Post by DJ Toboe on Jun 6, 2005 9:58:54 GMT -5
Well A-Kon was a blast! Out of the 4 conventions I went to this year, easily the best one. I took Friday off from work and left Thursday afternoon. Fortunately, the trip there went well (no tickets!) and I got to the con around 8 and was able to get registered. I didn't pre-register, and I didn't feel so bad about that because the pre-reg line was at least 2 hours long and for the registration line, I just had to walk up and pay. I was surprised at how many people were there already. They also had the arcade area set up already with 4 versions of DDR, Para Para Paradise, Initial D, and several other arcade games. Unfortunately, they weren't free. I was able to stay in the apartment of one of my mom's friends for free, so I went there after I was all registered. The next day the place was packed! I did run into several other Wolf's Rain cosplayers! First I ran into Cheza:
And then some of the other characters! Surprisingly, no Kiba. He is so easy to cosplay as too, if you get the hair right ^_^
Then I met a wolf Toboe. I wish she tucked in her head collar for this pic though:
I met up with Keiichi Radio and we all went to the Spagetti Wherehouse together on a rail. It was funny! At the restaurant, I ordered a cherry Coke and they said they didn't have it, and I said they could put grenadine in
it and that would be fine and they said they could do that. Then 3 other people ordered the same thing! "Oh wow, that does sound good!" I was quite flattered ^_^ In good news, I got a slot on their radio if I send them a set and a possible gig at Anime Fest! This would be truly awesome! So, I go back and then realize something horrible! My satchel is missing. I thought back and realized I left it at the restaurant. I jumped in the car, and after 30 minutes of driving around aimlessly, I found the restaurant, and was able to get it back. YAY! Which was good since it had commissions I had bought, my car stereo faceplate, and my camera (along with doujinshi!) So I was lucky to get it back. I was running down the streets of West End Dallas in a panic to the restaurant, so imagine how upset I was when I got back to A-Kon and realized my badge had fallen off sometime during that. I walked to the security desk at A-Kon and they said that registration was closed and I would have to go tomorrow morning at 10 AM to get another one if I could show my receipt, which I fortunately had. But I was so upset still, I didn't have my badge and the concert was that night! I tucked the empty lanyard in my shirt and managed to get past security, lol. I was able to enjoy a GREAT concert by the J-Pop/eurobeat group Dream and also the great DJ set with DJ Boss from the club Velfarre in Japan. He played some great eurobeat!
The next day I went to registration and showed them my receipt, but they said I would have to come back on the hour because they said they'd have to humiliate me first in front of everyone... oh boy was I excited. I came back to find 4 other people who also lost their badges. We all had to line up in front of the long line to purchase badges and sing and do all the hand motions to "I'm a little tea cup." As if that wasn't enough, we then had to get on our knees to the registration person and beg for our badges. lol, fortunately, we all got them. Most of Saturday I spent going to panels on drawing and CGing. I got quite a few Toboe commissions as well. I'll have them on my website once it's up, but they're really good! Here is one of my favorites. Art belongs to Kit "Kitty" Ingram for No Style Studios.
Then came the art auction. This was a lot of fun, but during the Saturday dance, but fortunately, it ended in time for me to still go to plenty of the dance. One Toboe pic that I wanted went to the auction (the other one I got in the silent auction). Of course, it was one of the last ones up. Immediatly, someone bidded on it. It only had a high bid of $10 during the silent auction, but someone immediatly said $20. And then I said $30 and they came back with $40 so I bumped it up to $50, which was my max, and then they went up to $60! The guy next to me, we had been talking some. Anyways, he handed me $30 and told me to bid $75. I did and I won it for that! I can't believe he just gave me money. He told me he just wanted to see someone win something that he knew. I'm still in thanks for his kind gesture. Other pieces at this auction included a nice CG print of Inuyasha and Kagome and it went for $400! I couldn't believe it! The artist practically fainted when it went up that high. This Full Metal Alchemist of Roy and Ed playing guitar went for $250. Everyone wanted it, lol, except me, and the bidding got up to $80 quickly, and this lady behind me said "$250!" Man, that shot EVERYONE down. lol, yes she did win it.
The dance was fun! One of the DJs didn't play such great music, but this other DJ got on and played ALL Japanese music, including Ayumi, HAL, and some other great ones. I danced my butt off, it was great! Then the music got bad and I went outside and started talking to this guy who was quite an interesting character. He had the guts to wear a short in big words that said "YAOI" on it and he had a pink leash around his neck, lol. I found out he also lived in Austin. We said we would meet up and talk more the next day. Sunday, when I woke up, I panicked! It was past noon and I knew I had to pick up my art at 2 hours ago! I quickly got dressed and hauled ass to the convention. I got there panting just to see a line for the art show room. I asked the guy at the door and he told me that I could still get my art, they're just letting in 3 people at a time. I sighed in relief and waited the 30 minutes I had to in the line and got all my artwork =) I learned a lesson though... if you love the picture at the silent auction, PAY THE BUY IT NOW PRICE! If a picture gets one bid, you can't buy it, but have to bid. Once a piece gets more than 3 bids, it goes to live auction. Although, art doesn't always have a buy it now price. Because the Buy-it-Now price of the Toboe pic was something around $10 or $15. But hey, I probably made the artist really happy ^_^ After hanging around some more and going through the dealer's room one last time, I went back home. On the way there, I got a lust for a slushie and stopped at a Dairy Queen and got a lemon ice. On my way out, I saw a van pull in with lines like "Naruto Rocks!" and "We own Toboe!" and "A-Kon or bust!" So I looked at the people coming out, and I saw the yaoi guy and he screamed "TOBOE!" and ran towards me and gave me the biggest glomp I got all weekend (or in my life for that matter, lol). I almost fell over. My lemon ice flew 10 feet and hit the parking lot (but amazingly, stayed intact so I could eat it.) Me and them were having fun talking about Wolf's Rain, yaoi, showing each other pictures, etc. We all agreed to meet up some time. Here we are:
So yes, it was great fun =)
And then some of the other characters! Surprisingly, no Kiba. He is so easy to cosplay as too, if you get the hair right ^_^
Then I met a wolf Toboe. I wish she tucked in her head collar for this pic though:
I met up with Keiichi Radio and we all went to the Spagetti Wherehouse together on a rail. It was funny! At the restaurant, I ordered a cherry Coke and they said they didn't have it, and I said they could put grenadine in
it and that would be fine and they said they could do that. Then 3 other people ordered the same thing! "Oh wow, that does sound good!" I was quite flattered ^_^ In good news, I got a slot on their radio if I send them a set and a possible gig at Anime Fest! This would be truly awesome! So, I go back and then realize something horrible! My satchel is missing. I thought back and realized I left it at the restaurant. I jumped in the car, and after 30 minutes of driving around aimlessly, I found the restaurant, and was able to get it back. YAY! Which was good since it had commissions I had bought, my car stereo faceplate, and my camera (along with doujinshi!) So I was lucky to get it back. I was running down the streets of West End Dallas in a panic to the restaurant, so imagine how upset I was when I got back to A-Kon and realized my badge had fallen off sometime during that. I walked to the security desk at A-Kon and they said that registration was closed and I would have to go tomorrow morning at 10 AM to get another one if I could show my receipt, which I fortunately had. But I was so upset still, I didn't have my badge and the concert was that night! I tucked the empty lanyard in my shirt and managed to get past security, lol. I was able to enjoy a GREAT concert by the J-Pop/eurobeat group Dream and also the great DJ set with DJ Boss from the club Velfarre in Japan. He played some great eurobeat!
The next day I went to registration and showed them my receipt, but they said I would have to come back on the hour because they said they'd have to humiliate me first in front of everyone... oh boy was I excited. I came back to find 4 other people who also lost their badges. We all had to line up in front of the long line to purchase badges and sing and do all the hand motions to "I'm a little tea cup." As if that wasn't enough, we then had to get on our knees to the registration person and beg for our badges. lol, fortunately, we all got them. Most of Saturday I spent going to panels on drawing and CGing. I got quite a few Toboe commissions as well. I'll have them on my website once it's up, but they're really good! Here is one of my favorites. Art belongs to Kit "Kitty" Ingram for No Style Studios.
Then came the art auction. This was a lot of fun, but during the Saturday dance, but fortunately, it ended in time for me to still go to plenty of the dance. One Toboe pic that I wanted went to the auction (the other one I got in the silent auction). Of course, it was one of the last ones up. Immediatly, someone bidded on it. It only had a high bid of $10 during the silent auction, but someone immediatly said $20. And then I said $30 and they came back with $40 so I bumped it up to $50, which was my max, and then they went up to $60! The guy next to me, we had been talking some. Anyways, he handed me $30 and told me to bid $75. I did and I won it for that! I can't believe he just gave me money. He told me he just wanted to see someone win something that he knew. I'm still in thanks for his kind gesture. Other pieces at this auction included a nice CG print of Inuyasha and Kagome and it went for $400! I couldn't believe it! The artist practically fainted when it went up that high. This Full Metal Alchemist of Roy and Ed playing guitar went for $250. Everyone wanted it, lol, except me, and the bidding got up to $80 quickly, and this lady behind me said "$250!" Man, that shot EVERYONE down. lol, yes she did win it.
The dance was fun! One of the DJs didn't play such great music, but this other DJ got on and played ALL Japanese music, including Ayumi, HAL, and some other great ones. I danced my butt off, it was great! Then the music got bad and I went outside and started talking to this guy who was quite an interesting character. He had the guts to wear a short in big words that said "YAOI" on it and he had a pink leash around his neck, lol. I found out he also lived in Austin. We said we would meet up and talk more the next day. Sunday, when I woke up, I panicked! It was past noon and I knew I had to pick up my art at 2 hours ago! I quickly got dressed and hauled ass to the convention. I got there panting just to see a line for the art show room. I asked the guy at the door and he told me that I could still get my art, they're just letting in 3 people at a time. I sighed in relief and waited the 30 minutes I had to in the line and got all my artwork =) I learned a lesson though... if you love the picture at the silent auction, PAY THE BUY IT NOW PRICE! If a picture gets one bid, you can't buy it, but have to bid. Once a piece gets more than 3 bids, it goes to live auction. Although, art doesn't always have a buy it now price. Because the Buy-it-Now price of the Toboe pic was something around $10 or $15. But hey, I probably made the artist really happy ^_^ After hanging around some more and going through the dealer's room one last time, I went back home. On the way there, I got a lust for a slushie and stopped at a Dairy Queen and got a lemon ice. On my way out, I saw a van pull in with lines like "Naruto Rocks!" and "We own Toboe!" and "A-Kon or bust!" So I looked at the people coming out, and I saw the yaoi guy and he screamed "TOBOE!" and ran towards me and gave me the biggest glomp I got all weekend (or in my life for that matter, lol). I almost fell over. My lemon ice flew 10 feet and hit the parking lot (but amazingly, stayed intact so I could eat it.) Me and them were having fun talking about Wolf's Rain, yaoi, showing each other pictures, etc. We all agreed to meet up some time. Here we are:
So yes, it was great fun =)
