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Nostalgia road trips – why go to a Gerry Anderson convention?

Until a year or so ago, Peter Collins had never been to a convention. But now, he’s a convert. And here, he’s going to tell you why you should give the convention circuit a try, and reconnect with your childhood self!

Have you checked-in with your childhood-self recently? Or have you spent the last however many years staunchly practicing adulthood? If it’s the latter, you know you’re doing yourself a disservice, right?

I even have evidence to back this up; did you know that when people hire a Life Coach to address the dissatisfaction they are experiencing with life, the Life Coach will usually ask their client the following question: “What did you like to do when you were a child?”

The reason for this is quite simple – your childhood-self is much smarter than your adult-self. Seriously. As a child, it is likely that you were uncompromising in your desire to pursue pleasurable activity, and would steadfastly oppose participating in any unpleasant activity; you had an inherent curiosity for the world, which both energised and delighted you; and crucially, you could exist authentically, unashamedly impassioned about your pass times.

So, when was the last time you felt really alive? My guess is it was sometime before you started spending all your time adult-ing all over the place. It’s really not good for you, you know. You needn’t panic though – it isn’t too late. You can still recapture that sense of joy, awe and freedom that you lost somewhere between your last tax return and mortgage repayment. I’m speaking from experience. The solution is this: Andercon.

Andercon 2014 Display room

But what is Andercon? Essentially it is a celebration of all things Gerry Anderson, the visionary producer of Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Space 1999 and Terrahawks, to name but a few of his credits. Chances are that you, like millions of others, spent your childhood transfixed by the visionary futures Anderson created for us – the remarkable technology, the imitable characters, and the incredible events. Remember the time the Empire State Building collapsed, or the time we discovered the Loch Ness Monster was a robot, or the time NASA’s base on Mars was obliterated? All of these and more became defining moments in our childhoods; they shaped our understanding of the world, our knowledge that worlds existed beyond this world, and our awareness of times beyond this time. Effectively our childhoods and Anderson’s work are forever intertwined – herein lies the remedy to the all-consuming symptoms of Maturity Related Apathy (MRA).

Andercon 2015 Gerry Anderson convention

Andercon promotes lasting wellbeing by enabling you to honour and celebrate your childhood-self through targeted Anderson-related activity, such as:

  • Meeting the stars of Anderson’s series;
  • Seeing Anderson’s technological creations in real life;
  • Chaired discussions with VIP guests, including the teams behind some of Anderson’s most memorable series;
  • Hearing the latest Anderson-related news before anyone else;
  • Screenings of classic episodes;
  • Retail opportunities, including access to rare collectibles (you know, that toy you always wanted);
  • The ability to spend time with fellow childhood-self practitioners.
David Elliott and Peter Holmes meet with fans at Andercon 2014
David Elliott and Peter Holmes meet with fans at Andercon 2014

Fundamentally Andercon will give you the opportunity to have some of your childhood dreams come true; what better way to check-in with your childhood-self and re-invigorate your adult-self? Having attended the first Andercon last year I can personally vouch for its effectiveness.

Stingray and Terror Fish at Andercon 2014

In conclusion, if as a child you found yourself captivated by the aquatic adventures of the Stingray crew, thrilled by the heroic actions of International Rescue, anxious to see how the Terrahawks would thwart Zelda’s schemes, or influenced by any other of Gerry Anderson’s creations, then do you and your childhood-self a favour – leave the dishes in the sink and take part in your own adventure; book your place at this year’s event and Stand By for Action.

BTN

 

 

 

 

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