Friday, May 16, 2014
I barely slept the night before Anime Central. I was just that pumped. Was the insomnia due to excitement? Nervousness? Eustress? Probably all of the above. Whatever the reason, it took me forever to fall asleep.
I woke up a bit later than I wanted to. After my usual morning routine, I prepped for the convention. I had done a test run the previous Tuesday, but on that Friday morning, things weren't going quite right.
First of all, the binding process seemed to take forever. I couldn't get the athletic tape to do what I wanted it to do. When I was finally done binding, I checked the mirror and concluded that my job was not so well done. At least I'd be wearing a workout shirt over it.
After dressing, I applied hair mousse and makeup. Although the mousse didn't make my hair defy gravity, it tamed the frizziness quite a bit. The makeup didn't go quite as well. I kept getting foundation in my hair. Plus, the glue stick that was supposed to conceal parts of my eyebrows wasn't doing its job.
After that, I painted on my fake tattoo (I'm so glad I could do it with my dominant hand), pulled on eight rubber wristbands, and donned The Fluffy Vest. I adjusted the faux fur a bit so that the safety pins around the collar wouldn't be too visible. I looked myself over in the mirror, looking to see if there was anything off about my very first cosplay.
"Don't worry, Greed," I thought to myself. "You're gorgeous."
With that, I grabbed my ACen pass and glasses, hoisted my backpack onto my back, and stepped into a pair of oversized boots. I walked out the door, smiling.
It was early (and cold) enough that not too many people would be outside. I wondered if anyone would stare as I crossed the street to my car. I had to be discreet. Nah, I just had to make a mad dash. Nothing to see here, people, just a homunculus crossing the street.
Safe inside my car, I double checked to make sure I had everything: my phone, my lunch, my water bottle, the directions... wait. I FORGOT THE DIRECTIONS! I obviously couldn't get there without them, so I ran back across the street to my apartment, and back again to my car. Now, when I say "ran" I use the term rather loosely. I could barely jog in those huge boots.
My journey to Rosemont was quick and fairly uneventful. The hardest part was actually finding the parking garage. That was a bit stressful, but once I actually found the thing and parked, I began to be more at ease.
I got out of my car and checked my phone for the time. As I stared at my phone screen, I couldn't help but notice the outside temperature: 34 degrees Fahrenheit. As a point of reference to those who live in countries whose measuring systems actually make sense, that's two degrees above freezing. I didn't bring a sweater; it would ruin the look. Besides, it would take up too much space in my backpack, thus giving less room for swag that I would inevitably buy. Hugging my unsleeved arms to my chest, I made my way to the convention center. Oh, the things I do for cosplay...
