From: Nicholas Santa Maria
To: cineconinfo@earthlink.net
Subject: How Cinecon Saved My Life....
Date: Sep 21, 2008 2:20 PM

I remember it as if it were yesterday. As I sat by myself on the couch in my Redondo Beach apartment, suffering from a deep, deep depression due to a broken relationship, a lack of work, and a general case of severe mid-life crisis, I happened to looked down at the latest copy of Classic Images. In it was the latest eye catching ad for a vintage film festival I had attended back in 2006. It was time for Cinecon 44, and although I really couldn't afford to go, I decided then and there to throw caution to the winds and attend, come hell or high prices.

Once there I met and mingled with my fellow film buffs, greeted old friends, and made some new ones. I saw 90% of all the films shown at Cinecon 44; which took quite a bit of doing since I had to drive in from Redondo Beach every morning, and then schlep back every night (my cat felt very neglected, by the way). It was hectic, gas consuming, and inconvenient, and I loved every minute of it. By festival's end I was a new man. I went from being the semi-suicidal zombie I was only a few days before, to being a man with a whole new attitude. About a week after the festival I suddenly found work. But wait! There's more, and this is the best part.

During Cinecon 44 I had the pleasure of sharing almost all of my time with a lovely young lady and her visiting father (he was in from England). We bonded immediately, but more importantly, the lovely young lady and I have continued to spend time together now that the festival is but a glowing memory. I'm now seeing the woman I've been waiting my entire life for.

How's that for an inspirational story? My decision to attend Cinecon 44 actually saved my life, and defmitely improved upon it.

Special thanks to Bob Birchard, Mike Schlessinger, and the talented Stan Taffel. Thanks to all who attended. And a special thanks to Ian Whitcomb, who allowed me to share the microphone with him at the banquet.

I had a ball at Cinecon, and hope to continue to do so for years to come.