Con Report: The Good Things
Again, let's go chronologically, shall we? (Bad Stuff that happened in previous post!) http://hippocampus-alatus.tumblr.com/post/98677504047/con-report
Con friend! While waiting to pick up Goji at the airport, we noticed a girl wearing an Attack on Titan pin, a Mario backpack, and a Pokemon shirt. Nikki and I started discussing the likelihood she was here for AWA. I guess she felt us staring at her because she turned around and grinned at us and I just went for it and was all, “HAY THAR! AWA?!” ...and that's how we got someone to talk to for the next forty or so minutes. She and Nikki exchanged tumblrs and we promised we'd look for her at the con (we did but we never found her, which I guess isn't surprising in a con of like 20,000 people.) Still, we made a con friend, and that makes me happy.
Goji arrived! 8D
I got to make the four commissions I was hoping to ask for, even if I didn't get to make one from that one girl. One has to be mailed to me later, but I will scan and post the rest later. They are all awesome and I love them and you should check out the tumblrs of the artists once I get these up.
The con itself was great! As predicted, I ended up spending the most time in Artist's Alley.
As usual, my Cthulhu backpack was a hit, which I always find a little odd but pleasant. This year I ended up having to wear him around my hips, because the straps won't tighten any further. So yes, I had an Elder God stuck to my ass, and it was glorious.
Food. Oh God, so much food. Now that I've had surgery/totally recovered from it I could and did eat whatever I wanted.
Freaking out the Normals always gives me a guilty pleasure. Got asked twice from random passerby what the hell was going on. Always happy to educate 'em.
Con atmosphere. I think this is the REAL reason I keep going. For just a few days, everyone, no matter their age, race, sex, religion, gender identity, appearance, disability, whatever, we all come together under the idea of Geeks Geeking the Geek Out. Yeah, there are a few bad eggs in any group, but for the most part, I feel harmonious and peaceful with everyone at conventions, like we are, just for a little while, all part of the same huge family. I feel comfortable here in ways that I just don't anywhere or anytime else. It's what keeps me coming back.
I'm an older anime fan. I'm roughly in the generation of when it was all about Sailor Moon (first run!) and Slayers and Escaflowne and Ranma. But know what I see more of? Instead of older fans dropping out, some of them are coming back now...with their kids. I keep seeing more and more families and it makes me happy. Little tiny nerdlings in little tiny cosplay, babies with Pokemon blankets, middle-aged people in cat ears with 3DS-playing kids trailing behind them. I didn't see this much when I first started going. It was pretty much just us young kids and the adults running it. Now it seems there's a much larger age spectrum and generational common ground. It makes me kinda warm and fuzzy.
