Props to Stacy right off the bat: she did her homework on the hotel room before booking. The room she reserved was spacious & comfortable, with plenty of closet space and a full kitchen (full fridge, stove & toaster). Not only was it well equipped, but it was actually closer to the main venue than the conference hotel. The only downside was that the clerks acted freshly tasered - I was unable to place a collect call at any point during the weekend.

The room had a bit of an L-bend in it, a nook that contained a large armchair, an end table and another closet. When we arrived, I blocked off the nook with a strategic chair-and-table rearrangement, partly to soothe my paranoia (we were, after all, less than 24 hours away from the s-exile conversation), partly to make my little floor space more homelike and partly to fulfill everyone's inner child. A fort, man! Cool!

Dirk saw what I was doing and laughed. Through a process of quoted dialogue, we settled on "Fort Sensible" as the name of everyone's favourite hotel structure.

"The Indians said, throw out the Captain and everyone will be spared."

"What happened?"

"They threw him out! And that's why it's called Fort Sensible."

It turned out to be a remarkably sensible structure when all was said and done. First of all, I wasn't stepped on the whole weekend (which is the bane of the crasher). Second of all, I didn't even notice that I was sleeping on carpet (without underpadding) most of the time, as Fort Sensible seemed so homelike. Third of all, I could scatter my clothes about without getting in anyone's way (essential for a slob like me - although my makeup sprawled with hedonistic abandon on every flat surface. Sorry Stacy). Finally, the low-rising wall of Ft. Sensible proved useful in and of itself. There were times when Stacy was locked in the bathroom and I needed to change - with the completion of Fort Sensible, I could crouch behind its ramparts and preserve my maidenly virtue without kicking Dirk into the hallway.

One of my best ideas, if I do say so myself.

me in fort sensible, showing off my practical use of dirk's mom's cloth bag: i store all my goth accessories in its happy christmas love.
for i am a goth on the go...