7 June 2001 // Back from A-Kon! Trip story, part the first.
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Hehheh... back from a week vacation and already I need more time off. Pthbt.
A-Kon was freakin' awesome! Woohoo! I am *so* doing that again next year!
I would have done an update/travelog type thing while I was there, but the configuration of phone lines and power sources and laptop counter space in our hotel room was... odd. The room actually had an ethernet connection, but my laptop had no card. *kicks self* So, here we go with the story of the trip, all in one fell swoop...or maybe two fell swoops or so...
Wednesday, 30 May. First day off! Freedom! No gallery! Wai~! After a great water aerobics workout, then helping out at my parents' new business, getting their email setup and stuff, doing some quick last-minute shopping at Wally World, and borrowing the digicam from Julia and Larry (domo arigatou gozaimasu!) , I finally head out to Rio Rancho to pick up Cym. We get to Sunchase before 6 pm to check out the apartment we didn't get to see last weekend, then go pick up David. Go food shopping, go home, make pizza, start gathering stuff, finally get to bed about midnight, with the intent of getting up at 6 to leave by 8. I'm still not completely packed yet. *sweatdrop* I think I got about 4 hours of sleep, if that...
Thursday, 31 May. Up at 6 am. Geh. Shower, pack, load Xterra-sama, get copy of insurance card, get McBreakfast. Considering that planned departure times in my family are approximate at best, the fact that we were actually out of abq by 9 am is pretty extraordinary. We start heading east towards Dallas with stops along the way for fuel, scary rest areas, random tourist traps and one really random porn store. The route we were on should have taken us about ten hours. It took us twelve. Interesting things happen when Cym combines our favorite J-snack, Coffee Bean, with Caramel Frappucino. We're talking serious sugar rush. She fired off the Dilandau rant faster than any of us thought physically possible, she had an entire conversation consisting of "nyo" and "yakeru" at approximately half the speed of light, and she didn't remember any of it afterward. She certainly kept me amused, and awake, so that was good. When we finally arrived at my aunt & uncle's place about 9, they got a room at motel 6 and I crashed on Janet's couch. Got to see my cousin Matt and get my butt kicked at Ford Racing and NBA Shootout by his friend Joe, and began learning the true meaning of humidity. It doesn't cool down at night in Texas the way it does here in NM. I did not like this idea.
Friday, 1 June. A-Kon begins! After another McBreakfast, we make our way all the way across town to the convention hotels. I let Cym and David off at the Westin to pick up their pre-reg packets while I park the Xterra. After I get to the Westin and get through registration, Cym and I both decide that we feel way out of place not in costume. We go to the Doubletree to try to check in and change. Only one problem: they messed up my reservation and only gave us one bed. They fixed it, though, and gave us a bigger room and didn't charge for a rollaway. We get chocolate chip cookies too. ^_^ We get our stuff to the room and assemble our costumes, Cym in her Sabrina outfit (obscure Pok�mon character in a delightfully short skirt) and I in my Merle costume. Drive back to the Westin, making several u-turns to get going the right direction (I decided my name was now "random pink-haired cosplayer driving an Xterra"). Finally, we've arrived. We're at Project: A-Kon. Damn cool.
Cosplay is addictive. I still have random blue squares in front of my eyes from flashbulbs. When you're in costume at a con, dozens of people come up to you and ask to take your picture! They want to see your costume! They (generally) compliment you on it! It's an incredible ego boost. Even if you don't win any particular prizes, it's still a great rush... and you realize that there are literally hundreds of other people who are just as crazy about it as you. Check out fansview.com for pics of all the nifty costumes at A-Kon - Cym and I are deep in their first set of pictures from Friday, I'll post the exact link when I'm on a better connection where I can browse to it. I'll post my own pictures sometime this weekend, probably. Watch this space. ^_~ Update: here's the link to our pics on fansview!
I first tried to check out the art show, having seen on the Okashina Okashi message board that Emi-chan would be exhibiting and possibly hanging out in there (alas, never actually got to meet her, though I did try bidding on some of her stuff). It wasn't open yet, but I did meet a cool PenPen guarding the door and a Van Fanel (whom I promptly glomped, in character). Then I went to the Dealer's Hall. Muahahahaha... sooo much anime niftiness, so little... cash. The first time I went in, I got a set of Di Gi Charat keychains, some tottemo kawaii pins, and a bottle of Ramune soda (starting to feel the effects of the humidity and the crowd, getting very thirsty)... and lots of pics of cosplayers. On the way out, spotted and fell in love with the one Dilandau cosplayer at the con (she must have thought I was some sort of stalker by the time the con was over - I wanted to kidnap her and bring her home with me, but there was no more room in the Xterra). Some time in there, I lost the opener for my soda. Eep.
If you've never had Ramune soda before, it comes in this really cool glass bottle with a glass ball stopper that you have to push in with the little plastic gadget that comes on top of the bottle. I lost the gadget before I got a chance to open the soda. *pout* Fortunately, Cym-sama got the thing open for me at the hotel much later that night. That stuff is really tasty - no wonder it sells out so quickly at j-snacks!
Okay, starting to fall asleep... will continue story tomorrow. Really, I will.
Omake! (extra!) The first installment of the list of Things I Really Should Remember Next Time I'm At an Anime Convention:
- Wear comfortable shoes. And make really sure they'll be comfortable all day, I'm likely to be standing and walking a lot. Old Naot sandals bad, simple tennies good.
- Drink much water. Dehydration bad. Hot muggy outdoors or hot muggy dealer's room leads to sweating and possible nausea. Ehhhh. Replace lost fluids and electolytes. This one has the following corollary:
- Design costume so it's easy to go to the bathroom. *blush* Yeppers, that Merle costume has to be completely removed. It's a bitch. Damn bodysuit. The Dragonslayer outfit will have pants. The Dejiko outfit will have... petticoats or pantyhose or whatever.
- Know that I have to sign up for certain things. Like the actual walk-on cosplay competition. Hehheh.
- Have extra space in the car to bring home any cosplayers I want to kidnap. *evil grin*
- Food can substitute for sleep, and a shower can substitute for sleep, but food can never substitute for a shower. In fact, make sure to get enough of all three. Especially showers. -_-;;
- Have my own digicam. Being able to borrow one was great, but I would have liked to be able to dl the pics onto my laptop to keep a running photo-journal... and at least know if I needed to go back and get a better pic of a certain cosplayer. That's probably the next gadget I'll get...
- Keep stuff in the cooler in tupperware. Chocolate getting soaked by melted ice is bad.
- Bring more real food. Fangirl cannot live on Fresca and Triscuits alone. Need ramen. Need something to cook ramen in. Bring real water, too - Dallas water isn't quite as bad as Phoenix water, but it can come close.
recent alterations //
21 November 2002 // I'm not dead yet!
03 October 2002 // Snarling bitch to genki fangirl in 0.8 seconds flat! [i]
27 September 2002 // He's got butterfly wings, not feathery angel wings. Geez, people!
25 September 2002 // The Great Oekaki Contest Begins! [ai]
14 September 2002 // The obsessiveness continues...
