Since the First Annual South Park Convention in July, Mini-Conventions, or "Mini-Cons" as they have been named, have been popping up all over the country. Hearing this, I decided that perhaps a Brooklyn Mini-Con wouldn't be such a bad idea. So a few months ago, I decided that Halloween weekend would be the perfect time to invite whoever wanted to come for the First Annual Brooklyn South Park Mini-Con. It turns out that while those who live close to Brooklyn and the tri-State area will be coming - so will Montel from Alaska who landed last night - and Bob from California, Arthur from London - and Devorah and Steven from Colorado who will land at JFK Airport tonight.

When this Mini-Con was planned - no one would have guessed that the events of September 11th would have occurred and altered our lives in such a horrible way. But since the tragedy has occurred, the Mini-Con has remained on schedule despite the threat of Anthrax and the increased airport security. And personally - I think that the Mini-Con could now not have been scheduled for a better time.

If there is one thing that the members of the South Park Digest have always been to me - it is a comfort. Like Band-Aids on a very bad cut - the members of the Digest have healed many of my past wounds - which all pale in comparison to what I have experienced in the last two months. So if they have been such great supporters and comforts to me in the past via their phone calls and e-mails - I am sure that once everyone arrives - the healing will surely begin.

In addition to having the first Brooklyn Mini-Con this weekend, another pretty interesting thing will occur this weekend. This Mini-Con is the equivalent of combining both of the vacations I took earlier this year. I spent a weekend with Arthur, Devorah, Steven and Bob in June when I went to Colorado for the First Annual South Park Convention - and less then two weeks later - headed to Alaska to see Montel. Now - all of them are coming to my house to spend Halloween weekend with my friends and I - just like old times.

Personally, I think that this Mini-Con is exactly what I need at this very critical time in my life. Between the events of the September 11th, the following weeks of tiring work at all hours - and the loss of Doug - I think that having the Brooklyn Mini-Con this weekend will be just what I need to forget about life for a while - and try and remember what life used to be like before that very dark day.