Scotcon with #Outlander Stars, The Charming Guy with the Cute Butt, Bad Passport Photos and My Upcoming Scotland Adventure!

Many years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was working at a TV Station in Austin when a co-worker alerted me that Austin City Limits had just hired a reeeeeally cute Graphic Artist.  Having just gotten out of a relationship, I was completely uninterested, but then one day I saw said Graphic Artist leaning over a drafting table, and there was the cutest manbutt I’d ever seen.

One day the guy with the cute butt, let’s call him Richard, approached me in the hall and was very charming, hilarious and complimentary of my tv work and as I’m a sucker for smart, funny, cute men, that’s all it took.

Soon, I married the man I wasn’t interested in meeting and oops, our son was born 13 months later.  We moved to Connecticut, we moved back to Texas, we had another child, we bought a house, we bought a bigger house and every year we used our time and money to travel to visit family so we never had the chance to go anywhere exciting…even our honeymoon was spent with family.  Every time we’d save up enough money, something would break like a car or air conditioning which is essential in Texas.

Fast forward 30 years and Richard or @OutmanderArtist, just surprised me by planning a trip to Scotland so I can finally see the place I’ve dreamed of visiting for the last 25 years!  My Scotland love affair began with the novels of Rosamunde Pilcher and increased 1,000 times over when I discovered the books by Diana Gabaldon.  I’ve known all my life that I’m related to Robert Burns via my many times great grannie, Elizabeth Burns which might explain my genetic love of words.  As you can imagine, as an Outlander blogger, I’ve got emotions and feelings and yes more words and I need to write them down and share my experience with everyone cuz that’s how I do it.

I recently heard about Scotcon and we decided to have our trip coincide with the Scotcon Weekend.  I’ve been devouring the Scotcon website and plotting our journey!  Scotcon is September 3 and 4th only a mere three months away!  According to their website, it’s the first and only Con in Scotland.  It’s dedicated to our show, Outlander, and it will be astounding and gargantuan.  I love things that are astounding and gargantuan, so this is a natural fit!

So, here’s the thing.  I know what it’s like to stay at home and read random tweets about different Outlander events and wonder what’s going on and what I’m missing.  So I want to take you all along with me, not in my suitcase, but in my blog.  I’m hoping to have some contests too, so I can bring back a few prizes for those of you who won’t be able to attend.

Here’s what we know so far:  At Scotcon there will be: Battle Re-Enactments, Weaponry Displays, Highland Games, Highland Dancing Competitions, Battle of the Clans Musical (say what?), Talent Skirmish (say what again?), Sports Village, Interactive displays, Food, Beverages, Arts, Crafts, Whisky, Outlander filming tours, DNA Analysis (I just did that!), Regression and Holistic Therapies (oogady boogady!) and much more! Here’s their website: Scotcon.con

Outlander Stars will be there for:

A formal gala dinner (I need a new dress!)
Cocktail mingle (I REALLY need a new dress!)
Autograph and Selfie Session
Meet and Greet

So far the Outlander Folks who are confirmed are:

Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh), Stephen Walters (Angus) & Grant O’Rourke (Rupert) who will judge Battle of the Clans Musical Skirmish
Graham McTavish will be Master of Ceremonies for the Highland Games

Also:

Steven Cree with two legs!
Adhamh OBroin, I’ll impress him with my terrible Gaidhlig!
Ronnie B. Goodwin (The Outlander Horseman and semi-mysterious hunk)
Robert Cavanah, Jamie’s Dad, #HesAlive!

Tonight, we filled out the passport forms and Monday we go in to apply. I had my photo taken and it’s terrible! Did you know you have to put your hair behind your ears and not smile for your passport. Hopefully nobody in Customs will judge me by my horrible picture.  I think my ears stick out a bit, but you be the judge.

So that’s it for now.  We’re planning, deciding and scratching our heads so we can get the very most out of this trip and I can’t wait to share it all with you.  What would you most like to see or hear about?  Let me know and I’ll try to cover it for you!