Hey, Gang!
I have finally gotten over my post-convention depression and now have the ability to tell you all about the shenanigans that were c2e2 this year. Just a heads up that this post will be open, candid and absolutely chock full of pictures. Let's just dive right in, because this one is a doozy.
Even though I requested the time off in advance, I wasn't able to get it. This proved stressful, as I worked the morning of the day I was leaving for the convention. It also meant that I worked almost doubles all week, and that left no time for costuming OR packing. Even though, I knew the week was ending in something that I had waited almost half a year for, I was still very stressed out.
By the time that my costume was finished and I was packed, Alex and I left about 7 p.m. It's about a 4 1/2 hour drive to Chicago. Luckily, I had enough forethought to reserve a hotel room, super close to the convention center. However, I didn't have enough to think hey, there might not be parking. So, after arriving after midnight, and circling the surrounding blocks for 15 minutes, just to find a place to park the car and actually go get checked in, let alone to park it for the night, we decided that it might be time to find another hotel with parking attached, even if it was a little further from the convention center. Thank goodness for sites like Expedia and Travelocity.
It only took 5 minutes to find a proper hotel room, and it was only 20 minutes from the convention. It even came with a refrigerator and a microwave, which was glorious because we packed our own food, and saved money that way. One of the things that suck about Chicago, is that there are quite a few tolls. When we went to C2E2 the very first time 2015, we were hit with toll back to back to back. The 2nd year was bad but not as bad. This year, we didn't come across a toll until we were leaving to drive back to Ohio. One thing I will definitely do next year would be to find a toll-less set of directions.
I'm not sure what's been going on with me lately, but I have been absolutely craving Wendy's Spicy Fried Chicken sandwich. I was in Chicago for two days and I ate 6 that weekend. One thing I noticed was that Chicago's Filet was WAY spicier than the ones in Ohio. I'm not sure if it is just me, but I definitely noticed a higher kick. We only ate out once, at Giordano's because Alex is all about his deep dish pizza. However, our experience wasn't great. Although our server was very personable, she brought us the wrong pizza, forgot our appetizer, brought one refill for the 45 minutes to the hour that we were there. Of course, we were discounted accordingly, but as a fan of regular pizza, and LIGHT sauce, deep dish pizza just wasn't for me.
I still needed three things so we stopped at a Walmart to pick up what I needed. When I say that I didn't have time to pack I really didn't. I actually left my Captain America makeup bag at home, which proved a terrible idea, because I had to buy eyeshadow and a brush for my costume, which I'm 90% sure I already owned. The biggest thing that happened, was in the rush to get out of the hotel room and begin our journey to the convention center, I kind of just grabbed everything that I needed and gathered it up into my arms, instead of putting it in a bag, and between the hotel and the parking lot at Walmart, I lost my homemade ears. I'm not going to front, those ears and the tail were the most work, with all the stress of the week, I was still able to get those done and to lose basically the defining piece to the costume 20 minutes from the convention? I cried. I was really pissed off at myself for not being responsible, that plus the stress of the week caused me to have a little breakdown. Once I calmed down, I realized" DUH!" I'm in the parking lot of a Walmart, I'll just go get felt and make some more. Vulpix ears 2.0 looked a lot better anyway.
One thing that I regret about this trip is how big I made my tail, and how I attached it to my costume. My tail came up from my tailbone and curved up to my shoulders, it also came out in a curved triangle on each side. We attended Saturday and Sunday, and which Saturday being the busiest means that all Saturday I felt like a hockey puck/player being body checked left and right, or being caught on someone else's costume and being carried away like Princess Peach in a Mario game. Thankfully, Alex and I have a system of staying together in groups, I keep a finger hooked onto his t-shirt, as soon as it feels lighter he turns around to find me stopped at a table nearby or like Saturday, waving my hands wildly as I am being dragged by the person or the current. I hope you laughed as much as I did writing this because while it was occurring, I definitely cried.
I don't regret my purchases during C2E2 but I definitely spent outside of my general convention budget. I generally budget $300 to shop per convention, not counting the necessities. Ticket, Hotel, Food, Gas and not included in my $300. I probably spent about $500 this trip. I know, both I and my wallet are weeping. I have a full vlog about everything I bought so you can see just how much of a crazy person I became, but I have made a conscious effort, to stick to my budget for the rest of my life, as recompense.
I brought 5 Comics with me to be signed. Lil' Gotham by Dustin Nguyen, Faith by Jody Houser, Hellcat by Kate Leth, Batgirl and Birds of Prey by the Benson Sisters, and The Wicked and The Divine by Gillen and McKelvie. I got 4 our of 5 signed, the line for WicDiv was so long, that it wrapped around the sectioned off Artists Alley. I had too many things to accomplish to wait in line for that long.
Meeting the Benson sisters was the best. They are so cute, sweet and really interested in what people thought about their comic. They were definitely the highlight of my trip. They just reminded me of those friends, that are like moms on the go, the ones that make sure you are eating healthy and that your relationship with your boyfriend is going well. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. I hope I get to meet them again at some point.
Meeting Jen Bartel was a high point as well. She's so sweet and quiet. Her art was so beautiful, I bought all the things. I also stopped by the Tokyopop booth, even though I haven't read manga in a while, they actually had a mangaka there, Sophia Chan, and I couldn't resist getting her novel, getting it signed and got a picture with her. I knew there were a lot of content creators there, but I literally didn't come across ANYONE. I tried to take pictures with every Pokemon cosplayer I could find.
There was a group of Squirtle Squad but they were always surrounded so I didn't bother. Alex cosplayed as Ash and got accolades. I was happy for him, but I can't lie, I was pretty disappointed that literally no one asked me what I was, or complimented my costume. I don't even think the Pokemon cosplayers I took pictures knew what I was supposed to be. I've decided that I will only cosplay at small conventions, or on smaller days because Saturday was ridiculously stressful for me. I haven't been that stressed since I was a college student, it definitely wasn't a feeling I missed.
There was a booth selling movie posters and of course I couldn't resist. I spent most of my money there. I got a 66' Batman, Little Mermaid, Original Halloween, Original Friday The 13th, Original Fright Night, Original House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price, Scream, Aristocats, Alice in Wonderland and Kiki's Delivery Service completely in Japanese. I've already hung up all the posters, and it definitely makes the living room feel more lived in.
Have you been to any conventions this year? Lets Fangirl together on
Twitter about them!
Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy, ~Spokhette!~
