On conventions, meeting other fans, Jossverse, anime, and location location location.

[timepiececlock]

Well, it's three days until Fanime Con.

My first anime convention in two years. I'm excited.

I'm a little bit nervous about the social situation I'm getting into... I will seeing some old friends which is a good thing, probably gonna have to avoid a person I used to think of as a friend who was shitty to me then didn't talk to me in like 3 months, I've got the almost-awkward-but-not-because-I-am-determined-that-it-not-be-so of staying in a room with 3 guys one of whom I have briefly gone out with, the good of possibly seeing a new friend from my speech class last quarter (if he ever gets his pass which he doesn't think will happen), and a host of other funny but slightly nerve-making things. I am so incredibly excited. The last time I went I was 18...now I'm 20. Will it be different for me? I expect not much, except that I will undoubtedly be in the older half of the people going.

Speaking of Cons...

I wish there was some kind of general SciFi convention in Northern California... I'm always going to regret that I was never able to go to one of those East Coast or Canadian conventions to meet all the lovely people on my friends list last year or the year before when we all watched Buffy and wrote B/S fic at the same time. Still, maybe some day. Are there any major conventions in Southern California? Maybe I could go to one of those next year, and meet all the SoCal Buffy fans.

And the fic writers. God, I wish I could meet more fic writers in person! Of Jossverse, anime, whatever.

I would love to talk face to face to someone whose fanfiction I have enjoyed, reviewed, praised or critized. That would be so wonderful. Just... meeting other fans is wonderful. Knowing that you can talk in a fast, excited voice about how much you loved it when one character said this and another did this, and whether this plot twist changes the characterization for the future, whether something is a symbol or foreshadowing or a parallel, and what does it mean, and oh to talk forever.

I love cons. I love meeting other fans.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/automatedalice_/]

so come to writercon. there are quite a few readers & pimps coming, so it won't be just writers. it's in vegas, so it's not that far from san jose. ;)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

judging by the recent entries... is that occurring in the next few weeks?

[http://users.livejournal.com/automatedalice_/]

it's july 28 - august 1 or something like that. just look at the LJ info for writercon & you can go by the website & doublecheck. i bought my tickets so bleeding long ago that i don't remember.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Hm. That sounds pretty impossible for me. Are you guys thinking about doing it next year? Because next year it would be probably easier for me since I'll be living away from my parents.

[spikewriter]

Are there any major conventions in Southern California?

Major conventions that aren't Creation Cons? Just two that have had any staying power -- Gallifrey One in February which is Dr. Who oriented (but has expanded to include other shows) and LosCon over Thanksgiving weekend. LosCon is officially a SF Lit con, though it has expanded to include more media as the old guard changes.

Both are fun in their own way and have a good gathering of fans -- and I have friends on staff/have worked both.

[spikewriter]

Duh. I should add that's for Los Angeles. There's the San Diego ComicCon in San Diego and some other events, I believe.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I've heard of ComicCon I think. And I do know that L.A. Has Anime Expo. But what's a "creation con" ?

[spikewriter]

I forgot about Anime Expo because, well, not into anime.

Creation Con is...it's basically McCon. They charge huge prices, run the guests in and out, charge for everything they possibly can (reserve seating, autographs, etc.) and really don't give a crap about the fans. The cons are huge -- four to five figures huge -- and it's very much a business. They sign licensing agreements with the studio so they can bill themselves as "official" conventions.

I could go on about the gouging ($349 for their "Gold" package for the upcoming SG1 event in Burbank), but the main reason I won't patronize them is that several years ago Creation actively started scheduling themselves opposite local fan-run cons in an effort to remove the competition. They waved huge bucks at the actors and even tried to get some actors to sign exclusive contracts saying they wouldn't appear at any other convention.

I'm firmly convinced these folks are repped by W&H.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

How dare someone commercial such a grassroots thing! We're nerd and geeks... we're supposed to be left alone to our own devices because we're not cool enough to be commercialized! Evil! Definitely W&H.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

In Northern California there's Baycon, which I know about because my girlfriend ran it once. And it appears to be next weekend, in San Jose.

Here's a list (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/7813/CONVENTN.html) you might find useful.

Mer

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

thanks for the link list. It's good... hey, Fanime con is on there. Cool.

Hm... looks like I'm not going to be living in Southern California in time for Anime Expo this year... But it looks like I could go to CONJECTURE III, Dragon Fest... a couple.

What is "Furry Fandom" ? That's one of those things I thought I knew but now I'm not sure it's not something else entirely.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

As best I understand it, people who like to dress up as anthropomorphic animals. (Catwomen and birdmen, sort of thing.) There's quite a bit of artwork in that genre, as well as costumes, and some fiction too. For some people it's a totem animal thing, for some it's erotic, for some not.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Okay, good thing I asked. I thought it was something else, even weirder. This is kind of relieving to be proven wrong. Thanks for the def.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

I would love to talk face to face to someone whose fanfiction I have enjoyed, reviewed, praised or critized. That would be so wonderful. Just... meeting other fans is wonderful. Knowing that you can talk in a fast, excited voice about how much you loved it when one character said this and another did this, and whether this plot twist changes the characterization for the future, whether something is a symbol or foreshadowing or a parallel, and what does it mean, and oh to talk forever.

That's my favorite aspect of cons. SO great. You SO need to be at the same con as me someday.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I will be! I know saying "let's be friends forever" sounds kinda cheesy and 3rd-grade-ish, but lets stay chatting pals for a good long time, yes? So we can meet in at least one con. :)

[jaina.livejournal.com]

LOL. I don't think that's silly! I think you're rox0r, too. I wish I could fly you out to Otakon this August because so many ficcers will be there but alas, I am po'. But definitely one of these cons, becausse ficcers? FUNNY in real life. And we make good drinks.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

drinks... heh.... next year I can drink officially!

...until then I'm taking every opportunity to experiment and find out what I like with my parent's alcohol collection since I don't ahve to pay for it.

what does "rox0r" mean anyway?

I am po'

Me too. But I'm going to be a lawyer some day, so give it time!

[jaina.livejournal.com]

...until then I'm taking every opportunity to experiment and find out what I like with my parent's alcohol collection since I don't ahve to pay for it.

I'm gonna pull a Jack Sparrow and say "rum!"

what does "rox0r" mean anyway?

Self-mocking l33tspeak. rox0r = rocks, or having the quality of rocking.

Me too. But I'm going to be a lawyer some day, so give it time!

And then you can pay for us all to go to the con, right?

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

But definitely one of these cons, becausse ficcers? FUNNY in real life.

Me, I'm just dying to use LJspeak with real people in real conversation. I want to be able to make obscure references to episodes and minor minor minor characters and have the person I'm talking to know what I'm talking about and not look at me funny. I want to be able to say "The president is an asshat" and not have to define asshat. Or to be able to ask, "Do you think American Idol fans write NC17 Real Person Slash fic for the judges?" or "MMMmm....curlyhairedSeason5!Spike. Yum." Or "You write Bangel fic? STILL??"

There's so much lingo that I never get to actually say out loud.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

Ahaha. I know exactly what you mean, and it sounds so wonderful. *wipes a tear away* I TOTALLY say "teh" and "liek" in rl all the time now. It's shameful.

[octopedingenue]

Come to Dragon Con! *wheedle wheedle* I go to school less than 2 hours by subway away, so I'll be there. (And Julie Benz will be there! Wheeee!)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

where is dragon Con? links to a website?

[octopedingenue]

Ta-da. It is in Atlanta, but hey, the Atlanta airport is practically the plane capital of the world--plenty of flights to California. :D

[deaver.livejournal.com]

Hope you have a great time!

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

thanks. It should be fun.