Thoughts from A-Kon 28

It’s always surprising how I feel leaving convention. Sometimes I’m excited to get back on the road and return home and sometimes I never want the weekend to end. Here are the thoughts and feelings I had before, during and after A-Kon 28.

• I for sure don’t mind the 4 hour drive so much when I get to take breaks.
• Sometimes hotel breakfast is a trap.
  • No, seriously. Carlos and I were both super sick after hotel breakfast and we didn’t eat it again. And we all know how seriously I take hotel free breakfast so this was very disappointing to me.
• There’s nothing quite like seeing your ex check into the same hotel you’re staying in.
  • Especially if you didn’t break up with that person on good terms.
    • No seriously, it was a huge emotional burden dealing with those feelings and seeing this person over and over again after such a painful break up was difficult to say delicately.
• Gen Korean BBQ is still an amazing place.
  • And I get all the banchan since Carlos doesn’t like it.
• Daiso is still the most magical place I’ve ever been to and they have fantastic candy.
  • No, really. I got 5 bags of apple gummies. Please send more apple gummies.
• 85C may replace Mozart Bakery as my go-to place for breads.
  • Please don’t tell Mozart. I can’t have them know I cheated on them.
• Bringing in stuff for a care package reminds me of how extra of a friend I am.
  • I made the boys (Carlos and Ricky) a mix-tape and badges for their service.
    • That’s right, reader. I made a damn mix-tape.
• After the last few hotels rooms that gave me my own bedroom and bathroom, I’ve grown spoiled to that.
  • I’ve also grown spoiled to having a kitchen.
    • I love Carlos to death as a friend but I need my own bedroom.
      • He snores.
• I found out about Adam West’s death while at Kirin Court with Carlos and it really messed me up for days.
• So real talk, I hated A-Kon’s new layout.
  • Ft.Worth is not Dallas. Parking was a nightmare. Finding food was  nightmare and walking even a half a mile in costume while bound, padded, in a wig and in a heavy layered costume is a miserable sort of hell. And spreading it around 3 hotels made the organic fun of “falling” into a place out of the question. We had to plan everything because everything was blocks away. Nothing could be spontaneous. And all the things Carlos and I do, our traditions,  were so far away we could barely enjoy them. Normally 10-20 minute drives because 45 minutes to 1 hour long slogs across I-20. That really ruined some of my fun during this convention.
• Less jokey panels are fun but interesting.
  • Normally, I’d never try a new panel at such a big con but it was important to me. 150 people saw me over 2 days and I’m proud of them. I got many compliments and people seemed engaged. Now I can workshop them better and be a better panelist. That’s how I grow.
• It’s difficult being surrounded by media pieces you don’t like.
  • I still dislike YoI and it was everywhere. Literally. And it did upset me once or twice. But the hatred did dull after day 2 of seeing poorly-dressed Victors running around.
    • Fun fact though: I feel really tsundere about YoI because I should love this series and I did finish it but the fandom..god, the fandom hurts me.
• Really this whole con was just about things that were popular: it was Zeitgeist the Convention.
  • Maybe that isn’t all bad.
• The 90s Dance Music channel on Amazon Prime music was fire!
  • Nothing like Carlos and I dancing and singing to Barbie Girl.
    • Don’t judge us.
• I do love cosplayers of all kinds, shapes and sizes but I’ll always rail against shake and go cosplay. Details are wonderful and they make me so happy as a fangirl and cosplayer. I do sometimes wish people cared a little more about these details sometimes but I’m from a different era of cosplay
• I’m really shaken by the lack of routine we were able to have at this con with it being in Ft. Worth.
  • I’m still disappointed in this days later.
• I’m upset I didn’t get my tea and cake after a good panel.
  • I did get ice cream, though.
• I realize now having lived in San Antonio for some years that I seriously miss Taco Bueno and Chicken Express.
• I’m disappointed in myself that I let people take my joy away.
• However, Carlos did learn that you can easily melt my heart with a Rowlet.
  • No seriously, I freaked out over my sweet birb son.
• I worry a lot about Carlos and I as friends.
  • We’re very different in nearly every way and sometimes I wonder why we’re friends and what can come of it. And then he’ll say “Let’s play DDR. I know you like that.” and I’m less worried.
• Apparently, every Free! cosplayer was at the literal pool at convention.
  • I regret not visiting that pool.
• I’m realizing that I’m not a huge fan of official merch and I much rather spend my money on original art pieces.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the few things Carlos and I can agree on so we literally watched that all weekend.
• Sometimes, you wear so much highlighter that you get compliments about it.
  • No really, Carlos has never seen me with that much makeup on and I loved living my best Farrah Moan fantasy.
• There’s nothing like meeting webcomic artists that you follow.
  • Special thank you to Rem of Devil’s Candy and Ru of Saint for Rent and letting me squee over them so much.
• If a hand fetishist asks for your gloves, do not let him take them for free.
  • Try to auction them off for $50.
    • Then immediately take them off and feel dirty for the rest of the day.
• Somehow, it’s impossible to run from the things you want to avoid. They will always find you.
• Sometimes, being the bigger man isn’t rewarding but it’s necessary.
• I do still love being able to come down from the stage and talk to people. Answering questions is amazing.

I have so many feelings about this A-Kon. I cried in the parking lot for several minutes before driving away and my music choices after driving away didn’t help (I got Kansha, Brothers and Wind back to back and I couldn’t help but be emotional, don’t judge me.). Normally the last day of con is a ceremony. There’s cake, there’s tea, there’s time with a friend I only see a few times a year. This time, he had to go to work and I had to drive back home. We didn’t get to live our traditions. We didn’t get to claim the time we had. I let my emotions get to me and that I’m not proud of. But for every moment of being annoyed by poor cosplay choices there were four or five that I loved being able to spend time with friends, fans and idols. A-Kon and conventions are my bread and butter. They’re my life. And I’m glad I went even if it was less than perfect.

Thank you for all of those that saw my panels, asked me questions, asked me for photos, let me take photos of you and all the delicious food I ate and all the fun memories I did make.

See you next year.