The Con-Going Experience :: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
I'm very leery of making posts that touch on subjects that might be emotionally charged. And if I do so, I usually flock them (but I rarely make these kinds of posts anyway.)
However, I've been thinking a LOT about my recent and past SPN con experiences and those I've heard from others. I feel the need to express my thoughts. I'm leaving this ( Read more... )
However, I've been thinking a LOT about my recent and past SPN con experiences and those I've heard from others. I feel the need to express my thoughts. I'm leaving this ( Read more... )
I came into fandom rather late (been here less than a year) so I haven't had the opirturnity to be at any cons (because face it - you'll have to plan for that to get tickets etc.)
The first con I was really aware of (at the time it was being held) was asylum 2009, and I was a mess all weekend. I wanted so much to be there, but at the same time I read post after post about how disapointed people were.
Since I live in Norway, the travel expenses to any com would be a lot. The cheapest would be Birmingham (Asylum) that I would have to pay a minimum of 560 UDS just for plane tickets. Because there is no direct planes, the total flight time would be around 5 hours, and because I get really exchausted by traveling (chronic migraines) I should book tickets for the day before it starts and home the day after it ends... so it'll be quite a lot of days in a hotel as well (but that is the same for everyone I guess). But anyway - it will all be a lot of money.
And my thought is - it isn't worth the money unless the boys are in top shape to actually give money worth. It seems to me that the American cons are the best (probably because there is less travel for them). So I was thinking it might actually be more worth the money for me to fly to VanCon next year (1350 USD in flight tickets - which is exactely what I get in benefits each months, so one month worth of benefits just for the plane tickets?) than pay less for asylum that is more likely to be less successful.
However, 1350 USD + the tickets for con and photo opts and hotel and food and everything... it just isn't worth it.
Except I really want it! And I get so envious when I read about people being there, because they get to do what I want!!! And I know I'm being pity...
But the thing is... and here is the real issue... If I KNEW that I would get what I wanted (happy boys and actually having that good experiance) I think it would be worth the money. But I cannot risk that kind of money to maybe just getting a "hi" and standing inbetween two boys who are seated so far away from each other that they are hardly in the picture (like this years asylum). And the tickets sell out so fast (at least asylum - sold out in 3 weeks) I haven't really checked the rest) and they sell even before you know if the boys are comming. (non of the J's has confirmed asylum 2010 yet, even though itæs been sold out for more than 2 months already) I don't want to buy tickets only to know that the guest won't be there!
It's a matter of actually having some guarantee of quality when you pay so much for something, and it's none of that here.
So yeah - when I see that you have been lucky I wish I was there, and I wish I could just take my chance on it - but it's to much money. And I am not good enough person to just be happy for you ( I AM happy for you, just sad for me as well). I do actually get envious. But I am happy about your photos though! I really am! They are great!
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Plus my children are basically grown and work circumstances and other financial circumstances just fell into place. If this all had happened when I had small children I never would be able to do this. As my friend has pointed out to me--it's just been at the right time in our lives for us.
But still I wish/want everyone to be able to do this. I know I couldn't look at a few posts from past cons because I was green with envy.
And someone on my flist got to visit the SPN set and sit in the Impala! I mean really! How does SHE rate? (I'm kidding...but still envious.) I had to skip over most of her wonderful post because I just couldn't. I was very happy for her and I totally knew she was just in the right place at the right time and not everyone can do that. But we're all human. I don't think it makes anyone "not a good enough person" to feel sad for themselves when they can't do something they want so bad. We all get those feelings. It's how we handle them that's important.
And boy I can sure understand your reasoning about Asylum vs. one of the Creation/US cons. I know people complain about the cost of the Creation cons. But they've been doing cons for 40 years. Nothing can ever go perfect--but I feel pretty confident that they do try to give everyone the best experience they can--and more money is the "penalty" I pay for having a bit more insurance that I will enjoy a good portion of the event.
That's why I feel so bad when people are disapponted--so many of them risked a real chunk of change for them to get there.
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Flight tickets to Rome will be 560 (same as for Birmingham) so it still should really be worth it to go there. I think I have decided to skip it.*cries a little*
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Add to that that everyone around me already thinks I'm nuts for my fangirling over this show. sigh. I love reading con reports, though, even if they *do* make me jealous. At least they come free ^_^.
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