WHEW! it was a great almost-week (6 days) in Pittsburgh!
Back in February when I was planning out this trip I found out the Pirates were home that week. So I arrived Tuesday to see a game before the con. Back in 2009 when the Pirates played the Mets I sat in an almost empty stadium (well, it was a day make-up game). But this year the Bucs were in first place playing the Phillies and PNC Park was packed and loud with both Pirates and Phillies fans trying to outshout each other. It made for a fun game with the Pirates winning 6-5. Some say the Pirates might win the NL Central division but I saw a very young team without much playoff experience. I'll be happy if the Pirates win their division or the NL wildcard.. any team but the Cardinals!
OK Enough baseball talk! AC 2013 was another awesome convention!! I think It was the best one in the 5 times I've attended. I always try to take it easy and pace myself at AC. But when I get there its like being sucked into an tornado or into a alternate reality of a overload of furry fun. I always have the same problem at AC every year - too many events, get-togethers or parties I want to attend all happening at the same damn time. So if you bumped into me and I just said "hi! bye!" or didn't talk long it was because I was going to another thing happening at the con.
From what I saw as an attendee AC 2013 was a well-ran and smoothly ran convention. Most of the big ballroom events started on time, and the few panels I checked out were well organized. I'm so tired of going to panels were the people running it didn't do any kind of planning. (When the first words of a panel are "uh.. I'm supposed to be talking about." - that's always a warning signal the panel is going to suck.)
Thanks to Hali (aka Matthew Ebel) and Runnt for a GREAT and FUN show Saturday afternoon (where a bunch of fursuiters danced in front of the stage) and to Rhubarb and Cosmik for making a big splash at their first AC with their performances during Fox Amoore's charity concert, their own show, the masquerade, and then the HUGE impromptu sing-along on Sunday night-Monday morning!!
Gripes: I wished the Air Conditioning inside the convention center (especially the dealers den/artists alley) was a little warmer. I know they had it set down for the fursuiters, but it played hell on my arthritis.
I also wish the entrance into the DLCC was back on the East Lobby, so we didn't have to deal with the people waiting for the Megabus. Along with the nasty diesel smoke some were very unfriendly. I heard a guy waiting for the bus call a fur a "f****t". I'm thankful that fur just ignored that scum and walked on by.
And to the guys running the fursuit dance contest: AWESOME contest, but PLEASE dont get too serious with technical dance terms during your critiques - most went right over my and other audience members heads!
AC did feel different this time.. some furs I have seen there regularly in the past didn't show up. I guess the higher registration rates or the sorry economy kept a lot from returning, though that didn't effect the growing attendance. The parties at Tonic seemed much more relaxed this year. But I met a lot of great furs for the first time, and again THANK YOU to all the furs who gave me hugs, especially to those who told me how much they loved my videos and photos. I even met a couple of furs who said they discovered the fandom or Anthrocon via my videos. That really means a lot to me and inspires me to keep putting this stuff online!
AC isn't for everyfur - some say it's "Too Big, Too Crowded". But it's an event you need to go to once in your lifetime. AC is an unique Experience unlike any other convention I've ever attended with it's monster attendance size, busy schedule, huge convention center all in a very friendly and beautiful city.
I mean VERY Friendly.. after going to too many cons where the hotel staff or locals make you feel unwelcome, It's refreshing to arrive in the Steel City and see "Welcome Furries" signs outside of businesses, friendly locals and positive and fun TV news reports about the convention.
I'll end my con report with a funny moment!
On Friday a piece of my favorite (worn out) Nike sneaker's sole started falling off my right shoe. While walking from the DLCC to the Marriott Courtyard Hotel Saturday afternoon I saw a FedEx store across the street with "Office Supplies". I wondered if they had something to glue it back together so I wouldn't have to walk a couple long blocks to CVS or some other store.
So I walked in and the conversation with the very cheery (Indian?) clerk who saw my con badges was this:
Clerk: "Hello! do you need to have your fursuit shipped back home?"
Me: "Ummm no.. Do you have any epoxy or super glue?
Clerk: "OH! So you need some glue to fix your fursuit!!"
Me: (Laughing) "No I need to fix some sneakers!"
He did have some super glue that took care of my problem. I'm just not used to this kind of upbeat cheeriness from most business, but Pittsburgh is a very special town! And AC is a very special con!
My 2013 Anthrocon photo gallery is now online on Photobucket!
http://tinyurl.com/anthrocon2013 PLEASE READ: You have my permission to download and re-upload my photos to FA, Facebook, Twitter, Weasyl, LJ etc BUT ONLY if you Give Me Credit for the photo! (example: "Thanks to Wild Bill TX for the great photo!")