Katsucon 2012 is now over and I have mixed feelings about it. All the disappointing things are completely my fault and have very little to do with the convention. The problems range from the simply stupid mistakes I made to more serious things such as who I am and what I am doing.
Let me focus on the positive first. A great number of people came in costume from anime, video games, comic books and movies.As always, it was great to see so many costumes. The work people put into these outfits is simply amazing. People who cosplay were generous and allowed photos to be taken of them all weekend (photos will be posted soon).
An example of the cosplay spirit happened on an escalator Saturday. I was going down and there was a woman in a long white dress near the bottom. The dress got stuck and so the escalator stopped. She pulled it free (there was no apparent damage) and said "Sorry about that" to all of us who were stopped behind her. One person shouted back "Is the dress okay?". The cosplayers were more concerned about the dress than being stopped.
A good portion of my weekend was spent working at a booth in the merchant's room so I did not get to walk around and attend panels as much as I would have liked to but that was something I knew would happen going in. I did get to attend one panel moderated by Meagan Marie about how to get into the gaming industry and it was full of information. It probably should have been longer than 1 hour.
Here is one place where you can share interests with strangers face to face. I engaged in short talks with complete strangers about "Supernatural" and "Final Fantasy". Someone came dressed as Castiel and we discussed recent events on that show.
I saw Allen Ryde again this weekend. I was amazed he remembered me as we met briefly at Otakon last year. We chatted briefly and then parted ways to do things at the con. We will probably run in to each other again at Otakon (even though it is a much bigger con).At least I know one person recognized me (see more about this later in the blog)
One good thing for me was being able to escape without spending much money (this could also be in the negative column as I did not find anything I really wanted to buy). Maybe this is a sign that the economy is doing better but people were spending a lot of money at this show which was a good thing. Manga book sales did well.
I would probably attend this convention next year but I would want to change a few things about myself which I am going to cover in the next part of this blog.
The simple mistakes are easy to list.
I forgot my business cards and things like that. It makes it hard to give out cards when you didn't bring any with you. Plus, cosplayers are reluctant to give you their name so you can give them credit for the picture when they have no idea who you are. Without a card indicating I have a web page I am just some guy taking pictures and asking for names.
My photography leaves something to be desired. I am not a professional and have two digital cameras. The cameras are no excuse since there are those who can do more with less. I need to learn how to take better shots and (perhaps) get better equipment. Many photographers brought a lot of equipment with them and they knew what they were doing.
Both of these are superficial, simple fixes. Bring the business cards and learn how to take better shots. They are external and my intrinsic faults are more serious.
It has to do with who I am and what can be perceived as wrong with me. The blame for all of the following lies with me.
I started out for the convention with the idea of photographing several cosplayers but after agreeing to do shoots they did not communicate with me any further as to a time or location. I think I wanted it too much and while I do not think I went overboard it may be that I did. There was no response to my message telling them where I would be located part of the con and so I did not get to shoot with them.
This carries on to when I was shooting a famous cosplay model at the convention and she told me Friday night that I had enough photos. I ceased shooting and, as not to bother her, I did not try to see her or take any other photos of the differing costumes she wore during the weekend. At the end of the show, she returned to her booth across from the one I worked at and I thanked her for the photos she allowed me to take on Friday.
One person I met at two conventions had no idea who I am. It would not be surprising but for the fact that we have met, talked and she was interviewed on this very site. It makes me wonder about how memorable I am (even though I made an opposing comment earlier).
It makes me realize that people are uncomfortable around me. Other things that deepen this is that I was not invited to any of the late night events (which I heard people talking about but I was not directly invited so I did not go). I thought people I thought people who knew me from previous shows would invite me but that did not happen.
Once again I feel like I was bothering them and that is not something I want to do. Somehow I need to improve myself. I do not expect to be the life of the party but I would like to know it is not bothersome to deal with me. As I said, this is my behavior that is causing the problem and I do not want to be that guy. All of the above makes me feel that I should stop wanting or asking for things, that I should scale back and do less. Anyway, this convention has given me a lot to think about and to see where to go from here.
As always, comments always welcome.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Pre-Katsucon 2012
Okay, so I am about to go to my first con of the year. Katsucon starts next week and I am preparing to head to Maryland then. Am I excited? Yes! This will be the second time I have attended this con and the first time I spend the whole weekend there. Last year I was there briefly and I learned a valuable lesson.
Invest in a digital camera. I did not do that last year. I had a disposable camera which only took 27 photos and there is a lot more to photograph. Later conventions saw me carrying a digital camera which worked much better. There are a lot of anime related costumes and some superhero costumes. I am more familiar with superheroes but the anime costumes can be very intricate.
Last year I attended Katsucon briefly. I was there about two hours, just long enough for me to use up the camera I had. This year I plan to be there the whole weekend. That means I get to take in all the events and happenings. I will talk more about that when I get back.
Apparently I will have a tighter schedule than I originally planned but that is fine with me. Part of the con will see me helping run a booth. The rest of the time I will be doing photo shoots with various cosplayers. I am not going to say who yet as I want to get the photos first. Let me just say they will be some recognizable names among cosplayers.
That is one of the great things about cons. You get to meet a lot of interesting people. Of course, you also have to meet people like me and no one wants that!
Invest in a digital camera. I did not do that last year. I had a disposable camera which only took 27 photos and there is a lot more to photograph. Later conventions saw me carrying a digital camera which worked much better. There are a lot of anime related costumes and some superhero costumes. I am more familiar with superheroes but the anime costumes can be very intricate.
Last year I attended Katsucon briefly. I was there about two hours, just long enough for me to use up the camera I had. This year I plan to be there the whole weekend. That means I get to take in all the events and happenings. I will talk more about that when I get back.
Apparently I will have a tighter schedule than I originally planned but that is fine with me. Part of the con will see me helping run a booth. The rest of the time I will be doing photo shoots with various cosplayers. I am not going to say who yet as I want to get the photos first. Let me just say they will be some recognizable names among cosplayers.
That is one of the great things about cons. You get to meet a lot of interesting people. Of course, you also have to meet people like me and no one wants that!
Monday, January 16, 2012
A Boy Called Glue
I have been reminded of the song "A Boy Called Glue". I first heard it back in the 1980s and it brought back a lot of memories. I wish the radios stations would play it more. The song evoked a simpler time before thousands of channels were on television, before cell phones could fit in your pocket, and before video games exploded into the industry it is today.
Side note--Here is one thing that confuses me. We create thousands of TV channels so people will spend more time watching television. Then the same medium is used to air commercials to tell people to go outside and be active. Why not tell people at doughnut shops to go out and find a bagel shop?
It used to make me wonder why someone would call a boy Glue but then I learned that celebrities were naming their children things like Apple.I never knew names could be sources of amusement. Why not make names informative? Create names that actually describe a person and not sarcastically like shorty for someone over 6 foot tall.
Descriptive names could be the newest thing--Won a Pulitzer at 8 Years Old, Likes to Volunteer at Animal Shelters, or Been Divorced Three Times and Looking for Love Again.
Of course, Facebook will only let you use your real name which means people cannot use the above mentioned unless they can verify those are their real names. Speaking of FB is the next step going to be automatic updates. "John was looking at updates and walked into a lamppost." "Jane just saw a man walk into a lamppost and is LOLing." The updates should be automatic. No more having to type them it, just have them happen. Wouldn't that make life easier? No more having to spend time typing up everything you want to say. Automatic pictures updates would be a bonus as well. Take a picture and it automatically gets posted. No more privacy! Aren't we heading that way as it is?
Side note--Here is one thing that confuses me. We create thousands of TV channels so people will spend more time watching television. Then the same medium is used to air commercials to tell people to go outside and be active. Why not tell people at doughnut shops to go out and find a bagel shop?
It used to make me wonder why someone would call a boy Glue but then I learned that celebrities were naming their children things like Apple.I never knew names could be sources of amusement. Why not make names informative? Create names that actually describe a person and not sarcastically like shorty for someone over 6 foot tall.
Descriptive names could be the newest thing--Won a Pulitzer at 8 Years Old, Likes to Volunteer at Animal Shelters, or Been Divorced Three Times and Looking for Love Again.
Of course, Facebook will only let you use your real name which means people cannot use the above mentioned unless they can verify those are their real names. Speaking of FB is the next step going to be automatic updates. "John was looking at updates and walked into a lamppost." "Jane just saw a man walk into a lamppost and is LOLing." The updates should be automatic. No more having to type them it, just have them happen. Wouldn't that make life easier? No more having to spend time typing up everything you want to say. Automatic pictures updates would be a bonus as well. Take a picture and it automatically gets posted. No more privacy! Aren't we heading that way as it is?
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Final Fantasy XIII-2 time
The new Final Fantasy game XIII-2 is almost here and I am excited about getting a new FF game. These games are one of the longest running game series and always do a great job with the game.
http://na.square-enix.com/ffxiii-2/#/story is a link to get more information about the upcoming game if you have not read about it yet.
FF 13 is visually stunning and 13-2 appears to keep that look. But being pretty does not make it a good game. There is a developed plot (sometimes overdeveloped) that interrupts with cut scenes throughout the game. The characters are well established. The only thing I did not really like was the new combat system where you have to continually change jobs in the battle. It made things too complex and hard in the boss fights. The combat system in the earlier games was much better.
I have not always been a FF fan. I was a convert after I tried Sony Genesis and Dreamcast. Since that ended so well, I switched to the PlayStation. Someone told me to try FF 7 and I did. I have gone back and played it three times. It is addictive. Seriously, you sit down and start playing and then your roommate is shaking your shoulder telling you that you have been sitting there for three days.
The only FF I have not played since then is the online one. I have bought all the rest of the games and conquered them after days (non consecutive) of game play. Getting all the eidolons, summons, sidequests and boss fights can take a player over 80 hours.
I suppose there should be a 12 step program for these games. Weening people off the games may require more steps. I can say this since I don't have a problem. I can quit playing anytime I want. I just prefer to keep playing.
http://na.square-enix.com/ffxiii-2/#/story is a link to get more information about the upcoming game if you have not read about it yet.
FF 13 is visually stunning and 13-2 appears to keep that look. But being pretty does not make it a good game. There is a developed plot (sometimes overdeveloped) that interrupts with cut scenes throughout the game. The characters are well established. The only thing I did not really like was the new combat system where you have to continually change jobs in the battle. It made things too complex and hard in the boss fights. The combat system in the earlier games was much better.
I have not always been a FF fan. I was a convert after I tried Sony Genesis and Dreamcast. Since that ended so well, I switched to the PlayStation. Someone told me to try FF 7 and I did. I have gone back and played it three times. It is addictive. Seriously, you sit down and start playing and then your roommate is shaking your shoulder telling you that you have been sitting there for three days.
The only FF I have not played since then is the online one. I have bought all the rest of the games and conquered them after days (non consecutive) of game play. Getting all the eidolons, summons, sidequests and boss fights can take a player over 80 hours.
I suppose there should be a 12 step program for these games. Weening people off the games may require more steps. I can say this since I don't have a problem. I can quit playing anytime I want. I just prefer to keep playing.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New Years Resolution
Well, 2012 has started which is me stating the obvious. So far the new year looks a lot like the previous one. This is the time when people start making resolutions about how they are going to change their lives (Hopefully for the better). Why don't people make negative resolutions? Like I am going to only shower once every 4 days. Or I am going to become bitterly sarcastic.
I don't make resolutions since I am already perfect.
(Cough). Ahem.
Okay, here are some ways I am planning to improve myself:
First, I am going to spend less time of Facebook. I think this one of the biggest timewasters and I need to be more productive and somehow, I do not think people are really very productive on FB.
I still plan on not joining Twitter. That whole concept does not appeal to me.
Second, to be a different person around/to people. I have recently met a person at a convention who made people uncomfortable. I do not want to be that person and think I am to a degree. I think this is why my relationships with certain people have been going downhill. That means I need to check my behavior around people. So I am going to spend less time on FB (as I said earlier) so no more posting on walls or sending messages to people on that site.
Be more grateful for what people do for me. I think most people could benefit from this concept. If someone does something nice to/for you, say thank you. I think a lot of people expect people to be nice instead of just appreciating the small things people do when these things are not required.
Working more on writing.
I am starting a search for this elusive thing called "Common Sense". It would appear that most still have not found it. I think the world could use a good dose of this. Of course, the problem would be knowing it when I see it.
The saying does "No one ever wished they spent more time at the office". Well, I am going to challenge that statement this year. I want to spend more time at the office. That is how you make money! By working. Since I don't have a family this should be easy especially if I convince someone to let me work at their office. I really need to spend more time working and by that I mean I need to find a position where I can spend more time working.
I don't make resolutions since I am already perfect.
(Cough). Ahem.
Okay, here are some ways I am planning to improve myself:
First, I am going to spend less time of Facebook. I think this one of the biggest timewasters and I need to be more productive and somehow, I do not think people are really very productive on FB.
I still plan on not joining Twitter. That whole concept does not appeal to me.
Second, to be a different person around/to people. I have recently met a person at a convention who made people uncomfortable. I do not want to be that person and think I am to a degree. I think this is why my relationships with certain people have been going downhill. That means I need to check my behavior around people. So I am going to spend less time on FB (as I said earlier) so no more posting on walls or sending messages to people on that site.
Be more grateful for what people do for me. I think most people could benefit from this concept. If someone does something nice to/for you, say thank you. I think a lot of people expect people to be nice instead of just appreciating the small things people do when these things are not required.
Working more on writing.
I am starting a search for this elusive thing called "Common Sense". It would appear that most still have not found it. I think the world could use a good dose of this. Of course, the problem would be knowing it when I see it.
The saying does "No one ever wished they spent more time at the office". Well, I am going to challenge that statement this year. I want to spend more time at the office. That is how you make money! By working. Since I don't have a family this should be easy especially if I convince someone to let me work at their office. I really need to spend more time working and by that I mean I need to find a position where I can spend more time working.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
End of the year post
Okay, so I made it to the end of 2011 and tomorrow begins a whole new year with all kinds of adventures and wackiness. I do not know what to expect but I imagine some things will be new and some things will be the same.
Several new things happened during 2011:
I moved again. That makes about 5 moves in 10 years. No, I am not running from the law. Yes, I am aware that everyone who knows me is surprised that I am not.
I began attending conventions. The first I went to was Katsucon in Maryland. After that I went to Otakon, Baltimore Comic Con, New York Comic and ended with Virginia Comic Con.
I started this blog. The interesting thing was that my regular posts did not get much attention but when I started writing posts about conventions and interviewing people at conventions the number of views dramatically increased. Funny how that works.
Going to conventions introduced me to many interesting,, talented people. I have bought a great deal of art from some of these talented people.
Meeting people also introduced me to different types as well. VA Comic Con had a visitor who was not very happy and made several people uncomfortable with his presence. He talked about things that bothered people and kept complaining about how unfair he was treated at conventions. This sticks in my mind as I feel that may be me in a sense. I do not want to be that guy but I fear I am. It leads me to resolve not to bother people anymore. By this I mean I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to get in touch with some friends and now I think I will stop making the effort. I say that as I do not want to bother them.
I have several pieces of art that I need to get framed. That is going to be one of my goals for the new year. Frame the art and find fantastic new pieces to purchase.
It was an interesting year and I hope the new year is even more fascinating.
Several new things happened during 2011:
I moved again. That makes about 5 moves in 10 years. No, I am not running from the law. Yes, I am aware that everyone who knows me is surprised that I am not.
I began attending conventions. The first I went to was Katsucon in Maryland. After that I went to Otakon, Baltimore Comic Con, New York Comic and ended with Virginia Comic Con.
I started this blog. The interesting thing was that my regular posts did not get much attention but when I started writing posts about conventions and interviewing people at conventions the number of views dramatically increased. Funny how that works.
Going to conventions introduced me to many interesting,, talented people. I have bought a great deal of art from some of these talented people.
Meeting people also introduced me to different types as well. VA Comic Con had a visitor who was not very happy and made several people uncomfortable with his presence. He talked about things that bothered people and kept complaining about how unfair he was treated at conventions. This sticks in my mind as I feel that may be me in a sense. I do not want to be that guy but I fear I am. It leads me to resolve not to bother people anymore. By this I mean I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to get in touch with some friends and now I think I will stop making the effort. I say that as I do not want to bother them.
I have several pieces of art that I need to get framed. That is going to be one of my goals for the new year. Frame the art and find fantastic new pieces to purchase.
It was an interesting year and I hope the new year is even more fascinating.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thank goodness that is over!
Christmas is over and I am glad that is done. This year I was alone (I like to think that was my choice but the truth is...) and sat around watching movies that have been accumulating. So a giant bag of popcorn and several titles later I was finished. By several I mean six. The bad part was that none of them really moved me. The ones I watched were "Igor", "A Month by the Lake", "Men who Stare at Goats", "Role Models" and "Angel-A". While I enjoyed the day where I did absolutely nothing, I wish I enjoyed the movies as much. Maybe I was expecting too much but I did not find any of the movies to be great. I suppose it is my own fault. I want the movies I watch to be classics. Is that too much to ask? If I had to pick I would say that "Angel-A" was the best of the lot. It was made by the same man who made "The Professional" but "Angel-A" was not nearly as good.
So all this means is that I need to follow the one thing teachers are constantly telling elementary students nowadays--make better choices! Of course this statement applies to pretty much everything in my life.
The day was quiet otherwise. I think my cats enjoyed it since we were together all day and they slept next to me for most of it. Imagine-cats sleeping all day long. Who knew they did that?
I want to say I did more but I am not going to lie to you. I laid in bed all day. Okay, there is one other thing I did. I finished the book Game of Thrones. I have not seen the TV series but I completed the first book of the series and it ends on quite a dramatic note. I know the DVD of the series is coming out next year and I know it will sell very well. Lots of death and drama especially near the end of the book. Peter Dinklage was cast as probably the most interesting character in the series as Tyrion's loyalties are not clear. My personal feeling is that his loyalty is to himself. That and Sansa is not the good sister.
So that was the majority of my Christmas day. Man, I love popcorn. Overall it was a good day since I do enjoy the quiet.
So all this means is that I need to follow the one thing teachers are constantly telling elementary students nowadays--make better choices! Of course this statement applies to pretty much everything in my life.
The day was quiet otherwise. I think my cats enjoyed it since we were together all day and they slept next to me for most of it. Imagine-cats sleeping all day long. Who knew they did that?
I want to say I did more but I am not going to lie to you. I laid in bed all day. Okay, there is one other thing I did. I finished the book Game of Thrones. I have not seen the TV series but I completed the first book of the series and it ends on quite a dramatic note. I know the DVD of the series is coming out next year and I know it will sell very well. Lots of death and drama especially near the end of the book. Peter Dinklage was cast as probably the most interesting character in the series as Tyrion's loyalties are not clear. My personal feeling is that his loyalty is to himself. That and Sansa is not the good sister.
So that was the majority of my Christmas day. Man, I love popcorn. Overall it was a good day since I do enjoy the quiet.
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