In my lifetime I have been to many conventions ranging from video games and comic books to horror movie and anime. However, this was my first time at a convention that held more than 5,000 people and it was called Otakon. There were 35,000 people here this year and I was psyched to go see what Otakon could give me that smaller conventions couldn't. This happened to be absolutely nothing. It was the lamest convention I've ever been to.
Gone were the rooms to play video games or watch anime/japanese movies, the vendors that sold wares you could get no where else or at a discounted price, and booths with artists/famous people that meant something to the genre. No, this was just a giant unorganized mess of cosplayers taking pictures of each other.
None of the staff knew what was going on. All panels or activities had to do with cosplaying or J-pop and people spent more time taking pictures of costumes and posing than doing anything interesting. It was absolutely lame and I'm completely baffled by the fact that people pay over $50 for this hodge podge of social interaction. I was thoroughly disgusted with the fact they had nothing to offer a casual anime fan such as myself which would have loved to meet artists and animators as well as sit in on theater style showings of beloved animes past and present. Nope, just panels on cosplay and guess what, more cosplay!
On top of all this everything was so separated and closed by 6pm. So you were stuck in the city of Baltimore, most likely dressed like a heavier, smellier version of a favorite anime character, and nothing to do. I keep having this vision of a mugging involving a guy with a giant foam sword crying on the ground as someone runs away with his fanny pack. Ahhhh, the things I do to amuse myself.
In any case, observing the frenzy of overpriced, riduculous wares and people sitting around doing NOTHING I have decided I will stick with my smaller conventions and in fact, think I will be staying away from anime/anime fans for a while. Their conventions have so far been the most boring (looking back at Setsucon and Katsucon I must admit this) and I feel the whole community has become a mass expression of what happens when people don't get made fun of for doing stupid things...good night and good luck american otakus...no, on second thought, get a life.
21 July, 2009
13 July, 2009
Raising baby
In the past two weeks we adopted an adorable little kitten of about 12 weeks old and since then, I haven't had a moments peace at home. I know kittens are no where near as much work as a baby, but all I can think about now that I find this so stressful is whether I will truly enjoy young children. I mean, they take up more time and attention and grow up much slower than your average kitten and I'm already having a hard time with this.
I think the part I've hated most is the cat-sitting I seem to spend most of my days doing. It's exhausting and I feel like I get nothing accomplished. Don't get me wrong, the kitten is a riot to watch, for about 5 minutes, then I'd like to do other stuff like make myself a sandwich, read, play video games, etc. However, this cannot be done since she gets into EVERYTHING. Closet door open? Hm, let me start chewing on this pointy metal hanger. Look, a drinking glass! Let me taste this beverage that is not good for me. Space beneath the couch that is dangerous? Let me hide under there.
She also has this problem with harassing my other older cat. This takes the most time because I have set aside a room for the older cat to go to get away from her. This is the only place the kitten isn't allowed to go and the only place she spends most of her day trying to get into! I can't tell you how much time I've spent sitting at that door trying to do some type of work and catching a kitten that keeps trying to jump by me at the same time! If this is anything like having children I'm totally not for it. No wonder most people I know (not all) that have kids already don't usually think about their decisions before they make them...this totally seems like a bad one.
On a lighter note, perhaps it won't seem so daunting when I'm older, but for now, I'm nowhere near ready to be a parent. This kitten has been a very enlightening experience...
I think the part I've hated most is the cat-sitting I seem to spend most of my days doing. It's exhausting and I feel like I get nothing accomplished. Don't get me wrong, the kitten is a riot to watch, for about 5 minutes, then I'd like to do other stuff like make myself a sandwich, read, play video games, etc. However, this cannot be done since she gets into EVERYTHING. Closet door open? Hm, let me start chewing on this pointy metal hanger. Look, a drinking glass! Let me taste this beverage that is not good for me. Space beneath the couch that is dangerous? Let me hide under there.
She also has this problem with harassing my other older cat. This takes the most time because I have set aside a room for the older cat to go to get away from her. This is the only place the kitten isn't allowed to go and the only place she spends most of her day trying to get into! I can't tell you how much time I've spent sitting at that door trying to do some type of work and catching a kitten that keeps trying to jump by me at the same time! If this is anything like having children I'm totally not for it. No wonder most people I know (not all) that have kids already don't usually think about their decisions before they make them...this totally seems like a bad one.
On a lighter note, perhaps it won't seem so daunting when I'm older, but for now, I'm nowhere near ready to be a parent. This kitten has been a very enlightening experience...
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