Momocon 2009 Con Report
Overall Momocon was a very fun and enjoyable convention, if a bit crowded. Some stuff happened before the convention that made the beginning of Saturday a not very pleasant experience, but after that it was a lot of fun. I wore two costumes: Tsubaki (Soul Eater) on Saturday and Cornelia (Code Geass R2) on Sunday. Pictures to come later, when I have more than just mine to pull from.
We had to leave at 5 on Friday night because two of us had to work, but as soon as our Black Star got off of work we shoved him in a car and got on the road. Unintentionally, it ended up being me, Zip and Yugi in one car and Black Star and Soul in the other car. We randomly passed them on the highway and made goofy faces at them. It was great fun. We got to Zip's aunt's house at around 9pm, after we missed the road, had to call her for directions, and then missed the house. xD Yugi, Black Star and I were up working on some finishing touches on our costumes until around 1am, then we got to sleep.
Saturday morning it was COLD so we decided, which was our first mistake in a long line of mistakes, to not get dressed there, and wait to get to the hotel to get dressed. This was a mistake because we couldn't check in to the hotel until 3pm, which we didn't actually find out until we go to the hotel. So instead we went to a Waffle House and got changed in the bathroom there.
Not. Recommended.
First of all, one staffer was very rude to me. I changed first and put on a sweatshirt for at least a semblance of decency, and had to stand by and watch the bags while Zip got changed - and she always seems to take FOREVER to get changed for some reason. While I was standing there, twiddling my thumbs and minding my own business, this one guy comes up to me and goes "you need to take that elsewhere".
I thought: what, the stuff? So I tried to explain to him that I was waiting on my friends to get out of the bathroom, which I was. He says again, "You need to take THAT elsewhere". I'm all like, "huh?" and he finally goes "You have two legs showing, and we've got people trying to eat here".
Understandably, I was offended. It doesn't take much to offend me - but it DOES take a lot to make me truly pissed off and BOY did this guy do it. But I tried to stay calm. I repeated my explanation about Zip in the bathroom, but with a much more threatening tone. Apparently this guy didn't get the clue, because he persisted, so I finally just gave up and gathered up EVERYBODY'S stuff and took it out to the car, in the cold rain, after flipping him the bird and slamming at least one of the doors.
So guys - eat IHOP from now on, please. I know I am. And also?
NEVER CHANGE INTO COSTUME IN A RESTAURANT OR GAS STATION. Even the convention bathrooms are a better idea.
I spent the entire ride alternating between fuming at the guy and worrying about my hair - since I was using my real hair for Tsubaki (which I was originally very proud that I could do), I needed to first straighten it, then put it up in the ponytail, a process which needed to be done in front of a mirror and normally took a good fifteen minutes, and then I had an extension I was going to add to it.
I of course could do one of those three, because the instant we stepped into Momocon, it was REGISTRATION TIEM. I was afraid of leaving the group to go straighten my hair, because I honestly had no idea how long it would take to do so, or how long it would be before I'd get to register. And I certainly didn't want to have to stand in line by myself for two hours to get registered, either. So I did something stupid.
I put my hair up without looking in a mirror, and then just asked my friends to gloop the hair gel in it to hopefully straighten it out, and left out the extension.
My hair looked like SHIT. At least I think it did. I didn't even get to a bathroom to put it up properly until around noon, and that was very painful thanks to the hair gel. I never got to straighten it, and I didn't have time to go back to the car and get a needle and thread to put in the extension either, so it was the wrong hair length and texture. That almost pissed me off more than the wait for registration.
The registration line was a convoluted mess, I won't lie. It went up and down both sides of hallways, into the food court, down stairs, UP stairs, and at some point I think it might have gone outside. And when we actually DID register, all we did was hand them our form, flash an ID, grab our badge and booklet, and get the FUCK out of the way. A process that took at most 15 seconds.
But parts of it were fun. I got to see some awesome cosplayers in the line and talk to some fun people, so it wasn't a complete waste of my time. It didn't hurt that my group had a pretty good spot in the line, either.
After we got our badges we rushed to the cosplay contest signups, which we were nervous would fill up before we got our badges. Black Star and I were numbers 48 and 49, fortunately. After THAT our group split up further (our Soul had already left us) and Black Star and I ran around frantically trying to find a reference picture of our characters. Dealer's Room? Nothing. Artist's Alley? Nothing. Finally we lucked out and found a really nice guy that was actually a student at GA Tech, who let us print reference images, in COLOR. We had a small breather during which I pulled out a good deal of my hair trying to get it into the ponytail of doom. Somehow I just kept getting it wrong, even though I'd gotten the style PERFECTLY when I practiced. T_T
We got judged at around 2 or so. I was nervous, of course, but when the female judge squeed and fangirled because we were Soul Eater characters, I felt a lot better. I really think the biggest problem with my costume was my hair, and the fact that I didn't have time to put on makeup either. That probably really detracted from the costume, which I think is actually one of my better ones.
After judging we ran around getting pictures of cosplayers, went through the Dealer's Rooms and Artist's Alleys again, and just killed time overall until time to line up for the costume contest. I was in an exceptionally good mood, so I was actually really nice to people, and even went so far as to go get paper towels for one of the artist's who spilled soda all over her table.
The costume contest line was...interesting. Even though we stood/sat there for WAAAY too long, and their system was very inefficient. But whatever, I got to talk to Tohma (one of my favorite cosplayers ever) and a really cool Stein. When we finally got the show on the road, after the contest was nearly an hour behind, it was a lot of fun. We walked through a bunch of people who were taking our pictures, then went into the theatre, where we went on stage, posed, and then were seated in the back of the theatre.
There were a LOT of really good cosplayers - so I wasn't expecting to win. I never really expect to win. I didn't, of course, but Zip did get Best Novice, which was awesome. The cosplayers that got awards really, really deserved them. Best Group was the Spice and Wolf group, Best Duo were the Alice in Wonderland girls, Best Novice was Zip's Medusa, of course. Best Journeyman was a Chi, and Best In Show was this girl that hand made this really amazing kimono and parasol. The two Judges Choice awards went to the Clover cosplayers (one had really cool wings) and the other I can't quite remember.
After the contest, we ran into a few other Soul Eater cosplayers and decided to have a small photoshoot. Crack ensued. I hope that everybody else's pictures of me turned out better than mine, is all I have to say. >.> It was loads of fun, though, I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.
After that we dispersed and eventually decided to go, check into the hotel, grab some pizza and go back to the convention. There wasn't really much going on, expectedly. We tried karaoke but Zip's creepy stalker was there, so I literally dragged her away. We talked to some nice people in the lobby, particularly a couple of groups of Kuroshitsuji cosplayers, and the female judge of the costume contest.
Then we wandered over to the other building - this was the first and last time I was over there, actually. We played around in the rhythm games room for a little while. Either DDR games are getting easier or that was just my night, because I just completely punked that game. I was able to play a 9 foot song (which I can rarely do on the older games) on DDR and not only pass it, but nearly get a AA*. After we got tired of the rhythm games, we found the Improv panel and decided to stop in for a little while.
I love Improv, by the way. Not just because I'm a theatre major, but because improv is really all about making people laugh and audience participation. I can't really even remember all that happened, but all I have to say is this: zombie apocalypse, in five seconds, BACKWARDS. And i was almost rolling on the floor laughing. We also ran into one of the games (which was a sort of free-for-all thing where anyone could run in and do anything at any point) and all of us yelled "PASTA~" while being dramatical. (lol Hetalia reference?)
We got back to the hotel and I washed the hair goop - and a good portion of the hair DYE, unfortunately - out of my hair.
Sunday started off a HECK of a lot better than Saturday, since we got to get changed in the HOTEL this time. My Cornelia costume was still unfinished, and I think it looks like complete shit, but I digress. I got into that, Roomie got into her Euphie costume, Yugi was Orange Farmer Anya (she had been regular Anya the day before), and Black Star and Soul remained the same.
Our Geass costumes got a picture request and regonition the INSTANT we entered the con, so that was definitely a great way to start Sunday at Momocon. Overall there just really wasn't as much to DO on Sunday. We intended to go to the Improv to Pierce the Heavens panel, but it was way too late in the day. Mostly we just walked around the convention, sat down and relaxed, then walked around again. We had a little mini shoot outside, because I wanted pictures of my Cornelia costume and Roomie wanted crack photos. We got some really nice photos from that, but they're all on Yugi's camera. Dx
We also found this really creepily cute Grell plushie (Kuroshitsuji) in the Artist's Alley. A friend of ours, who normally goes to cons with us, couldn't make it to Momo, and she normally cosplays Grell, so we got it for her and delivered it to her last night, which just made her weekend. Other than that, it was mostly wandering, getting pictures, buying a few things from the AA or Dealer's Rooms, etc. We left at around 3:30 or so, and got back here at goodness knows when.
We literally went from Atlanta to the NC border, then to Columbia, in one trip! xD
Highlights of the con:
-Zip winning "best novice"
-realizing that the Alice in Wonderland cosplayers were the two Steampunk girls from the year before
-getting fangirled over by the Mikuru while wearing Tsubaki
-getting glomped by the adorable short Asian girl while wearing Cornelia
-seeing Spice and Wolf cosplayers that weren't just Horo
-Soul Eater minishoot on Saturday
-'tard faces on Saturday night (and just general crack)
-Improv on Saturday night
-seeing Darker Than Black cosplayers, PERIOD
-the Princess Tutu trio, none of which were either of the two girls from the show
-running into so many people from last year
We had to leave at 5 on Friday night because two of us had to work, but as soon as our Black Star got off of work we shoved him in a car and got on the road. Unintentionally, it ended up being me, Zip and Yugi in one car and Black Star and Soul in the other car. We randomly passed them on the highway and made goofy faces at them. It was great fun. We got to Zip's aunt's house at around 9pm, after we missed the road, had to call her for directions, and then missed the house. xD Yugi, Black Star and I were up working on some finishing touches on our costumes until around 1am, then we got to sleep.
Saturday morning it was COLD so we decided, which was our first mistake in a long line of mistakes, to not get dressed there, and wait to get to the hotel to get dressed. This was a mistake because we couldn't check in to the hotel until 3pm, which we didn't actually find out until we go to the hotel. So instead we went to a Waffle House and got changed in the bathroom there.
Not. Recommended.
First of all, one staffer was very rude to me. I changed first and put on a sweatshirt for at least a semblance of decency, and had to stand by and watch the bags while Zip got changed - and she always seems to take FOREVER to get changed for some reason. While I was standing there, twiddling my thumbs and minding my own business, this one guy comes up to me and goes "you need to take that elsewhere".
I thought: what, the stuff? So I tried to explain to him that I was waiting on my friends to get out of the bathroom, which I was. He says again, "You need to take THAT elsewhere". I'm all like, "huh?" and he finally goes "You have two legs showing, and we've got people trying to eat here".
Understandably, I was offended. It doesn't take much to offend me - but it DOES take a lot to make me truly pissed off and BOY did this guy do it. But I tried to stay calm. I repeated my explanation about Zip in the bathroom, but with a much more threatening tone. Apparently this guy didn't get the clue, because he persisted, so I finally just gave up and gathered up EVERYBODY'S stuff and took it out to the car, in the cold rain, after flipping him the bird and slamming at least one of the doors.
So guys - eat IHOP from now on, please. I know I am. And also?
NEVER CHANGE INTO COSTUME IN A RESTAURANT OR GAS STATION. Even the convention bathrooms are a better idea.
I spent the entire ride alternating between fuming at the guy and worrying about my hair - since I was using my real hair for Tsubaki (which I was originally very proud that I could do), I needed to first straighten it, then put it up in the ponytail, a process which needed to be done in front of a mirror and normally took a good fifteen minutes, and then I had an extension I was going to add to it.
I of course could do one of those three, because the instant we stepped into Momocon, it was REGISTRATION TIEM. I was afraid of leaving the group to go straighten my hair, because I honestly had no idea how long it would take to do so, or how long it would be before I'd get to register. And I certainly didn't want to have to stand in line by myself for two hours to get registered, either. So I did something stupid.
I put my hair up without looking in a mirror, and then just asked my friends to gloop the hair gel in it to hopefully straighten it out, and left out the extension.
My hair looked like SHIT. At least I think it did. I didn't even get to a bathroom to put it up properly until around noon, and that was very painful thanks to the hair gel. I never got to straighten it, and I didn't have time to go back to the car and get a needle and thread to put in the extension either, so it was the wrong hair length and texture. That almost pissed me off more than the wait for registration.
The registration line was a convoluted mess, I won't lie. It went up and down both sides of hallways, into the food court, down stairs, UP stairs, and at some point I think it might have gone outside. And when we actually DID register, all we did was hand them our form, flash an ID, grab our badge and booklet, and get the FUCK out of the way. A process that took at most 15 seconds.
But parts of it were fun. I got to see some awesome cosplayers in the line and talk to some fun people, so it wasn't a complete waste of my time. It didn't hurt that my group had a pretty good spot in the line, either.
After we got our badges we rushed to the cosplay contest signups, which we were nervous would fill up before we got our badges. Black Star and I were numbers 48 and 49, fortunately. After THAT our group split up further (our Soul had already left us) and Black Star and I ran around frantically trying to find a reference picture of our characters. Dealer's Room? Nothing. Artist's Alley? Nothing. Finally we lucked out and found a really nice guy that was actually a student at GA Tech, who let us print reference images, in COLOR. We had a small breather during which I pulled out a good deal of my hair trying to get it into the ponytail of doom. Somehow I just kept getting it wrong, even though I'd gotten the style PERFECTLY when I practiced. T_T
We got judged at around 2 or so. I was nervous, of course, but when the female judge squeed and fangirled because we were Soul Eater characters, I felt a lot better. I really think the biggest problem with my costume was my hair, and the fact that I didn't have time to put on makeup either. That probably really detracted from the costume, which I think is actually one of my better ones.
After judging we ran around getting pictures of cosplayers, went through the Dealer's Rooms and Artist's Alleys again, and just killed time overall until time to line up for the costume contest. I was in an exceptionally good mood, so I was actually really nice to people, and even went so far as to go get paper towels for one of the artist's who spilled soda all over her table.
The costume contest line was...interesting. Even though we stood/sat there for WAAAY too long, and their system was very inefficient. But whatever, I got to talk to Tohma (one of my favorite cosplayers ever) and a really cool Stein. When we finally got the show on the road, after the contest was nearly an hour behind, it was a lot of fun. We walked through a bunch of people who were taking our pictures, then went into the theatre, where we went on stage, posed, and then were seated in the back of the theatre.
There were a LOT of really good cosplayers - so I wasn't expecting to win. I never really expect to win. I didn't, of course, but Zip did get Best Novice, which was awesome. The cosplayers that got awards really, really deserved them. Best Group was the Spice and Wolf group, Best Duo were the Alice in Wonderland girls, Best Novice was Zip's Medusa, of course. Best Journeyman was a Chi, and Best In Show was this girl that hand made this really amazing kimono and parasol. The two Judges Choice awards went to the Clover cosplayers (one had really cool wings) and the other I can't quite remember.
After the contest, we ran into a few other Soul Eater cosplayers and decided to have a small photoshoot. Crack ensued. I hope that everybody else's pictures of me turned out better than mine, is all I have to say. >.> It was loads of fun, though, I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.
After that we dispersed and eventually decided to go, check into the hotel, grab some pizza and go back to the convention. There wasn't really much going on, expectedly. We tried karaoke but Zip's creepy stalker was there, so I literally dragged her away. We talked to some nice people in the lobby, particularly a couple of groups of Kuroshitsuji cosplayers, and the female judge of the costume contest.
Then we wandered over to the other building - this was the first and last time I was over there, actually. We played around in the rhythm games room for a little while. Either DDR games are getting easier or that was just my night, because I just completely punked that game. I was able to play a 9 foot song (which I can rarely do on the older games) on DDR and not only pass it, but nearly get a AA*. After we got tired of the rhythm games, we found the Improv panel and decided to stop in for a little while.
I love Improv, by the way. Not just because I'm a theatre major, but because improv is really all about making people laugh and audience participation. I can't really even remember all that happened, but all I have to say is this: zombie apocalypse, in five seconds, BACKWARDS. And i was almost rolling on the floor laughing. We also ran into one of the games (which was a sort of free-for-all thing where anyone could run in and do anything at any point) and all of us yelled "PASTA~" while being dramatical. (lol Hetalia reference?)
We got back to the hotel and I washed the hair goop - and a good portion of the hair DYE, unfortunately - out of my hair.
Sunday started off a HECK of a lot better than Saturday, since we got to get changed in the HOTEL this time. My Cornelia costume was still unfinished, and I think it looks like complete shit, but I digress. I got into that, Roomie got into her Euphie costume, Yugi was Orange Farmer Anya (she had been regular Anya the day before), and Black Star and Soul remained the same.
Our Geass costumes got a picture request and regonition the INSTANT we entered the con, so that was definitely a great way to start Sunday at Momocon. Overall there just really wasn't as much to DO on Sunday. We intended to go to the Improv to Pierce the Heavens panel, but it was way too late in the day. Mostly we just walked around the convention, sat down and relaxed, then walked around again. We had a little mini shoot outside, because I wanted pictures of my Cornelia costume and Roomie wanted crack photos. We got some really nice photos from that, but they're all on Yugi's camera. Dx
We also found this really creepily cute Grell plushie (Kuroshitsuji) in the Artist's Alley. A friend of ours, who normally goes to cons with us, couldn't make it to Momo, and she normally cosplays Grell, so we got it for her and delivered it to her last night, which just made her weekend. Other than that, it was mostly wandering, getting pictures, buying a few things from the AA or Dealer's Rooms, etc. We left at around 3:30 or so, and got back here at goodness knows when.
We literally went from Atlanta to the NC border, then to Columbia, in one trip! xD
Highlights of the con:
-Zip winning "best novice"
-realizing that the Alice in Wonderland cosplayers were the two Steampunk girls from the year before
-getting fangirled over by the Mikuru while wearing Tsubaki
-getting glomped by the adorable short Asian girl while wearing Cornelia
-seeing Spice and Wolf cosplayers that weren't just Horo
-Soul Eater minishoot on Saturday
-'tard faces on Saturday night (and just general crack)
-Improv on Saturday night
-seeing Darker Than Black cosplayers, PERIOD
-the Princess Tutu trio, none of which were either of the two girls from the show
-running into so many people from last year