Just like telephone, this story has been told so many times and passed on to so many people, I oftentimes question what is imagined and what is truth, even though I was there. Some of the details have become fuzzy or lost in translation over the years, but it remains that my family did end up on Willie Nelson’s golf course in a station wagon.

We would jest over the years how similar our family’s vacations seemed to those of National Lampoon’s. We even had the same station wagon the Griswold’s drove in Christmas Vacation. I-DENTICAL (said like the lawyer in My Cousin Vinny). Maybe my father was actually named Clark in another life…

We were them. They were us.

We were doing a big vacay to see one of the coolest uncles a girl could ask for – Uncle Don. He lived in Austin, Texas (still does). We drove from New Paris, Indiana to Austin, Texas one sunny July back in the day. I remember sitting in the middle in the backseat, sandwiched between my older sister and my big brother. My younger sister was stuck in the front seat between the folks, and my oldest sister was probably relaxing with friends somewhere in Lafayette thanking her lucky stars she wasn’t crammed into the old Ford Taurus Station Wagon for 22 hours each way.

Fast forward and we arrive in Texas. My uncle is a fantastic host. For the next several days he takes us to The Alamo, to Sea World, to amazing restaurants and whatever else floats a family’s boat on holiday. We loved Texas! Everything really is bigger, including a vacation.

So here’s the thing, my uncle and my father have an interesting dynamic. Though my father is the younger brother, they both have a self-imposed need to know what’s best. They are each always right. Now when you have two different people, it’s impossible for both individuals to always be right. At some point, there will be an impasse. Theirs took place on Willie Nelson’s property.

My uncle was showing us, I don’t know what they were, condominiums, maybe, or townhomes? Attached to a golf course and all owned by Shotgun Neslon. I feel like my mom had all of his cassettes… Needless to say, we were definitely fans and being from a small Podunk town in Nowheresville, we were kids suddenly thisclose to celebrity.

Excited would be an understatement.

We were oohing and awing and thinking how totally cool it was that we were driving around Willie Nelson’s parking lot. The men in our car were all golfers, so I think they were doubly impressed with the property for that purpose alone. But all fun things must come to an end, and it was time to move on from our little brush-with-fame detour to head back to the highway. Which brings us to …

This was in the day before Tom Toms and other forms of GPS. My dad and Uncle Don had to consult a map. An honest to God paper map. It was bound. It had pages. Multiple pages. They disagreed with how to get back to the highway. One would think that you’d logically return the way you came. However, logic is out the window when you have a need to be efficient. Oh, and the need to be right.

They went back and forth with one another claiming they each knew a faster route to the highway after digesting the map and triangulating our location. I kept hearing the word “shortcut” thrown out into the conflict-ridden conversational tide that was quickly sweeping over the sandy colored seats of the car.

Finally, a route was decided. With my father behind the wheel and my Uncle playing First Mate, we began to move.

As we left the condominiums behind, we ventured forth into the unknown, never looking back from whence we came.

The shortcut to the highway became narrower, but it was going to be a nice scenic route. There were lush green spaces on either side of the road. Trees overhanging here and there. It was beautiful. And the road continued to narrow making it a lovely and intimate stretch to traverse.

I don’t know who noticed it first, but as a golf cart was coming directly at us on the now barely one-lane road, realization hit somewhere. We were not on a scenic shortcut to the highway. We were on Willie Nelson’s golf course in our station wagon. Like literally on the golf course, or golf cart path if you want to be that guy.

I do remember my dad reversing. I don’t recall us turning around on the green. I had been relegated to the trunk of the station wagon because we were a bit beyond capacity (try crammed like sardines) with Uncle Don added into the mix (because you could get away with stuff like putting a kid in the trunk of a wagon in the 80s), so everything I was getting was second hand. I did see the golf cart as I peered over the backseat, but everything else was a blur. Cue people staring, though. That wasn’t a blur.

Staring hard.

I feel it’s still being disputed who’s brilliant shortcut it was; neither my father nor my uncle now wanting to lay claim. The particulars have been lost to myth over the years, but the fact that my family had an extraordinary adventure in our little station wagon that could, in a most unexpected way, remains.

The Red Headed Stranger provided a memory that will last lifetimes.

One of the best vacations we ever had.

As a mother, I’ve always found it extremely valuable that my children get out into the world and have experiences. Each experience is eye opening and a teachable moment for me. We learn so much from our experiences and the value of adventure bringing about a sense of fulfillment.

With this philosophy in mind,  I try to plan something special for the kids during the year. Sort of like a “vacation” but I’m not a big “vacation” person. I’d rather create some small budget friendly adventures instead. These adventures can range from a Saturday afternoon trip to the library to a full blown “let’s get in the car and drive to a new landmark we’ve never been to.” It always depends on how much extra money we have because let’s be honest, we are ALL on a budget.

This now brings me to our adventure into the subculture world of Science Fiction. So before you go running back to your teenage pop culture, hear me out: what exactly happens when you give creative freedom to 60K People?

I’ve read about these Sci-Fi people who dress up once a year like Star Trek characters, Aliens, Dragons, Tim Burton creatures, etc. I’ve always kind of felt they were a little strange. I mean, do you really have to dress up in costumes to enjoy your sci-fi, geeky life? Then I started thinking about how they role-play, which just made everything even creepier. After much consideration I decided that research into this sub culture might actually help shed some light on what it’s about. And to do this investigative research I needed to leave my judgment at the door.

Over the summer I began my research project into Dragon*Con. What I found was a sub culture of pretty impressive people. The festival started in 1987 and has grown extensively over the last couple of decades with 2014 roughly bringing in 60K people.  In 1987 the inaugural Dragon*Con took place at the Piedmont Plaza Hotel Atlanta, drew 1400 fans and featured Guests of Honor Michael Moorcock, Lynn Abbey and Robert Asprin, Robert Adams, Ultima creator Richard “Lord British” Garriott, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons Gary Gygax and Toastmaster Brad Strickland.

Most of the people mentioned above I knew little about. However, what was so shocking was that most of the people participating do not get paid. It’s voluntary. Also impressive was how fast it grew and how much support came from the film industry. So, I continued my research.

By 1989, it drew 2,400 (many to see Guest of Honor Anne McCaffrey), and the event had moved to the Omni Hotel and Convention Center. In 1990, the convention had doubled again, added a Comics Expo, hosted the Origins convention, this time with Guest of Honor Tom Clancy, and expanded to include the Atlanta Sheraton hotel. In 1991 the first “Robot Battles” robotic competition event was added to the list of events, making it the second oldest robotic competition event in the world.

By 1995, when Dragon*Con hosted the North American Science Fiction Convention, attendance had grown to over 14,000 fans, and Dragon*Con was also hosting the International Starfleet Conference. In 2002, Dragon*Con began hosting a parade through downtown Atlanta, which ran from Centennial Olympic Park to the Marriott Marquis, and featured thousands of costumed participants. In 2005, Dragon*Con raised USD $20,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. At the convention’s 20th anniversary in 2006, there were 22,000 attendees, and the convention continued to grow, drawing 27,000 attendees in 2007, 40,000 in 2010, and 57,000 in 2013.

The explosion of growth blew my mind. There has to be something to this event? I needed to know more, though. How do we attend? What do we do? Will the kids enjoy or barely survive the heat of a Hotlanta weekend?

So, it turns out Dragon Con is a 4-day event comprising approximately 3500 hours of panels, seminars, demonstrations, and workshops, with over 30 specialized programming tracks (forum discussions) Yes! There’s inside stuff going on so we don’t melt. The tracks included writing, alternate history, art, anime, gaming, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, comic books, costuming, space, science, online media, independent film, robotics, podcasting, ect. And you don’t have to attend all 4 days. And there’s a parade Saturday morning that is FREE. I also found out that my kids were FREE. Triple awesome!

I bought tickets and on August 29, 2014 I packed the car and we headed for Atlanta.

So what does happen when you give creative freedom to 60K people? WOW!!!

First off, it was a bit of sensory overload for my husband, two children and myself. I’ve been to Disney a handful of times and it’s overwhelming because of the parks and seeing everything but this is a different kind of overwhelming. Every time we turned around there was another character. “There’s Jack from Nightmare before Christmas!” “Omg – I want a picture.” “Greg, Who’s that one?” “Where’s that guy from?” “Dude, who’s that?” “Omg – Seriously, that costume is made of Ego Waffle boxes.” “Kids, Look it’s the Disney’s Brave, Queen Elsa, Anna, and Tinkerbell!” “GREG! – grab your daughter before she attacks them!” “Greg, where are his legs? What a clever costume.”

Gandalf and hobbits and elves … oh my!

Avatar folks.

Marvin and Sully

To say the least, we had a good time. Of course, with anything that overwhelming the kids had their ups and downs emotionally, but it was well worth the experience.

Dragon*con is a magical place where people come together in creative expression. A place where you can be anything you want to be, free of judgment or stereotypes. You don’t have to “make the cut” like Idina Menzel or Demi Lovato to be Queen Elsa from Frozen. You can be Queen Elsa because you want to be. Creative Expression in one of the powerful human gifts we have – It enriches lives in meaningful ways.

It was an eye opening adventure – and I’m grateful that my family was able to be a part of it.

So many kind and creative individuals.

Christina

Christina is a palm tree-loving, barefoot, beach bum wife and mother of 2 who is devoted to cultivating a family life where gratitude, self confidence, contribution and love rise above. She seeks alternative parenting methods where she can help to cultivate and guide the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of her children. In 2013, she resigned from a corporate job in the financial industry to pursue her greater role as a parent and artist.  Since then, she has begun to pursue a career as a parenting and wellness coach.