So, am back from 4 days spent in the incredibly lifeless city of Columbus Ohio.
Drive up was... okay, it was hell. Some of it was funny and it had good moments, but 9 hours stuck in an enclosed small space with 4 other people who got up WAY too early is bound to be a bit stressed. Was impressed that we didn't actually end up getting horribly lost and ended up in Kentucky or something like that (Which believe me, with my luck at driving, it could happen) Customs was basically "Are Y'all Canadian? Yeah? Have fun."
The con was TINNY!! Or it was at least compared to CN and North, it was actually kinda reminiscent of North 5 years ago when it all fit into 3 rooms at the Marriott hotel. The dealers room was strange too, Americans seem to focus more on the things that the shows spawn off (Costume parts, toys, bags, doujinshi, etc, ) More than they do the actual show. Also, yaoi? HUGE down there! The yaoi dealers made a fortue on all the fangirls, lucky buggers. Really wish they would head down our way one of these days.
Seems that the gothic lolita thing is also really big at the American cons, along with these $700 dolls that you dress up. Must be a Yank thing cause i've never seen them at one of the Canadian cons. 'Sunta was happy cause there was a dealer there selling fox tails, not the fake type that I've got, but real, honest fur fox tails. Unfortunately by the time I made the decision to get one all the nicer ones were gone... Yes I'm a horrible person not to care about fur, but c'mon, I wear leather all the time and no one whines, so suck it up.
Also found some damn amusing shirts, "If it weren't for the gutter, my mind would be homeless" and "Remember: After you pull the pin, Mr. grenade is no longer your friend" and a bunch of horribly geeky gamer and viking shirts. We met a highly amusing fan named Anna at one of the booths. She meets us and goes "Oh my god, you guys are Canadians!" like it's a big deal, so she further explained by basically saying: "Canadians=Mounties, Mounties=Due South (The TV Show) Due South=Paul Gross therefore Canadians=Paul Gross". As the only Due South fan in the group I basically attacked her thrilled to bits that someone aside from me actually likes the show. V. Fun.
Lesse, Friday night there was a mini dance, fun, but really short, everyone kept trying to make a circle, really annoying, circles don't work if no one can really dance in the first place. The real dance, however, was actually more of a rave with a few theme songs and things thrown in for the fans. Got to dance with a cutie dressed as Vash, and watched KT systematically kill off every single functioning muscle in her body and a few of the non-functioning ones just for good measure. I will never be able to keep up with that girl at the dances.
Things of note in the US: there is no real tea, it's all lipton or earl grey, nasty stuff. Also, we spent a few days trying to figure out why Columbus creeped us out aside from there being no pedestrians on the streets. There are no ads. In Canada, no matter how small the town there are posters and ads EVERYWHERE. There, nothing. Not on benches or building sides ot streetlamps. It looked like a movie set, all swept clean and tidy for the next production. Creepy as hell. The really notable thing about the US vs the Canadian cons? In the Canadian cons the fans are all from the GTA, in America they literally come from all over the states for this thing, quite a change.
On the way back, everyone in the car was far too hopped up on post-con energy and massive amounts of sugar and spent some of said energy re-enacting the script from X: The movie. Meaning they rolled down the windows of the car and screamed "Fuuuuma", "Kotoriiiii", and "Kamuiii" at the top of their lungs over and over. A suprisingly accurate representation of at least 90% of the movie. Note to everyone: I am never driving that long without switching off again, you all need to get your damn licenses.
Meru at 2:04 PM