Saturday, January 26, 2008

More of them?

I finally found my pics at ConsPlayers, but, again, it's me with my badge on!

However, this is the best shot he got from me on Saturday:

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Reaction To My Skit

For some odd reason, I keep forgetting to post this...



I never had a recorded reaction to how everything went with the skit, so when I got up there I decided to set my camera down and let it roll from the time I'm up there to when I got back. In all, it was about 2 minutes from Point A to Point B.

The music you hear is from Call of Duty 4, an edited version of "Coup" - the first 24 seconds is cut and starts with the main part of the music (for the people who have played the game, it's right after Al-Fulani gets hit by a buttstock of a AK-47 and is driven away). I had them fade it at the max time for a walk-on, 30 seconds, so I had enough for about 3 poses.

I picked up on some people that said certain things, then I listened to when they say it. One person saids "Oh come on!" but I think that's when I started to walk off. But that's the reason why I got the vid, to key off people's reactions.

What's funny is that Bart, the photographer on the way right, notices that the camera is rolling and just stares at it before I pick it up and prepare to take pictures for #5 (the eventual "Best In Show").

(A funny fact - I sat between the Best In Show [#5] and Best Costume [#1, the Zelda]. It's kind of hard act to swallow, but hey at least I can say that I sat between two winners.)

I like what I got, and I hope do it again if I get back on stage.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Random fun with me Pt. 1

Gah, I got bored waiting in line at the FMA panel...




Now it's time for Story Story Die, Ouran Edition!

Pt. 1


Pt. 2


Pt. 3

Reservations

Maybe I jumped the gun on it, but on the shoutbox at the Sac-Anime Forums, someone said that the Hilton was sold out for Fanime. So I did the correct thing, and put down my reservations for the Marriot for Fanime. That way, I can get it out of the way and only worry about pre-registering, which I will immediately do after my tax refund gets back (which, I need to get started on, probably tomorrow).

I'm probably going to keep my two costumes for Fanime, my Ouran (which I'm going to fix for Fanime) and my FMA (which had a strong showing at Sac-Anime Winter 2008). There is currently no plans to cosplay a third costume, unless I get a very good idea.

It's only January, but Fanime plans are chugging along...

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Official Sac-Anime Winter 2008 Report

The clouds were still overhead when the con started on Friday, but that didn't damper our spirits. I got there about 8:45AM - way before anyone else showed up. So, I just stuck around, hung out with people that trickled in, and caught more sleep. Eventually things would kick up when the con opened at 3PM, and the people started to pour in wanting their weekend badges. I was ready at my station - peace bonding - and for most of the afternoon I worked and did some crowd control at the front of the con. We had 3 seperate aisles - one for people who were coming in and paying, an exit lane, and a re-entry lane, so we tried to funnel everyone down the right path so that bottlenecks don't occur. I had the chance to meet all four Guests of Honor - Vic, Travis, Laura, and Darrel. I saw Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham at her panel in which I got my Gunslinger Girl DVD signed, just one of the many pieces of merchandise/official material that I would get signed. The Opening Ceremonies were awesome; highlights include all four Guests of Honor battling it out with silly string, and the two dance performances. The Rave went on and was very good, although I thought it was better to crash early and prepare for tomorrow.

As expected, Saturday was a big day. Yeah, it was still cloudy, but that didn't stop more people from coming. Again, I got there around 8:45AM, and I had half my costume already on - I just had to put the coat entail, coat, and my weapons on. At least this time around, everyone showed up around this time since we opened at 10AM. As a peace bonder, you get to see some very nice cosplay costumes, and I was able to get a few snapshots with my camera that I had purchased for just this one purpose - to take better con pictures. Since I heard that the Guests of Honor would be doing additional autograph sessions since they all kick ass, I brought more material for them to sign. The highlight of Day 2 was the FMA Panel; my god, that has to be the best panel I've sat in probably my whole entire con life. However, the panel ran for over 3 hours, not counting the time it took it spent for Vic, Travis, and Laura to sign, especially with the "one item per attendee" rule scrapped out because they love us so much. The gathering did happen, pretty late though, but at least they also showed up for the picture. I found out later that a bunch of other events that I was unaware of happened, such as another FMA photoshoot that the photographer from Conpix.net got, a giant game of Duck Duck Goose, and a giant Conga line out front. The bands came later that night, and I was able to get autographs from The Slants, who were freakin' awesome despite some sound issues. Later in the night was also the very anticipated Rayman Carrot Juice contest - yes, that mini-game. I was very suprised that I put up 2'08", although I knew that a handful of people could beat that time. Still, I ended up in 3rd place, not too bad. Yaoi bingo also took place during that time, and well I didn't win anything. Time for me to go home and get ready for the last day.

Finally, at last - it's a nice, partly cloudy day for the last day of the con. We knew this would be hectic day of them all, with Vic and Travis both running their panels, plus the Masquerade, which I was in. More autograph sessions took place, and in the end everyone went home happy with either autographs. But like always, the Masquerade will take any day of a con, and it sure did that day. There were some good skits and walk-ons, and everyone who won deserved their award for their particular reason. The intermission bits were just as good as the Masquerade - Azn Inspiration performed again, a nice going away dance for us to remember on. But of course, I will never forget how much me and a Riza Hawkeye cosplayer dominated in Anime Jeopardy. It went well for a game that was made an hour ago before the Masquerade started. Yeah, some still think I gloat over it, but hey we all have our memories from a con, and this is mine. By 8:30PM, I was tired and I decided to head on home to rest.

Sure, it's a change of pace from what we experience back in the Red Lion Inn, but everyone put their hard work into putting this con on, and it KICKED ASS! Thanks to everyone who made this possible!

See you all in 9 months (that would be August)...

Getting Back Into Gear

Just as Sac-Anime passed this weekend, this week is passing too, and next week I go back to school. Today I went to City to pick up the rest of my books (I got two online), my UTP sticker, and went to see who was at the ASG office the week before school starts.

My full con report will be coming later in the evening, and the "Best Of" Photos will be up probably tomorrow if I don't do them tonight.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Interesting...

I just realized this...


Here's the question: do I either go to Sac-Con, or save up and go to the Cosplay Picnic instead? This will probably be itching me as we get closer...

Darkain

I hope that Darkain comes down to Fanime this year, I want him to do a photoshoot with the black FMA uniform and boonie hat that I brought out for Sac-Anime Winter 2008.

Meanwhile, I'm planning to set my reservations for my hotel within the month, and once my taxes come back I will probably be pre-registering then, before it goes up to $55 in April.

Realizing Things

I just found out that my staff badge was still on when I did my walk-on for the Masquerade...and seriously, I thought that it was off when I went up there. I would of liked to have it off, but it really doesn't matter.

I'm still waiting on photos from the FMA gathering, although I noticed that the Conpix.net photographer had done some other FMA group shots on the side, probably while everyone else was still inside getting autographs because I don't remember doing that shot, seeing a massive game of Duck Duck Goose, or probably one of the longest, organized Conga lines I've seen. And the thing is, he doesn't have any shots from the official FMA gathering that was in the courtyard. I was hoping to get some shots with him, but the only ones he got was during the Masquerade, both before and after.

I have tomorrow off, so I will be writing my full con report then.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Also, my program guide signed by all four Guests of Honor

(See pic at top of page)

Now onto Fanime...

Now that Sac-Anime Winter 2008 is over, now everyone, including me, can start focusing on FanimeCon. I hope this year that I can get my own room this time around, so I need to get that started.

129 days...

OVER 900 PHOTOS!!!

More than 900 photos from all 3 days, now uploaded on Photobucket

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Day Three & Sac-Anime are in the books!

Finally, after 3 long, fun, exciting, and tiring days at Sac-Anime, today was the final day. Everyone came in one last time to see our amazing guests of honor, and everyone got to see an awesome Masquerade.

I had a really good time, and, like always, I very much enjoyed it.

I'm uploading both Saturday and Sunday pictures to Photobucket. I have more than 900 photos, and all of them are excellent.

My full con report will be coming shortly, probably sometime before I head back to school. I'm tired, and I want to go to sleep now...

Well, I will either be seeing you at either Sac-Con in March, FanimeCon in May (check my FanimeCon blog as we get closer), or Sac-Anime in August. Damn, August? And it's only January...

I am out, and thanks for attending Sac-Anime Winter 2008!!! WOOT!!!

Day Two in the books!

Today was the big day that I brought out my cosplay to impress just about everyone, even if my costume was historically inaccurate. After all, a MP5 and a H&K USP weren't introduced until 80 years after FMA (then again, no one really cares).

I'm so tired right now, and I just have enough energy to blog this before I head off to sleep. Yeah, there's still a Sunday, especially with the Masquerade which I am in.

I got the majority of the merchandise that I have and a program signed by all the guests of honor, plus The Slants, a band that played on Saturday. I heard they rocked the house, and started a long night of concert party fun.

The pictures from Day 2 are uploaded to my comp, but won't be uploaded to Photobucket until after Sunday. That means I'll have double duty to upload the rest of the con pictures after Sunday. I have a lot of shots from the game room and the FMA panel. I hope that tomorrow my pictures will be from the Masquerade.

Well, I'm out. See you all in 8 hours...

Friday, January 11, 2008

Also, my badge signed by all four Guests of Honor


Day One in the books!

So ends Day One, the "crazy but quiet" day because majority of the con-goers are unavailable on Friday, but available on the weekend. Anyways, I got home a bit early because all that was left was the rave; like always, it was hot and sticky and after awhile I was able to go home.

I got more than 150 pictures on Day One, and all of those are going up to Photobucket.

I was able to meet and greet with all four voice actors, and I thank Laura Bailey for signing my badge and the first DVD for Gunslinger Girl.

Tomorow is the big day, as I break out the cosplay that everyone has been waiting on...

I'll see you all in 9 and a half hours.

Alright, let's do this!

Today's the big day! Today's the day we get started with Sac-Anime!

I should be leaving the house within half an hour to get to the Scottish Rite Center to help set up and whatnot...

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The night before...

...and apparently, I can't access the forums...

The suspense is killing me!

The good news is that my cosplay is sorted out, as I gave it a short test run in my house today.

The bad news is that I have to work tonight, and Sac-Anime is the only thing that'll be on my mind...

I should be there around 9AM, way before anything else opens so that I can help out in setting up.

We're almost there...and finally the counter is counting down in hours and minutes, not days...

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Riding the week out...

It's Wednesday, and I'm trying to ride the week out waiting for Sac-Anime to slap me over the head Thursday night (lol).

I have the majority of the itinerary laid down, and I know what to take with me to get autographed. I'm going to get the majority of my FMA DVDs (both boxsets and the movie) signed by all three of them, plus my badge by all guests!

I'm probably going to have my FMA cosplay on Saturday and Sunday, since Saturday is the main gathering and the Masquerade is on Sunday.

I think I'm ready...

Sunday, January 6, 2008