This didn't feel like an A-kon right from the get go.  It could have been the fact that I flew to the convention instead of drove, or perhaps because the glorious con of "A" wasn't at a Harvey hotel this year.  The differences baffled me enough into feeling it wasn't an Akon.  But anywhos... I arrive at 6 friggen am in the morning on thursday.  Trusty Lucinda was there to pick me up.  We ate brekafast @Dennys and finished working on costumes + showering and such.  Her Dilandeu costume was looking prett darn slick.  This day was filled with last minute errands and random mall runs.  The coolest thing was a store called Gadzooks (we don't have them back west ) was having a 50-60% off sale.  I got a shirt, pants, and airwalk sneakers for under 15 bucks.  I was almost afraid of running out of money before the con started, however, I digress.  We picked up Hotohori and Miaka at the airport around noonish, and then stuck around to get Jen as well.    I'm not going to chronocolize every single detail really, this is ONLY thursday.

 
 The hotel was already bustling with activity. The reg line was already filled with pre-reggs and at the door regs.  Doing the 'at the door' reg, my badge was written.  Poor Jen preregged and was cursed with the incorrectly typed name of "Tanjou Utura" as apposed to Tenjou Utena.  I eventually hooked up with Geoff (suitemate and Kaji) and moved my stuff into the room.  I found tim an then moved HIS stuff to the room, that's when Dinner plans because to become solid.  Our choice of establisment?  Something with food!  We hit Chuck E Cheese!  Afterwares we migrated to the bowling alley to finish off our night.   A perfect first day.

Project A-kon 10 - Day 1 - Friday

     Waking rather early to put my stuff in the art show, I showered up and bolted downstairs to that area.  The dealer room wouldn't be open till nearly 11 or so, but we got a sneak preview for nearly an hour before it opened.  Here's a conversation Tim had:

Tim: "How much is that?"
Dealer: "$100.  Which dealer are you with?"
Tim: "Well... I'm not really supposed to be here.  I sort of snuck in.  I'm not with a dealer."
Dealer: "Really?  Then it's $95."
Hehehe.  I'll note I spent WAY too much this con on evangelion stuff.  3 Shirts, A Pen^2, The coveted EVA BadgeLuggage tag, an Eva Model, Eva Hat, and other miscellaneous items.  I can't remember.  I heard there was a Gendou, Kaji, and Fuyuutsuki wandering about.  But ALAS!  We had to go to the mall to buy a Pokemon Trainer hat!   For some reason, the dealers room had all the commercial pokemon items except this ONE thing.  I stopped some poor guy in the dealers room who had it on and interrogated him.  I was able to derive from his lack of information that he bought it at the Grapevine Mills Mall:

Guy: "Uh... I don't live around here... it was just some mall near here."
Me: "Would it be the galleria?"
Guy: "... no... no... not galleria.  I don't know...?"
Me: "I'll figure it out.  Thanks."

At the mall, I was successful!  Hahaha.  We searched for a place to cash Ruby's check, but we ended up having to travel back to the hotel (Ruby had to get back to help Gregg with the match game).  Tim & I went to lunch.  This was the first of many trips that we had at that 24 hour cafe place in the west wing.

         I'd like to think I go to conventions to meet people.  I've never been big on doing the cosplay competing and such.  I love to just hang out - that's the point of it all for me, not to watch anime.  Tim was one of those people I wanted to get to know better.  He came to this convention to do 2 things - have a vacation from Memphis, and to hang out with me & Ruby.  I've known him for about 2 years, but only had gotten to really know/ him in the last year.  I'm very glad he made it to the convention.  A great deal of my pleasant memories come from just being close to him; getting to really know him.  A lot of people made this con great, but he, by far, was one of the top ones.

         Eventually though, on the first day, I met my Gendou Ikari.  His name is Adam Taylor (I thought that was funny..)  By passing him originally in the opening ceremonies line, giving him a salute and stating "Commander".  A very hyper and un-Gendoulike individual, but we befriended each other this day.  I also convinced him into joining our skit for the cosplay.  Neither Geoff, nor me had learned to do the Ally McBeal Barry White dance as of yet, but he was determined to use that song for the skit.  (I even went out and purchased Barry White's Greatest Hits for this).  It would be more Saturday that our plan would come into action.

        Friday night was hoppin.  The introduction to "Da Bar" was an order.  I migrated my way over there, bumping into Brad Demoss (music video guy and Ex RHPS nuart cast member.), striking up idle chatter.  Now I had my first drink, after only turning 21 a little under a month ago.  It was green and not very good - but it was free so I really couldn't complain.  As Toshi Yoshida said "I'd buy you one if they weren't already free."  Tim and I talked on the balcony while Ruby and Lee wandered off to exchange clothes or something o.O  It was a weird night.  We wandered off for a late night breakfast with Gregg and Marla at some point.  This meal became free because the waitress did not want to deal with a credit card order.  Day 1 had come to an end.  I promptly passed out.

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