Fanime! AKA LOOK AT ALL THE FUCKS I GIVE CON 2010
FRIDAY
-Wake up hella early on Friday to fly into California. Regret immediately not just flying in for Day 0 but whatever, I’m smarter for next year, etc. etc. etc.
-Buy SUPER DELICIOUS PEPPERMINT WATER at the airport. If I can find this stuff in Colorado I am going to start buying it in bulk because I’m pretty sure that is what saved me from getting ridiculously and violently sick during this con.
-Get to the convention center sans mishaps. For some reason the number that I had for Chira was wrong so I had a mini-freakout over that, but then I remembered that she posted her number on Livejournal. Yay for smartphones! Call her and learn her location
-Meet up with everyone at the Crowne Plaza. Then suddenly, apparently we maybe don’t have a room yet?!?! Well, OK. I’m too tired to deal with any of this shit, I’ll just go with the flow. At least we have a place to sleep if our roommate doesn’t contact us.
-Learn that Jacqui baked a cheesecake but get warned off because it’s been sitting in a sink over ice. THE CHEESECAKE ODDYSSEY BEGINS.
-Hang around the hotel room, too tired to get into costumes just yet
-Go out to lunch at Johnny Rockets. EAT ALLLL THE FOOD. It is super delicious and I love everything. ALSO I AM APPARENTLY SECOND ON THE LIST TO GET EATEN, AFTER JONAH.
-Get back to the hotel and decide I want to be in costume now that I am full and no longer so tired. Change into Echo. Realize as I’m rushing to meet Tia that fashion tape does not stick to nylons - or maybe I’m just doing it wrong. COSPLAY LEGS!ECHO FOR THE REST OF THE TIME.
-Meet up with Tia and hang forever? Most of this time is spent lounging in her hotel bed because I’m still tired from my early flight and also legs are cooolldddd.
-Eventually decide I am tired of FLASHING LEGS FOREVER and head back to Meggie’s hotel room. Chira is there and we do have a hotel room, but we don’t have access just yet, but we’re gonna pack up our stuff and move it to Chira’s car to store. I get changed and then we all trek to Chira’s car with our suitcases.
-Hang with Chira until we get word on our room keys and then meet Genevieve in the swap meet. FINALLY! ROOM KEYS!
-Gakuen Basara group has their skit rehearsal. I hang along to watch and also because my stuff is in Chira’s car. We accidentally get locked outside but are SAVED BY MANDI!
-Get increasingly more tired and more hungry as time goes on. Consider going to the room and scrounging food but oh yeah Chira has my stuff in her car. Eventually realize that I am going to fall asleep where I sit and beg the car keys from Chira but end up waiting on Darcy and meeting back up with Chira anyways.
-Darcy Chira and I go to get our stuff and bring it to the hotel. MY GOD OUR HOTEL ROOM IS GORGEOUS AND SPACIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL AND WE HAVE A WALK IN CLOSET AND A WALK IN SHOWER OH MY GOD THIS IS ALL BEAUTIFUL ALSO LOOK AT THIS EXPENSIVE AS FUCK COMPLIMENTARY SHAMPOO AND THE TISSUES ARE IN THE SHAPE OF A ROSE AND-how much are we paying for this? Oh we don’t know? We’ll worry about that later I guess.
-Chira spends an hour walking around in her bra before asking me, “I hope you’re OK with nudity?” I am, but this is the source of much hilarity.
-We are HUNGRY AS ALL HELL but also need showers plus we left some stuff in Meggie’s room? We all take showers and then head over to the Crowne Plaza. Get BEGGED to take the cheesecake, but we don’t want to carry it around while we go get food, we’ll get it in the morning you guys we swear.
-Ask the lady in the hotel lobby about nearby food. The only thing open that we don’t have to drive to is Xtreme Pizza. We order it up to Meggie’s room and wait around with sincere apologies. Once we have our pizza we are summarily kicked out, bringing the cheesecake and the pizza with us.
-THIS IS THE MOST DELICIOUS SHITTY PIZZA WE HAVE EVER EATEN AND IT IS ALL BECAUSE WE ARE SUPER HUNGRY. MMMM PIZZA. FANIME GAINS ITS NAME.
-We fit the cheesecake and remains of the pizza into the fridge and finally fall into bed at 3AM, meaning I have been up 21 hours. Mmmm these pillows are like sleeping on clouds I love this hotel so much.
SATURDAY
-Wake up at 10AM after BEAUTIFUL DELICIOUS REST. Feel kind of bad because not everybody slept as well as I did but oh well?
-Change into Japan because when else am I going to wear it? Wander around convention by myself, mostly scoping out the dealer’s hall and artist’s alley for later perusal.
-Get creeped on by Hetalia fans while I am sitting on my phone. They sit to either side of me and start slowly moving in closer while I slowly realize their presence. Eventually I start talking to them because, uhh, what else am I going to do? Get my wig petted. One of them is disappointed that I am twenty because she is fourteen which, uhh, whaaaat?
-Decide that it is high time to change out of Japan so I go back to the hotel room to hang around. CHANGE INTO ENNIS WHOOOOO.
-Text Jacqui that I am wearing Ennis and SHE SHOULD COME HANG. We find each other about an hour before the DRRR!/Baccano! photoshoot and wander around the convention.
-Join up with the DRRR!/Baccano! people. Photoshoot begins with a full group shot but… there are no Baccano! people in the group shot? Then they call for all the Shizuo’s and I have to ask, “Can we get a Baccano! groupshot?” Quickly realize that the prevailing attitude is that this is a DRRR! Shoot, and, oh yeah, Baccano! exists too.
-Split from the group to have a Baccano! photoshoot. IT IS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE ALSO AMAZING AND FULL OF IN-JOKES AND THE BEST PHOTOS. ALSO THE VERY BEST ISAAC AND MIRIA WHO CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOOT AND WHO ARE IN CHARACTER THE ENTIRE TIME.
-See the Marvel/DC gathering and feel vaguely sad that I won’t be joining them especially since there is a casual YJ group that has no M’gann, but oh well I am having oodles of fun with Baccano! people. We pretty much hang out long after the photoshoot is over.
-Hang with Jacqui for a while, until we meet up with Chira and Darcy again in Subway. Decide to hang with them.
-Go back to the Sainte Claire for photos of Darcy while we are waiting for DRRR! photoshoot and ask Chira if I can get a couple of nice photos in Ennis. As we walk in, find a group of Baccano! cosplayers and beg them to join us for a photoshoot. They are busy but they will be back soon.
-The lighting is kind of wonky anyways so I head to Chira’s car to get her sunshields while she photoshoots with Darcy, and then come back to get solo shots. HSGKLS THE SAINTE CLAIRE IS THE MOST PERFECT OF ALL LOCATIONS FOR BACCANO! PHOTOS.
-Baccano! people come back, and we have THE VERY BEST PHOTOSHOOT OMGGGG with all of them. We hang afterwards and exchange contact info and APPARENTLY THEY ARE GOING TO NDK?!?!?! ALSO ONE OF THEM IS REVAMPING HER FIRO AND I AM GOING TO COSPLAY WITH HER OMG I AM SO EXCITED.
-DRRR! People show up but we want to get some more Baccano! photos so we do. There is a finished dinner left on a table so we commandeer it in order to create a dinner scene. Jacuzzi and Nice steal our wine glasses and everything is hilarious and beautiful.
-Durarara! photoshoot. String up meters of bilingual caution tape (SEA OF CUIDADO!) in the connection to the parking garage only to have people trying to access the parking garage. They are good sports about it though which is nice.
-Take photos. I end up taking all of the photos that Chira is in which hopefully they turn out all right? Mostly I just took a million shots because, well, statistics say at least one has to turn out good, right?
-Hang out with people for a while before deciding that I am super tired and bed is the place where I want to be. GO TO SLEEP (RELATIVELY) EARLY.
SUNDAY
-Wake up too late for the Hetalia photoshoot but oh who am I kidding I didn’t want to go anyways. Hang around in normal clothes for a while.
-Meet up with Tia and meet her friend Maria. We all go into the dealer’s hall and then Tia has to meet up with Amelia? ANYWAYS WHATEVS, WE HANG AROUND UNTIL TIA TEXTS ME THAT SHE IS GETTING COFFEE. This is like, umm, kay? BUT WHATEVER HAVE AN AWESOME TIME CHILLING WITH MARIA AND TALKING ABOUT DOCTOR WHO AND TUMBLR AND BACCANO! AND ALL THE NERDY THINGS.
-Bring Maria back to the hotel room so I can change into Lau. Darcy is changing into Edward Elric, and her automail looks GORGEOUS AS ALL HELL, OMG.
-We walk around for a while and then find an awesome Alphonse. Darcy wants pictures of them together and we STOP THE CON so everyone can get pics it is pretty awesome all things considered. Maria and I laugh forever at the side while everyone gets their pics.
-But then Maria has to go and OH HEY SADFACES FOREVER. Darcy and I hang out until the start of the Kuro photoshoot.
-Early on it looks like it is going to be a total clusterfuck, plus lunch is soon. BUT I MEET AN AWESOME LAU AND WE GET BRO PICS WITH RANMAO IT IS PRETTY GREAT.
-Meet up with the Gakuen Basara group at Hydrations and get currryyyy omg. They go to take photos and Darcy and I head back to the hotel room to get ready for the masquerade.
-Trade badges with Chira because she has a press pass and so does Darcy. We hang around until it is nearly masquerade time and take some pictures of Darcy’s costume and then head into the masquerade and bypass the line because YAY PRESS BADGES.
-Watch the masquerade. SO MANY DANCE SKITS, SO MUCH MAKING OUT ON STAGE. Almost all of the first skits are quality. Film the Gakuen Basara skit and then go find their group to say congratulations, it was hilarious and great.
-Instead of jailbreaking the masquerade and going to the ball, we hang around and watch the masquerade. SO MANY DANCE SKITS. MOST ARE GOOD OR OK BUT SOME ARE REALLY AWKWARD? OH AND THERE IS AN AVATAR SKIT TO PROFESSIONAL PIRATE HELLO I HAVE TO TURN ON MY PHONE AND TEXT BRITTANY RIGHT AWAY THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. ALSO THE OTHER AVATAR SKIT IS IMPRESSIVE AS FUCK AND HSJGKLD THEY ALL KNOW THEIR STUFF TOO.
-The masquerade doesn’t have anything planned in between the end of the masquerade and judging so we all decide to leave. Decide to meet up at the Crowne Plaza in an hour for drinking and the like. Darcy Chira and I watch the Bucket Show in the karaoke room in the meanwhile and then leave to snag the cheesecake.
-I AM MASSIVELY TIRED BUT I WANT TO SEE THIS CHEESECAKE SAGA COME TO A FINAL END.
-But then people aren’t there and then we all leave to help, umm, I forget her name? But anyways, to help her move her stuff to Meggie’s room because she got kicked out of hers? We get her stuff and then go to Jack In The Box for late food.
-Head back to Meggie’s room and people are there! The cheesecake gets a little bit eaten and is apparently terrible. BUT OUR HANDS ARE WASHED OF THE CHEESECAKE, THE SAGA IS OVER AND ETC. OR SO WE THINK?
-Darcy Chira and I head back to the hotel room with the intention of possibly inviting people over to play Apples to Apples because apparently somebody in the Marriott keeps pulling the fire alarm? But those plans get canceled.
-Pack up my stuff because checkout time is 11 and I want to sleep for as long as I can. Ask to be woken so I can take a shower in the morning and then pass out for the night.
MONDAY
-Wake up and it is like 9:00. Get up and go take a shower, then gather up the rest of my stuff. Head down and check it at the lobby so that I can wait.
-Photoshoot with Jacqui in Yoko. SHE IS THE MOST POPULAR.
-Hang around Artist’s Alley for a while and meet some people. Meet up with Mandi and make lunch plans with her. Meet up with Tia and say goodbye.
-Hang around waiting for Mandi to show up, then realize that the dealer’s hall is closing soon and we should probably get stuff. Find Mandi on the way and accidentally miscommunicate that lunch is off?! WHOOPS SORRY.
-Go to Dealer’s Hall and buy the first two volumes of FMA:Brotherhood. Scout for Otogizoushi to see if the pricing is good and find it in one DVD stall for LIKE, HALF PRICE? BUY IT IMMEDIATLEY OMG THIS SERIEEESSSS. And it has like, 6 DVDs of special features which is MORE THAN I WOULD EVER ASK BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS AND I HAVE ALREADY WATCHED A BUNCH OF THEM AND THEY ARE GREAT.
-Jacqui has to leave to change out of Yoko. Say goodbye to her as well.
-Wait for Mandi and then realize that we probably miscommunicated. Leave a note for her because her phone is broken and then go to lunch. GET A REALLY HUMONGUOUS ROOTBEER FLOAT OMG.
-Get back and see Mandi again. Say hello and apologize about the confusion. Apparently we are on the same flight home?!?!
-Meet up with Meggie and several others. Meggie is also apparently on the same flight so we make plans to hang together and take the lightrail to the airport! Meggie has the cheesecake and then foists it onto Chira to take. We decide that this MUST BE THE END OF THE CHEESECAKE SAGA.
-Take the cheesecake to the bathroom and flush some of it down the toilet before throwing the rest away. It gets a solemn farewell. BUT IF FANIME DOESN’T COME BACK NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF A CTHULHU CHEESECAKE, I GUESS YOU KNOW WHO TO BLAME?
-Help take the last of the stuff to Chira’s car, then say goodbye to Amelia (who is there by coincidence), Chira and Darcy. This is the last of the farewells.
-Go to the Crowne Plaza so Meggie can check her bank information. Then decide to grab out luggage from our various hotels and skedaddle.
-Ride back to the airport with little to no incidence? Meggie accidentally drops her ticket so she has to go and get it but everything is fine. Meet Mandi and friends in the security line and then again at the gate.
-SPEND THE TIME WAITING FOR THE FLIGHT CATCHING UP ON THE INTERNET AND CHECKING OUT AND STARING LOVINGLY AT MY NEW DVDS. OMG THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVE EVERYTHING. ALSO WHY DOES A 24 EPISODE SERIES GET 12 DVDS? OH RIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE 6 DVDS WORTH OF SPECIAL FEATURES AND TOKYO UNIVERSITY LECTURES ON THE HEIAN ERA WHICH I AM GOING TO WATCH POSTHASTE.
-Plane boards and I have to put my laptop away. Instead I turn on my music for most of the flight and it goes pretty fast? ANYWAYS WE LAND AND I GET MY LUGGAGE AND SAY GOODBYE TO MEGGIE AND MANDI AND THEN I GO HOME AND CHECK OUT THE SPECIAL FEATURES ON THE OTOGIZOUSHI DVD BEFORE GETTING SO TIRED I CAN’T KEEP MY EYES OPEN AND I FALL ASLEEP.