Through the past, Darkly
I've grown to cherish the little journeys of self discovery on which circumstances occasionally find me. Like so many safe deposit boxes cast open at the same time, neuroses that I think are long buried might filter back in a way that makes me wonder if they were ever gone at all. Times like these, I get to know myself all over again.
It's over now, of course. I couldn't write about it unless it was long over. Everything picked up and filed back into past, where it belongs. But I've learned things about myself. I can't come out on the other end of one of these sojourns without a certain degree of enlightenment. About how easy it is for me to backslide into dejection and envy. Loathing and doubt. Rage, and the frustration of knowing there's no rational outlet for it. How I'll probably always want what I can't get, or don't have.
I take a certain joy in learning all of this. I have to recognize my weaknesses if I am to overcome them. The old must be destroyed for the new to rise stronger. I'd like to thank everyone who helped to make it happen. You've done me a great service.
And now that I've spat out the bile, finally, I'm ready to move forward.
So, coming off the longest hiatus since I started keeping a livejournal, and realizing that I've missed an entire season (that being summer). It's hard to know how to start putting it back together. And you'd think I'd have some practice, giving the spacing of most of my entries. I try to think back to how things were in May, and how much has changed, and I guess it's nice to know that a lot has. I mean, hell, I didn't even have a light in my room back in May. I do now, though. And it's been in long enough that I almost forget the month's of darkness when I had to go without. Living by table lamp for six months, getting a real ceiling light back is almost like having a second sun installed. Truly a magical moment. But it's faded back into the background once again by now.
Got a new TV too. The final phase of moving shit out of Rob's old house generated a lot of redundant stuff that he didn't have space for, and since I needed a TV, I got the old one. TV is another thing that feels weird to have again after a protracted period of involuntary abstinence. TV is something about which my feelings are a little more mixed. Going without light is one thing, I mean, fumbling around for a missing contact lens case in 8am semidarkness is not the most efficient way to build character, but with a TV in the house, I find myself compelled to watch it. Yes it's nice to have Penn & Teller and The Ultimate Fighter back, but the damn thing just ropes you in, and pacifies. I probably would have gotten this update up weeks ago if I didn't have the TV distracting me. I mean, I don't think I'm becoming a couch potato or anything (god forbid I follow in my father's footsteps), but still, I hate to see time wasted so obviously.
So, there were cons. The centerpiece of the summer. Animenext was cool. We got a room one night, so we didn't have to haul it back and forth every day. Learned some useful webcomic related stuff. Would've liked to see D'spairs Ray, but they started late as hell and I didn't have the energy to stay upright. I did see some cool anime though, not to mention the buddy Christ in the batmobile, so all was not lost. And I discovered that I am immune to a niacin flush... Overall, a cool warmup to the real con.
Otakon was about a month ago. Otakon is something I pretty much plan my year around. It's the finish line for the year's workouts. In my mind, if they're going to pay off anywhere, they're going to pay off there. I actually plan out what I'm going to wear beforehand, which is something I never, ever do. I take multiple days off from work, and stay overnight in a different city, which is a big deal for someone who doesn't particularly like to travel. I withdraw a pile of cash and wonder how much of it I'll spend.
Looking back now, this years Otakon seems a little strange. Different. A turning point, somehow. It was my ninth year, the last Otakon of my twenties, but I don't think that's the reason. It was crowded as fuck, since there was a baseball game all three days. There's a special kind of outdoor claustrophobia that comes with battling a total of fifty thousand plus people (many of which are probably drunk and belligerent. I can't think of two groups that could mix worse than baseball fans and otaku) for breathing space and food. But I don't think that's it either. I arrived early, it was the first year I arrived on Thursday and did the pre con badge pickup. Had to crash of Rizzo's floor for the first night. I stayed late too. Got a hot tip about vendors throwing out stuff that they didn't want to lug home so I stayed behind with a few others hoping for the chance to do some lucrative dumpster diving, which never materialized. I also lost a bag full of shirts and my badge in my haste to get the fuck out of dodge when I saw the stadiums unloading. The sting of leaving that stuff behind followed me for a couple of days, but it's long gone now (though I look forlornly at the place where my '06 badge should be resting, along with it's older brother's and cousins). So I don't think that's it either.
I registered for my hotel for Otakon 07 yesterday. Maybe that's it. The odd feeling of pressure and worry (I'd heard some awful rumors about all the announced hotels for 07 being sold out already...) even though the next Otakon is a year from now and the dust has barely settled on the last one. The fact that it's supposed to be my vacation, but I've already had to put my game face on just to make sure I have a room next year. Or just the fact that I have no idea how things are going to be for me come the summer of next year, but whatever they are, they will be different.
But I can't deny that I had a good time this year (would've been a veritable grand slam if I hadn't forgotten my fucking shirts and badge). Saw some new stuff. Checked out some interesting panels. Met some new people and regained some self confidence in the coolest manner possible. Part of me would've liked to have gotten Yoshiki's autograph, but I'm no good with just asking someone for an autograph. I'd want to talk to the guy. Have a conversation. And that wasn't possible. (and I realized belatedly that my copy of Jealousy was a bootleg, the original having, in retrospect, been squandered on someone far less deserving... dammit). I missed the live bands too, but they walk would've been a pain in the ass and they showed a few clips at the closing ceremonies. There wasn't any really good HK films this year, but I did see another Kurosawa in 35mm, which is always cool.
Almost totally blew off the cosplay this year. Ever since I started going to anime cons, I've felt compelled to attend the cosplay, the main event, which is so important to so many people. Some years the skits are good. Some years they're boring. Often, they just reference a lot of stuff I haven't seen, so I'm left confounded while the rest of the place roars. I naturally want to watch it for the funny stuff. There are usually a few really funny, must see skits every year. But sometimes I question if it's worth slogging through the rest to see them. This year I just caught the last few skits towards the end. Some were okay. Some were boring. There may come a time when I skip the cosplay completely, but for now I think I'd still feel like I missed something important if I didn't at least peek my head in for a little while.
More recently, went to another Monstermania con, which went mercifully problem free for a change. I found my car easily each night and it started right up when I turned my key. The scheduling for the events seems to get weirder every time. They used to have at least one panel or event running on each day, but now it just seems that they concentrate everything on Saturday and leave Friday and Sunday to the dealers room, Movies, and Autographs. Like I said above, I'm not an autograph person. Most of the guests seem like genuinely nice people who are actually happy to meet their fans, but I'd no sooner start a conversation with most of them than I would with some random stranger on the street. Even when Joe Bochard was there (bass player for Blue Öyster Cult, of whom I am a fan) I had no idea what to say. I figured the simple stuff would be shit that he must've heard a million times before and be long tired of by now, and the complex stuff he probably wouldn't remember anyway. So I just got my autograph and picture and was done with it. The fact that most people charge for autographs tends to make me keep my distance too. The dealers room is cool, but it's small, and there's only so many times you can look at the same stuff before entertaining all too serious thoughts of whipping out your wallet and making a purchase that you're bound to regret later. And the movies, well, when you've gone to a few of these cons, it's easy to start running across stuff you've already seen. So Friday and Sunday were largely a wash, but the panels on Saturday were undeniably cool. They had all the actors (well, mostly stunt people) who ever played Jason Voorhees in one panel, which was a pretty unique experience that might never happen again, so I did feel pretty privileged to be in attendance for it. Robert Englund was there, and he turned out to be a really funny guy. I ended up watching pretty much all of the Friday the 13th movies while I was there (part one in 16mm) and realized that I'd effectively seen them all when I'd watched the first. (I also noticed that they were conspicuously bloodless considering the hyped terror that kept me from watching them when I was younger)
I’d been kicking ass on my workouts up until a few weeks ago. Bagwork (nothing like unfocused fury to add intensity to a workout), cardio semi regularly, and weights with little mike. I’ve fallen off a little bit. It’s been tough getting back on a rhythm since otakon. I’ve been sick a few times, nothing major, but enough to keep me from exerting myself. And I’ve been doing a lot or furniture moving, which I’ll explain in a minute. I’ve obviously been doing something right, though, since in the past month two people who I haven’t seen in a while commented that I look a lot thinner. I’d been hoping something like this, but I didn’t want to fish for it or anything, so it was supremely encouraging that it finally happened. It does beg the question of just how bad did I look before, but since I have no intention of ever going back to the way I was before, I actually don’t think about it nearly as much as I might. I proved to myself that I can keep up a sustained routine (more or less) for an entire year and have it actually pay dividends that people will notice. All I have to do is keep doing what I’ve been doing and I’ll be able to look however I want to. Even my flexibility seems to have improved. I’d love to be able to work in some kind of tumbling training, but that might be something that would require more professional supervision. But hopefully, in the future, I’ll at least be able to do something with the shinai I bought at otakon, or maybe get some 20oz gloves and throw down with a few of the guys.
One of the main reasons that my workouts have been preempted over the past two weeks is that I’ve had to do yet more rearranging of my basement to make room for a screen printer. I mentioned in passing in my last post about Rob hatching a scheme involving printing tshirts. At the time, I knew he’d put some cash down but I hadn’t seen the machine yet or really known the extent of his commitment to the idea. Well, however it might’ve been in May, it’s definitely at the front of his (and to an extent now, my) thinking. Since the real estate market has taken an abrupt nose dive, Rob has needed to find some alternate method of putting food on the table, hence the screen printer. I figured that I’d be involved somehow if he ever got things, rolling, but, since his original partner turned out to be a little less reliable than he’d hoped, we agreed that I’d probably be better equipped to give him a hand. Since this essentially means that I’ll be doing most of the grunt work for the printing (he’s the advertising and business arm), we decided that it would make sense to have the machine at my house, that way I could work on it whenever I wanted without actually having to go anywhere. To this end, I’ve been spending off and on portions of the past two weeks clearing a path for the thing in my basement. So it’s there now, along with a whole cornucopia of related chemicals, screens, and bric-a-brac. I just set up the computer we’ll be using for the operation a few hours ago (dual broadband back in the house!) so we’re almost ready to go.
So I guess this means that Rob and I are effectively in business together. Of course that’ll be a lot more meaningful after we finally print some shirts and get paid for them, but still, it is kind of exciting. I was looking at this as a way to make a few extra bucks to offset the occasional dumbassed purchase I’ve been known to make, but Rob already has grand plans of expanding, getting a storefront, hiring employees….. he never was one to think small. I myself would like to crawl a bit before I start thinking of running the marathon, but knowing how committed Rob can get to business endeavors, I have to admit that this does have the potential to grow. It’s hard not to get at least a little enthused, assuming I don’t give myself a coronary from what will be effectively working two jobs. I can’t wait.
I have an interview for a new day job next Tuesday too. Why do I do these things to myself? The short description I got from the headhunter says the work is about the same as what I’m doing now, the pay’s good, but the hours suck (12 - 8). The hours actually sound like a dealbreaker for me, but I’m doing it anyway, partly for the practice and partly just to see if they make me an offer I can’t refuse. Time waits for nobody and I’m approaching the day when my current company moves. I really don’t feel like going where they are, so if I’m going to jump ship, now is probably the time to do it.
Wil and Gabi are getting married next month. Everybody knows this already, of course. I’m in the wedding party, so I get to wear a skirt, and I plan to make the most of it. I should probably start a squatting routing to tone up… Most of the planning for the affair mercifully does not involve me, but I will be part of the bachelor party. This will probably involve a strip club at some point, a place I’ve only gone to once, when I was part of Meat’s bachelor party. I honestly hate strip clubs, but from the sound of it, there’ll probably be a bunch of people going, so maybe I can just lose myself in the crowd when the implant crew wanders through trolling for tips.
I bought tickets to see Dragonforce in a few weeks. Dragonforce is a speed metal outfit form England. I had planned to see them a few months ago but, since the last few metal shows I’d gone to fell well short of capacity, and I didn’t feel like paying the extra ticketmaster assfuck-you-because-we-can-get-away-with-it markup, I figured I’d just walk up the day of the show and buy my tickets at the door but damn if it didn’t sell out. So much for foresight. So I bought my tickets at the local ticketmaster (there’s one in the boscov’s next door to where I work… who knew?) like a good little consumer two weeks in advance, so if it doesn’t sell out again I’m gonna be pissed. I haven’t been to many concerts recently. Went to the sounds of the underground a few months ago with Wil, little mike and Dan. Saw a few good bands there, including Gwar, who I hadn’t seen in a year or two. There really aren’t that many good bands coming around in the near future. After dragonforce blind guardian will be coming in early December. That’s a must see show. And I think Gwar is coming around in a headlining tour soon. But otherwise, there’s nothing on the horizon to equal the unprecedented string of kickass shows I went to around this time last year.
Friday Knights is stalled a bit, but still chugging along. I think Wil and I need to go on another long walk and kick around ideas. We did that last time and formulated some of the best stuff we’ve done (imho). The wedding seems to be squeezing the comic aside though, unfortunately. We did some flyering at otakon, basically giving us a better idea of how to go about it for next time, and with the screen printer we can theoretically start a line of shirts. I registered for a room for katsukon in February so hopefully by then well be a bit more prepared with handouts and content.
I guess coming off of such a long gap between posts, I feel compelled to make up for it. To post something truly epic that encompasses everything from my last post until now. I’m used to making long posts, but I have the feeling that this one will never feel long enough to me. I think I hit all the major stuff, and I guess I could proceed to the minutiae if I really wanted to continue, but at this point I think I’d just be reduced to rehashing stuff that half the people reading this have already posted about weeks ago. I think at this point the best course to follow would be to end here, and just get the thing online, and resolve to be more consistent in the future, so that’s what I’m going to do. Maybe I’ll shoot for an update next week. Maybe I’ll even pull it off.
It's over now, of course. I couldn't write about it unless it was long over. Everything picked up and filed back into past, where it belongs. But I've learned things about myself. I can't come out on the other end of one of these sojourns without a certain degree of enlightenment. About how easy it is for me to backslide into dejection and envy. Loathing and doubt. Rage, and the frustration of knowing there's no rational outlet for it. How I'll probably always want what I can't get, or don't have.
I take a certain joy in learning all of this. I have to recognize my weaknesses if I am to overcome them. The old must be destroyed for the new to rise stronger. I'd like to thank everyone who helped to make it happen. You've done me a great service.
And now that I've spat out the bile, finally, I'm ready to move forward.
So, coming off the longest hiatus since I started keeping a livejournal, and realizing that I've missed an entire season (that being summer). It's hard to know how to start putting it back together. And you'd think I'd have some practice, giving the spacing of most of my entries. I try to think back to how things were in May, and how much has changed, and I guess it's nice to know that a lot has. I mean, hell, I didn't even have a light in my room back in May. I do now, though. And it's been in long enough that I almost forget the month's of darkness when I had to go without. Living by table lamp for six months, getting a real ceiling light back is almost like having a second sun installed. Truly a magical moment. But it's faded back into the background once again by now.
Got a new TV too. The final phase of moving shit out of Rob's old house generated a lot of redundant stuff that he didn't have space for, and since I needed a TV, I got the old one. TV is another thing that feels weird to have again after a protracted period of involuntary abstinence. TV is something about which my feelings are a little more mixed. Going without light is one thing, I mean, fumbling around for a missing contact lens case in 8am semidarkness is not the most efficient way to build character, but with a TV in the house, I find myself compelled to watch it. Yes it's nice to have Penn & Teller and The Ultimate Fighter back, but the damn thing just ropes you in, and pacifies. I probably would have gotten this update up weeks ago if I didn't have the TV distracting me. I mean, I don't think I'm becoming a couch potato or anything (god forbid I follow in my father's footsteps), but still, I hate to see time wasted so obviously.
So, there were cons. The centerpiece of the summer. Animenext was cool. We got a room one night, so we didn't have to haul it back and forth every day. Learned some useful webcomic related stuff. Would've liked to see D'spairs Ray, but they started late as hell and I didn't have the energy to stay upright. I did see some cool anime though, not to mention the buddy Christ in the batmobile, so all was not lost. And I discovered that I am immune to a niacin flush... Overall, a cool warmup to the real con.
Otakon was about a month ago. Otakon is something I pretty much plan my year around. It's the finish line for the year's workouts. In my mind, if they're going to pay off anywhere, they're going to pay off there. I actually plan out what I'm going to wear beforehand, which is something I never, ever do. I take multiple days off from work, and stay overnight in a different city, which is a big deal for someone who doesn't particularly like to travel. I withdraw a pile of cash and wonder how much of it I'll spend.
Looking back now, this years Otakon seems a little strange. Different. A turning point, somehow. It was my ninth year, the last Otakon of my twenties, but I don't think that's the reason. It was crowded as fuck, since there was a baseball game all three days. There's a special kind of outdoor claustrophobia that comes with battling a total of fifty thousand plus people (many of which are probably drunk and belligerent. I can't think of two groups that could mix worse than baseball fans and otaku) for breathing space and food. But I don't think that's it either. I arrived early, it was the first year I arrived on Thursday and did the pre con badge pickup. Had to crash of Rizzo's floor for the first night. I stayed late too. Got a hot tip about vendors throwing out stuff that they didn't want to lug home so I stayed behind with a few others hoping for the chance to do some lucrative dumpster diving, which never materialized. I also lost a bag full of shirts and my badge in my haste to get the fuck out of dodge when I saw the stadiums unloading. The sting of leaving that stuff behind followed me for a couple of days, but it's long gone now (though I look forlornly at the place where my '06 badge should be resting, along with it's older brother's and cousins). So I don't think that's it either.
I registered for my hotel for Otakon 07 yesterday. Maybe that's it. The odd feeling of pressure and worry (I'd heard some awful rumors about all the announced hotels for 07 being sold out already...) even though the next Otakon is a year from now and the dust has barely settled on the last one. The fact that it's supposed to be my vacation, but I've already had to put my game face on just to make sure I have a room next year. Or just the fact that I have no idea how things are going to be for me come the summer of next year, but whatever they are, they will be different.
But I can't deny that I had a good time this year (would've been a veritable grand slam if I hadn't forgotten my fucking shirts and badge). Saw some new stuff. Checked out some interesting panels. Met some new people and regained some self confidence in the coolest manner possible. Part of me would've liked to have gotten Yoshiki's autograph, but I'm no good with just asking someone for an autograph. I'd want to talk to the guy. Have a conversation. And that wasn't possible. (and I realized belatedly that my copy of Jealousy was a bootleg, the original having, in retrospect, been squandered on someone far less deserving... dammit). I missed the live bands too, but they walk would've been a pain in the ass and they showed a few clips at the closing ceremonies. There wasn't any really good HK films this year, but I did see another Kurosawa in 35mm, which is always cool.
Almost totally blew off the cosplay this year. Ever since I started going to anime cons, I've felt compelled to attend the cosplay, the main event, which is so important to so many people. Some years the skits are good. Some years they're boring. Often, they just reference a lot of stuff I haven't seen, so I'm left confounded while the rest of the place roars. I naturally want to watch it for the funny stuff. There are usually a few really funny, must see skits every year. But sometimes I question if it's worth slogging through the rest to see them. This year I just caught the last few skits towards the end. Some were okay. Some were boring. There may come a time when I skip the cosplay completely, but for now I think I'd still feel like I missed something important if I didn't at least peek my head in for a little while.
More recently, went to another Monstermania con, which went mercifully problem free for a change. I found my car easily each night and it started right up when I turned my key. The scheduling for the events seems to get weirder every time. They used to have at least one panel or event running on each day, but now it just seems that they concentrate everything on Saturday and leave Friday and Sunday to the dealers room, Movies, and Autographs. Like I said above, I'm not an autograph person. Most of the guests seem like genuinely nice people who are actually happy to meet their fans, but I'd no sooner start a conversation with most of them than I would with some random stranger on the street. Even when Joe Bochard was there (bass player for Blue Öyster Cult, of whom I am a fan) I had no idea what to say. I figured the simple stuff would be shit that he must've heard a million times before and be long tired of by now, and the complex stuff he probably wouldn't remember anyway. So I just got my autograph and picture and was done with it. The fact that most people charge for autographs tends to make me keep my distance too. The dealers room is cool, but it's small, and there's only so many times you can look at the same stuff before entertaining all too serious thoughts of whipping out your wallet and making a purchase that you're bound to regret later. And the movies, well, when you've gone to a few of these cons, it's easy to start running across stuff you've already seen. So Friday and Sunday were largely a wash, but the panels on Saturday were undeniably cool. They had all the actors (well, mostly stunt people) who ever played Jason Voorhees in one panel, which was a pretty unique experience that might never happen again, so I did feel pretty privileged to be in attendance for it. Robert Englund was there, and he turned out to be a really funny guy. I ended up watching pretty much all of the Friday the 13th movies while I was there (part one in 16mm) and realized that I'd effectively seen them all when I'd watched the first. (I also noticed that they were conspicuously bloodless considering the hyped terror that kept me from watching them when I was younger)
I’d been kicking ass on my workouts up until a few weeks ago. Bagwork (nothing like unfocused fury to add intensity to a workout), cardio semi regularly, and weights with little mike. I’ve fallen off a little bit. It’s been tough getting back on a rhythm since otakon. I’ve been sick a few times, nothing major, but enough to keep me from exerting myself. And I’ve been doing a lot or furniture moving, which I’ll explain in a minute. I’ve obviously been doing something right, though, since in the past month two people who I haven’t seen in a while commented that I look a lot thinner. I’d been hoping something like this, but I didn’t want to fish for it or anything, so it was supremely encouraging that it finally happened. It does beg the question of just how bad did I look before, but since I have no intention of ever going back to the way I was before, I actually don’t think about it nearly as much as I might. I proved to myself that I can keep up a sustained routine (more or less) for an entire year and have it actually pay dividends that people will notice. All I have to do is keep doing what I’ve been doing and I’ll be able to look however I want to. Even my flexibility seems to have improved. I’d love to be able to work in some kind of tumbling training, but that might be something that would require more professional supervision. But hopefully, in the future, I’ll at least be able to do something with the shinai I bought at otakon, or maybe get some 20oz gloves and throw down with a few of the guys.
One of the main reasons that my workouts have been preempted over the past two weeks is that I’ve had to do yet more rearranging of my basement to make room for a screen printer. I mentioned in passing in my last post about Rob hatching a scheme involving printing tshirts. At the time, I knew he’d put some cash down but I hadn’t seen the machine yet or really known the extent of his commitment to the idea. Well, however it might’ve been in May, it’s definitely at the front of his (and to an extent now, my) thinking. Since the real estate market has taken an abrupt nose dive, Rob has needed to find some alternate method of putting food on the table, hence the screen printer. I figured that I’d be involved somehow if he ever got things, rolling, but, since his original partner turned out to be a little less reliable than he’d hoped, we agreed that I’d probably be better equipped to give him a hand. Since this essentially means that I’ll be doing most of the grunt work for the printing (he’s the advertising and business arm), we decided that it would make sense to have the machine at my house, that way I could work on it whenever I wanted without actually having to go anywhere. To this end, I’ve been spending off and on portions of the past two weeks clearing a path for the thing in my basement. So it’s there now, along with a whole cornucopia of related chemicals, screens, and bric-a-brac. I just set up the computer we’ll be using for the operation a few hours ago (dual broadband back in the house!) so we’re almost ready to go.
So I guess this means that Rob and I are effectively in business together. Of course that’ll be a lot more meaningful after we finally print some shirts and get paid for them, but still, it is kind of exciting. I was looking at this as a way to make a few extra bucks to offset the occasional dumbassed purchase I’ve been known to make, but Rob already has grand plans of expanding, getting a storefront, hiring employees….. he never was one to think small. I myself would like to crawl a bit before I start thinking of running the marathon, but knowing how committed Rob can get to business endeavors, I have to admit that this does have the potential to grow. It’s hard not to get at least a little enthused, assuming I don’t give myself a coronary from what will be effectively working two jobs. I can’t wait.
I have an interview for a new day job next Tuesday too. Why do I do these things to myself? The short description I got from the headhunter says the work is about the same as what I’m doing now, the pay’s good, but the hours suck (12 - 8). The hours actually sound like a dealbreaker for me, but I’m doing it anyway, partly for the practice and partly just to see if they make me an offer I can’t refuse. Time waits for nobody and I’m approaching the day when my current company moves. I really don’t feel like going where they are, so if I’m going to jump ship, now is probably the time to do it.
Wil and Gabi are getting married next month. Everybody knows this already, of course. I’m in the wedding party, so I get to wear a skirt, and I plan to make the most of it. I should probably start a squatting routing to tone up… Most of the planning for the affair mercifully does not involve me, but I will be part of the bachelor party. This will probably involve a strip club at some point, a place I’ve only gone to once, when I was part of Meat’s bachelor party. I honestly hate strip clubs, but from the sound of it, there’ll probably be a bunch of people going, so maybe I can just lose myself in the crowd when the implant crew wanders through trolling for tips.
I bought tickets to see Dragonforce in a few weeks. Dragonforce is a speed metal outfit form England. I had planned to see them a few months ago but, since the last few metal shows I’d gone to fell well short of capacity, and I didn’t feel like paying the extra ticketmaster assfuck-you-because-we-can-get-away-with-it markup, I figured I’d just walk up the day of the show and buy my tickets at the door but damn if it didn’t sell out. So much for foresight. So I bought my tickets at the local ticketmaster (there’s one in the boscov’s next door to where I work… who knew?) like a good little consumer two weeks in advance, so if it doesn’t sell out again I’m gonna be pissed. I haven’t been to many concerts recently. Went to the sounds of the underground a few months ago with Wil, little mike and Dan. Saw a few good bands there, including Gwar, who I hadn’t seen in a year or two. There really aren’t that many good bands coming around in the near future. After dragonforce blind guardian will be coming in early December. That’s a must see show. And I think Gwar is coming around in a headlining tour soon. But otherwise, there’s nothing on the horizon to equal the unprecedented string of kickass shows I went to around this time last year.
Friday Knights is stalled a bit, but still chugging along. I think Wil and I need to go on another long walk and kick around ideas. We did that last time and formulated some of the best stuff we’ve done (imho). The wedding seems to be squeezing the comic aside though, unfortunately. We did some flyering at otakon, basically giving us a better idea of how to go about it for next time, and with the screen printer we can theoretically start a line of shirts. I registered for a room for katsukon in February so hopefully by then well be a bit more prepared with handouts and content.
I guess coming off of such a long gap between posts, I feel compelled to make up for it. To post something truly epic that encompasses everything from my last post until now. I’m used to making long posts, but I have the feeling that this one will never feel long enough to me. I think I hit all the major stuff, and I guess I could proceed to the minutiae if I really wanted to continue, but at this point I think I’d just be reduced to rehashing stuff that half the people reading this have already posted about weeks ago. I think at this point the best course to follow would be to end here, and just get the thing online, and resolve to be more consistent in the future, so that’s what I’m going to do. Maybe I’ll shoot for an update next week. Maybe I’ll even pull it off.