If you are unable to attend an exciting convention, one can attend vicariously through the internet. Enough attendees twitter, flickr and blog and their experiences to give those at home a good feel for what they are missing. If you want to take a more active role while sitting on your couch (or behind a desk) you can attend the fake version of the convention.
After seeing fakesxsw posts from people who couldn't be at SXSW, I started up fakeSDCC, a stay-at-home shadow-con for San Diego Comic-con. Part convention satire, part larp, people are playing along, pretending their work desk is a guest signing table or posting about their clever memorabilia finds.
Play along on your blog or twitter, if you want, and I'll save you a seat in the Thundercats/Voltron crossover movie panel.
Twitter posts for FakeSDCC