Collectormania report! Unbelievable, I know.
Just a little warning on the side: I was sleep-deprived throughout the whole weekend because I had to get up so bloody early in the morning to catch my train it wasn’t morning yet at all; it was still the middle of the bloody night! So if I screw up the sequence of events a little, or don’t remember everyone’s names, I’m sorry! Misha ate my brain!
I got to Olympia 2 more or less in one piece. It was Saturday 28th November, mid-morning, and already people in Star Wars Trooper costumes were milling about. I felt slightly overwhelmed, but I had a feeling I’d be enjoying a good long stroll around all the geek paraphernalia later. But first, I had to find the angel headquarter.
Up the escalators, a quick look around, and I spotted them! They had a virtual queue for Misha at that point, so I went over to the table where they sold Julie’s autograph tickets and asked them what that was all about (I could have read the Collectormania booklet, but they explained it to me nice and slow right there, so hooray!). I got a queue ticket for Misha and bought a Julie autograph on the spot. Did I want to get it personalised? Of course! I started spelling out my name but the staff person wrote it with a “G” instead of a “J” (it was probably my fault, nobody should have to deal with overexcited and unprepared fangirls before lunch) - so I took the pencil from the poor lad and wrote it on the slip of paper myself. They had a number of prints to choose from to get signed. I picked a still from On The Head Of A Pin with Anna in the foreground and Castiel out of focus in the background, as you can see below.
Anyway, trying not to get nervous and failing, I went up to Julie (who looked fabulous and was so sweet! *flail*). She asked me how I was doing, I told her it was my first Collectormania and that I was a bit disoriented, then I asked her if she was feeling jetlagged, to which she replied not yet, it would probably hit her when she flies back to Canada and continues shooting Supernatural. She added that it was all worth it, though, because she loves the job (and here she smiled enthusiastically and I melted a little). I told her I would see her later at the photo shoot and skipped away happily. That whole exchange reminded me a bit of the one with Amy Gumenick at Asylum. They’re both easy to talk to, in a general sense, but of course I can’t hold out in their presence without backup for longer than a minute because the sweetness addles my brain and makes my mouth glue shut. I’m pathetic, I know. ;)
I got two kisses “xx”!!! *flail*
After meeting Julie, I walked around a little on the first floor and bought a couple of old Supernatural magazines from a stand. I was all hyped from talking to Julie, and thus not at all prepared for meeting Misha. In a way I was very thankful for that virtual queue system. It gave me time to find my inner Zen again (as if! I left my inner Zen back at Berlin Schoenefeld airport that Tuesday!). I went over to the games centre and played Tekken for a few rounds. It’s the one Xbox game anyone can play and have a chance at winning. Just press all buttons and hope for the best. Eventually, I wandered over to the anime drawing table where I spotted minion caps! Fellow Minion Radar™ pinged red! I plopped down on a chair beside them, kind of mumbling that I’d just sit with them if they didn’t mind. I was too shy to say much else at that point, but I’m sure I said something embarrassing about bangers and mash.
Getting more nervous by the minute, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and started sketching the still Julie had signed. While I was drawing, @kendesari, @Manic_Minion and @Sarryb1978 and the others started chatting to me, and encouraged me to show the sketch to Misha when I got his autograph. I wasn’t sure about that, but thought what the hell, can’t hurt. Of course that was not to be. But let me not get ahead of myself here. After chatting a bit more, finishing up the sketch and calming down a bit, I excused myself and got in line for Misha. I snatched up one of the photo shoot prints (the one that I privately call “the British schoolboy series”) and bravely went up to him. This is what I remember of the resulting conversation:
Misha: *smile*
Misha: “How are you?”
Misha: *signs print*
Me: “Brilliant, if a bit cold.”
Misha: “Why are you cold?” *looks up at me*
Me: *brain freeze*
Me: *splutters*
Misha: “Oh, because you’re wearing a sleeveless top.”
Me: *nods, thankful for Misha’s amazing deductive skills*
Misha: *hands me autograph*
Me: *psychs up for following long sentence she practiced standing in line*
Me: “So there is this convention in Germany next year… Asylum Europe. I’d love to see you there.”
Misha: “When is it?”
Me: “… on a weekend in May?”
Misha: “Which one?” *smile*
Me: *brain freeze #2*
Me: “Please don’t ask me difficult questions!”
Misha: *laughs*
Misha: *thinks, a mischievous glint in his eyes*
Me: *looks on with trepidation*
Misha: “What’s the square root of…”
Me: *laughs nervously and shakes head, making puppy eyes @ misha*
After that I thanked him, and concentrated on not tripping while I turned around and wandered off in a daze. Found the group of minions again and I was still jittery and shaking, and I know how lame that is, but I couldn’t help it! I’m always like that. Even with Jason Manns, who is possibly the nicest, most gentle and laid-back person ever. I think I even told Susie later on about how much of a zombie girl I was when I talked to Jason the previous Tuesday when he played in Cambridge. Anyhow.
Exclamation mark! *giggles*
@Sarryb1978 looked up the dates for Asylum Europe for me (online via her phone). I was set on telling Misha those during the photo shoot, but of course I didn’t, just like I hadn’t shown him the sketch. Did I mention I’m a mess whenever it would be much more convenient to be calm and collected? Oh well.
Time was nearing for the Misha photo shoot at 1pm. As a collective, we went downstairs. We ended up in photo area B at first, but cottoned on right quick and headed over to the right place. People were already lining up for Misha in photo area A, and we joined them. I had a mini-flashback to A3. At some point Spiderman came over and tried to help arrange us into a proper line, but no success. It was quite funny to watch, though. Staff got us sorted a little later. Fellow Minions twittered. I tried to slow my heartbeat.
The photographer about whom I mostly remember the bright pink shirt he wore called @Sarryb1978 a princess (while he called "Step forward ma'am/sir(?)" to everyone else). At that, Misha grinned at her, asking: "How did he [the photographer] know?" It was all very funny, I swear.
I think it was @kendesari who asked Misha to give @Manic_Minion a hug, because @Manic_Minion was too shy to ask for one herself. I was right behind @Manic_Minion so I heard Misha requesting a hug from her, which was just too cute for words. (He asked: "Can I have a hug?" like he was the fan. How awesome is that!) *flail*
When it was my turn to get my photo taken, Misha smiled at me like he did to everyone, and I smiled back zombie-mode-like. He said "Hi" and I echoed his "Hi" (genius, no?). I'm glad Misha understands us minions instinctively. I wouldn't have been able to muster up the coordination to ask for a hug in that moment. My outstretched arms as I approached him clued Misha in on my intentions, though, and he was quick to wrap his arms around me too. FLASH.
Tight squeeze!
So I thought my 13 seconds in heaven were over, and I dutifully thanked Misha ("Thank you" seems to be the default thing for me to say when I'm overwhelmed...) - but no! Misha kept one arm around my back as I tried to walk past, and he redirected my momentum so that I swung in a circle right back to my spot. I was dizzy, and looked at the photographer in confusion for a split second. (The photographer was saying something the whole time, but I honestly didn't hear him over the white noise in my brain!) Then something clicked. I mumbled: "Oh, did I blink?", blushed, and was very close to apologizing, when finally I understood that I could get a second hug out of this! Settled in, smiled, concentrated on not blinking... FLASH.
Muahahahaha! One free hug! As you can see, I didn't blink in either picture, but apparently the photographer hadn't liked the first one. *shrugs*
When the photographer told me I could leave (this time I waited for instructions), I remember thanking Misha again, and while walking away I mumbled something like: “Now my legs are shaking!” In hindsight, I truly hope Mr Collins didn’t hear that. >_<
Next thing I know, we minions stand outside to catch a bit of fresh air, after which @kendesari and I needed to buy a cup of hot tea to warm up. It was in the cafeteria area that we met Susie and Darren. Introductions were made, followed by varied conversation (Susie spoke a bit German for my entertainment!), and eventually I found out that they, too, would get a Julie photo taken at 2pm. So I told @kendesari I would join the minion group later, and Susie, Darren and I went back to photo area A together. At some point we ran into a girl who was introduced to me as ‘one of the A3 twins’. *lol*
I love how everyone seemed to know everyone somehow.
Now was my chance to prove I had learned from my Misha photo experience, namely, that I was only to leave the premises if the photographer said so! My turn came, and I cannot remember who said what, but there was a lot of smiling going on. Julie, like Misha, immediately gave me a hug, without me having to articulate my wishes (maybe they are they psychic?!). FLASH.
Okay, I admit I look a bit funky here. *lopsided grin*
But guess what! Yes. I stayed in that embrace with Julie until the photographer who was still wearing the distracting pink shirt said he wanted to do another one. I might have giggled embarrassingly. FLASH.
Hug times!
I thanked Julie, as you do, and that was it concerning photos that day. I met up with Susie and Darren for a short while, and when they went to a stage talk I searched for @Sarryb1978, @kendesari and @Manic_Minion. Where did I find them? Near Angel Headquarter, of course. ;)
By now I was running on pure adrenaline. I hadn’t eaten breakfast, because it had been too early when I got up that morning, and once I arrived at Cmania… well, I hadn’t been hungry at all, what with my stomach getting tied in nervous knots every half hour or so. So by the afternoon, I was not only shaking with nerves, but with cold, too. I had deposited my jacket and everything at wardrobe when I arrived, but @Manic_Minion hadn’t, and she borrowed me her coat until I felt a bit warmer! I’m very grateful to her!
Basically, at that point we were passing time until the Supernatural stage talk. What stands out in my memory is my discovery of a girl sitting alone at the anime drawing table, working on a sketch of Anna Milton. She was really good! I told her as much, but seeing that she was immersed in her little (actually, the format of her drawing must have been close to A3, it was quite big!) project, I left her in peace shortly afterwards.
Somewhere in there, we took a break from walking around and sat down to creepily watch our overlord from a secret and therefore here undisclosed vantage point give our feet a rest. Meanwhile, Misha decided he would perform a little acrobatic act for the benefit of his stalkerish minions, so they wouldn't get bored!
He started by clambering up onto his table. All minion eyes went to him. (He knows how to get our attention, alright.) Then he jumped down on the other side. Minion eyes still followed him. Misha proceded to the table where they sold Julie's autographs (sneakily pretending to be a fan, but we weren't fooled. Nope. We got his number). He bought one and skipped over to Julie, laughed, and got her to sign it. Then he went back to his table, climbed on it (standing up fully, for dramatic effect), and hopped down on his side again, thinking he made a very convincing fan. Obviously, we minions were duly impressed by the whole show. But then again we all read the handbook "Minion-ing For Dummies" are an easy-to-please bunch. ;) If I remember correctly, @kendesari has a photo of him in action.
Later, @kendesari decided to get her 4th (in words, FOURTH) Misha autograph of the day. @Sarryb1978 went up to Misha's table with her, while I hung back at the autograph selling table. Talked to the staff lady there about my boots.
TBC after confirming some facts...