Epic Post Pt. 4: SGMS, Birthday Shenanigans and Out of Towners
Wahhhh! There, so Saturday we loaded up with stuff for the Otaku Bazaar and swept ourselves to MCAD. Austin was still feeling sick from the previous week so he opted to sleep the fuck in and get some much needed recoup time. Saturday was also my 29th birthday. Yay! I was worried since the preceding days were so lousy, but it turned out to be great.
My brother did his Junior Scholar paper on Cowboy Bebop as the family unti with a focus on Jet. It was great. While I hope he will eventually be broadened to an all encompassing paper, for a half hour presentaion it was really good. After him, chibi_evil did a very sweet essay on Lolita that mentioned myself and her wife cameofigure a lot. I was so flattered XD
During lunch we sold like madness! It was constant people buying so much stuff! I love the Otaku Bazaar. I make a lot of money in so little time. It's just great. Now if I could make enough money to buy a winter coat....
Anyway, during lunch we, Megan, Kristin, Heather and I, spent a lot of time ultra selling and giggling with each other. Also, I totally forgot to mention the night before at the fashion show I met one of the other guests Tomoko Taniguchi, who is now my favorite person ever. I'm not sure if any of you know of her, but she's a manga-ka from Hokkaido who did such manga as Aquarium, Call Me Princess and Princess, Prince. She writes these gooshy pretty love stories, the kind that would give one cavities. Well, needless to say she is adorable. She is tiny and funny and speaks English very well. The thing that just absolutely made my day was when she pulled me aside to exchange business cards in the very traditional Meishi way. I felt so stupid not bowing enough since I had no idea she'd do it. I was very flattered that she did it with me though. It made my night.
So she spent a lot of time oohing and ahhing over out table, picking up things and being very cute. I just love her. After a whirlwind of sales and chatting with my brother, lunch was over and we went back into the lecture hall. There Marc Hairston, one of my favorite people ever, was doing his paper on an anime called "Spice and Wolf". I'd never heard of it, but I definitely want to watch it now.
After Marc's presentation I got to see C.B Cebulski! He's an old "work buddy" I suppose; we know each other from years at SGMS and chat online to keep up with each other. He's just the nicest guy. Anyway, he did a Q & A on getting into the comics biz, which was very useful for people I know. I was pretty mad that my brother had to leave since it would have been informative for a writer such as himself. Either way, it was great. I did try to raise my hand a few times and he didn't answer me so I got miffed. While he was closing up, I got on my laptop and gave him the business on Twitter. Then I saw him turn back and he gave me a big wave and a smile XD After Susan Napier's paper on whatever, we met up and he gave me a HUGE hug and apologized, insisting he hadn't seen me. Either way, I hadn't seen him in like 2 years so it was good times so it was great XD
After Susan's paper, Megan and I ducked out early to get to Jasmine 26 to hold down the fort as to not have a repeat of last year's "You all don't have a reservation!" fiasco. We were sat immediately and the group joined us shortly after. Tomoko sat right across from us, C.B. next to her because apparently they go way back and Robert Ten Pas sat next to me. My world gets smaller and smaller each year with every passing event.
Dinner was wonderful. There I learned that Tomoko, despite being a 40-something love-story writing manga-ka, is actually a 14 year old boy obsessed with horror, sci-fi, Star Trek and most of all, Star Wars. It was the most fun, nerdy dinner I think I've ever had and the best guest dinner so far. I love SGMS.
Megan and I ducked out of dinner early so we could get home, freshen up for my birthday party and pick up the boys.
We got to the Kitty Cat Klub a little late, but so many of my friends were there! I felt so loved and am pretty sure this is the best birthday party I've ever had XD I drank so many absinthe sours and absinthe martinis. I also had my staple (citron collins) and an appletini or two. Well, let's just let the pictures speak for themselves...
Yep, that. Alla that. Also, the rest are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blasphemina/sets/72157621563613377/
Anyway, it was great. I even ran into Eric from Twin City Scene! He just so happened to be throwing an MN Fashion Week party there that night. Hilarious!
Well, everyone started to turn into pumpkins around 1:00am so we drifted towards the door, only to decide it was time to take newbs to SEXWORLD in downtown. Sadly, it's not as rad as it once was, so all we got out of it were NSFW images and what is probably my favorite picture of Megan ever:
So yeah, behold:
By the time we were done wandering around and Jane tried to get Ryan to buy furry porn, it was time to go. We were exhaustarded and we wanted sleep times.
Sunday morning I was soooooooooooo hungover. Thanks guys! Austin's paper was at 11:00 so we slept in a bit. It was lovely. He did his presentation on Steampunk. I wish the junior scholars had more time. It could have been really refined if he'd had more time. After that we scooted up to the Otaku Bazaar, set up and sat around. I called Kel to make sure he had time to come talk to C.B. before heading back to Duluth. Austin hung out with Ryan. Megan and I sold what we could. Kel showed up around 1pm with my mom XD and we introduced her to everyone. I took Kel to introduce him to C.B. and they chatted while I went to eat.
After lunch, we went back downstairs to see Crispin Freeman's paper, who I found out later had arrived 15 minutes prior.
This year his paper was on Super Sentai teams. While hilarious and well delivered it was probably his weakest presentation. Not bad, just not as good as the others. Someday i may tell him the whole truth but by the time we dropped him at the airport Monday, he seemed exhausted and I didn't have it in me. So anyway, after his paper, we milled around in the hall outside, Megan, Austin, Ryan and I. Crispin came up, gave me a huge hug, we caught up a little bit and chatted. Turns out he didn't know Kel was presenting. Turns out that caused him to stomp around like an angry toddler. He loved Kel's paper last year and really wanted to chat with him this year. I told him it was his own fault for coming in late and double booking. Maybe he should think about it better next time. But after giving him the business I asked if he'd MC the fashion show next year. Offered to make him a vest. Can't fault him that. The man looks good in a vest. He'd look better in one of mine than he does in Banana Republic. Just sayin'. But seriously, despite the hard time I give him he's just fine. I actually like him quite a bit. Mostly because I'm not a fangirl.
After that is was back inside to see Tomoko's presentation! She mostly did a Q & A with C.B. which was fun and nice. She also talked about singing songs to her naughty bouncing cats. They sound funny XD
And that was it! The end of the night. Ryan took Austin to the airport (he had class the next day and had to leave town before Megan did) and Kel had to leave at the tail end of Crispin's to catch his bus. Ryan got back to MCAD with enough time to hear Tomoko talk a bit. We were invited out with the other guests afterwards, but we had to go meet Ryan's dad for dinner. We said our goodbyes, said we'd meet at the mall the next day and headed out.
After leaving we went to Don Pablo's to have dinner with Ryan's dad, sisters, brother in law and grandmother. This was my first time meeting his Nana, which I was scared of. I had actually stopped hom to put on my sundress so I wouldn't be wearing a corset the first time I met her. I mean, I'm black, that's bad enough. At least it was when he and I started dating almost 6 years ago. Apparently now that her health is failing, she's more...understanding. She loves Ryan very much, is angry with most others and just wanted great-grand children. She also wanted to meet me "before she died". She was very pleasant and kept asking Megan and I to visit her in Oklahoma. It was really hard keeping up a positive face, but it turned out to be okay. Megan was such a trooper, too. I really do just adore her. Also, I got fajitas and a blue drink out of it. I'm happy.
After that we went home and giggled and were stupid girls. We tried watching some TV, but Megan fell asleep on the couch and we were just very tired. It was time to go to sleep.
To be EXTRA concluded in the Bonus Epic Post Pt. 5: Mall of Hell and Girl Time!