NekoCon, Part 1
Nov. 10th, 2002 11:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackofallgeeksA Con To Remember
Well, I just got back from Nekocon, and true to my promise to Ms. Mel, I had a very cool time. I would argue that this was the best Anime Convention i've ever been to (yeah, out of all four of them). It wasn't the greatest run Con ever, but we had an awsome group(s?) of people, and it was just cool. I think I'm going to have to do this post in shifts.
"Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"
-Auctioneer upon introducing Kim's picture of Tifa
I think it's common knowlege, at least here, that I had misgivings about this Con. First off, I was rooming with Claire, and I'd be lying if I said anything other than I was afraid how things would go there. Admittedly, perhaps I should have known better (as Mel pointed out), but the fact remains. I was also rooming with five of Claire's friends, who I didn't (at the time) know. Yeah, there would be Louis there, too, but five strangers is rather daunting. Later on, I found that Leslie, Beth, and Rae were having fears/issues/complications with their own plans, and so that was one more anxiety. Additionally, it seemed that my own Con plans had changed rapidly, and may have become a bit more complicated than nessisary. Plan changes, either rapid or last-minute, always tend to make me nervous.
Friday started early. Well, no earlier than usual - I has Discrete at 10:00, and we were taking a Quiz, so I couldn't really skip it or anything. After class, I went back to my room and finished packing up my stuff (sheets et al) then called work to see if they had had my check. Being as they did, I ran over there to pick it up ($225 buddy) and Louis was waiting. We ran up, got my stuff, and then headed off (at about 12:30 or 1:00). We stopped by Taco Bell at about 2:00 for Lunch (technically Breakfast, for me) and headed off towards Claire's place.
For the record, Claire, you're directions say Left onto Salisbury Rd, Right onto Kingsmill, right onto Salisbury Dr - there's no mention of Castlebridge, which was the missing street I'd mentioned. once I was on Hugeunot, though, I knew where I was, so it was all good.
We got to Claire's at about 3:20, and she (with boys in tow) arrived proptly at 3:30, which is when we were supposed to meet. We made introductions, and I spoke with Ben and Sean (and sorta Paul) while waiting for the ladies to arrive - Ben who was Claire's little (in age only) Cousin, and Sean who I supposedly met at Homecomming/Prom (I can't remember which it was). Finally a car pulled up bearing Kim, Taran (This is a bold guess - it turns out I was calling her something completely wrong all weekend, though I donno anyone realized it - I'm still not sure what her name is, exactly) and Heather. Kim and Taran were both Catgirls and Heather was a character from an anime I haven't yet seen (Vice Cruix?). More introductions (seems I've met Kim before, too, and I don't think I could forget her) and after packing the cars, we were off for the Con.
One change that had been made rapidly at the end was that we needed to return Claire's Grandmother to her home in Portsmouth (round-abouts). As such, the cars were split guys with me and girls with Claire, then I would follow Claire down (as much my decision as anyone else's - I know I tend to speed, and that'd be bad with Gramma in the car). We also needed to pick up my Brother-in-Law to check us in, due to the fact that the reservation was in his name (this I believe has been declared unnessisary, as Claire herself probably could have claimed to be Shawn and they wouldn't care, so long as they got their money), and so to make room we were going to shift around seats after dropping off Granny.
Right off, I would like to formally appologize for any and all idiocy I was guilty of durring the start of the trip. I really don't know why I did any of it, and i'm not really that immature, and would hate for anyone to get such an impression.
My car was grand, though. It was, of course, Sean, Ben, Paul, Louis, and I. We put on some music (though I think both Louis and I made a mistake in our mix CDs - we should have just made due with what we had, I think those songs would have been better) and did quite a bit of chatting all around (though Paul, as seems his nature, was the quietest). Ben seemed rather fond of the term "skullfuck" as something undesirable that you would do to someone who got on your bad side. After the fouty-fouth such use, Sean decided that Ben's name should from then on be "Skullfuck." It rather stuck, as that was the name Ben wrote on his Badge. Louis and I may have scared the poor boys by singing along to "Wonderboy." Considering, I think we did a fair job, but as none of them had ever heard Tenacious D, well...
About half-way down, I called Claire when it occured to me that, since Shawn needed to being his boys anyways, he needed his own car, and so I could just take my full load down and grab him, and sign us in to the Hotel, thereby bypassing my own trip to Granny's and having the room all ready for when the girls made it down soon after us. I admit that my dislike of following people came into play here - don't get me wrong, I don't hate following, but especially when I know where I'm going (and just generally when I'm driving) I like to have the freedom that the open road provides me. I offended my dislike of changing plans, but any sin I commited was duely punished.
I called down to Jenny to make sure everything was cool, only to learn that she would be with the boys, but that Shawn would not drive. I will refrain from speculating on this point (either of them, really), but it left me with a full car and no easy way to fix the situation. I ended up needing to drop the crew off at the Hotel, getting Shawn, and then taking him home again - the girls were there by the time I brought Shawn back, and by the time I got finished ferrying him back and forth, I was sick of driving for the first time in years, and I felt really disconnected from the Con - as a friend once put it, like walking in on someone else's family reunion.
Luckily for me, I was able to meet up with Leslie when I got there, and she, Beth, and Rae were able to get me into the swing of things.
Oddly enough, I'm at a complete loss as to what occured next. I believe I was all set before 8:00 or 9:00. I met with Leslie, got my Badge et al, took my last bag up to the room and... poof, it's a blank. I'm looking at the schedual, and I'm not seeing anything there that I did. I suppose I might have wandered around the Dealer's Room for a while...? I did see some of the Music Videos at Midnight, and I was in bed at about 2:00 or so... THAT'S RIGHT! I went with Leslie, Carrie-Anne, et al and saw Spirited Away. Dan-chan, Leslie, Louis, Sean and I were all in Dan's car, and we went and had a grand time watching it. It was really cool seeing Carrie-Anne again, and Dan-chan is just The Dude. As much of a dirty old man as he can be, I just have such amazing respect for him. And I was glad to bring Sean along because, as a Con Virgin and general Cool Guy, I wanted to do anything I could to make the experience a good one, and I donno that there's much that's more fun than being part of that sorta thing, I guess. It was a blast.
***Spirited Away Spoiler Possible***
The movie itself was also alot of fun. We all had a blast being College Kids (even if at least 1/2 of us weren't College Kids) and the film was quite funny in it's own right. At the same time, I think if I took some time analyzed it with some effort, I could find deep, glorious meaning in it. As an example, my first impression of the movie - it's all about appearances. I mean, think about it - the theme part itself isn't what it seems, and the first few characters Sin (can't remember her real name) meets aren't who they appear to me - personality wise. Also, the paper bird that becomes the witch - but not just a witch, but one who looks exactly like Baba (again, I can't remember names). Moving on, Baba's inability to recognize her baby, everyone's inability to recognize the River Spirit (who had apparently been polluted?)... I think it's particularly interesting that Sin seems to see things for more than their appearances - as shown by the final test. Really all quite interesting.
***End Spoiler Warning***
And then, after the movie, we came back, watched the first 13 AMVs, and then up to the room. The girls all came up soon after us, apparently after being harrased by some jerk-offs. Kim went back down, but the other girls stayed in the room. Louis and I ran out to the bank and Sleven (Marylander for 7-11). When we got back, we found and chatted with a girl, Katie, and these two guys (Peter and Sean?), got Plushie-con badges, and checked up on rumors of a Room Party in 605 - which turned out to be Tallwood's Anime Club (and a fake rumor, damn). Afterwards, I went back to the room and Louis stayed up - Heather, Taran, and Claire were asleep, as was Sean and Paul. I grabbed the open bed and hit the sack. While I was out, Kim came in and bolted the door, and as such I was woken when Louis got back. I slept on-and-off all night, and so ends the first day of the Con.
Continue...
Well, I just got back from Nekocon, and true to my promise to Ms. Mel, I had a very cool time. I would argue that this was the best Anime Convention i've ever been to (yeah, out of all four of them). It wasn't the greatest run Con ever, but we had an awsome group(s?) of people, and it was just cool. I think I'm going to have to do this post in shifts.
"Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"
-Auctioneer upon introducing Kim's picture of Tifa
I think it's common knowlege, at least here, that I had misgivings about this Con. First off, I was rooming with Claire, and I'd be lying if I said anything other than I was afraid how things would go there. Admittedly, perhaps I should have known better (as Mel pointed out), but the fact remains. I was also rooming with five of Claire's friends, who I didn't (at the time) know. Yeah, there would be Louis there, too, but five strangers is rather daunting. Later on, I found that Leslie, Beth, and Rae were having fears/issues/complications with their own plans, and so that was one more anxiety. Additionally, it seemed that my own Con plans had changed rapidly, and may have become a bit more complicated than nessisary. Plan changes, either rapid or last-minute, always tend to make me nervous.
Friday started early. Well, no earlier than usual - I has Discrete at 10:00, and we were taking a Quiz, so I couldn't really skip it or anything. After class, I went back to my room and finished packing up my stuff (sheets et al) then called work to see if they had had my check. Being as they did, I ran over there to pick it up ($225 buddy) and Louis was waiting. We ran up, got my stuff, and then headed off (at about 12:30 or 1:00). We stopped by Taco Bell at about 2:00 for Lunch (technically Breakfast, for me) and headed off towards Claire's place.
For the record, Claire, you're directions say Left onto Salisbury Rd, Right onto Kingsmill, right onto Salisbury Dr - there's no mention of Castlebridge, which was the missing street I'd mentioned. once I was on Hugeunot, though, I knew where I was, so it was all good.
We got to Claire's at about 3:20, and she (with boys in tow) arrived proptly at 3:30, which is when we were supposed to meet. We made introductions, and I spoke with Ben and Sean (and sorta Paul) while waiting for the ladies to arrive - Ben who was Claire's little (in age only) Cousin, and Sean who I supposedly met at Homecomming/Prom (I can't remember which it was). Finally a car pulled up bearing Kim, Taran (This is a bold guess - it turns out I was calling her something completely wrong all weekend, though I donno anyone realized it - I'm still not sure what her name is, exactly) and Heather. Kim and Taran were both Catgirls and Heather was a character from an anime I haven't yet seen (Vice Cruix?). More introductions (seems I've met Kim before, too, and I don't think I could forget her) and after packing the cars, we were off for the Con.
One change that had been made rapidly at the end was that we needed to return Claire's Grandmother to her home in Portsmouth (round-abouts). As such, the cars were split guys with me and girls with Claire, then I would follow Claire down (as much my decision as anyone else's - I know I tend to speed, and that'd be bad with Gramma in the car). We also needed to pick up my Brother-in-Law to check us in, due to the fact that the reservation was in his name (this I believe has been declared unnessisary, as Claire herself probably could have claimed to be Shawn and they wouldn't care, so long as they got their money), and so to make room we were going to shift around seats after dropping off Granny.
Right off, I would like to formally appologize for any and all idiocy I was guilty of durring the start of the trip. I really don't know why I did any of it, and i'm not really that immature, and would hate for anyone to get such an impression.
My car was grand, though. It was, of course, Sean, Ben, Paul, Louis, and I. We put on some music (though I think both Louis and I made a mistake in our mix CDs - we should have just made due with what we had, I think those songs would have been better) and did quite a bit of chatting all around (though Paul, as seems his nature, was the quietest). Ben seemed rather fond of the term "skullfuck" as something undesirable that you would do to someone who got on your bad side. After the fouty-fouth such use, Sean decided that Ben's name should from then on be "Skullfuck." It rather stuck, as that was the name Ben wrote on his Badge. Louis and I may have scared the poor boys by singing along to "Wonderboy." Considering, I think we did a fair job, but as none of them had ever heard Tenacious D, well...
About half-way down, I called Claire when it occured to me that, since Shawn needed to being his boys anyways, he needed his own car, and so I could just take my full load down and grab him, and sign us in to the Hotel, thereby bypassing my own trip to Granny's and having the room all ready for when the girls made it down soon after us. I admit that my dislike of following people came into play here - don't get me wrong, I don't hate following, but especially when I know where I'm going (and just generally when I'm driving) I like to have the freedom that the open road provides me. I offended my dislike of changing plans, but any sin I commited was duely punished.
I called down to Jenny to make sure everything was cool, only to learn that she would be with the boys, but that Shawn would not drive. I will refrain from speculating on this point (either of them, really), but it left me with a full car and no easy way to fix the situation. I ended up needing to drop the crew off at the Hotel, getting Shawn, and then taking him home again - the girls were there by the time I brought Shawn back, and by the time I got finished ferrying him back and forth, I was sick of driving for the first time in years, and I felt really disconnected from the Con - as a friend once put it, like walking in on someone else's family reunion.
Luckily for me, I was able to meet up with Leslie when I got there, and she, Beth, and Rae were able to get me into the swing of things.
Oddly enough, I'm at a complete loss as to what occured next. I believe I was all set before 8:00 or 9:00. I met with Leslie, got my Badge et al, took my last bag up to the room and... poof, it's a blank. I'm looking at the schedual, and I'm not seeing anything there that I did. I suppose I might have wandered around the Dealer's Room for a while...? I did see some of the Music Videos at Midnight, and I was in bed at about 2:00 or so... THAT'S RIGHT! I went with Leslie, Carrie-Anne, et al and saw Spirited Away. Dan-chan, Leslie, Louis, Sean and I were all in Dan's car, and we went and had a grand time watching it. It was really cool seeing Carrie-Anne again, and Dan-chan is just The Dude. As much of a dirty old man as he can be, I just have such amazing respect for him. And I was glad to bring Sean along because, as a Con Virgin and general Cool Guy, I wanted to do anything I could to make the experience a good one, and I donno that there's much that's more fun than being part of that sorta thing, I guess. It was a blast.
The movie itself was also alot of fun. We all had a blast being College Kids (even if at least 1/2 of us weren't College Kids) and the film was quite funny in it's own right. At the same time, I think if I took some time analyzed it with some effort, I could find deep, glorious meaning in it. As an example, my first impression of the movie - it's all about appearances. I mean, think about it - the theme part itself isn't what it seems, and the first few characters Sin (can't remember her real name) meets aren't who they appear to me - personality wise. Also, the paper bird that becomes the witch - but not just a witch, but one who looks exactly like Baba (again, I can't remember names). Moving on, Baba's inability to recognize her baby, everyone's inability to recognize the River Spirit (who had apparently been polluted?)... I think it's particularly interesting that Sin seems to see things for more than their appearances - as shown by the final test. Really all quite interesting.
And then, after the movie, we came back, watched the first 13 AMVs, and then up to the room. The girls all came up soon after us, apparently after being harrased by some jerk-offs. Kim went back down, but the other girls stayed in the room. Louis and I ran out to the bank and Sleven (Marylander for 7-11). When we got back, we found and chatted with a girl, Katie, and these two guys (Peter and Sean?), got Plushie-con badges, and checked up on rumors of a Room Party in 605 - which turned out to be Tallwood's Anime Club (and a fake rumor, damn). Afterwards, I went back to the room and Louis stayed up - Heather, Taran, and Claire were asleep, as was Sean and Paul. I grabbed the open bed and hit the sack. While I was out, Kim came in and bolted the door, and as such I was woken when Louis got back. I slept on-and-off all night, and so ends the first day of the Con.
Continue...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-11-11 10:41 am (UTC)Just a couple of corrections:
no subject
Date: 2002-11-11 11:42 am (UTC)In anycase, Mononoke Hime and Spirited Away are, obviously, in two completely different categories, and I would actually be up for one just as much as another.
And I think Spirited Away might be better for my little sisters - who, by the by, ADORE Mononoke Hime. They even want to watch it in Japanese like their older brothers. *beams*
Well...
Date: 2002-11-11 03:49 pm (UTC)Re: Well...
Date: 2002-11-11 05:02 pm (UTC)Yes, Newport News. I'm sure you told me that - in my defense, however, I said it was near Portsmouth (that's what I meant by round-abouts) and Newport News and Portmouth have always been near eachother in my mind. Whether or not that's true in fact is besides the point, as I've never had to go to either. I never claimed I was always right, you know. ^__^
And I do appologize, first for making such a drastic change as I did after we had been on our way, and second for implying that all the troubles on that trip had you to blame. As for the first, I feel I was punnished quite thouroghly for it, as things on my end would have moved more smoothly if I'd just stuck with what we had intended (though I didn't know such was the case at the time). As for the second, I didn't intend to imply that, but I also didn't point out that you were the one who - as far as I'm aware - put the most effort into organizing this trip. Anyone could have made the reservations, and gotten everyone together, and made all the little things work, by you're the one who DID do it, and i'm at fault for not pointing that out, though I have always appreciated it.
And yes, I was rather exagerating about you posing as Shawn, although Shawn spelled as such is traditionally the feminine version of the name (as I'm aware - at the very least it's unisex) and they didn't card Shawn, either. The point of my comment was that we didn't need to make the reservations in his name to begin with, though as you noted, it's better to be safe than sorry, and being that at the time we didn't know either way, I do support your decicion. It's always easy to complain, but like I said, you did good.
And a final appology for stealing Shawn away so soon - that also was unintended. Up until we had getten to my car, Shawn was going to wait around until we had all the stuff in the room. When we got there, though, Louis, Ben, and Sean thought it was a better plan if they took up all the stuff while I drove Shawn home. I was tired, and just wanted to get done with all my driving, but I'm still at fault for not letting you say goodbye. i was going to try and get together with Jenny, too, and failed at that, as well.