Well, this day started out with us getting up very early in the morning. We made sure that everyone was awake for the Sean meeting, and them we met for our free breakfast in the hotel lobby. After breakfast it was off to the convention. We got there at 8 in the morning, and we were the first in line to enter! Yay! Our evil plan worked! So, we set up a "Pony Pals" camp to wait for two hours. It was quite fun, we got many looks from gamers because they wondered what a large group of women were doing there... so, we told them it was for Sean Astin (some didn't even know who he was!). We looked so cute in our matching "Pony Pals" home-made shirts!
After a little while all of the exhibitors started to arrive and they waited by the doors to get inside. They were nice enough to take some group photos for us! Squee! After a while they opened the doors for the exhibitors and they herded inside the main hall so that they could man their booths. We still had an hour to wait to get in... and much of that hour was spent defending our turf! Back you devils! People kept trying to cut... but they know not to mess with a squee-filled group in matching T-Shirts!

At 10am the magic began! We raced inside the convention center... and Poppy passed me up on the way to the Sean Astin signing line (she really wanted to make sure we were first... go Poppy, go!). So, the second mission was accomplised... we were first in line! But, now we had another hour to wait. That hour went by rather quickly. We got some exhibitors mad because we were blocking their booths, but it wasn't out faults... we were just standing where we were told. I made conversation with someone at one of the booths. He threw a blow-up mini beachball at me and asked it I could have Sean Astin sign it... I told him that Sean was only signing Decipher products, so then he asked me to sign it (and the other "Pony Pals" near me). So I did.
Later he explained to us how the "trolls" that work for his company earn their names by doing something unique. We met "Scout Troll" and he told us how he got his name... and the guy I was talking to said he didn't have a name yet. So, I said that he should be, "sign my balls Troll," to which he replied, "I love this woman!"

Sean time! He came, and he looked so gosh darn cute! SQUEE! Poppy and Ros were first to get something signed. It was put upon me to give Sean a shirt that matched the ones that we were wearing from the "Pony Pals"... so, when I went up there he took my hand and I introduced myself. I then held out the shirt and told him that it was my privledge top give him the shirt on behave of the "Pony Pals"... he said that he loved it (and I think he really meant it! He's really sincere)!
I then proceeded to talk a little bit about the shirt, my cat (Ms. Frodo), and playing Sam on the ROTK preview game. He joked when I told him that Sam was slow when invisible in the game... he said, "Hey now!"
Wow! He was so nice, and funny, and adorable... so Sam-like! I just can't get over what a great person he is!

Well, on with day two. We know now that the first Sean Astin signing has occured. So, after Sean Astin we ran over to try to see Brad Dourif at the autograph stage. When we got there the "line troll" (as he called himself) was not letting anymore people in line because Brad would only be there for about 20 more minutes.
So, we settled ourselves down on some bean bags and reviewed the pictures and video clips that were taken at the Sean signing. It was at this time that I saw a giant Pikachu and I had to get my picture taken with it. So, I raced after it and I succeeded!
When I came back to the bean bag area I looked over the Brad Dourif line and noticed it was winding down... so, without telling anyone I grabbed my book (to be signed) and I raced over to the line. With some "sweet talk" and "batting of the eyelashes" I managed to get the "troll" to let me go in the line. The guy at the front of the line wanted to know what I had done because he said that the "troll" is a tough one to break! Yay me!
When I got up to Brad (who looks nothing like Wormtongue, yet is still slightly creepy... but I guess he was tired) I heard cheering coming from behind. I looked over and the "Ponies" were all cheering and waving for me. Brad looked confused, so I told him that they were my "people". He signed my book and a giant-sized Decipher card and I was on my way after thanking him!
After this, Jack of None, somehow sweet-talked her way up there too... so I actually got some pictures of her up there (cause it didn't even occur to me when I was up there... too wrapped up in my victory!). When Brad left the stage after this we heard him say that he was going to visit Sean... so, being the fangirls that we are, we followed him all the way over there for photo-ops. It was nice, he walked right up there, they hugged, and they talked a little bit. So cute!

At this time we split up for about an hour or so until the John Rhys-Davies signing line began. I don't really remember what I did during this time. I think I was on my own for a little bit... I stopped back by the ROTK game station, and then I found one that was previewing the new Hobbit game. They said they were having a raffle at 1pm, so they gave me a ticket and told me to go back. I wandered around by myself a little bit now... I started to look for group members. I actually ran right by John Rhys-Davies in the hallway at this point... I just kinda smiled and kept walking. When I re-entered the room I ran into Jack of None, Kisa, and Gaya... YAY! We then went to the food area and found the rest of our group looking at Sean pictures on a computer screen. We got food and looked at pictures, and at 1pm I went back to the raffle.
My ticket was actually the third to be drawn... I won a DVD of Austin Powers and a kick-ass LOTR poster!!!! I never win anything, so this was pretty cool!

After running back to the group and showing them my wins, it was time to meet the dwarf himself! We were pretty close to the front of the line, but we spent about an hour there until the signing time actually began. Once he got there the line moved rather well.
The "trolls" were telling us that he would only sign one item, and that they would remove us if we asked him to sign more than one. So, I went up there with two magazines (one for me and one to be used as a prize for the line party) and, being greedy, I had him sign my personal copy. After that he looked at the one in my arms and asked, "would you like me to sign that one too?" So, of course, I said, "Sure!" They can't remove me if I didn't ask, he offerred! So, then I got my picture taken with him... he likes to tickle you when posing for a picture. It makes you laugh.. but of course, he has a rather interesting look on his face. I think he enjoys tickling the ladies... I overheard him say something like, "Someday I'm going to get introuble for this!"

After wandering around a bit more it was time to go and try to gank some seats for the John Rhys-Davies and Sean Astin Q & As. We got there pretty early... in fact, very early. The costume show and contest was still ocurring. So, we got to see some really great costumes. Ones that I remember a lot include a great Wormtongue, a nice Aragorn, some sweet Ghostbusters, and a number of Star Wars characters. While the judges were deciding who the winners were we were entertained by some fan boy rapper. He was... "interesting" to say the least. It's not my cup of tea, but I can see how he'd entertain the masses who were there.
Well, after they all cleared out, we moved in closer to get some great seats right next to the stage. I can't remember much about the questions asked at the Q & As, I just remember being thoroughly delighted by them. John Rhys-Davies was charming... very charming. While he was finishing up I saw Sean Astin dash in from the back of the room. He ran up on stage and bowed down to his hands and knees before John Rhys-Davies, the two had some great banter, and then John left us for the afternoon.
Sean's Q & A was very great. He talked about playing Sam, he talked about his family and what it was like to grow up with them, and the one thing I remember most is when he went into a big discussion about showing emotion on film. He talked about the trouble he had with a certain part of Rudy, and how his mom helped him to learn to really express himself on film. It was very intriguing. When it was all over Sean actually took a group picture with us. He invited our group backstage and we had our picture taken with him and he talked to us for a while. It was very nice of him, and I wish I had a copy of that picture.

I really don't remember what happened after the Q & As. I believe we went back to the hotel for another night of chatter, tarot readings, and watching movies with LOTR actors in them. Lots of fun!