FA+
Shop
Day before Anthrocon
15 years ago
I very well should have posted this yesterday.. but.. I got distracted then ridiculously tired so ya get a morning post! \o/
Wow.. just.. wow.. but before I get into all that I'll start off the day of 6-23-10
I woke up on the couch at my brother's place after about three hours of sleep (just could NOT get to sleep.. day-before-christmas-syndrome, yanno?). Gary was there too and probably got the same if not less sleep. The night before was a stress-batch of trying to fit all of our luggage into one main check-in bag (which we were borrowing from my brother) and just carry on our backpacks. Little did I know that those small roller-luggages are considered carry-on. I'm kicking myself very hard on this one. Plus though? I can always buy one while I'm here which I will likely do to carry all the goodies.. anyways... back to the story...
We quickly got the rest of our things around (4am) and my brother was graciously awesome enough to drive us to the airport that morning. We arrived there at 5am, security went fine, then our flight left at 6am. I was extremely excited/nervous. My emotions didn't know which one to take so it sort of combined both with luckily the excited sort of fronting the whole thing. The ride was scary but it was pretty awesome. (First commercial flight y'alls!) The plane was tiny... I think a 30 or so passenger one. It had three rows of seats (one row on one side of the isle and two on the other). We were placed right behind the wing, so that was cool ^.^ and there wasn't really any turbulence going to Detroit.
There, we waited 3 hours for our next flight, during which time we had a small breakfast and walked around (Detroit Metro airport is awesome o.o). This plane was bigger, having five rows (two on one side of the isle and three on the other) Probably seated about 50-70 or so.. not sure. Well, this is where things changed.. I was excited at the speed of the take-off.. a LOT faster than our previous place. The power was great but then there was turbulence. It was kinda bad. Needless to say I screamed and got very VERY nervous. Pretty much almost-silently freaking out. Not to make this some pity-party but yes, I was so very close to crying. Luckily, each flight was only 30 minutes so my freak-out had no need to last very long. I'm hoping by Monday I can syke myself back up to fly. I just need to realize - no.. we did not die... turbulence is normal... and they do this thousands of times a day without a hitch so I just need to kick off my control issues and go with it and try to actually enjoy the blasted thing.
Better things!
Once off the plane we traveled to the baggage claim (by way of a lil airport tram), waited for our luggage, then once claimed we looked around as to where to go and BOOM there is Lysander! We flew the same airlines and even though he came from a different plane our luggage was in the same area! So... of course upon spotting the poor guy I immediately glomped him. I've seen pictures of him but none really prepared me for how tall he is O.O. It was very awesome to finally meet him in person! *squee* and he already obtained info about the bus to take us to downtown so after a small bit of confusion on where to go, asking a few people, and a small wait, we were on the bus to downtown! I was surprised at how far it was from the airport but then again Pittsburgh is a big town.
On the bus Lysander let me look through some of his art, and see the one for me ^.^ there was another con-goer there who was not a griffin and those two talked for a while. We got off the bus as he did and followed to the Westin to get directions to our hotel.
That's when the adventure begins...
I'm not sure if it was the slant-ways roads that through us off, or maybe my "hey, lets go this way" but we ended up walking all the way down 6th street to where it almost ended, got directions from some business-looking types to go the other way, then after asking a few more directions and turning around a few more times we made it to our hotel. I have to say the people in this town are VERY nice.. so very nice.. so even though I know they don't read this KUDOS TO YOU! ^.^
Sweaty, tired, achy, and somewhat irritable we walked into the cool embrace of the air conditioned lobby where Lysander checked us in and we each received a warm cookie! Oh, and a key card that says "Anthrocon 2010" on it! 8D ... that cookie was delicious. We made it to our room after getting a bit lost again XD (the rooms don't run one after the other.. odd numbers are down to one end of the hall and even numbers run to the other) We made ourselves at home, drinking water and each taking much-needed showers.
We were hungry.. and with there being a shuttle service they brought us to this natural foods store where we bought a varying assortment of items to eat. :3 Our shuttle guy was really awesome, too! Man, all the nice people! So, we ate, rested, and I was sort of waiting for my DnD game to start... well no one was around yet and Lysander was talking about swimming.. Gary didn't have swimming trunks with him so we went to Burlington Coat Factory and bought him a nice, somewhat cheap pair. ^.^ We went swimming, (learned a new game from Lysander! 8D), came back, and still there was no one around for the game so the DM called it off. They're having one Friday night without me, which... yeah I'm a bit irritated about it but he said it's going to be about another character so really my need to be there is very minimal. I have a problem with not talking much during games as well and I'm eager to improve it, but all in due time I guess.
So, after rinsing off and settling down a bit with some trail mix, Lysander and I get a bit antsy to go for a walk. Gary, meanwhile, had been having a hard time with his Con-badge... he colored it very awesomely and then his computer froze up.. he did not save it. o.o So he stayed to get it colored again.
We walked down to the convention center and found this really awesome walk-way between two water-fall things.. we took videos :3 it was VERY cool! Then, we went to the Westin to see if anything was happening there... since most everyone was going to be there which hopefully meant fursuiters. We were not disappointed! There was so much happening in the lobby, fursuiters and people taking pictures with them, talking, hugging, it was great! There was even a couple of furpiles ^.^ It was so very fun to even just watch but the hugging was fun too! o^.^o
After a while we decided to go check out the Omni to see if any groups were there. Again... we got a bit lost XD and while we were trying to find our way back to our hotel, BOOM there's the Omni! We walked in, took a look around and the high-class quietness, and walked back out the door. It was amazing to see the chandeliers and such... but nothing fun was going on XD and upon thinking about it now I think I remember talking to a friend saying they chose that hotel because it would be more quiet. oops.
Then, wondering a bit on how we were going to get back to our hotel, we went up a street and THERE IT WAS O.O. All this time it seems like we've been taking the looong way around to get to places... everything we need is just within a few blocks! The walking around was great but.. I think I pulled a muscle in my right leg (one where it helps join the leg to the hip o.o) so hopefully I won't be hobbling along too much XD.
Oh yeah, we got back and basically just went on our computers, then I know I fell asleep first - not sure when the guys did.. but I know Gary woke me up, angry that maybe the airport security took something from his luggage. I'll have to call home to see if it isn't just there but either way it isn't good :< I hope he'll be ok.
Despite a few things so far it's been a fantastic time.. and the con hasn't even started yet! 8D I'm very glad I purchased a new camera/cam-corder for this because wow.. I already have a lot of pictures and video XD our old one would not have been nearly has good. (Horray for HD!)
Wow.. just.. wow.. but before I get into all that I'll start off the day of 6-23-10
I woke up on the couch at my brother's place after about three hours of sleep (just could NOT get to sleep.. day-before-christmas-syndrome, yanno?). Gary was there too and probably got the same if not less sleep. The night before was a stress-batch of trying to fit all of our luggage into one main check-in bag (which we were borrowing from my brother) and just carry on our backpacks. Little did I know that those small roller-luggages are considered carry-on. I'm kicking myself very hard on this one. Plus though? I can always buy one while I'm here which I will likely do to carry all the goodies.. anyways... back to the story...
We quickly got the rest of our things around (4am) and my brother was graciously awesome enough to drive us to the airport that morning. We arrived there at 5am, security went fine, then our flight left at 6am. I was extremely excited/nervous. My emotions didn't know which one to take so it sort of combined both with luckily the excited sort of fronting the whole thing. The ride was scary but it was pretty awesome. (First commercial flight y'alls!) The plane was tiny... I think a 30 or so passenger one. It had three rows of seats (one row on one side of the isle and two on the other). We were placed right behind the wing, so that was cool ^.^ and there wasn't really any turbulence going to Detroit.
There, we waited 3 hours for our next flight, during which time we had a small breakfast and walked around (Detroit Metro airport is awesome o.o). This plane was bigger, having five rows (two on one side of the isle and three on the other) Probably seated about 50-70 or so.. not sure. Well, this is where things changed.. I was excited at the speed of the take-off.. a LOT faster than our previous place. The power was great but then there was turbulence. It was kinda bad. Needless to say I screamed and got very VERY nervous. Pretty much almost-silently freaking out. Not to make this some pity-party but yes, I was so very close to crying. Luckily, each flight was only 30 minutes so my freak-out had no need to last very long. I'm hoping by Monday I can syke myself back up to fly. I just need to realize - no.. we did not die... turbulence is normal... and they do this thousands of times a day without a hitch so I just need to kick off my control issues and go with it and try to actually enjoy the blasted thing.
Better things!
Once off the plane we traveled to the baggage claim (by way of a lil airport tram), waited for our luggage, then once claimed we looked around as to where to go and BOOM there is Lysander! We flew the same airlines and even though he came from a different plane our luggage was in the same area! So... of course upon spotting the poor guy I immediately glomped him. I've seen pictures of him but none really prepared me for how tall he is O.O. It was very awesome to finally meet him in person! *squee* and he already obtained info about the bus to take us to downtown so after a small bit of confusion on where to go, asking a few people, and a small wait, we were on the bus to downtown! I was surprised at how far it was from the airport but then again Pittsburgh is a big town.
On the bus Lysander let me look through some of his art, and see the one for me ^.^ there was another con-goer there who was not a griffin and those two talked for a while. We got off the bus as he did and followed to the Westin to get directions to our hotel.
That's when the adventure begins...
I'm not sure if it was the slant-ways roads that through us off, or maybe my "hey, lets go this way" but we ended up walking all the way down 6th street to where it almost ended, got directions from some business-looking types to go the other way, then after asking a few more directions and turning around a few more times we made it to our hotel. I have to say the people in this town are VERY nice.. so very nice.. so even though I know they don't read this KUDOS TO YOU! ^.^
Sweaty, tired, achy, and somewhat irritable we walked into the cool embrace of the air conditioned lobby where Lysander checked us in and we each received a warm cookie! Oh, and a key card that says "Anthrocon 2010" on it! 8D ... that cookie was delicious. We made it to our room after getting a bit lost again XD (the rooms don't run one after the other.. odd numbers are down to one end of the hall and even numbers run to the other) We made ourselves at home, drinking water and each taking much-needed showers.
We were hungry.. and with there being a shuttle service they brought us to this natural foods store where we bought a varying assortment of items to eat. :3 Our shuttle guy was really awesome, too! Man, all the nice people! So, we ate, rested, and I was sort of waiting for my DnD game to start... well no one was around yet and Lysander was talking about swimming.. Gary didn't have swimming trunks with him so we went to Burlington Coat Factory and bought him a nice, somewhat cheap pair. ^.^ We went swimming, (learned a new game from Lysander! 8D), came back, and still there was no one around for the game so the DM called it off. They're having one Friday night without me, which... yeah I'm a bit irritated about it but he said it's going to be about another character so really my need to be there is very minimal. I have a problem with not talking much during games as well and I'm eager to improve it, but all in due time I guess.
So, after rinsing off and settling down a bit with some trail mix, Lysander and I get a bit antsy to go for a walk. Gary, meanwhile, had been having a hard time with his Con-badge... he colored it very awesomely and then his computer froze up.. he did not save it. o.o So he stayed to get it colored again.
We walked down to the convention center and found this really awesome walk-way between two water-fall things.. we took videos :3 it was VERY cool! Then, we went to the Westin to see if anything was happening there... since most everyone was going to be there which hopefully meant fursuiters. We were not disappointed! There was so much happening in the lobby, fursuiters and people taking pictures with them, talking, hugging, it was great! There was even a couple of furpiles ^.^ It was so very fun to even just watch but the hugging was fun too! o^.^o
After a while we decided to go check out the Omni to see if any groups were there. Again... we got a bit lost XD and while we were trying to find our way back to our hotel, BOOM there's the Omni! We walked in, took a look around and the high-class quietness, and walked back out the door. It was amazing to see the chandeliers and such... but nothing fun was going on XD and upon thinking about it now I think I remember talking to a friend saying they chose that hotel because it would be more quiet. oops.
Then, wondering a bit on how we were going to get back to our hotel, we went up a street and THERE IT WAS O.O. All this time it seems like we've been taking the looong way around to get to places... everything we need is just within a few blocks! The walking around was great but.. I think I pulled a muscle in my right leg (one where it helps join the leg to the hip o.o) so hopefully I won't be hobbling along too much XD.
Oh yeah, we got back and basically just went on our computers, then I know I fell asleep first - not sure when the guys did.. but I know Gary woke me up, angry that maybe the airport security took something from his luggage. I'll have to call home to see if it isn't just there but either way it isn't good :< I hope he'll be ok.
Despite a few things so far it's been a fantastic time.. and the con hasn't even started yet! 8D I'm very glad I purchased a new camera/cam-corder for this because wow.. I already have a lot of pictures and video XD our old one would not have been nearly has good. (Horray for HD!)
