I worked a lot on the Costume-Con 26 online scheduling tools this weekend, and the result is now available online.

Select "Program and Exhibits" from the top menu and you'll find "Prelimnary Program Schedule" offered near the top of the left menu.

If you want to refer someone there, you can use this link: http://www.cc26.info/show_prelim_schedule.php which actually redirects to the correct page.*

The schedule is still subject to massive changes, of course, but the online view is generated directly from the latest input to the program db, so it's always fresh.

*(Geekery: the redirect gets around the issues the secure server has with drilling down directly into the secure part of the site)

The rough cut of the Costume-Con 26 educational program is now available for viewing at this online program listing page

It's got some gaps and a duplicate or two, but all the data is now in the online database, so you'll see it maturing quickly as we continue to update it with participant responses.

bovil and I made the long drive down last night, leaving San Jose about 8.

On the advice of lisa_marli, we finally tried the 25-156-152 route to Pacheco Pass, so as to avoid the idiots-stop at the 152-156 junction (where, as it turns out, CHP had someone directing traffic). It's definitely a better route in general, and we got to Casa de Fruta for dinner before 9.

I drove us as far as the second rest stop on I-5, and Andy took over and drove the rest of the way. We got here about 3:30am and slept in this morning. Lunch in the cafe, and then we helped hang some art show panels and provided a touch of Evil Genius mood lighting (from our decorating supplies ) for the consuite, since the room had the candelabra sconces on the wall and we had 3 full strings of candle flicker bulbs in our kit.

I'm about to go get in a workout, bovil is hanging out making himself useful, and plans for this evening include building the CC26 fashion show reservation tables, sending out a couple of CC26 broadcast notices and fashion show announcements, and then the big orphan's Thanksgiving dinner here for the early arrivals at the hotel.

Evil Genius Hall of Fame party Saturday night!

<Soapbox mode>

If you have an idea for the Costume-Con 26 Future Fashion Folio, sketch it out! DO NOT worry that you are not a brilliant fashion artist.

The jury for the Folio is NOT judging artistic talent -- they are looking at the design concepts.

We have had crayon drawings from a 4-year-old published, and one of those designs was made and modelled in the fashion show.

SO -- scribble, daub, sketch, doodle, twist string into the right shape and photocopy it, but get your design idea onto paper (or into a file) and submit it!

You won't be sorry!

</Soapbox mode>

If you are a SF Bay Area resident, perhaps you can join the CC26 crew at Bill and Carole's home this weekend.
It should be a relaxing chance to meet, socialize, and help folks interested in volunteering find compatible departments.
There is no big business agenda for this event -- it is mostly social/networking!
ETA: Event is in Sunnyvale.
( More details of the invitation behind the cut )

The order of Costume-Con 26 merchandise which includes the prizes I'm donating to Match Game SF at WorldCon was delayed.
Estimated delivery date: August 21.
Two friggin' days after we've left for Anaheim.

Anyone out there driving to LA from the SF Bay Area Monday night or Tuesday Morning who could swing by and collect it from the porch en route?

ETA: Hurrah for lobolance, who says he can collect the box before he heads south! We are saved! Hallelujah!

Remember the plans to start building a carnosaur head?

Well, I've also been working on bring the online registration system up for Costume-Con 26.

Along the way I broke it.

The ENTIRE website.

We finally found the pesky misplaced double-for-single-quotes culprits (and an equally pesky change in the way PHP handles mixed form variables), but I was, as you might imagine, rather focussed on bringing it back online.

You can preview the form at www.cc26.info/interactive/registration_form.php
But it won't actually take you past the second step at this point. I still have to activate the recording and payment gateways, so IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY WORK yet.

But the rest of the website does.