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Friday started as a beautiful day…I slept in for the Eastern time zone I had left while getting up early for the Pacific time zone I was living in; after a bite of breakfast and a few words exchanged with some of the Showcase guests in the breakfast nook of the hotel, it was off to the Seattle Center and a day filled with panels, re-creations, and chatting with fellow conventioneers.

That was, honestly, the best part of the convention for me. Since I’d never been to Seattle before, and a lot of west-coast folks haven’t been to the eastern conventions, I met a bunch of OTR Digest subscribers for the first time. So many, in fact, that I have to admit by the end of the convention names started to become something of a blur…if you email me, please remind me that we met at the Showcase, and try not to hate me for my failing memory.

But there were quite a few folks I knew from the East, or from the West who routinely visit east-coast conventions, so I had the best of both worlds; lots of new people to meet who were unfailingly kind to this foreigner, and old friends with whom I could catch up.

And the panels…there were many informative panels chock-full of knowledgeable folk, some of whom research the times, and others who lived it, eager to educate and entertain the convention-goers. One of my personal favorites hosted Sam Edwards and Ray Erlenborn discussing their time in the Armed Forces…I haven’t seen Ray for a few years (he no longer attends east-coast conventions, unfortunately), and it was great to hear his stories. And it was wonderful to hear Sam Edwards discuss his career; at the time, no one knew that this convention would be Sam’s final performance.

Jimmy Lydon, Ed Scott, Paul Carnegie, and Tommy Cook at the microphones, performing a recreation of, “Adventures by Morse.”	Director Jimmy Lydon.	Paul Carnegie, Ginny Tyler, and Tommy Cook.	Ed Scott announcing “Adventures by Morse.”
John Jensen interviews Paul Carnegie.	Dick Beals, Dave Parker, and Paul Carnegie discuss the WXYZ Wonderland.	Dave Parker and Paul Carnegie.	Jean Rouverol Butler, Cliff Carpenter, Dave Parker, and Ivan Cury rehearse for The Shadow recreation.
Rehearsing sound effects; David Persson, Ray Erlenborn, and Bob Cardenas.	The cast of The Shadow rehearses.	Ok, so maybe I’m pushing “panorama” a little too far here…	Director Jim French.