Damn, it had to happen. We’ve been having so much good luck — great hotel rooms, fast cabs, money on the floor — that something bad was bound to happen and for the first time in our 20+ years of con going, we’ve caught con crud, a sore throat severely hampering our communication efficiency, and general stuffed up nose providing lowered endurance, but higher tolerance on the show floor.

We’re live blogging from a spot on the floor in front of the escalator in front of Hall B. Why this spot? Well, at least there’s a Velvet Rope in front of us.

From here we can watch a parade of Emma Frosts, Ghostbusters, half-naked girls and camera crews. As well as fans, fans and more fans. Is the marketing message of the various entertainment companies here reaching the target audience? The city of San Diego has become one immense billboard…last night, skywriting promoted something or other (we had to go inside before we found out what) and street teams aggressively leafleted and handed out bags. At night the streets are littered with the detritus of the days’ efforts.

BTW, in case you didn’t know it before, AT&T SUCKS BOLLOCKS.

6 COMMENTS

  1. With the confined space and recycled air of airplanes, i start a regimen of 500mg of vitamin C. increase frequency once symptoms occur. for sore throat relief: peppermint altoids, which also help with motion sickness. also gargle with salt water. hot milk with honey is also good. get it steamed at starbucks.

  2. I agree, Torsten — I’ve flown into the Con from Central Missouri for the past four years and finally had a huge case of “Convention Cough” this year.

    I think it’s definitely caused by dry air conditioning. Not just the recycled air on the airplanes, but also in the hotel rooms and the convention center itself. Convention Cough itself is IMO not contagious — I noticed that my cough greatly diminished whenever I was outside, underneath the Sails or even on the Trolleys. It’s just the body trying to re-hydrate your throat, sinuses and nasal passages. But if you don’t pay attention to how dehydrated you get within even the first day you’re there, you’ll get so worn down that you’ll quickly become susceptible to the actual cold bugs floating around. I still have a bit of Convention Cough today and I’m going through Post-Show Crash (not jet lag as I’ve never really adjust to Central Time since i moved here and my sleep pattern is just consistently two hours off here.) But I don’t feel sick, just Post-Show-Crash tired.

    I also recommend everything that you suggested as remedies — these have long been the voice-preservers of choice for the various college choirs I’ve been in — but I’d also add to that anything with milk as it coats, soothes and relieves the throat itself, but also — gross and too-analyze-y in the first play , I know — produces the phlegm — the lubricants (mucus) that congeal, build up and cause the cough in the first place.

    — Rob

    PS: Warning: do not drink both Milk and Orange Juice or any other citrus, even Emergen-C, within any two-hour period or you’ll regret it. And don’t drink Milk if you have Con Cough and have to do any extended period of talking as the phlegm is bad for talking — the milk is simply a natural expectorant.

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