2010 is Ruined.

This recent news might just be the saddest thing I've heard all year...

http://www.starrynightevents.com/index.php

If you're feeling too lazy to click that link, hey, that's okay, we've all been there. Just read the below sentence to see all you need to know.

"It is with great sadness that due to very low ticket sales we have to announce the cancellation of Whedon Fest."

That's right. There was once going to be a festival celebrating all things Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy, Angel, Dr. Horrible, Firefly and Dollhouse. And in this wondrous festival, there were going to be screenings, panels, something wonderful sounding called a "Geek-off Tournament", contests, a (sure-to-be relevant) dessert party and so much more. Nicholas Brendon (Xander) and Amy Acker (Fred from Angel) were going to be there (other famous people were going to be there as well, but those were the only two I cared about. And even Fred was pushing it a little bit.).

Here's the flyer for what could have been (this flyer has been hanging up in our house for about a month now):

...And now all of this magic is CANCELLED. Due to not even low ticket sales, but VERY low ticket sales. Just add some more salt in that wound and grind it up real nice. And then add some shame, as if all of this weren't embarrassing enough.

If there's ever a time that a group hug is needed, it's right now.

I had started writing this blog post a few weeks ago, when I first learned that a.)Whedon Fest existed and b.) it was coming to Toronto, and let me tell you, the mood of the original post was much different than this one. I hadn't written much, but it was exuberant. Excited. Nervous with anticipation and already planning the Buffy outfits I would wear. I was wondering how the whole "carrying a wooden stake in public" thing was going to pan out but figured it would work itself out. And I guess, in a way, it did. It is perfectly fine to carry a wooden stake anywhere in the confines of our home.

The part I was most excited about was just walking around the festival and being amongst fellow fans. I wanted to see the hardest-core of the hardcore ones, the fans who would make me feel ashamed for only have written one Buffy fanfiction script.

I wanted to see the type of people who have adorned their bodies like this:

And the type of people who spend their time making sick fan art pictures like these:

(This beautiful piece was made by Doc-PhantomShadow.)

Hard to beat sexy Buffy erotica, huh? This hot number was made by the talented hughzy11. I freaking love fan art and wish I was a better artist so I could contribute to this universe.

(PS--I bet the words "sexy Buffy erotica" are going to get me a record number of blog internet hits, maybe even more so than my multiple cat galleries. sexy Buffy erotica sexy Buffy erotica.)

I also really, REALLY wanted to see the Buffy-related costumes. Everyone knows the best part of any fan convention is checking out the costumes.

I wish these people were my friends. Kinda puts our own Buffy costumes to shame a little bit, huh?

Whatever, everyone knows that when you cut up a shirt and put on some fake blood, you're totally a Haklar demon. We don't need wigs and clothes all that fancy costume stuff. Just more money.

I also just wanted to be around the other Whedon fans, the ones who don't necessarily have permanent bodily declarations of their fandom or have named their first male child "Spike."(okay, I'll confess here that Velvet and I have had serious discussions about naming our next cats Spike and Drusilla. But we haven't done it yet, so we're still cool, right?) The fans who just really enjoy Buffy and the rest of the Whedon canon. I think it would be a really neat environment and would have made for an awesome blog post. A way cooler one than this one. PLUS I would have had a photo with Xander and Fred (hey graphic designer friends, looking for a fun project? Talk to me for details.).

I know, I know, this hurts.

Oh yeah, and I also wanted to try and give Nicholas Brendon a copy of my Buffy script. I know he's been busy lately with some extracurricular activities but I think he'd be happy to get back to his roots, especially since Anthony Stewart Head is on board.

But alas, I guess none of this was meant to be. So if anyone in the Toronto area would like to attend Whedon Fest, Velvet and I will be having our own version in our house. We will be screening every episode of Buffy in a row while wearing costumes and holding our own fan-art contest. We will have a geek-off tournament where we shall rapidly quiz each other on Buffy- (and possibly Angel) related questions. And as for celebrity guests, we will have our roommate Heather pose as different celebrities and talk to us (but quietly, as to not interrupt the non-stop Buffy watching.). Winners of the costume contest, fan-art contest and geek-off tournaments shall win walk-on roles in the Buffy fanfiction episode or a collage, winners choice.

Can the rest of 2010 recover from this devastatingly heart wrenching news? I don't really know. Probably not. So let's just forget about the remainder of the year and pre-order our tickets for Whedon Fest 2011! Out-of-town guests can speak to me about a discounted stay at our home.

We are going to get through this.