ALA 8

WOO! Got to go to ALA again this year! After our awesome experience last year, Em and I couldn't stay away!

That being said, there were a few downsides.
--For one thing, we paid $25 for saturday only badges last year but this year they were $35.
--We had to park in an alternate lot because we didn't get there as early as I'd have liked. And dear lord, that lot was terrible! The people running it were fricken jerks who yelled at us and made all the con-goers park in the lowest level "P4" which I took to calling "Purgatory 4" after saying a few more levels down and we'd have reached Hell.
--It was at least 3 TIMES AS CROWDED this year compared to last. OMG I couldn't believe it. Ridiculous.
--I missed the one panel I had wanted and planned on going to.
--Em & I spent half the fricken day in meetings/ect for masquerade.
--Kristina, who is 6months pregnant with Kairi, fell on our way to lunch cuz the stupid hotel is all either uphill or downhill depending on which entrance you go to. REALLY RETARDED. But she and Kairi are completely fine. Poor Zelly got a really banged up right knee out of it and we were all scared to death, but we were well taken care of.
--Only like, 3 people knew or cared to ask who I was cosplaying. (Young Samus for most of the day, btw).
--Saw Fremen, but didn't get to do lunch or take photos. Still, looking forward to beng able to hang with him more.
--I didn't even get to see Exhibit Hall or Artist Alley. :( This is extremely saddening to me.
--Em was moody all day, especially to me! I found out a few days later it was pre-PMS. Great. Thanks.

However, it was all worth it.
--Lyle, Richie, Kristina, and Mike all joined Em & I this year!
--We hung out in the karaoke room for a while and made fools of ourselves. Bad Romance was starting JUST as we walked in...
--We got to sleepover/eat pizza/play scrabble/joke around/hangout at Kristina and Mike's with the ALA group I just mentioned both friday and saturday night (tho sat w/out Richie).
--Even though Em & I spent too much of our day in masq meetings/tech rehearsal/green room, we got to talk to some awesome cosplayers and to top it all off, our skit with Jeriko WON BEST IN SHOW JOURNEYMAN DIVISION! YAY!!! And let me tell you, there were plenty of good skits we were competing against.
--Speaking of which, I ended up in a conversation with a fellow masq participant who was cosplaying Frost from MK who HAPPENS TO BE NEKOMILLY AKA BODYOFHONOR'S SISTER! O.O Small fricken world. Hah!
--We walked to Carl's Jr for lunch and (minus Kristina's fall) we had a fun time at "Club Carl". Haha, this guy came in with a boombox and set a rave type atmosphere, until the manager finally shut him down. Oh, and we found the weird annoying creeper street fighter Ryo cosplayer who was all up in our faces at a dance last year for AX. XD at least we know who to look out for now.
--One of the 3 people who asked/knew my cosplay was phavorianne! YAY! She cosplays ZeroSuit and wants to set up a shoot for AX! I'm STOKED!
--Even with my crazy driving, we didn't get hurt. Yay! [srsly, I dunno what it is but anytime I drive that group around, the crazy people come out and make me look like a bad driver.]
--I'm in a small clip of a vid from whenwasthistaken's ALA cosplay vids! I feel so badass. The only reason I'm there though is the Halo soldier cosplayer who I was taking a pic with and holding his gun at the moment WWTT2 came by with his steady cam. Hahahahahahaha