TorCon 2016
This was my first time doing TorCon as well as my first time going to Toronto. I loved the city. It was so beautiful and clean. This con experience was by far my best one to date (even though I’ve only done 3). I liked that the number of people was way smaller than Chicago and I don’t know if it was from Creation setting a bunch of new rules and scaring people into behaving better but the panels were also much much better. There was barely any yelling out and overall people seemed much more respectful to the actors and their fellow attendees. The guests also seemed more relaxed and happy than they were in Chicago. I’m not sure if they just had more sleep before this con or what but I could tell a definite difference in the actors’ moods and attitudes. I had GA for Saturday and preferred seating for Sunday and both days were great because the hall isn’t nearly as large as the one at Chicago. I sat all the way in the back and didn’t feel like I couldn’t see or hear anything. My preferred seat was great except for the annoying lady next to me who kept making random unnecessary comments during the panels and constantly taking a ton of pictures with her camera right next to my head. That was the only issue that I had all weekend so, again, compared to Chicago it was still way better. I plan on doing TorCon again in a year or two and I definitely want to do silver or gold. I want to get the J’s autos some day and those are the only ways to do it now while still getting to see them sign the item. Now, on to the ops. I only had 5 because I spent all my money at ChiCon and the only reason I decided to do TorCon was because Jake Abel was going to be there.
My absolute favorite op to date. I wanted to redo this pose because I didn’t like how it turned out at ChiCon and this one didn’t disappoint. The ops were much calmer and not nearly as rushed and Misha was in a much better mood. I love that my Cas necklace showed up and overall I just love the pose.
I actually forgot that I had this solo op with Jensen because I bought it so far before the con. I ended up getting two Jensen ops at ChiCon and this was his pose choice for one of them. There was nothing that came to mind that I wanted to do or that I was comfortable asking him for so I decided to give the hug from behind pose another try since the first one turned out so great. I like the angle of his face better in this one and that he doesn’t look nearly as tired as he did in the ChiCon op. A fun thing that happened after this op is that Clif grabbed my hand as I was leaving the room and pulled me up to him. I think he remembered me from Chicago because we talked a lot there. My hands were freezing, as usual, but especially so when I’m nervous, so he helped warm them up for a few seconds. The op room was really small so I had to leave faster than I did in Chicago when I talked to him but it was sweet that he remembered me and tried to make me feel better.
I don’t think I will ever be able to pass up the opportunity to get this op at any con I go to. I just love interacting with these two and their duo ops always turn out great. This was my third time getting this op but it was such a last minute decision to buy it (the website said they were sold out but when I got there on Sat there were a ton of tickets still left for purchase) so I had no idea what pose to do. I didn’t want to stress myself out trying to think of a new pose so I just decided to go with the squish hug again but hugging Misha this time. I lost my voice a week before the con (and didn’t get it back for almost a month) so when I got up there it was really hard for them to hear me and I didn’t want to talk to close to them out of worry that they would think I was sick, which I wasn’t. They heard me just fine however and the hug was great. As I was getting ready to walk away one of the workers told me I needed to get back in line and do it again. At first, I was afraid I had done something bad until she explained that I had blinked and just needed to do it again. As I walked back up to the guys I said “Hi again. Apparently, I blinked.” Jensen decided to pick on me and said in a joking/skeptical tone “Oh apparently?” I laughed and started apologizing to him and Misha as I was wrapped back in the hug. They’re both just so sweet and I will never get sick of seeing them and interacting.
My friend was originally going to help me get the Jensen/Misha op but when it was posted as sold out online she decided to help me get the Jared/Misha op since I’d never done one before. I knew I just wanted to get a squish hug and when I tried to explain it to Jared the poor guy couldn’t hear me because of my lost voice but he got it on my second attempt of explaining. I felt bad because I had to get so close to him so he could hear me that I didn’t really pay much attention to Misha (who is my favorite T__T). If I ever get this op again I will be sure to be looking at both of them and, hopefully, I have my voice next time, lol. I have a funny look on my face because Jared was squeezing me so hard I couldn’t breathe. Chris actually got a good shot of me just before I let out a squeak from lack of air, lol. I can’t imagine what that face would have looked like if he took the photo then.
Jake was the whole reason I decided to go to TorCon. I had been on the fence until they announced that he would be there. His panel was great and I encourage anyone to go watch it online if it’s available. He was funny and didn’t seem nervous at all about being alone on stage with so many people ready to ask him their questions. When I went in for his op I asked him for a squish hug and the poor guy seemed so confused as to what that was (or he couldn’t hear me, again cause of my voice). But he heard the hug part so I guess that’s all that matters, lol. He was a sweetie and I recommend anyone that likes him to get an op with him if you ever get the chance.
Another wonderful man, Clif Kosterman, I had lots of interactions with him this weekend and at ChiCon. I forgot to get a selfie with him last year and at ChiCon because it was so busy during autos that I was bound and determined to get one with him this time. Before we asked for the selfies my friend and he were teasing me. I had some art pieces I had done of Jared and Jensen and I don’t remember exactly what I said but I caught myself before it came out sounding dirty and he just laughed at my blunder. He’s a sweet guy and I love talking to him whenever I can get the opportunity.
Another selfie I got with Chris. This was Sunday night really late and I had been hanging around the op room with some other girls talking and just sharing memories. Chris was giving out drinks and snacks that were left over from the stash for the workers/volunteers. I didn’t want to leave cause I knew this was my last con for quite a while and it was nice just watching him interact with others and showing off his new portable printer that went with his iPhone. I got this selfie and I actually had an art piece I had done for him (I forgot to take a photo of it before I gave it to him). He thanked me and kept calling me sweet and that he loved it. I got a couple hugs from him and then that was the end of my con weekend and con experiences for quite a while. It’s bitter-sweet to reminisce with these posts but it also helps me re-live the memories.
