we were friends last year and grew apart or are no longer friends, you are invited and we celebrate you!  This is a time for all of us to get together and share our geekiness.  Hop in your finery and take a picture!



Where is DunneCon?  We often answer "anywhere you are" to this question, and really, it's TRUE! Post a picture, or a status update, make a video or 3, get creative!!.  Use #DunneCon2016 on your social networks, and put it up on the event page, you can also put it up on our DunneCon Facebook page!  Will it ever have an official "location"?  Nope.  That defeats the point of the Con!!


When is DunneCon?  We will be holding DunneCon on the first weekend of November every year until we decide not to.


Why DunneCon?  The world needs more unity.  We can unite here regardless of religion, sexual orientation, political stances, area codes, zip codes, or any other divider.  We are one big happy dysfunctional family this weekend!

Who can and should participate in DunneCon?
EVERYONE.  NO LIMITS.  
Just post as you normally would on your social networks and include the hashtag, or just post on the event page or business page.  We will witness you!!!

Important links:

DunneCon Business Page on Facebook

DunneCon 2016 Event Page

DunneCon Prime on Twitter

Steven on Twitter

Dee on Twitter

DunneCon Prime on Instagram

Steven on Instagram

Dee on Instagram

DunneCon 2016: The Fully Online Convention! Thanks for Registering, here's your Pamphlet!

Good day my dear, brothers, sisters and others in arms!

Welcome to DunneCon 2016, please see this as your pamphlet upon registering, (aka accepting our invite on our Facebook Event.)

A few things to remember: This event is all about you, for you and run by YOU, how much fun you have is directly proportionate to how much fun you are willing to have!

So, get that Optimus Prime Cosplay dusted off, or your Constantine Duster... erm, also dusted off!

We will have Live Events this year ala Facebook: this is a window into how DunneCon Prime runs DunneCon.  Plus, you know me and Steven fucking LOVE being cute and disgusting and adorable. I want to invite YOU to do the same!

Wear your costume, be your best you, enjoy yourself, kick back a few adult beverages if you are of age, get suitably intoxicated for whatever you are doing.  Bring us all along on your weekend adventures, because we are those creepers who fucking LOVE seeing your vacation photos, and hang out on your albums all day long in between spontaneous bouts of doing our real jobs.

Post yourself in your finest finery, your funky PJs, bring the kids, bring the spouse!  Also, if you have a musical.ly account, do things there.  This is full multimedia and fully wherever you are!

However, a few caveats to that.

1. If you lose things, DunneCon will feel really bad about it, but will ultimately not be responsible for your lost or stolen things.

2. If you are unhappy with the atmosphere and aesthetic of your location of DunneCon, we advise you to go to your site supervisor, (who will be you, of course,) and inform them of your distaste.  Then you can have a hardy discussion about politics, or religion, or sexual deviancy, or like, share a really interesting cookie recipe... Your choice.  If you don't like where you are, change it, move it, or use the rest of the con to entertain you.  There is always a lot to do! When in doubt, choose a costume, leave your house/office and #Treechyoself

3. Feel free to host "Workshops" live on Facebook.  Or, you can just say they are going on and wonder why your garage is full of strangers!  :)

4. Performers, artists, musicians, and writers: if you have a video, or a live video of you doing your thing, we WILL PROMOTE YOU.  Promise.  Like, for realz.  Our con reaches all of our Facebook friends and that's at least a couple hundred people.  Really, you want in on the ground floor of this, mainly because it's so silly!  Writers, try a book signing!  Just set yourself up with a book, your trusty smart phone, and sign a book right on camera!  Musicians, having practice on Saturday?  Bring DunneCon with you!!  Record part of your practice and let us see it!  Performers, do you have extra time before a gig?  Broadcast live!  Post what you want to see.  Be the change, all that stuff.

SPECIAL FRIDAY EVENT!

All staff and con goers of DunneCon are invited and encouraged to take part in #stuffonmyheadfriday!


Here's how it works:
1. Find a thing
2. Put it on your head
3. Take a picture
4. ???
5. PROFIT

Ok, just jokin, no profit, but FUN!!  This comes from my weekly #stuffonmyheadfriday post.

I do it because my 3 sons currently live with new adoptive parents.  The adoptive parents aren't too keen that I sent their son/my boy's father to jail.  They won't let me see the kids saying they are starting a "new narrative" for them and trying to reprogram them into not remembering I exist. Which is upsetting, of course but I kind of have no choice but to trust their judgement.

Anyway, I invented stuff on my head Friday to let my little boys know that they are always on my mind.  They don't want Mama to be unhappy, I know they worry, and I know they can't see my posts, but when they one day run across me and figure out to unblock me, I want them to see how much I love them, and that Mama was really ok, and was really thinking of them the whole time. Also, that I was wholly me the whole time.

My kids can't see my posts, but that doesn't mean they can't see YOU.  Spread it.  Let's all put stuff on our head and take a picture!  :)  Also, you can take part any time!  You can not take part any time!  Whichever, farbeit from me to tell you how to run your Con!!!

For those of you seeing this first, and not the Facebook Invite, please go to the following link and say you'll be coming along!

https://www.facebook.com/events/582811478557277/permalink/582850918553333/?notif_t=event_mall_comment&notif_id=1478027044535837

DunneCon 2016: Spring Report Teaser

Greetings and Salutations all Hedonists, Misfits, and Geeks of All Stripes,

DunneCon Prime is going on the road in the near future.  Starting May 27 and ending June 2, the travelling travesty (tm) will be traversing the upper reaches of Michigan in search of one of the coolest things this world has to offer...a glimpse at the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights.  We intend a full report after we return.  This post is intended to whet the appetite not just for the DC1 trip, but as a reminder of the Big Show (DunneCon 2016) in October.  And lest we not forget...this is also a celebration of the Founder's First Wedding Anniversary.  Join us (virtually) in the celebration.  

Don't forget to let your freak flags fly,

Nyx

Misery of an artistic kind, which loves company

With the passing of Bowie, Rickman and the other beautiful people who have returned to their starward homes these past few weeks, I am reminded of my solumn and chaotic vow to continue to create this year.  Even though it is sometimes painful.  Even when the rejection is out there.
Now, you all saw DunneCon and what an amazing spontaneous success that was.
When Steven and I are working together on a project, we find it just as exciting and hilarious as you do.  We laugh, we cry, we think, (but only about five minutes into the future at maximum,) we worry about what others may say or think... all of the things an artist parent does when they unleash their art child onto the world; we wonder if its good enough, and at our base elements we are asking simply, "do you love me?"
I, over time, have not felt as loved as I could for one reason or another.  I'm always afraid that I'm not good enough, even for the freaks who love me.  I can't speak for Steven here, but I'm sure sometimes he feels the same way.
Its not for lack of love, its our own inner critic saying "what the fuck, you are never going to get away with this!"  And then, much to our surprise, we do.
I have in recent years been less willing to share my pain because some pain is ugly.  Pain isn't flattering.  It's a runny nose, runny eyes, smearing mascara, bleeding...
Pain is living, and boiling over, and on top of everything else, makes people uncertain of how to react.

We were paid the greatest compliment the other day by our friend Daemon.  She said "You two are my favorite couple."

Although we have day jobs, and families and very normal "mundane" aspects of our lives, we live primarly as artists.  We invite random people into our home to crash overnight, or for a week, or for as long as they need.  We paint, we play music, make love, paint, make delicious food, read, write and generally live as free as moments will allow.  We would not have been afforded this lifestyle if a whole crapload of bad shit didn't fall into our lives first, however.

Yes, Ziggy Stardust is gone.  He wouldn't want us to mourn for very long, he'd want us to "make ourselves" as he so aptly put it.

So this year, I'm making myself as the artist, the adult, the writer, and the dreamer I always knew that I was while I was attempting (and failing at) raising my kids.  I am challanging myself to do everything all at once.  I wish to have at least one of my novels or novellas published by the end of the year.  I'm already showing a painting at an art show this year.  I want to play more music and put it up as videos on YouTube for others to enjoy. BUT, most of all, I want to untie myself from the idea that to be a successful adult, one cannot be a successful artist, because that's complete bullshit.

<3
Dee