Fangirling and other things.
Today was a day of spending money and fangirling. I went to Armageddon.
Armageddon started the same way as it always does - A long line. Even though we showed up before it opened, there was still one hell of a que. And while standing in the que, we noticed a storm trooper and Darth Vader approaching, with buckets asking for money (I wondered if Darth was collecting for a new Death Star or for Christchurch). Once the storm trooper reached us, I noticed that he did have a gun and the comment was made of 'no pressure' as the gun was held - Not very often one gets held up by a storm trooper for charity money. Once Vader and the trooper had left I heard a comment from behind us "Aren't the storm troopers Darth Vader's enemy?" *face palm*...the guy was soon corrected by the rest of his group.
We also saw furries while standing in line. That's always amusing.
Once inside, it was packed like always. The shopping wasn't as good this year (It's as if all the stalls were selling the same stuff), but I still picked up some badges and a Metal Gear Solid figure to add to my collection.
As I was about to leave, I walked past the panel area...only to find the anime group panel was on. It's not very often you walk around the corner to hear Roy Campbell (Paul Eiding) talking. So of course I had to stay...and quietly fangirl.
The sound for parts of the seating was crap (Like normal), so I stood against a wall on the side close to the stage. And listened. And fangirled.
While watching, I decided to tweet, so I sent a message on my phone and thought nothing more of it, until someone replied. Paul had just finished talking and the room had gone silent as we waited for the next question to be asked...and my phone went off. Now this might seem like nothing, but my phone's message tone it the Metal Gear Solid Codec tone. So it's kinda silent (The area where the panels are held is in the corner of the arena and tends some/most sound from the booths) and the Codec tone plays...cue heads turning (More like whipping around) of the Metal Gears fans to look at me. But it wasn't just the fans in the crowd...Paul turned quickly to look at me too...cue the awkward moment where I continue to reach into my pocket (It's my instant reaction to do so when it goes and I'd been mid grab when I realised people starting) and pull out my phone to read the text. (Keep in mind this wasn't an area where phones had to be off or anything, so it wasn't as though I was disturbing people...it was more the timing).
But apart from the awkward moment, the panel was great. I love that fact Paul's fav. line from MGS series is "I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-Kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!" and it was interesting to hear what he had to say about David (Hayter) too.
Eventually I had to pull myself away from that awesomeness (Sadly I knew I had assignments to do), but it was worth going just to see the panel. I would have loved to have stayed and gotten something autographed, but I didd't have the time this year. Fingers crossed next year's quests will be just as good/have someone from MGS.