Ahh Done Gone to Otakon - Day 1
I should mention that my motel room came with Internet access, so I brought along my laptop. I found out online that Icarus wasn't planning to get to her table until about 5:00PM Fri., so I decided not to start early. My hips were still stiff from yesterday, but not sore, so I took my time getting up, and walked around in the room getting the stiffness worked out. I finally set out about 10AM. I found parking in "The Gallery" parking garage, and walked over to the convention center.
I had never been to Otakon or any other anime convention before, so I spent a lot of time wandering around dazed and confused. The maps they handed out with the badge didn't really make much sense, so it took a long time to figure out where anything was. I eventually found where the artists' alley was (climb up two floors, walk a quarter of the way around the building, go down one floor, walk another quarter of the way around the building, then go down another floor to the artists' alley), but it didn't seem to be open yet.
I think by this time the dealers' room was opening, so I tried to make my way to that. I eventually figured where it was on the map and started heading toward it. There I had my first encounter with the crazy lines that Otakon has a reputation for. The line for the dealers' room snaked around for a bit, then went out one of the exits, down the block for a bit, then turned around and went back up the block and back in the exit. From there, it snaked around up a stairwell, down a ways and back on that floor, back down the stairwell, then snaked back anforth several times until it finally reached the stairwell that led down to the dealers' room.
The dealers' room was pretty much as expected (lots of people in booths selling stuff). I wandered around looking at the stuff being sold, and at the people milling around in costume. I bought a Chtulu plush. I also saw several people selling "Pimmy" plushes, which look like a blue daemon penguin. I considered buying one, as I have friends who are Linux buffs, and might like one as a mascot. I decided to wait until later, though. I also considered buying a tshirt that said "If you don't tell your cat about catnip, who will?", since I have friends who own cats, but I put that off until later, also.
I left the dealers' room and went by the artists' alley, which was open by this time, so I went in. I found the blank space where Icarus' booth was supposed to be, but she wasn't there yet. I milled around a while, looking at all the artists and their offerings. Lots of talent here. I went back up a floor, found a relatively quiet area, and sat down on the floor along the wall, out of the way. My hips and spine had started acting up again, and I needed to sit down a while. It was fun people-watching, with all the people in costume, trying not to poke others with their swords and pikes and such.
I eventually got up and started to head back to the artists' alley. On the way, I saw someone dressed as the Blue Tentacle from the Day of The Tentacle game, which
Zarla had been giving a run through of. I got a few pictures of him.
I made it back to the artists' alley and saw that Icarus had arrived and setup shop. I went over and said hello and bought a Nikitak plush. I also picked up a Nikitak tshirt I had ordered and gave her a tshirt I had bought before Otakon that I though she might like. I also met quezy,
alfonzos2112,
heerosferret and
Seobon, who was selling his CD there. I also saw
Arborwin, but I didn't get around to saying anything to her. I chatted with Icarus a couple of minutes, but by then my hips were getting really painful, and she seemed pretty busy, so I left.
I ate dinner at some Greek place, then went back to the motel. I downloaded the pictures from my camere to my laptop, poked around online a bit, and went to bed.
I had never been to Otakon or any other anime convention before, so I spent a lot of time wandering around dazed and confused. The maps they handed out with the badge didn't really make much sense, so it took a long time to figure out where anything was. I eventually found where the artists' alley was (climb up two floors, walk a quarter of the way around the building, go down one floor, walk another quarter of the way around the building, then go down another floor to the artists' alley), but it didn't seem to be open yet.
I think by this time the dealers' room was opening, so I tried to make my way to that. I eventually figured where it was on the map and started heading toward it. There I had my first encounter with the crazy lines that Otakon has a reputation for. The line for the dealers' room snaked around for a bit, then went out one of the exits, down the block for a bit, then turned around and went back up the block and back in the exit. From there, it snaked around up a stairwell, down a ways and back on that floor, back down the stairwell, then snaked back anforth several times until it finally reached the stairwell that led down to the dealers' room.
The dealers' room was pretty much as expected (lots of people in booths selling stuff). I wandered around looking at the stuff being sold, and at the people milling around in costume. I bought a Chtulu plush. I also saw several people selling "Pimmy" plushes, which look like a blue daemon penguin. I considered buying one, as I have friends who are Linux buffs, and might like one as a mascot. I decided to wait until later, though. I also considered buying a tshirt that said "If you don't tell your cat about catnip, who will?", since I have friends who own cats, but I put that off until later, also.
I left the dealers' room and went by the artists' alley, which was open by this time, so I went in. I found the blank space where Icarus' booth was supposed to be, but she wasn't there yet. I milled around a while, looking at all the artists and their offerings. Lots of talent here. I went back up a floor, found a relatively quiet area, and sat down on the floor along the wall, out of the way. My hips and spine had started acting up again, and I needed to sit down a while. It was fun people-watching, with all the people in costume, trying not to poke others with their swords and pikes and such.
I eventually got up and started to head back to the artists' alley. On the way, I saw someone dressed as the Blue Tentacle from the Day of The Tentacle game, which
Zarla had been giving a run through of. I got a few pictures of him.
I made it back to the artists' alley and saw that Icarus had arrived and setup shop. I went over and said hello and bought a Nikitak plush. I also picked up a Nikitak tshirt I had ordered and gave her a tshirt I had bought before Otakon that I though she might like. I also met quezy,
alfonzos2112,
heerosferret and
Seobon, who was selling his CD there. I also saw
Arborwin, but I didn't get around to saying anything to her. I chatted with Icarus a couple of minutes, but by then my hips were getting really painful, and she seemed pretty busy, so I left.
I ate dinner at some Greek place, then went back to the motel. I downloaded the pictures from my camere to my laptop, poked around online a bit, and went to bed.