New beginnings...

Awww yeah, it's been a long time since I've written in this journal, much less actually written a report on what I did during Otakon. I decided to do a bare bones review just because.

It starts Wednesday, when Cheza missed her flight >_> When she arrived we went to Sakura's for delicious Ten Don and finally to Dave & Buster's, which is only my second time going. I had fun there in ATL when I was younger, but a stand alone store is better and bigger, if you ask me. I probably won't go back unless someone else wants to go.

Thursday, we all gather at my house aaand naturally, Kevin forgot something at his house and so they were late. I don't know how it happens every year, but Pan and Kevin have some kind of delay and we don't leave on time. So the three cars filled with the people we had left at 10:45 instead of 10:30. The drive up was amazingly pain free. We somehow managed to get there in 2.5 hours. No delays of traffic, no getting turned around, no missed turns, it was kind of amazing.

So we get there, I check in aaand lol the person gave us the wrong rooms. I went in and suitcases and such were already in there. I called down using the room phone and turns out it was already someone elses 8D; So I got the keys for the right room and went up two floors. And then the keycard for the OTHER room didn't work when they brought them to me, so I had to go down and get the keycards redone. 8|

BUT everyone arrived and we went to the smoothie place AND IT'S CLOSED. I can't believe it I was looking forward to it SO MUCH and we saw the guy and apparently he went out of business? I don't know, but he was shutting down and I was like NOOOoooooo.

Then, after walking all that way, we went to the Matsuri that was open free to the public and it was boring and nothing really went on. We walked right through and went to Cheesecake factory to eat, even though the wait was like, 40 minutes. *sobs* [17$] My cousin missed her bus because of the storm and so instead of picking her up at 10:30 It was 12:30 and I was so tired. Ugh, I wanted to go to sleep so bad but I couldn't. I didn't go to bed until 2am and then the TV was on because Imouto and her mom and brother can't sleep without the TV on. *cries into my hands*

Next morning, I got up partially because the TV woke me up and because it was morning. I showered and got a smoothie and veggie breakfast panini [8$] before getting into the line for the Dealer's room. Of course, I wandered from door to door trying to get to it and they always close doors off and you have to go the most round about longest way to get to the damn thing. When I finally get there, I sit down for about 2 hours and polish off Rapture by Kate Lauren. When I get in, I FINALLY get IWGP Vol 4 that I've been looking for for ages and could never find until now, all of a sudden. I got it for [8$] and saw at least 1 other copy when before I couldn't ever find it. Life be trollin'. Then I found the 5 dollar manga table and got TsubaChron 23-26 and Blade of the Immortal 22 for [20$]. Then the buy 3 get the 4th free table I got Karin 9, 10, and 13, Your & My Secret 7 [36$]. Apparently Karin has limited quantity so it was 14.99. 8| I probably should have seen if 14 was that price, too, but I didn't and when I went back the next day to check it was gone .__.

So I finished up in the Dealer's room and went to the Angel's in Anime Panel at 2:30. Lol more waiting in line before that, so I got more reading done in Catching Fire. The panel was fun |D Informative. Angel Sanctuary was hilariously poked at. All is good. I go back tot he hotel room to eat the left overs from the Cheesecake factory and then I go and get in line for the AMV contest. There were some good ones and as always, not so good. I'll have to go watch them later on youtube 8D; I went to the game room -I think- and then went back to the hotel room. I was supposed to go to Anime's Craziest deaths, but lol I just laid down and didn't go back out 8D I went to sleep instead |D

I went to the Artist Alley Friday to get the Teahouse Comic Special Edition for Ch 3 but they were out, so Saturday morning I got up and got in line and was in there at 10am to make sure I got a copy 8D. Lol [50$] later I was the owner of a delicious special edition. Of course, I went looking for bookmarks and only found one [3$] Friday. Come Saturday, suddenly there were bookmarks everywhere. B| Maybe because it was so early in the day there weren't people to obscure them? Either way, I got 3 bookmarks [9$] to go with the one from Friday and the 3 cards [10$] I got that were original art. VERY pretty. I left there and went into the Dealer's room again and got 2 shirts because I forced myself to finally buy shirts. They were 18 a peice, but when I bought two they were 32, so I had to get two. I was like Damn you Laddiiieee and she was like 'LOL BUY MORE 8D'. So I got an Aoi no Exorcist shirt and then a Doctor Who shirt with the hashmarks on it. There were Otakon hoodies and Imouto got in line and got one for me [42&] so now I don't need to buy another hoodie XD;

After that, I went to the Great Anime Openings. So many openings, so little time. Some were a blast from the past. I do not know why I still remember the 1st Card Captor Sakura opening from HOW long ago? Imouto joined me at the panel and then we went back to the hotel room and waited until the restuarant opened at 5 to eat. I got pizza and a slice of cheesecake [20$] and missed the panel I was thinking of seeing at 6 because I was too lazy to walk back >_>; But we all went to the 'Morality in Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica' panel. Cheza put on her headphones to avert all the spoilers for the series because she wanted to see it first. She's sitting next to me now watching it ahahah I wanted to go to the Avatar panel after that, but it was cancelled, damnit. So I wandered around for a bit and finally ended up in the Game room. Played some PIU and my legs hate me. Then sat and played Dead or Alive 5 WHICH IS SO PRETTY and it was a demo but so... ugh I want it, but I don't have a XBox 360 and I'm not buying one for just one game.

After that, I went up and was going to wait in the Lupin panel for my Josei/Shoujo panel that was after it since there was no room clear, but just... no, I didn't feel like it, so I went to the Intro to KPop panel which was fun. So many groups though, it was crazy. Wild cheering nearly made me deaf when they intro'd some groups. After that, I went to 'The Art of Fanservice' panel, which was hilarious when comparing fanservice for guys and fanservice for girls. It was fun and I nearly died. Then I switched panels and read for Catching Fire before the Josei/Shoujo panel started. I was *really* tempted to go to the Type Moon panel, but I didn't even try. It was going to be packed, I knew it.

After that I was tired as hell and dragged back to the hotel. I was supposed to pack and take my suitcase downstairs, but just crawled into bed instead around 3 after booting out Kevin, Pan, and Aaron since they were on my bed. B| Stupid TV was on, so I still woke up earlish, but I should have left and put my stuff in the car faster. I was packed and was waiting for the others, but the elevators took forever because they were always full. >8| Eventually we got the car packed and did one last tour of the dealer's room and artist alley. Then we left around 12:40.

BUT OMG TRAFFIC. FUCKING TRAFFIC. I didn't get to my uncle's house to drop off my cousin until 4:30. So ricockulous. I had to take route 1 for 10 miles to skip around traffic, it pissed me off so bad T^T But I got fish! Yaaaaaaay. After that we got home and Cheza started watching Madoka /trollface

There were also issue in Pan/Kevin/Lacie's room that make me facepalm. I wish people would *tell* me shit, but nooo. Not until it's too late and so Lacie and her friends left at 12 on Saturday. /)_= Then there was one less person in the room than I had though so I had to collect MORE money from them because I don't have the money to eat the 60 dollar cost difference. It was actually more than that, but I went over there before I'd figured it out properly and couldn't think so got less money than I needed. 8| But alas. Whatever. Next year, I think I'm going to do it a bit differently. Lacie might not even come back, and if she does then she won't be in the room with an and Kevin. It's going to make it more expensive for all of us. /sighs; I still need to talk to them about it, because i'm not having this shit next year. You don't invite people you only barely know to a con. Especially if you know their personality might be sketchy and not mesh well with everyone else. I wonder if I'm going to have to start vetting people or something. WHY CAN'T WE ALL BE ADULTS.

But otherwise, the con was fun. I think I want to go to a con in Ohio, but the cost... ugh the cost. The hotel and pass won't be bad, but *getting* there is the problem. I'll have to figure something out. /flops around wildly

But until then, lol, running away from DW to do other things. Like Heckle Cheza while she watches Madoka 8D

Long time no see personal LJ. I blame it solely on Plurk. There were a lot of things that I was supposed to continue ranting about, but my back hurts and I feel a little queasy.

I really need to get on the Otakon stuff, but I have no idea how many are coming. Really, I just want a firm number. Don't tell me who thinks they're going, or plan on going or aren't sure or whatever. I just want a nice solid number. e__e Creating the table isn't that hard, but I'm just... kinda over having to plan all this shit and dealing with the stress of some -what should be patented- stupid. If I didn't hate so passionately the idea of giving my money to someone else I'd let someone else do it. Last time I went to a con someone else planned the money out for I cringed because I felt like they were getting ripped off, and I didn't even PAY for a spot in the hotel room because I was broke and they needed my car to get there anyway. e__e

Otherwise, I should be going back to school for a few classes, but I need to get off my ass and register for classes and figure out what I'm going to take. It may be grant money [ie 'free'] but I don't want to waste it. I need to go by the school and pick up a catalog. I hate PDFs and I still like having a book in my hand that I can physically sit down with and flip through. Being on the computer is just a giant distraction to me. I want to take a sewing class and do patterns and... MAKE STUFF. I liked it when I took home ec in middle school, but my schedule in high school was just a clusterfuck of classes and I didn't/couldn't follow up on it.

That and I have an aversion to making things that just sit around the house and gather dust. It's another reason why I don't get canvas and do chalk pastels. I hate things lying around with nowhere to put them. Feels like a waste.

So yeah. And I applied for two USPS jobs. Both pay more than what I get now. I'm just... really hoping my not so great test score won't put me too low on the list to get hired. I have two bills that have only a year left before they're paid off, and if I get this job, I can pay them both off and just have a few less things to have to pay every damn month. Here's hoping. *crosses fingers*

-my liiiife.

I am long overdue for an 'Update of the Kage' post.

And really, it's not so much an update as a looong rant about the bullshittery that is work and my grandfather. Then an update on possibly going to school in the Fall. Maybe even teaching classes this winter, too. I have to get on the application and do it by the end of this month or I'll be teaching Spring classes >_> Assuming I pass inspection and teach at all. We'll see.

For now. TIRED AS HELL and appoint at NINE AM OHGODWRY.

*slides gently into bed*

I should use this journal more, but I am a very... focused person, and I don't think I could keep track of two journals that... have the same name, and basically the same people on it, only this one has less. I could always find an RP over here. One that accepts OCs and play Blaine over here XD Then, even though I'd have him in three places, I'd have totally new people over here... maybe? I think the crossover from LJ to dreamwidth is bigger than I think, especially after all that annoying downtime that just went down over in LJ. Speaking of which, I should think of backing up everything over there to here, just in case. I'm not one of those OMG I'M GOING TO CHANGE SITES RIGHT NOW people, but I'd hate to lose all of my posts. I'd like to keep the comments, but I'll have to read the FAQ to see if those get pulled over. If not, ahh well.

...and if I do start using this journal, I should definitely get more than this Mitani-kun icon. Maybe one of each character I've RPed? Or be totally unoriginal and just transfer over all of my amazing gif images I can no longer use in LJ for lack of a paid account...

Whenever my mother and grandmother CLEAN ALL THE THINGS, something that I had in a very obvious place because I needed it always gets misplaced.

In high school, it was a school book that ended up costing 12.50. Funny thing, 5 years later I still haven't seen that book.

Now, it's the printer cable I JUST got. I was running around Saturday doing errands. I swung by class in the morning for the book since I wasn't going to be there the 26th, and it turned out the teacher NEVER SHOWED. So I did an impromptu class for a hour until time was up. Then I went to my grandfather's, ate, went shopping for him. Swung by home to drop off food and looked at my printer -box was on the table- and vowed to put it away when I got back, but I had frozen stuff which shouldn't thaw so ducked out of the house. When I got back home after my final errand before having to go to work, instead of, you know, putting the printer back in the box with all its parts, she took the box upstairs, and left the printer downstairs. Minus the cord that was on the couch right beside it.

*siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* It's not in the box, nor the bag I put the printer in. Let's hope it didn't go wherever that school book went.

I know I live in chaos, but it's one of those 'organized' chaoses that I can find what I want because I leave things in the same spot that seems random to everyone else but totally makes sense to me. They put things in so many different places in random boxes all around the house. If I can't find that cord, my mother is buying me another one. B|

I should be going to my mother's house, but gaaaaaaaah I don't want to. I want to sit on my ass at home and tag all day. e__e

Borders Bookstore is closing near my house! That makes me sad. :[ I always preferred them over B&N and Books-A-Million. Walden's closed a couple years ago, so now we don't have any Borders or Walden's nearby. OTL Everything was 20-40% off though. Since I got my tax return back and I hadn't bought books for myself in a long time, I decided to splurge. I got Dogs 3 and 4, Ooku 4, the last two Allie Beckstrom novels, and Tim Butcher's Small Favors in hard back! Yes, it's like, number 8, but it was HARDBACK and only 7 dollars before the discount! I want all of them in hardback, so I couldn't pass that up, really! I've read them all, so the order doesn't matter too much.

I turned in my application for the CCC Trails program in California. I want to get away and just do stuff, but not sure if I really want to drop everything at home and go off XD I'm also not sure if I can do the physical portion. I definitely should have started working out before, but it was cold and I'm not shelling out for a gym membership. *sighs* Oh well.

The Orange push-up milkshake at 'Cook-Out' was... DELICIOUS. It was like a creamsicle, that you can suck through a straw. Oh god why so good... WHY.

Taxes are done.

Contemplating Captain John Hart.

Let's hope I get up in enough time to go for a walk. Fucking cold.

Reading the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.

Need to work on that job application... Where do they even sell Dickies Brand Long Sleeve Button-Up Work Shirts, Ben Davis Original Brand 50/50 Heavy Weight Twill Pants, and Vasque Summit Boots?

Time for google...

>B|

Since December 5th at 8:54pm, I have gotten SEVENTEEN [17] calls from this one number. I have no idea who it is, I answered it once and thought it might have been my sister going 'Hellooooooooo', though I had no idea what phone she had. They called back to back to back and I rejected it every time. No telemarketer calls you at 10pm, since I'm sure it's quite illegal. And then. THEN. Final straw.

They woke me up at 7am this morning.

Oh. HELL no. I answered it, no response. Blocked that number SO FAST. But my phone shows they called at 7:02, THRICE at 7:04, 7:05, TWICE at 7:06, 7:07, 7:08, 7:09, 7:27. Who the hell DOES that at seven o'clock in the morning? And I was so pissed I couldn't even go back to sleep for a few hours. I don't know if I can report this or not. If I can, I would, just to teach the little bastards on the other end a lesson. I just don't know how to go about it aside from popping up at the local police station [which I don't know where it is. State Police station is around the corner, but they don't handle those types of things, I don't think.]

Then add on that my Grandfather is a lying liar who lies and is trying to get attention by calling other people liars [I went out and treated my friends to the movies with your debit card? Oh. I wish. I WISH.] then the day was just fail. Confronted him with it today, and he was like, 'I didn't say that D8' and I'm like, 'What, so my mother lied?', 'Well, [insert Uncle's name here]' and I'm like, Oh bullshit. He hasn't even talked to my mother since then. Talk about a slap to the face.

Only good point. My boss changed the schedule, so instead of closing with her today, I don't have to see her AT ALL. That's the best present of all.

EDIT: They called AGAIN. At 5:45 and 5:46. Seriously. WTF.

Oh man, epic failure on productivity the past, eh, 3 days. I haven't written since... whenever the last time was. So I am, 3 days behind? It stems from my lack of desire to get on the computer. Happens once a week, just about. Ranges from a day to... uh, 3 days? A week? Dunno. Bad timing. BUT.


BUT.


Military channel and now the BBC ate my life up today. I am proud to have gotten [most of] the dishes done and gotten almost all my clothes washed. Then, the irony of there being a Doctor Who marathon of the 11th Doctor on and I GOT TRAPPED. AGAIN. My full day of writing vanished into the mist. The last eh, 3-4 episodes of the season of Doctor Who was worth it though. Yes. Yes, it was. I'm finding myself enjoying this Doctor as much as the last. Quirky. And dances like an epileptic at a Rave.

Protip: If you have something to do, don't turn on the TV. Just. Don't.

Good news? I at least have the headlines for the last part of my outline. Details are easy once I have the overarching direction done. More good news. I drew another picture. I suppose I'm averaging one decent one a week now. That's actually quite amazing to me. One day, when I can afford a scanner that doesn't suck, and/or go commandeer someone elses' for a hour or so, I'll scan them and pop them up on DA or LJ.

Bad news? I have a fucking headache. Time to pop an Excedrin and try to crank out some words before the whole weekend is a wash. More bad news? I am now mentally talking in a British accent. Just horrid.

EDIT: I still can't find that library book, and every time I think about it and how the Dresden book ended, I throw up my hands and scream. Literally.

GDI. I had a plan for this morning, and I actually got out of bed at 10:20.

I got sucked into the Military Channel. :[ I'm such a sucker for military tactics. Ended up on the couch from 11-2 watching the analysis of battles about Midway and Al-something in Egypt.

I at least got the dishes done, because they've been in the sink for two weeks >_> But I didn't get to clear off my bookshelves or do NaNo before work. Fail. OTL