AnimeNEXT Saturday and Sunday, before I forget what happened entirely.
SATURDAY
So, to recap, Esmeralda was staying with us, and Laura and I were up until damn near dawn working on my dress. It still wasn't finished when we went to bed.
We got it done in the morning -- thank goodness there wasn't much that we had to do before noon -- loaded up the cars and took off. I don't know what Esmeralda did, but the three of us went to the line for the Berryz Q&A. Me too, even though I would be in a panel at that time.
The line was actually done up by other fans, not the convention staff. I don't know what was up, but planning at this year's con was really shitty. Anyway, so we were waiting on line, taking pictures of people in cosplay, having people take pictures of us (and we were practicing, too). Thanks to someone else in the group, we were able to talk to a staffer to save a seat for me because I had to be at a panel, but I'd been waiting on line; she said it was okay, whatever, I had to get to the MUN.
I don't even remember what happened at the MUN, we got derailed so many times. It was only half an hour in before I had to change. World wasn't going to end because of my J-pop dance cover group or some shit. I ran out.
I walked into the Q&A just as Miyabi said "Miya-beeeeeeeeeam!" so... yes. Don't remember many of the questions asked, though Yvonne had one for Miya and Momo about being in Buono! as well, but they didn't answer very clearly....
Anyway, autographs happened and there was a MAD RUSH FOR THE LINE which upset Laura (she was really stressed out by all the disorganization), but we all got through the line eventually, and we all got autographs. All of us: everyone there. I couldn't think of anything to say to all of the girls, so I just said "X-san, hi! Thank you for everything," and moved on. Miyabi and Saki seemed to be excited by our cosplays; the rest of them didn't say much. Then there was a raffle and, surprise, more wota won. I think from there on we just sat around to relax, and tried to practice a bit.
We took some pictures. Sup.
Later that evening, we met with P*P to practice, but it was so late that I had to change back into Liechtenstein for the Hall Cosplay results (because I wanted to show off my costume when I won). Leigh was inside, and texted me when the intermission skit started. That shit ran hella long, but whatever, Hall Cosplay was right after it.
I didn't win.
They handed out at least ten honorable mentions, seven judges awards (one each), and then the daily winners on each day and best overall. Carrie won Best Weekend, which was awesome, and I couldn't be prouder of her! But... the real slap in the face was when the judges were picking out the winners and they were saying that they won because of appliquéd this and hand-stitched that and I really wanted to jump up and scream
MOTHERFUCKER WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK ALL THESE EYELETS AND DIAMONDS ARE?! The pintucks! And scalloping the dress hem with a goddamn protractor? That was clever as shit! You mean to tell me Blue Link was worth a First Place Novice, but this fucking gorgeous dress wasn't?!
By the way, here are pictures of the dress that I promised ages ago. Front. Back. Back detail.
Instead, I kept myself mostly composed and left right after -- that's all I'd planned on staying for anyway -- and tried to get back to practice. Walking there empty-handed, that's when I started to lose it. I thought I was joking when I said I would cry if I didn't win, but it turns out I wasn't. All that time and stress and sweat and blood and tears and I didn't have anything to show for it, not even an honorable fucking mention. I wasted the group's time and I felt like such a loser because Jaime'd asked me, before I'd left, how confident I felt in winning. I said "extremely confident." But, I wasn't, so like a loser, I continued to waste more of the group's time as I broke down sobbing hysterically.
SKIRTS AND CRYING. THAT'S WHAT THE CONVENTION WAS.
We only had enough time to run through the dance once or twice, and it seemed to go well enough. From there, Laura and Erica went home, and I met up with Es and some other Friendlies at the bar. Everyone wanted to buy me drinks when I told them what happened, and I refused most of them, but I wound up with a peach schnapps and champagne thing that was DELICIOUS.
Also that food in front of me someone left behind. XD
Someone informed me that the Yankees beat the Mets earlier. The Devils and Kings were playing Game Five, and the Kings were down a goal. There was still plenty of time to play, but they fell short, and the Devils lasted another day. Good thing, too, because I would not have wanted to be in a bar in Jersey when the Devils lost the Stanley fucking Cup in Jersey.
It got to be about midnight before Es and I ventured home, because we didn't wanna stay out too late, being Laura's guests. As we left the bar, but not yet the hotel, one of my friends stopped me.
He confessed.
IT WAS SUPER AWKWARD, especially when he said "I already know the answer to this, but...." and I couldn't look him in the face after that. :| So I guess, with two dudes confessing in as many months, I have to amend my question to "why aren't any guys who I'm attracted to interested in me?" which is really weird and makes me sound even more conceited than I already thought I was (which is a shame, because I had only just started getting comfortable with it. Looks like I'm in for another three years of hating myself). It ended with an equally awkward "Yeah, well. Good night," and Es practically dragging me out.
She's such a good wifey. ♥
We didn't get very far. We'd only left the hotel -- literally stepped through the doors and a few feet more -- before we found some friends we'd hardly seen all weekend, so we stopped to chat... for an hour. XD Whoops. Es was driving, but I was able to navigate just fine, which was AWESOME, because it was the first time I'd done it entirely by myself (Laura had always had a GPS or some other list of directions). We collapsed when we got home.
SUNDAY
Laura and Erica were ready first, so they went to the Jojo's panel early. Es and I were maybe only fifteen minutes behind, and we drove all the way to the con... only to realize that Es had left her badge at home. We drove back and forth, and walked into the panel with about fifteen minutes to go.
We had a short break between Jojo's and the Paradise*Peach panel. They took video of the show, but I think it got corrupted or otherwise destroyed. We've only got video of the two dances we did, which is good, but the camera was so far away, it was hard to see a lot of it.
Still. Here you go. I really like how Munasawagi Scarlet came out; if we could practice it a little more and get it super sharp, we should re-film it. Oh, and we're already thinking up the new Fruit Salad dance: Chou Happy Song! XD
From there, I made a beeline for the Artist Alley, grabbed a few things -- it was terribly boring -- and then changed costume AGAIN for the SATW photoshoot. That took an hour, then Es, Laura, Erica, Deanna, and I went to get food. We decided on Ruby Tuesday's, and we think we were in the same booth as Berryz was on Thursday. I didn't even notice until Erica, I think, pointed it out.
So we finished up, went back to Laura's, packed up, and Es drove me and Erica home. The end.
POSTGAME, i.e., con drama.
Have a little more drama because it's fun. So once news got out about Berryz coming to AN, someone created a FB group. Laura found out about it and I joined along with her, to keep up to speed on events that were happening at the con (because I'm hopeless at keeping it all straight without a schedule and you know how much in advance cons LOVE to post their schedules!).
These people were insane, like, wetting themselves over the girls. I mean, they're just pop stars, you know? And sure, everyone's allowed to be a little starstruck, but MANY of the people in the group were adults who should have been able to control themselves. Instead, we got posts about "I ordered my glowsticks from Party City!" Good for you. "HERE ARE MY GLOWSTICKS" ...here's a cookie. "Hey guys, I just got to the airport, DO YOU THINK THIS IS THEIR LUGGAGE???? *posts a picture of someone's luggage" Stop, you're being really creepy. "LOOK THEY ARE EATING AT RUBY TUESDAY'S!!!!" OMFG this is why fans have a bad reputation.
Shit like that. I wanted to punch them all in the throat because they weren't behaving like human fucking beings.
Or maybe it's just me? Maybe I'm weird for not having been wetting myself, and getting SHY around celebrities because I don't want to irritate them? Anyway, this is what they were doing. And the stupid shit continued after the convention.
There was a post someone made, and she was like "DAE hate it when people call the group "cute" instead of "kyuuto"? "
ºC-ute is another Hello! Project group, and the name is written out just like that. It's obviously supposed to be pronounced like the English word, which in Japanese, comes out sounding more like "kyuuto" because of the limits their language has. I said as much.
People were angry with me for having such notions; they couldn't comprehend that it's supposed to be "cute," and if it were possible for native Japanese to say that word without extra syllables and letters, they would. And then, I don't remember how it happened, but somehow I mentioned that Momoko's persona is sickening --
Because it fucking is. She's twenty years old and she acts like she's eight. It's vain and obnoxious and very unattractive; how anyone could say it's cute is fucking beyond me. Yes, I know it's a stage persona, but it's a shitty one, and I wish she would drop it.
-- they practically sent a lynch mob after me. Many people started attacking me for holding a difference of opinion. And I tried to keep it as a discussion for as long as I could, but they were starting to get a bit too personal (as though I had said shit about them, and going on my personal FB. Which, y'know, I don't have a problem with because it's public, but they probably went out of their way to do that which I do think is weird. I mean they didn't vandalize it or anything but... still). Eventually someone not involved called for an end to the fighting, and I was glad for the offer of a truce; I said I was willing to accept if they were. They flat-out rejected the idea. I wound up leaving, half of my own free will. But they were fucking nuts. I can't properly convey how crazy it was; I've got the entire conversation saved, but it's not worth posting, I don't think. Anyway, that was my con drama, by far the WEIRDEST I've ever had. XD
So, to recap, Esmeralda was staying with us, and Laura and I were up until damn near dawn working on my dress. It still wasn't finished when we went to bed.
We got it done in the morning -- thank goodness there wasn't much that we had to do before noon -- loaded up the cars and took off. I don't know what Esmeralda did, but the three of us went to the line for the Berryz Q&A. Me too, even though I would be in a panel at that time.
The line was actually done up by other fans, not the convention staff. I don't know what was up, but planning at this year's con was really shitty. Anyway, so we were waiting on line, taking pictures of people in cosplay, having people take pictures of us (and we were practicing, too). Thanks to someone else in the group, we were able to talk to a staffer to save a seat for me because I had to be at a panel, but I'd been waiting on line; she said it was okay, whatever, I had to get to the MUN.
I don't even remember what happened at the MUN, we got derailed so many times. It was only half an hour in before I had to change. World wasn't going to end because of my J-pop dance cover group or some shit. I ran out.
I walked into the Q&A just as Miyabi said "Miya-beeeeeeeeeam!" so... yes. Don't remember many of the questions asked, though Yvonne had one for Miya and Momo about being in Buono! as well, but they didn't answer very clearly....
Anyway, autographs happened and there was a MAD RUSH FOR THE LINE which upset Laura (she was really stressed out by all the disorganization), but we all got through the line eventually, and we all got autographs. All of us: everyone there. I couldn't think of anything to say to all of the girls, so I just said "X-san, hi! Thank you for everything," and moved on. Miyabi and Saki seemed to be excited by our cosplays; the rest of them didn't say much. Then there was a raffle and, surprise, more wota won. I think from there on we just sat around to relax, and tried to practice a bit.
We took some pictures. Sup.
Later that evening, we met with P*P to practice, but it was so late that I had to change back into Liechtenstein for the Hall Cosplay results (because I wanted to show off my costume when I won). Leigh was inside, and texted me when the intermission skit started. That shit ran hella long, but whatever, Hall Cosplay was right after it.
I didn't win.
They handed out at least ten honorable mentions, seven judges awards (one each), and then the daily winners on each day and best overall. Carrie won Best Weekend, which was awesome, and I couldn't be prouder of her! But... the real slap in the face was when the judges were picking out the winners and they were saying that they won because of appliquéd this and hand-stitched that and I really wanted to jump up and scream
MOTHERFUCKER WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK ALL THESE EYELETS AND DIAMONDS ARE?! The pintucks! And scalloping the dress hem with a goddamn protractor? That was clever as shit! You mean to tell me Blue Link was worth a First Place Novice, but this fucking gorgeous dress wasn't?!
By the way, here are pictures of the dress that I promised ages ago. Front. Back. Back detail.
Instead, I kept myself mostly composed and left right after -- that's all I'd planned on staying for anyway -- and tried to get back to practice. Walking there empty-handed, that's when I started to lose it. I thought I was joking when I said I would cry if I didn't win, but it turns out I wasn't. All that time and stress and sweat and blood and tears and I didn't have anything to show for it, not even an honorable fucking mention. I wasted the group's time and I felt like such a loser because Jaime'd asked me, before I'd left, how confident I felt in winning. I said "extremely confident." But, I wasn't, so like a loser, I continued to waste more of the group's time as I broke down sobbing hysterically.
SKIRTS AND CRYING. THAT'S WHAT THE CONVENTION WAS.
We only had enough time to run through the dance once or twice, and it seemed to go well enough. From there, Laura and Erica went home, and I met up with Es and some other Friendlies at the bar. Everyone wanted to buy me drinks when I told them what happened, and I refused most of them, but I wound up with a peach schnapps and champagne thing that was DELICIOUS.
Also that food in front of me someone left behind. XD
Someone informed me that the Yankees beat the Mets earlier. The Devils and Kings were playing Game Five, and the Kings were down a goal. There was still plenty of time to play, but they fell short, and the Devils lasted another day. Good thing, too, because I would not have wanted to be in a bar in Jersey when the Devils lost the Stanley fucking Cup in Jersey.
It got to be about midnight before Es and I ventured home, because we didn't wanna stay out too late, being Laura's guests. As we left the bar, but not yet the hotel, one of my friends stopped me.
He confessed.
IT WAS SUPER AWKWARD, especially when he said "I already know the answer to this, but...." and I couldn't look him in the face after that. :| So I guess, with two dudes confessing in as many months, I have to amend my question to "why aren't any guys who I'm attracted to interested in me?" which is really weird and makes me sound even more conceited than I already thought I was (which is a shame, because I had only just started getting comfortable with it. Looks like I'm in for another three years of hating myself). It ended with an equally awkward "Yeah, well. Good night," and Es practically dragging me out.
She's such a good wifey. ♥
We didn't get very far. We'd only left the hotel -- literally stepped through the doors and a few feet more -- before we found some friends we'd hardly seen all weekend, so we stopped to chat... for an hour. XD Whoops. Es was driving, but I was able to navigate just fine, which was AWESOME, because it was the first time I'd done it entirely by myself (Laura had always had a GPS or some other list of directions). We collapsed when we got home.
SUNDAY
Laura and Erica were ready first, so they went to the Jojo's panel early. Es and I were maybe only fifteen minutes behind, and we drove all the way to the con... only to realize that Es had left her badge at home. We drove back and forth, and walked into the panel with about fifteen minutes to go.
We had a short break between Jojo's and the Paradise*Peach panel. They took video of the show, but I think it got corrupted or otherwise destroyed. We've only got video of the two dances we did, which is good, but the camera was so far away, it was hard to see a lot of it.
Still. Here you go. I really like how Munasawagi Scarlet came out; if we could practice it a little more and get it super sharp, we should re-film it. Oh, and we're already thinking up the new Fruit Salad dance: Chou Happy Song! XD
From there, I made a beeline for the Artist Alley, grabbed a few things -- it was terribly boring -- and then changed costume AGAIN for the SATW photoshoot. That took an hour, then Es, Laura, Erica, Deanna, and I went to get food. We decided on Ruby Tuesday's, and we think we were in the same booth as Berryz was on Thursday. I didn't even notice until Erica, I think, pointed it out.
So we finished up, went back to Laura's, packed up, and Es drove me and Erica home. The end.
POSTGAME, i.e., con drama.
Have a little more drama because it's fun. So once news got out about Berryz coming to AN, someone created a FB group. Laura found out about it and I joined along with her, to keep up to speed on events that were happening at the con (because I'm hopeless at keeping it all straight without a schedule and you know how much in advance cons LOVE to post their schedules!).
These people were insane, like, wetting themselves over the girls. I mean, they're just pop stars, you know? And sure, everyone's allowed to be a little starstruck, but MANY of the people in the group were adults who should have been able to control themselves. Instead, we got posts about "I ordered my glowsticks from Party City!" Good for you. "HERE ARE MY GLOWSTICKS" ...here's a cookie. "Hey guys, I just got to the airport, DO YOU THINK THIS IS THEIR LUGGAGE???? *posts a picture of someone's luggage" Stop, you're being really creepy. "LOOK THEY ARE EATING AT RUBY TUESDAY'S!!!!" OMFG this is why fans have a bad reputation.
Shit like that. I wanted to punch them all in the throat because they weren't behaving like human fucking beings.
Or maybe it's just me? Maybe I'm weird for not having been wetting myself, and getting SHY around celebrities because I don't want to irritate them? Anyway, this is what they were doing. And the stupid shit continued after the convention.
There was a post someone made, and she was like "DAE hate it when people call the group "cute" instead of "kyuuto"? "
ºC-ute is another Hello! Project group, and the name is written out just like that. It's obviously supposed to be pronounced like the English word, which in Japanese, comes out sounding more like "kyuuto" because of the limits their language has. I said as much.
People were angry with me for having such notions; they couldn't comprehend that it's supposed to be "cute," and if it were possible for native Japanese to say that word without extra syllables and letters, they would. And then, I don't remember how it happened, but somehow I mentioned that Momoko's persona is sickening --
Because it fucking is. She's twenty years old and she acts like she's eight. It's vain and obnoxious and very unattractive; how anyone could say it's cute is fucking beyond me. Yes, I know it's a stage persona, but it's a shitty one, and I wish she would drop it.
-- they practically sent a lynch mob after me. Many people started attacking me for holding a difference of opinion. And I tried to keep it as a discussion for as long as I could, but they were starting to get a bit too personal (as though I had said shit about them, and going on my personal FB. Which, y'know, I don't have a problem with because it's public, but they probably went out of their way to do that which I do think is weird. I mean they didn't vandalize it or anything but... still). Eventually someone not involved called for an end to the fighting, and I was glad for the offer of a truce; I said I was willing to accept if they were. They flat-out rejected the idea. I wound up leaving, half of my own free will. But they were fucking nuts. I can't properly convey how crazy it was; I've got the entire conversation saved, but it's not worth posting, I don't think. Anyway, that was my con drama, by far the WEIRDEST I've ever had. XD