So, in a couple of short weeks, I'll be going to Oklacon 2012. If you've never attended, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Yeah, it's a convention, but it's the most chill, calm, friendly convention you've ever attended. Even the grumpy naysayers are obviously having a good time. The schedule is super-flexible and not utterly packed like so many others' are, and if you register as a supersponsor, they treat you like a freakin' king. (Or queen. Whatever.)

"But Istanbul," I hear you complain, "I hate camping!" Guess what! ME TOO. I'm an enormous pansy when it comes to outdoorsy stuff, and I gladly acknowledge that. They have cabins you can rent, they have a lodge with rooms you can reserve, they have A-Frames (not recommended for those who like sleep) that are basically big group rooms, there are motels in town with rooms you can rent...and, yes, you can even pitch a tent (lol) and camp on the grounds if you want to, for a pretty modest fee. Something like ten bucks a night, if I remember correctly.

Did I mention they feed you? Because they feed you. Okay, yeah, it's only one meal a day. So you should probably bring stuff from the store in town (seriously, something like a five-minute drive away). Wanna cook something over the campfire? You can totally do that. Wanna use the grill? You can totally do that. Wanna dine in the Lodge restaurant, which has some pretty slick food? Help out in the kitchen? Get something from the local Sonic? You can do all of that stuff.

Oh, and you can do other things, too. Hike, visit the horses - seriously, they have horses just kinda wandering around - and see the sights, play in Predator vs. Prey, go to their concerts, check out some of the super-informal panels they do, do some of the craftsy stuff they have, attend their amazing charity auction from which I totally need to steal some schtick for my own, or just kinda chill the *ahem* out. Don't worry, nobody's gonna call your phone. (They can't. No reception. :3)

Also, the air is super-clean out there. Compared to what you get out there, you can floss with Dallas air. Also also, did you know there are these things in the sky called 'stars'? No, seriously! There's a whole ton of them, and you can totally see them. Bring a telescope, it's awesome! It's weird, everything out there is dirtier, but it's...CLEAN dirt. It's the way it's supposed to be, without all the pollution and crap clogging up your lungs and making you die.

BTW, Fuzzy Logic is doing a live show there on Friday night, this year. I'll also be giving my Furry Common Sense panel for, like, the third year in a row!

So, yeah! C'mon, it's awesome. I first attended in 2008 and was instantly hooked, and I thought I'd hate this sort of thing as a doughy white city boy. Sleeping arrangements are probably down to the local motel rooms and a few camping spots at this point, but the motel is pretty nice. And hey, if you're one of those people that likes to camp in a tent, you'll be RIGHT THERE next to all the fun. Get up -> step out of tent -> you're in the conspace.

Go to oklacon.com and check it out, at the very least. Every year is pretty amazing, and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

I can has Oklacon nao pls?