Well, you've made it.  You have actually survived DragonCon until Sunday evening.   Be proud of yourself.  Some folks don't get past Friday morning before becoming completely inebriated by alcohol and getting hauled off by friends (preferred), hotel security (not preferred) or the ambulance (insurance company preferred).  Sunday is the greatest evening at DragonCon for several reasons.  First, you've experienced the most the convention has to offer.  You have visited the dealer's room, seen the exhibitor's hall, toured the art gallery and taken over 3,493 pictures of every bikini clad Princess Lea you could find.  The average DragonCon attendee would simply retire to their room and prepare for another mass party going on in one of the hotel lobbies, but the true DragonCon attendees are not.  You see, an ancient tradition must take place first..............The Masquerade.  What you ask?  What is the Masquerade?  No, I'm not referring to club of choice in Atlanta for some folks, I'm talking about the once proud costume contest that has devolved into the target of flying jokes and is the source of this author's fun for at least four hours every Sunday evening at DragonCon.  One cannot just go to the Masquerade......who would want to do that?  No, one must prepare for the Masquerade in a very exact fashion.  Shall we begin?

1.  At approximately 4:00 PM (that's 1600 for you military types), make your way to your room or the room you will be watching the Masquerade in.  Ensure that this room's owner and the company in the room is welcoming to you as they will control the flow of your evening.  Ensure you also take any costumes with you to this room you will want to wear later.  Yes, at DragonCon, there is always a later.  Ensure you also bring the appropriate alcohol/mixer choices.  I would recommend pre-mixing your beverages.  Not doing so can only lead to bad mixes at the viewing party and has ended badly for many, many folks.  I never abide by this rule always mix on the fly, but I prefer to live dangerously.  For more information on alcohol, please visit the Alcohol page.  

2.  So, you've made it to your room and/or the room you will be watching the event in.  Why are we not actually going to the event itself?  I thought you would never ask.  You see, the hotel is the ultimate security blanket/safety net.  At the Masquerade event, there are things like lines of people, foul smelling nerds, lines of people, rude Battlestar Galactica fans, Photo Gnome and more lines of people.  I prefer to avoid all of that and just watch the Masquerade in low quality hotel definition sound and broadcast through the Oscar caliber DragonCon TV!!!  In all seriousness, most film makers think of this when trying to stave off the orgasm phase of coitus as it is akin to thinking of Anne Ramsey nude.  However, it is nice to have most of the major panels and shows at DragonCon broadcast in all the host hotels.  Without it, I/we/you would be doomed to actually going to the Masquerade to experience this awesome spectacle in person and I don't think my heart can take such a live event.  Ok, back to the situation at hand.  You are in the viewing room.  It is now time to pre-beverage yourself.  I have often found it helps to watch the Masquerade a bit out of one's regular mental state.  For me, vodka helps.  No, I'm not talking about a sluggish drunk (not yet at least), but I am talking about the simple effect that alcohol makes things funnier.  When you see some of these costumes on stage at the Masquerade, funnier can be everything from barely tolerable to have an accident of the urinary nature in your pants.  

3.  So, you've made friends with the 52 folks in your room.  Yes, I'm serious.  Doing a convention requires you to be in large masses of people even in your own/friend's hotel room.  It's a right of passage.  If you have not yet been baptized into this fold, then proceed to the bar and take care of things before reading on!  Now, where was I?  Oh yes, sitting in the room and preparing to watch the Masquerade.  You have alcohol?  Check!  You've had the obligatory last minute meal from the Peachtree Center Food Court?  Check!  Found a comfortable spot which includes a good viewing angle of the TV, a short walk to the bathroom (important), easy access to the bar for refills and hopefully within touching distance of young girl/guy you hope to hook up with later on (see Safe Sex At Dragon*Con)?  Check..........well, mostly!  Ok........lets roll!

4.