So, I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 this morning, but being that it was a special day, I was already kind of awake. I got into my cosplay, got the handwraps, the headphones, everything ready. We left at about 6:30-is and we got to the convention at 7:30-ish. After a second or two of looking at the crowd, we found the line to get our badges to let us in the convention. After waiting in line for 15 minutes, we got the Exhibition Hall E.
(note: I'm at one side while the end is halfay between ends. We were about at half of that line.)
We quickly noticed that the line lead to...
another line. So we waited. For 1 1/2 hours. Then it started to move. *glee* (We're going to get our badges, We're going to get our badges) So we got to the end of the line. We were directed by individuals to go up an excalator to the area where we would be issued the badges. So we went and found...
another line. gonk After waiting 1/2 hour waiting in line (again stressed ), we finally get our badges. But one thing: the printer printing out my badge broke. Ten minutes later I walked out the door with badge in hand.
We didn't know to do, so we figured,"Why not go to the Exhibition Hall where all the shopping is done?" So we headed there. But guess what?
It wasn't open!!! It wouldn't be open until the opening ceremonies were done. So you know what?
We got in another line!!!
So we waited about an hour. Then our line moved a bit. After relocating ourselves, I happened to notice a person wearing a Wingin' It Shirt from Gaia there. She also happened to be wearing Mini Angel Wings. (Huh, thought I, I wonder who she is.) Of course I wanted to know, but didn't want to disturb her. So I waited until she noticed me. Eventually she did, and I was invited to talk to her and her friends.
But this is where it starts to pick up.
I noticed the person next to me had a home-made Gaian Nametag. The name on it was...
Malee.
(Huh, a moderator, thought I.) I was intrigued, but then I noticed more of these nametags. So I said,"Lets see whose a moderator. *points* You, you..."
"We're all moderators," one said (the one I originally noticed.)
I was stunned. Really, I was. I was left breathless, I kid you not. Then I notice the other names.
Yuzi_K, moonblossom, Kokoryta, Twistex ( biggrin biggrin He's cool.), Malee, Dri...
(names in order from left to right: Malee, Kokoryta, moonblossom, Twistex, Sandokiri, Fuben, Dri, Yuzi_K, Aileen.)
After I noticed Dri, I quickly congradulated her on her promotion to admin. Then we all kinda talked for a bit. They recognized name. "A good thing I said." "Not necessarily." moonblossom replied. I made the ultimate joke about the moderators: sex appeal gets you the job. Twistex immediately started laughing and did some crazy things. Then the line started moving again. So we move, go up the escalator, follow the line, then get into the Exhibition Hall. It was beautiful. So much stuff. So little time.
I immediately started to look for the Gaia Online booth. I quickly found it. I got L0cke, Ling, VO, and Dri to sign a postcard. biggrin biggrin (Lanzer wasn't there due to his venture to find food). So I hung around a bit, bought a t-shirt, a poster, and asked a few questions while I had the time. Ling recoginized me, actually, from some comments I made in her journal. biggrin biggrin biggrin
My first question was: Did L0cke really light Lanzer's car on fire and how? He told me. It might not be word for word, but it's pretty close.
"We were on our way to the mall. There were six of us, and Lanzer's car could only hold five, so I volunteered to go in the trunk. Everytime he pushed the brake pedal, the inside of the trunk would light up. I noticed a box of matches, and started lighting them on fire. I called to the people in the car,"Hey, I'm lighting the car on fire." "No your not." "Stop lying." When there only a few matches left, I notice a paper target in the trunk, because Derek (Lanzer) like to shoot guns at a range. When we stopped, I planned to light the target on fire, then when the opened it, throw it at them. Imagine what that would be like, opening up your trunk and having a flaming target thrown at you? So when we stopped, I lit it on fire. But then they pulled something on me: they decided to supposidly walk away and forget about me. I didn't plan on this. My timing was way off. As a result, the flame started building up in the trunk. I called for them to help me. When they finally got there, I jumped out the trunk with it smoking. We noticed something behind us and turned around. We saw the mall security and walked quickly to the mall before he could say anything."
I laughed. Hard. It was funny. So then they had the wheel. I got to spin it. I won a pair of Eskimo Boots (somebody won an Demonic Pitchfork and someone else an OMG eek ). So I walked around after that and ended up at another booth, one that happened to be throwing t-shirts at people. After getting mine, I met up with my brother and got lunch.
After that, we split up again in the Exhibition hall. It was about 2:30 or so, I went back to the Gaia booth and found Lanzer. I got him to sign the postcard. whee I turned around and then saw Arwen.
I talked with her a bit. It was fun. I then saw yet another moderator, espy.ness.
Whoot!! Moderators are everywhere!!
So, eventually, I left, seeking out other things to do. I made my way to the IGPX live panel (for those that remember the mini-series, it came from that). Toonami and IG Productions are making a series that will be airing Nov. 7th, 10:00pm.
Immediately following that was the scavenger hunt. We talked to a guy who was in it last year. He said random things were involved (a person cosplaying as so and so, anything Gaia, etc.). He said the hardest thing was a Pepsi Twist can. Who would have a Pepsi Twist can?!?!?! We got into our party of ten then recieved out list:
1: someone with braces
2: Anything Gantz
3: Harry Potter Cosplayer
4: A bag of doritos
5: A necklace
6: A Gashapon
7: A J-Rock CD
8: A AX2005 shirt
9: A ADV flyer
10: A pass from another convention
11: A Batman item
12: A PSP
13: Roll of Toilet paper
14: A spoon
15: Someone who can name 4 nations in FFXI
We immediately got half or so of those done. Some took us a while though (guess which?) I found out what a Gashapon was from Ling. She's on my list of special people with two stars next to her name now. biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin We got first. I got an Animatrix shirt. Woo!
more on this tomorrow, due to it being late, me getting into bed. Hopefully I'll have the pictures tomorrow, too.
**********************
Ok, I'm finally getting to thins. sweatdrop (added 7/4/05)
So, we were a bit tired out from searching and running, so my brother wanted to go to the gaming area. I didn't feel like complaining, so I just agreed. We got there, and it was like running into an arcade with 50% less space.
(Note: The blurred number reads 387.)
So yeah, he went to play games. I was mentally (and physically) tired, so I didn't want to think much. Instead, I watched him race, and I watched some other people play DDR. There were good dancers there.
After that, we head to Anime Singled Out.
It was funny. Basically, there's a person (the contestant) and the participants (anyone from the audience who went up). Basically, the contestant asked questions and based on our choices, would move to a designated area upon choice. When she announced her answer, the incorrect people would sit down. (Example: The first question was something like,"You're feeling romantic and want to give me chocolates, what kind of filling would be in them, caramel or cherries? Everyone who chose caramel, the correct answer, would stay and be asked another question, while the losers would sit back down.)
When it got down to the final four or five, she would ask a question, give two choices, then ask for a reason. Those had the funniest answers. I was laughing so hard....well, I just was. It was funny. Eventually, this one contestant was up, and did something different. He didn't asked any questions. Instead, he called his girlfriend up and proposed to her. eek
And that was the end of the first day. A very nice day, too. 3nodding
Note: Random pictures up ahead.
Community Member