I was just thinking how different the convention and cosplay scene is now as compared to 10 years ago.  Wah, I'm getting old. XD

The first couple AX's I attended, there were much fewer cosplayers, and even fewer good ones.  Girls like my twin and myself could get attention in any costume, from guys and girls alike.  People took pictures of anything cool.  I as well.  I had my camera, and I took pictures of just about every cosplayer I saw, good and bad not so good.  Didn't matter that I didn't know what it was.  It was cool that people tried.

Now, there are SO many cosplayers, and so many good ones, it's overwhelming.  I'd be taking pictures all day, and friends like Al already do that.  The past couple cons I haven't taken a single photo.  After all, I can always mosey on over to Al's or Lionel's or Wayne's or heck, ACP's... there's a lot.  Like me, it seems people are more inclined to look and say, oh that's neat, and then move on.  No need to take a photo unless you're a huge fan. 

But then there are the "photographers."  Guys lugging cameras.  When I was in Arc, I had one girl stop me besides the friends who always get my picture.  Fair enough.  People hardly know who he is.  But wow the number of photos we got in Osaka Koi no Uta, and nobody knows what those simple white dresses are from!  And then again, in my Alchemist, when I didn't think anyone would care any more, and I was hounded for pictures as soon as I walked in the door.  Katie and Mer, too, in what they thought were uninteresting outfits.  Friggen skirt chasers!!  X3 

That's how you know it's gone mainstream. XD  (Nerd and skirt chaser in the same sentence??)

But I must admit, it was rather entertaining to watch guys RUN ACROSS THE CONVENTION CENTER to get Samichi's picture in High Priest.  Maybe next time I'll keep count of the number of guys falling over themselves.


Time to stuff Kie in a skimpy costume to give incentive to get in shape! >:]  Muah ha ha~  DOAX at the Marriott again anyone?  Wait, let's not advertise that.

Mommie had a run-in with Yune a little orange bird while we were at AX.  It got all tangled up in the net we put around our apricot tree (I guess the net served its purpose! >XD).  So she cut the little bird out and held it and pet it and then let it go. D: !!!!!  I WANNA PET A LITTLE ORANGE BIRD!!  Gah, cute!  X3

I'm glad to be home and resting after AX.  I had a good time, even though it was hectic, stressful, and things didn't go as well as I would have liked.  I wanted to chat with more people I saw there, but I was exhausted.  I'm really glad we stayed the day after.  It really let me wind down and enjoy the last day.  And although the Holiday Inn was inn quality and not hotel quality, I still enjoyed it.  The walk was not bad at all.  It was inconvenient to be in a different hotel from friends, though, since the convention was a bit far and closed too early to provide a good meeting spot.  I felt like I missed a ton of the con, but I still got to enjoy it.  I'll definitely go next year.

Kie and I left for the con late Wednesday.  We're always late, but this time, I planned to be late.  It was so bloody hot, I didn't want to drive down in the heat.  And it's a good thing we didn't, because we drove back up in the middle of the day (noon to 7pm) and when I pulled my Janaff wings out of the car, Kie went D: !!!!!!  There's a huge patch of feathers missing!!  And yeah.  Apparently, the heat in the car melted the feathers off.  Really cleanly, too (yay)!  SO.  Now I don't have to whine about how I wish I could remake them.  Because I CAN remake them!  Plucking the feathers off cleanly was something I was dreading trying to do.

Getting my badge was amazingly painless (and retrieving my badge after I lost it was even more amazingly painless).  I saw Momusu from way too far away at the panel (took a good 20 min to realize that ugly mop was Ai's.  WTF, her hair is usually the best thing about her.  By far), but at least I saw them.  They're so cute and well-groomed. XD  Then I cam-whored like crazy in Janaff.  I actually made it to the Fire Emblem gathering on time.  Early in fact.  AND GUYS, YOU'RE RIGHT!  The sandals don't hurt any more!  I love Nicole's new wings, and this time, she smelled like roses. ;D  Boo for Mike forgetting his skirt, but at least I got to see the gloriousness of Rafiel on Saturday! X3

Friday was hectic, but I'm glad I got a short photoshoot in with Tina!  Welcome to cosplay, Tina!  Don't get too addicted! XD  Or is it too late?  Also, I had dinner with part of the crew at Morton's.  OMG.  RED MEAT.  And giant potato skin.  With a huge pile of bacon.  :9

Masquerade times was exhausing.  Masquerade backstage was spiff.  We had SO much space back there.  Even more space than last year for running and snickling and whatnot.  I do like the Nokia theater better, though.  This stage had too much stuff on it (lights and speakers) which made it look a bit cluttered.  It distracted from the acts (which honestly, I didn't watch too many because I was tired, but I did see Lyn, Lisa, Ash, Bri, Wendy, and OMG YAS).  The masq crew and judges were really sweet and a pleasure to work with.  I am so flattered we got a trophy.  I wasn't even expecting a certificate.  I just wanted to get it over with so I wouldn't have to haul that much crap to a con again.  Thank you Lionel for transporting so much of our stuff, and for letting us borrow your RC truck (and steal your oversized foamcore XD).  THANK YOU Kiyoshi for all your hard work, especially on the Damned Pixel Horse.  You really helped us make it happen.  Thank you Nicole and Cindy for being awesome stage ninjas!  Big hearts to the rest of the crew for obvious reasons.  And thank you Hai for taking my Vanilmirth.  I'm glad the crew still has it, but I didn't want to keep it myself.  Now YOU get to deal with the nesting spiders.



Enough for now. XD

I got my Rebel Cheerleader uniform in the mail today~ <3  It all fits perfectly EXCEPT the shell top... which is the outer layer and is too big.  Why did I get a size 36?? I can't remember.  XD  It should have been a 34 at most.  LOL  Oh well, I guess I could try to take it in.  And uh... pluck off that varsity tag because it's so obvious...  XD  Bah, I'll worry about that after AX.

And also to worry about after AX (oh, the distractions!):


Tiger Lily!  Should I do it?? Yea? Nay?  It's so very tempting.  I don't think I've done a Lily yet!

As if it weren't disgusting enough already!  Luckily it's already disgusting, so I don't mind.

But why is there a spider nesting in my Vanilmirth?!  YUUUUUCK!  And now it's dead, so I can't even chase it away, I actually have to scrape it off! D:
How do spiders always get into my cosplay projects??  I HATE SPIDERS! D:

Bobby took some great shots.  Thanks Bobby!  There are more up at http://www.cosplay.com/gallery/152355/.  I'm particularly fond of http://www.cosplay.com/photo/2082013/ -- which, by the way, I already fixed up the wig (it was coming out due to transport) and finally added that bun cover I was supposed to have. XD  Whee~ I rather like those ears.  I think those are the woochie large space ears...?  Totally threw away the packaging years ago.

I also really love
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13279830@N08/3584114131/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13279830@N08/3584921660/
from chibimofo ~ Thank you for those!

And how could I forget the awesome photoshoot by lionboogy  AFTER my wing broke.  Thanks for making that one work, man!

Apparently Janaff goes to Heaven when he dies. ;P
More up at ACP: http://www.acparadise.com/acs/display.php?c=1130

I started fixing up my wings, but I still need to re-inforce it.  I'm just sad my wings will never look again as pristine as they do in Al's masquerade shot.
http://www.cosplay.com/photo/2068971/

Oh well, he's a hawk, right? :]

Thank you, agentsakur9 , that was a most amusing capture!  I didn't think Leanne would be interested. ;D
Now if only I didn't look so stocky in that outfit...

Seriously guys, how are thong sandals comfortable?  Flat ones, too!  They have no support and they dig at your wittle toes!  My feet hurt so much now. XD  And my big toe on my left foot has a tender spot and keeps going numb.

Fanime was still fun, despite nothing seeming to work out like it should.  I completely missed Thursday night and all of Friday, and the Swap Meet (T_T!!) finishing up my Fire Emblem costume.  I learned so much from these Fire Emblem costumes, though, I'm totally excited about working on costumes now.  I really love being able to work with a variety of people and picking up different tricks and techniques.  It really satisfies my artist side.  I worked with make-up latex for the first time, and I didn't even have to use it on myself! :D  Huy is always a good victim.  I like how his scar turned out after Kie put the makeup on it.  As for me, I'll just scratch my own scars on my face... >.>

My wings for Janaff were weak, but I knew that coming in.  I figured I would be careful enough, but what I didn't count on was the strong wind this weekend.  My original design was an aluminum skeleton with illustration board and foam wing surface, but daddy didn't have any aluminum scraps large enough (*glares at Huy* NO I DIDN'T GO STEALING SIGNS OFF THE STREET).  I really wanted to avoid using foam board because I knew how weak it was, but I ended up going with it anyway because it was so lightweight.  And yep, the wind eventually snapped the foam board at the base of one wing.  Nothing that can't be repaired, though.  Better now after two days of wearing than at AX or something.  I'd also planned on giving it a thicker arm and more of a proper curved wing shape (Bernoulli surface, for Mike), but my poor time management didn't allow it.  It probably would have allowed my front feathers to lie flatter, too.  Ah well, it's ok I suppose.  I'm happy there shouldn't be too much touching up for that costume.

Masquerade was enjoyable even with all the setbacks and changes (sorry I looked so awkward on stage, but that's just me ._.;;), but I was way too tired to stay and watch everyone else.  I did watch you all on youtube last night, though!  I hearts you all, you were all so amazing!!  So much good stuff for a fan to enjoy, and a good variety of old, new, popular, and obscure.  And of course, Misa's crew did a great job!  Congrats to everyone!  You put on a great show!

Sunday Kie and I had an IdolM@ster performance which... didn't go so well.  Wasn't terrible, but Samichi wasn't feeling well, and we didn't get a single runthrough beforehand.  I felt very awkward on stage and messed up more than I have ever messed up before, even including practices when we were learning the dances the first time around.  We missed the Fire Emblem gathering because of it as well, and it almost didn't seem worth it to perform, much as I LOVE performing IdolM@ster.  I think I'm getting a bit old to pack in that many events in one weekend.  But I really look forward to Sac-Anime where IdolM@ster will be our main focus (and I won't be wearing a strapless dress...).

Monday I got to catch up with a lot of people, which is good because even so I missed so many!  I felt like I was hardly at the con, but at the same time I was glad because I hear glomping was rampant.  I wasn't really liking the immature atmosphere.  I'm not that old, am I?  The paper says the general age range of attendees was 15-20.  Yikes.  I watched CherryTeaGirlAndFriends Kie and Charie and Janelle and... sorry I don't know her name XD perform Para Para on Stage Zero.  It was adorable~  Sorry I couldn't join you guys, but I had way too much to do and just not enough energy.  You picked some really cute songs, though!  Maybe we'll get a chance to do it again, yeah?  And im@s!  X3  Had some good eats before wrapping up the con, and I could tell by then I was very very tired.  I was so tired, when Kiyoshi said "Hey Lily!  Do you want more onion rings?" at lunch, it seriously took me 30 seconds to comprehend what he was saying. XD  NOM NOM

Overall I really like Fanime.  The attendees are a bit young and scary, but the event is wonderful.  The hotel situation is getting ridiculous, though.  I must have had to take the stairs up to the 7th floor at least a dozen times.  Next year, The Sainte Claire.  It's only across the street.

In other news, there are too many black widow spiders in our yard, and I smell cha gio!  This requires away-from-computer time!

I never realized feathers were accordion membranes. But I guess birds couldn't fly otherwise! XD

Also, I would just like the world to know I'm slightly annoyed that my left wing pointers are at least an inch longer than my right wing pointers. The left are so gorgeous, but I'm going to have to cut them short to match the right! ~_~ Wah.


KIE DON'T FORGET TO BRING THE LAPTOP HOME!! XD

( And for Kie's entertainment )

So after a meeting at work this morning, it was determined that since I was the smallest person in the room, I had the duty of bringing home that leftover dozen donuts.  And how could I refuse??
Now I just need to not touch my face for a week, and I'm good! :3  I'm a bad influence on Kie's diet.

*wonders if she can still find all the pieces to her Ibuki costume....*

Janaff:  Naesala, no matter how bad things get, you always come out smelling like roses. I have no idea how you manage.

Kekeke.  I think someone needs perfume~


(BTW, I recorded some lines and gathered some BGMs.  Who's mixing our soundtrack? XD~)

Something tells me Kie and I should get on that Rin/Len cosplay ASAP.  That something being... you know... a couple yellow road rollers parked in the neighborhood... until the end of June.

:o

ohmisunao  tagged me with Chi (Chi's Sweet Home).  X3  I'd been following the manga for a while, so imagine my joy when it became an anime series! X3



1. Do you like this character? Absolutely!
2. What name/s do you call this character? Chi.  Maybe Chiiiiiiiii.
3. What image-color do you associate with this character? Gray.
4. What image-song do you associate with this character? Ouchi ga ichiban~ XD
5. What blood-type do you think this character is? Kitty type!
6. Of all of the titles that this character appears in, what character do you like to put this character with? Youhei.  That little boy is brilliant.  If Mom and Dad can't catch Chi, Youhei can!
7. What would you want to say to this character? I'm sure it'd be akin to what I say to my own cat.
8. What do you want to do with this character? Pet, hug, snuggle, squiggle, you know, the typical things you'd do with a feisty kitten.  Preferably not getting scratched, bitten, or otherwise.

Not tagging anyone. ;P

I seem to remember promising a year ago to show Jean my Sudowoodo. XD



(Look, I'm a tree!!)

Sort of.

I must be REALLY allergic to macadamia nuts. My left eye is still really swollen after a horrid local reaction last night that we determined must have been from some slight residue that somehow ended up on one of the kitchen towels. Kiyoshi got to witness. XD So today I'm a pirate kitty! YAR.

And since I'm at home: Cherry Blossom Festival!

It was crowded but fun. I had a good time, and it was great to meet up with so many friends. We had some delicious food, too. That's definitely my favorite restaurant there. What was it called? Osakaya? They just need to not put corn in their croquettes. ;9

We got to do at Sakura Fest what should have happened at SakuraCon. We performed Idolm@ster's Shiny Smile in Live For Venus outfits. In stark comparison to the weekend before:
- It was blazing hot. OMG, don't tell me we've got 90 degree weather already. I'm not ready for summer yet!! D: But I successfully escaped a tan. Either that or I just tanned evenly.
- Well coordinated and not very stressful event. Would definitely do again. Not sure about the parade though, since I haven't done the parade since 2003, but I'm really glad we didn't do the parade this year.

Pictures and video forthcoming.

DOA cosplay photos! XD Man, I need to get me a website so I'm not tempted to always bomb my journal with dozens of photos. I'm sure no one cares so much as me and the photographer. X3

I'd also like to add that Target does a good job at making low-rise pants I can actually wear. My pants were a bit baggy, but at least they matched my jacket in color. I put my favorite images (not included here) up on my ACP page for Hitomi.




( Photos by Kiyoshi )

Kie, Kiyo, Rene and I went to the SF Japanese Tea Garden in March. Sakura sighting was sad. It was also very cold (and overcast). I figured I'd go in my not-so-obviously-costumy DOA3 Hitomi for some nice pictures, but it was kind of negated by the costumy schoolgirl Kasumi Kie wore. XD At least my gloves kept my hands warm! It was very crowded there, though, so pictures were somewhat difficult. I totally didn't expect it to be THAT crowded. And of course, everyone stares when you're doing a photoshoot. But then they do that when you're photoshooting in regular clothes, too. >.>

Tea Garden Photos by Kiyoshi
1.


( Garden images )

I waaaaant Diiiim Suuuum~

I am so tired, I can feel my brain wasting away.  Is this what it's like to be stupid?? D:

So SakuraCon:

- First all-nighter ever, resulting from the first time making it to 9am without getting a migraine.  I napped on the plane, though those crying babies were trying really hard not to let me.  LET'S NOT DO THIS NO SLEEP THING AGAIN, OK?  Even without a migraine, it sucked.  Thank goodness Samichi knows her way around an airport.

- Seattle is cooooooooooooold.  And people call things by weird names.  There was a constant reminder that I was not in California any more.  Also, I didn't realize Seattle had such a small footprint.  The convention center layout seemed so disorganized, but ya know, I think I actually loved it in the end (once I figured out where everything was...).

- I skipped 5 out of 6 meals.  Oh but that one meal was SO GOOD.  Luckily I was on steroids, because I was too tired to tell the waitress to have the stuff I was allergic to taken out. =__=  OM NOM

- I don't think I've ever been asked so many times what character/series I was cosplaying from.  I don't know if it's Seattle, or the costume.  Maybe I'll wear it to Fanime and find out.

- Con staff was very amateur.  Much room to grow, but also much potential.  Masquerade didn't happen for us, and it's totally the staff's fault.  That's ok, though, I didn't really have time for it anyway.  Could have done without the stress, though.  Normally I would be kind of upset, but we're doing the same performance this weekend at SF Cherry Blossom Festival.

- The Cosplay scene (and percentage of participation) was interesting.  The variety was quite refreshing.   Frightening number of bare-skinned people out in the cold, though.

- I'm DEFINITELY not going back if it's on Easter again, unless I can make a long vacation of it.  Even though St. James Cathedral is within walking distance, it sucked to have to even think about it.

- I guess concerts aren't my thing.  I'm glad I left the mosh pit and sat down before the concert even started.

- Heroic Age event was fun.  I really enjoyed hanging with the rest of the crew.  I don't know if I'm cut out for booth work, though.  I'm not that outgoing.  Also, wtf, am I really that dark??  I was totally wearing gobs of pale make-up.  Maybe I need to invest in real white foundation.

Lightning and hail?  And sunshine?  All at once??  (Or as the people at work said, earthquake weather)

Samichi, Kie, and I narrowly missed having ice dumped on us while practicing Shiny Smile!  Seriously, we stepped inside and BOOM, buckets of hail.

I'm so behind on life!  Looks like SF Tea Garden pix will have to wait until after SakuraCon.

Now I get to see if my skin peels off in the next couple days.  Mmm, curry~  How I missed thee! 

So I bet Piggie is glad our dad is back from visiting his brother.  She was oh so cute begging at the door at 7am.  >_>  I guess 10am breakfasts just weren't doing it for her.  (Not my fault)

Dad brought back stories, too.  Apparently he made some waitress' day by wearing a Fanime T-shirt to breakfast (it was the one with Miyuki-chan on the back and Usagi Yojimbo on the front).  XD;

In other randomness, Samichi came Monday to work on IdolM@ster stuffs.  After our trip to Joann's this awesome shirt of girly awesomeness totally caught our eyes in a nearby shop.  It was so amazing, Kie and Samichi both bought one (in different colors).  The guy at the shop looked middle eastern or something, and the clothing was really unique and cute... too much so to be a typical American shop.  I'd never bothered to actually go inside before because the window displays mostly wedding, baptismal, and other such special occasion clothing.  Right next door is a cheap and trendy Korean shop which also has a ton of really unique fashions.  One of the clerks there was wearing this cowel-neck sweatshirt with two diagonal zippers (not that they sold that there, but it was totally the same trendy Korean style).  Man, the last thing I need is more clothes and jewelry, but this stuff is just so cute! X3  American fashion is bleh in comparison.