tj_dragonblade (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tj_dragonblade) wrote2006-07-14 09:48 pm
tj_dragonblade) wrote2006-07-14 09:48 pm
Entry tags:
AuroraCon
So. I ended up getting in just under three hours of con attendance. Not that any of the guests or panels looked particularly interesting, but it would have been nice to have the option. I probably would have sat in for Christopher Sabat. And I know Jeff was interested in the guy affiliated with Robotech. But Jeff didn't go at all. He said half a day was just not worth the $25 entry fee, to him. He insisted that I go, though, because I "deserve to be spoiled". Heh. My 15-year-old nephew wanted to go as well, so he tagged along with me.
And really? Hell no, those three hours weren't at all worth the $25. But I'm still glad to have gone, no matter how awkward, out of place, and...well, just plain lonely I may have felt under it all. I mean, I'm seeing pairs and groups of people all belonging, comfortable among themselves and having an awesome time; I feel myself surrounded by 'kindred spirits' of a sort and yet I still feel totally alone. Which is a long-standing issue, and one of the biggest reasons I balk at social events. I mean...I enjoyed the time spent there, yes, but it could have been so much more if there was someone to share it with. Someone I fit with, belong with, know, someone who's into it on the same level and wavelength that I am. I just feel so out of place alone, and so awkward and almost embarrassed with the nephew, or the husband. Like I can't be totally myself? Ehgh. It's tough to explain, and sounds totally wanky. But.
*sigh* But enough feeling sorry for myself, ne?
I wandered the tiny dealer's-room-slash-artist's-alley for awhile, searching in vain for anything I might like to buy. I was surprised to see a little table offering a very limited selection of yaoi DJs; there was nothing that interested me but it was oddly surreal to recognize PL Nunn's artwork as a bound-and-published product. I'm not really a fan of her work, but...it's something tangible and 'real world' that I recognize from my 'virtual' fan-life. Y'know?
If I never see another bit of Naruto or FMA merchandise again, it will be too soon. I mean, I've got nothing against either series and have even enjoyed both quite a bit from time to time. But seriously. There are other things out there, you marketing people. Honestly. -_-;
I did find onerather rude vendor who had little cloisonne pins for sale; after debating with myself for about an hour, I went ahead and bought all four Saiyuki boys, plus Kougaiji (the last one - I got the display pin), and then Kenshin and Sano for good measure. $24 all together. My big splurge. Yah. An Ed Elric did condone my selection as 'good choice', though. ^_^
The cosplay contest started an hour late; apparently the kendo demonstration they had scheduled for after it cancelled and so they moved it back, plus there was then an issue with finding their judges. It was very short, as there weren't many contestants, or even very much more than maybe three-four hundred attendees for that matter. From what I could tell. But the contest was still enjoyable for what it was. That's where I took all but two of my pictures. There were some impressive costumes in the lineup - a remarkable Vash the Stampede, who took third place; a group of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo cosplayers who actually managed a sufficiently amusing crossover skit that involved Mugen being the bounty that Spike was after (and the Spike cosplay was particularly impressive); a girl cosplaying Roy Mustang (and delivering the mini-skirt line ^_^); Kakashi, complete with 'poetry' book; a trio of FF-some-number-or-other characters including that one dude with the red hair and the goggles; a chibi-Inuyasha; Chewbacca (who had earlier donned a frilly apron and a maid's hat and gone around posing playfully with random stuffed animals (and no, I didn't get any pics of that)); a nicely done Sailor...um, whoever wears the orange skirt; some guy named 'Pyramid Head' that I've got no clue about but he still managed to be amusing; and...and. I guess that was about it for the stuff I can name/recognize on the stage.
Other cosplayers not in the competition included Sakura, Naruto, and about a dozen other generically Naruto-derived costumes; three other Vashes; seven Ed Elrics, one of whom had actually attempted to simulate the automail arm; and...and.
The one that made me feel that coming had perhaps been worth it after all.
Hakkai. With Hakuryuu. ^_^
I accosted the poor girl twice for pics, because I wasn't sure the first would turn out. She was the only one for whom I summoned the courage to ask for a photo. She seemed to be there by herself, too, and laughed this same awkward laugh every time someone asked for pics. Which was many many times in the brief time I wasstalking observing her. She was very obliging; laughed and tried not to blush and put on her monocle and cuddled Hakuryuu in her arm; it was plain, though, that she was probably rather shy.
I almost got up the nerve to try to start a conversation, to mention that I'd thought about cosplaying Tenpou, but...eheh. Nope. Not bold enough. I did ask her how she'd made her Hakuryuu, though, after taking her pic the first time and before I bolted. He was cute in his way, and put together better than other offerings I've seen online, but...I think, perhaps, that I could do better. If I set myself to try. If I could find like...a stuffed brontosaurus pattern or plushie-to-disassemble to start from. *sigh*
She apologized to him, too, which I thought was plain adorable. After one group of picture-takers left. She set him on the table to put her own camera back on; he fell forward on his nose and I heard her say, very half-conscious and under-her-breath like, "Oh--sorry, Hakuryuu." ^_^
Aaanyway. The contest was pretty well the end of the con, then; I got home in time for the Atlantis premier (which I did not in fact watch, and I do not know if I'll catch the re-airing. I love certain characters to death, but the show itself is unfortunately very take-it-or-leave-it) and had ramen for dinner.
Pics will be shared after they get developed; it's a disposable camera as the digicam is, as previously mentioned, broken.
It's cold out, and rainy. I enjoyed myself, but I'm somehow left to go, '...Eh. Hopefully next year will be better/have more to offer.' Except that having no local friends, the lonely-outsider thing is probably not going to go away. *sigh*
Ehh.
And really? Hell no, those three hours weren't at all worth the $25. But I'm still glad to have gone, no matter how awkward, out of place, and...well, just plain lonely I may have felt under it all. I mean, I'm seeing pairs and groups of people all belonging, comfortable among themselves and having an awesome time; I feel myself surrounded by 'kindred spirits' of a sort and yet I still feel totally alone. Which is a long-standing issue, and one of the biggest reasons I balk at social events. I mean...I enjoyed the time spent there, yes, but it could have been so much more if there was someone to share it with. Someone I fit with, belong with, know, someone who's into it on the same level and wavelength that I am. I just feel so out of place alone, and so awkward and almost embarrassed with the nephew, or the husband. Like I can't be totally myself? Ehgh. It's tough to explain, and sounds totally wanky. But.
*sigh* But enough feeling sorry for myself, ne?
I wandered the tiny dealer's-room-slash-artist's-alley for awhile, searching in vain for anything I might like to buy. I was surprised to see a little table offering a very limited selection of yaoi DJs; there was nothing that interested me but it was oddly surreal to recognize PL Nunn's artwork as a bound-and-published product. I'm not really a fan of her work, but...it's something tangible and 'real world' that I recognize from my 'virtual' fan-life. Y'know?
If I never see another bit of Naruto or FMA merchandise again, it will be too soon. I mean, I've got nothing against either series and have even enjoyed both quite a bit from time to time. But seriously. There are other things out there, you marketing people. Honestly. -_-;
I did find one
The cosplay contest started an hour late; apparently the kendo demonstration they had scheduled for after it cancelled and so they moved it back, plus there was then an issue with finding their judges. It was very short, as there weren't many contestants, or even very much more than maybe three-four hundred attendees for that matter. From what I could tell. But the contest was still enjoyable for what it was. That's where I took all but two of my pictures. There were some impressive costumes in the lineup - a remarkable Vash the Stampede, who took third place; a group of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo cosplayers who actually managed a sufficiently amusing crossover skit that involved Mugen being the bounty that Spike was after (and the Spike cosplay was particularly impressive); a girl cosplaying Roy Mustang (and delivering the mini-skirt line ^_^); Kakashi, complete with 'poetry' book; a trio of FF-some-number-or-other characters including that one dude with the red hair and the goggles; a chibi-Inuyasha; Chewbacca (who had earlier donned a frilly apron and a maid's hat and gone around posing playfully with random stuffed animals (and no, I didn't get any pics of that)); a nicely done Sailor...um, whoever wears the orange skirt; some guy named 'Pyramid Head' that I've got no clue about but he still managed to be amusing; and...and. I guess that was about it for the stuff I can name/recognize on the stage.
Other cosplayers not in the competition included Sakura, Naruto, and about a dozen other generically Naruto-derived costumes; three other Vashes; seven Ed Elrics, one of whom had actually attempted to simulate the automail arm; and...and.
The one that made me feel that coming had perhaps been worth it after all.
Hakkai. With Hakuryuu. ^_^
I accosted the poor girl twice for pics, because I wasn't sure the first would turn out. She was the only one for whom I summoned the courage to ask for a photo. She seemed to be there by herself, too, and laughed this same awkward laugh every time someone asked for pics. Which was many many times in the brief time I was
I almost got up the nerve to try to start a conversation, to mention that I'd thought about cosplaying Tenpou, but...eheh. Nope. Not bold enough. I did ask her how she'd made her Hakuryuu, though, after taking her pic the first time and before I bolted. He was cute in his way, and put together better than other offerings I've seen online, but...I think, perhaps, that I could do better. If I set myself to try. If I could find like...a stuffed brontosaurus pattern or plushie-to-disassemble to start from. *sigh*
She apologized to him, too, which I thought was plain adorable. After one group of picture-takers left. She set him on the table to put her own camera back on; he fell forward on his nose and I heard her say, very half-conscious and under-her-breath like, "Oh--sorry, Hakuryuu." ^_^
Aaanyway. The contest was pretty well the end of the con, then; I got home in time for the Atlantis premier (which I did not in fact watch, and I do not know if I'll catch the re-airing. I love certain characters to death, but the show itself is unfortunately very take-it-or-leave-it) and had ramen for dinner.
Pics will be shared after they get developed; it's a disposable camera as the digicam is, as previously mentioned, broken.
It's cold out, and rainy. I enjoyed myself, but I'm somehow left to go, '...Eh. Hopefully next year will be better/have more to offer.' Except that having no local friends, the lonely-outsider thing is probably not going to go away. *sigh*
Ehh.
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Speaking of which I am going to book the hotel today, from Weds the 18th to Oct 23. That way we can spend Sunday night and fly out Monday. ^_^ Make sure you find out about time off, and put in for it. I checked finances. It won't be a problem at all to save up for it in two months!!