Acen, expanded

Big News Time

So. Friday was supposed to be the Big Anime Convention Day, right? Well . . . key words: supposed to be. Sabi, Me-chan and I left straight from school, swung around each of our houses to pick up our stuff for cos-play and munchies and drop our school things. And Sabi, Me-chan and I stayed a bit as Sabi's house to get dressed and to pick up the more elaborate props, and of course to get our picture taken.

Anyway, we left Sabi's house around 4:00pm and headed out to Rosemont for the convention (Acen). Being a Friday afternoon and on a major Chicago-area highway for most of our journey, traffic was horrible and we arrived in Rosemont at around 5:00-5:30. The line stretched to the outside of the hotel, and due to some problems, it took about three hours to get to the front of the line. Now, at this time the dealer's rooms are closed and so we're already planning on going Saturday but getting pre-registered this time so we could see the beginning of the line a lot sooner. However, we found out at the beginning of the line that the person all those hours back who said that we could pre-register for the next day was wrong and we have to go through the same line in order to get our badges. None of us was very happy about it, and we went out for ice-cream just to make up for the upset. That and a trip to Borders cured the day pretty much for me.

But you know what, I don't really regret wasting all that time in line for a number of reasons. First, there's enough entertainment watching all the people parade by in their costumes, and you know, the costumes were better Friday, for some reason. Second, it was time away just to be with friends. And third, there were Goldfish and a lack of need to go to the bathroom, hence the experience itself didn't belong in the Inferno. Besides, 'twas a learning experience. Next year, we get pre-registered. Got that? Pre-registered.

Bright and early Saturday morning, we head out again to Acen, this time contending the early Saturday morning traffic, which is to say we got there a lot quicker than the last time. The line this time, just just barely outside the hotel and it only takes us about an hour to get through it. So we pick up our badges, and head on our way. First to the music video room, then to the dealer's room (can we say Rip offs?), then back to the music video room and a Mega Tokyo panel. Then back to the car for munchies and then to a fanfic panel (not nearly as interesting as the Mega Tokyo one). The we headed back out to our normal hunting grounds so that Sabi could go to her band concert and Me-chan could go to church.

More detailed report about the con later.

Over and out.