There's a very good reason I wasn't on theO for two days. That reason was ACen. I'll do some highlights (and lowlights) of the con later. Now I have to get to bed. I'm tired.
Edit: Incoming recap!
First, before I get into the good stuff, I must introduce the key players. I went with a group, after all. In order of appearance they are "Edward" (cosplaying Edward Elric), "Goggles" (cosplaying one of the Digimon goggle boys from a season that I had not seen), and "Samurai" (cosplaying as, well, a samurai).
Friday (with Edward):
- Woke up at 5 am after an hour of sleep in 20-minute shifts.
- Drove about two hours to pick up Edward.
- Got to the con with time to spare before the opening.
- Witnessed the Exhibition Hall open. The crowd went wild.
- Shopping!!!!
- Went to a panel room only to find that it was for the 14 and under crowd. (We didn't actually see panels that day.)
- Participated in an unofficial photoshoot for FMA. Seven people showed up, including Edward and me. Laaaaaaaaame.
- After 10 minutes, our lame photoshoot broke up, and Edward ran off to crash the MLP photoshoot across the street. She forgot her swag and I was left to guard it. After 20 minutes, she came back, apologized profusely, and I forgave her.
- Got very tired.
- Edward's parents picked her up, and I hobbled back to my car.
- Forgot where I parked.
- Finally found my car, drove home, ate a tub of cottage cheese and crashed.
Saturday (with Edward, Goggles, and Samurai):
- Drove Edward and Goggles to the con.
- Immediately went to a panel which could have been SO much better than it was.
- Moar shopping!!!!
- Went to a panel which featured the game "Taboo" done anime-style. I was mentally practicing to be an anime describer. Edward got picked to be a guesser. I never got picked at all because (a) Edward Elric is waaaaaay more recognizable/popular than Greed and (b) they could tell we were in the same party because we were in the front row. Edward proceeded to either guess wrong (once) or not guess at all (every other time).
- Edward won a poster which she generously gave to Goggles. Goggles promptly lost it.
- Met up with Samurai.
- Went to the lost-and-found area to alert them about Goggles's missing poster.
- Explored artist's alley.
- Edward alerted me to an artist who had a print of Greed. I didn't really want to buy it, but felt obligated to, so I did (and added on a print of Yoko from Gurren Lagann for good measure).
- Sat at one of the tables near the vendors to plan the rest of the day. Placed my newly-bought prints on the table and forgot to take them with me. Realized that I had forgotten them about two hours later. Unlike Goggles, I was also out $5. At least I helped a fellow artist.
- Went to karaoke. Chaos ensued. Unsure of the rules for signing up (everyone was breaking them, thus confusing me), I waited until the line shortened a bit. Got in line with Edward and Samurai. Signed up. Waited. Edward left, due to the noise. Waited some more. Never called. Saw some good performances, though.
- Took a group selfie.
- Parted ways with Samurai, and I took the others home.
- Took Edward and Goggles out to dinner (it was 9 pm by then, and we were HUNGRY).
- Explained, over dinner, one of the reasons why the Harry Potter franchise is a mediocrity. My words fell on deaf ears, but at least I kept a level head this time.
- Drove Edward and Goggles back to my place where their respective fathers picked them up.
Sunday (with Edward and Goggles):
- The morning was kind of a disaster before actually leaving for the con. I won't get into it.
- Saw a panel on how to sew plushies. I learned some things, but Edward and Goggles were bored as heck.
- Saw a panel on the basics of speaking Japanese. We all enjoyed that.
- Went to the ACen feedback panel. I voiced some concerns and we left.
- Went to a panel for artists. One of the panelists couldn't make it, and the other's computer broke, so there was no presentation. Instead, it turned into a doodle fest. Edward and I both doodled. After the panel was over, I wanted to talk to the panelist a bit, but Goggles ran off to get lunch, so we followed her.
- Went to lunch at Starbucks. They were out of the sandwich I wanted, so I shrugged it off and just ordered an iced tea. They were apparently out of the sandwich that Goggles wanted, too. Goggles threw a fit that scared Edward and me practically to death. Fortunately, she found another sandwich to order and calmed down.
- Even moar shopping!!!!
- The con ended, and I drove us all back to my place so that Edward and Goggles could be picked up by their respective fathers.
Sorry if this sounds negative. It was probably a better experience than I portrayed. It's just that something happened in my family that I learned about just a few hours after the con ended. It's kind of colored my mood ever since.
Edit part deux: How could I have forgotten the most important thing? On Saturday, WE FINALLY FOUND ALPHONSE AFTER THREE YEARS OF SEARCHING!!!! Edward took a picture with him. Then I told him, "Al, I want your body."
