Gonna Be at DragonCon again this year

[Despanan]

Reading my play, Afterall, which is now a Screenplay with the Cruxshadows. Any BOBs gonna be there?

[dexeron]

After last year's Megacon*, I think I'm pretty much done with cons forever. Paying to get into a place where I can walk around and shop**, or pay extra to meet people and maybe get an autograph, or pay even more extra (or wait in a godawful long line) to get into the actually interesting panels or events. I guess I've become jaded to the whole experience.

Also, no con has yet instituted the "if you smell like ass, we will kick you out until you learn what a shower is" rule. ;)

*It doesn't help that Megacon has kind of outgrown their space and have gotten really disorganized and terrible in terms of crowd control and people flow. Maybe Dragoncon is better with that.

**This is also what kind of killed Ren Faire's for me. I used to dress up, get the season pass, and go every weekend (down here, it lasts for over a month) but at some point you're just paying money to have the privilege to walk around and maybe buy things that you could get cheaper online. It's like if there were a cover charge to get into the mall. The only thing that makes me sometimes want to go back (only for a day, maybe) are the bands, because yeah, I'll support some of those dudes and maybe buy a CD or at least toss them a few bucks.

God, when the hell did I turn into a grumpy old man?

[Rip]

My wife is really into cosplay crafting/wearing, so we still con a lot. I'd say the big thing that separates them (and RenFaires which we also routinely still spend way too much goddamn money at) from being charged a cover price for the mall is that malls in 2015 suck copious amounts of donkey ass, with nothing that interests me, and they frown on you wandering around drunk in outlandish costume.

Really, at this point, life becomes a series of places you pay to drink at if you are done drinking at home for a while. Sure, you could just hang out at someone ELSE's house getting drunk for "free", but none of us are 25 anymore.

So the answer is that you turned into a grumpy old man long before anyone else did and you should feel bad forever because age is god's way of reminding you he doesn't care

[Zengus]

Today I woke up early feeling relatively well rested for the first time in a couple weeks, and thought enthusiastically about all the errands I was going to accomplish on this, my day off. Then I stretched (also enthusiastically) and something in my lower neck/shoulderblade area shifted out of place forcefully enough that I heard a crunch, and now I can only sorta turn my head to the right. I still had to do all the errands anyway.

I am too young to feel this old :(

[Zengus]

Also cartoons and music pretty much suck these days. I've been listening to the same Pink Floyd album (Dark Side of the Moon, aww yeah) in my car on repeat for the last month and am still enjoying it more than the radio.

[Despanan]

I don't understand some of the memes the kids are sharing these days.

[Despanan]

WHAT THE HELL IS SNAPCHAT? It frightens and confuses me.

[Despanan]

But seriously, Dragoncon kinda kicks ass. The costumes are amazing and the bands (Like CXS) and panels really up the fun factor.

NYCC is a giant pay to enter mall though, so I totally get what you're talking about.

[Rip]

I don't think you guys drink enough

[dexeron]

I drink rarely (maybe once a year) and have kind of stepped back even from that. I have zero tolerance, and pretty much go from sober to smashed way too quickly. I get literally stupid. My wife thinks it's hilarious, but I've decided I just don't like myself like that.

I'm obviously exaggerating about cons, because hyperbole is my anti-drug. Megacon last year really did kind of come across as a "what the hell as I wasting my money and time on this bullshit for?" moment, but if I had friends going, I could see going just for a chance to hang out. Same goes for the Ren Faire. If it's an excuse to hang out and be a dork with a bunch of cool people, sure, I'll pay good money for that. It's always nice to change pace from the usual hanging out playing guitars or gaming that we usually do. Most cons (and all Ren Faires) have good bands to listen to as well, so I can always justify the cost of getting in as paying for a concert ticket.

If I were involved in cosplay, or if I actually ever published something went to a con as a creator, that would also make a big difference. Being there for a reason other than shopping/looking I'm sure makes it a lot more worthwhile.

At some point I would like to go to one of the legendary cons, like Dragoncon or SDCC, just to say I've been.