CSquared08 Hates Asparagus [Bronycon Wrap-Up Post] · 3:41pm Aug 11th, 2015
Hello friends!
Welcome to an image-heavy Bronycon Wrap-Up!
This was my first year I got to go and actually see the convention. The first 2 years I went, I was vending my fabulous soaps, but that meant I was stuck in the vendor hall and couldn't do much. This year, due to some life circumstances, I couldn't afford a vendor booth, but I COULD afford to go! So I did.
Our story begins Thursday, after work. I got done around 4:30pm, tossed all my shit in my car, and began the long drive to Baltimore from Philadelphia.
I say "long" because NORMALLY it's only about an hour and a half, but this year it took 2.5 hours because of a slowdown of about an hour. Because rush hour. Yay.
I got there around 8:15ish. I had to drive down alone since FoughtDragon01, aka apparently the only other Philly brony, couldn't get off work for Friday. I got all checked in at the hotel and headed over to get my badge! Yay for pre-registration. I met up with Csquared08, Wanderer D, and a few other people including Zyrian who surprisingly fanboy'd out a bit in my direction which was unexpected.
My mission Friday: Get a photo and autograph with John De Lancie.
If it's the last thing I do.
So, I run into Wing on Friday, and I swear I saw him more than anyone throughout the entire convention. We kept running into each other! Clearly it was fate.
Anyway.
So, he had his voucher for an autograph already. I waited for mine, then got in the line to see De Lancie. He showed up a bit late, and then started plowing through the hundreds and hundreds of people waiting.
I ended up in severe, severe pain. Because instead of doing something sensible like, idk, wearing sneakers, I wore my trusty flats, which are really only trusty for work and walking maybe to the gas station. Suffice to say that by the time I got to De Lancie 3 hours later, I was limping and just about in tears. De Lancie is a complete sweetheart though, and he let me sit beside him for the picture and to collect myself until I was ready to limp back to a less crowded area.
yay!
Ow! Actually was thrilled but in so much pain any smile I did looked like a grimace so I settled for my Resting Bitch Face.
I went back to the hotel and soaked in the tub after that. Fell asleep after a bit, too. When I got out, I did feel much better!
After zooming around town to the pharmacy to refill my inhaler, I saw ROBCakeran53's blog post about meeting at Dempsey's for drinks and dinner. DANCER, AWAY
Started off small. Like, 11 of us. And then
lawd hammercy
But I got a picture with Rob who is like, the most jovial person around
and I drank ALL the Angry Orchard. Good times.
Wandered around a bit more, then went back to watch a large group play Cards Against Humanity (even joined in myself for a bit). Can't remember everyone, but I know Wanderer D, Corejo (probably butchered that, sorry), Professor Plum, Captain Chryssalid (again, probably butchered that), BP, and some other folks were there. Oh, and TheMaskedFerret too but I don't think she was playing. Oh and Csquared08. I literally played a card just to get him to read it aloud while he was card czar, because that's our friendship right there, folks: mass embarrassment.
So then kalash93, who was also going to be sharing the room with us, texts me to let me know he's at the convention center, and we start what has become our yearly dance of 'no wait there I'll be right there' 'wait you mean go somewhere else? i wanna go somewhere else' 'NO WAIT THERE'. Good times indeed. Professor Plum was going with me to get him, but then I thought I had lost my cell phone. Gentleman that he is, Plum went back to the Cards Against Humanity party to check for it.
And then I found it. In a different pocket of my bag.
I texted CS to let him know, but they had already left??? So I don't know how annoying that was for Mr. Plum but given the glare and head-shake (with a smile, of course) that he gave me at the panel we all went to after, it was probably pretty annoying.
SORRY PLOOM ILU
So then
SO THEN
Dragon's texting me all evening, right, talking about how he's on his way. He jokingly texts me something like "haha let's hope I don't end up in DC". You know, as a joke. Because jokes.
Guess who fell asleep on the train and ended up in DC?
So he finally calls me at like 1:11am and I barely remember talking to him but Kalash let him in the room so that was okay. But good lord.
Then I wake up the next morning, step out of the hotel, and what do I see in the window of the neighboring hotel?
So...that happened.
Saturday was basically Day Of Plushies for me. I finally got to buy decent plushies and after scouring the vendor hall, found a reasonably priced Sweetie Belle, as well as a Filly Rarity that was going for an absolute steal so I couldn't NOT buy her, obvs.
So then I text Wanderer D like
MINE
So I hung out with Dragon a bit, and his smile is disturbingly large so I wanted to share
And then D came and met up with us
that smile tho
Then I went to the Do's and Don'ts of Fanfiction panel which was waaaaaaaaaaaay too crowded to get a decent photo of. It was nice though, and while I was there, I got to FINALLY meet Jake The Army Guy, who is even more awesome in person than he is online, which I didn't think was possible.
That evening was also the Author's Dinner at Tir Na Nog, which, with Sunchaser making the reservation and checking us in while Jake kept us orderly, went smoother than last year. I wound up sitting with Csquared08, Cor, another gentleman who's name escapes me, and... okay there was someone next to me to? But I was also super drunk by the end of that dinner, so.
IT WAS FUN
Sunday was a short day for me. I woke up a bit late, packed, and CS and I said our goodbyes while me, Kalash, and Dragon went to store our stuff in the trunk of my car after we checked out of the hotel. So then I tell myself, "Self, you need to not buy too much at the vendor hall today, because you're going to have to carry all that stuff around all day."
And then I saw an Alicorn Big Mac I just HAD to get for Best Child
As well as a Granny Smith I got for fairly cheap because apparently nobody else wanted to buy her WHICH IS STUPID BECAUSE GRANNY SMITH IS BEST GRANDMOTHER, OKAY (besides my own Nana of course but really, who could compete with her?!)
Yes, those are socks. I regret nothing.
Then Wanderer D said he was having lunch with Arad and invited me to join, and of course I accepted.
Arad is a wonderfully polite fellow and a talented author.
And D is D, of course.
Also, our waitress was hot. That was nice.
Then I headed back over to the convention center to meet up with Dragon to go to the Open Mic, which was equal parts amazing and... not so amazing. But it takes a lot of courage to get up there, so I applaud everyone that did ^_^
NOT HORSE FAMOUS, SO SAD
After that I met a super awesome Granny Smith cosplayer who was legit a grandma and she was so flattered and happy that everyone was taking photos of her and wanting to meet her, lol. She was extremely sweet and gave me a cigarette so she's a-okay in my book.
By then I was too tired to go on, so Dragon and I decided to pack it in and head back to Philly. Before leaving, I got to flag down Plum and get some pictures with him (because how am I gonna be friends with him for 3 years and have zero photos with him? Nonsense).
For those unaware, Plum is like 6'5" or 6'8" or some equally ridiculous height while I am five feet tall.
Selfie, natch.
So then we packed up, dropped Kalash at the train station, and headed home.
I'm exhausted and really should have taken an extra day off, but didn't.
In addition to the plushies, I got a lovely Zippo engraved:
I met so many people, it's hard to keep track of them all! I did get to see Bookplayer and her adorable little girl Trixie. Trixie even let me hold her for like, a second before she realized I am both Not-Mom and Not-Milk. Heh.
See you in July!
That was a lot of fun! I'm glad you showed up at Dempsey's and had fun. See ya next hear (hopefully)!
3311937 You know it! You're an awesome person and it was great to meet you :)
Rude
Glad you had fun!
Too bad I couldn't go. I actually PASSED through Baltimore to my way to Bethlehem. But that was weeks ago.. guess I'm going back to Honduras :L
but yeah, glad all of you guys had fun!
3311952
you know i love you bb
3311967 yeah it was a blast, cant wait for next year
ROBCakeran is the fanfic author this fandom needs. :D
Also, I seem to recall you getting plastered at last year's authors' dinner, too. :V
3312031 what can i say, it's a tradition for me
3311968
It was a pleasure to meet you in person, even if I was a bit more on the shy 'I really don't want to bother someone awesome' side of things.
3312178 nono, it wouldn't have been a bother at all! I'm really quite friendly, I just am also very shy, so I have a hard time talking to people. I realise I come across as aloof because of that.
3312181
You seemed to come across as "holy shit, so many people, go away, don't want to talk" so... yeah, I didn't want to be a pain. Maybe next year? We can team up with Ferret and pelt people with soap!
3312192 Ah, if this was at Quills or at Tir Na Nog, yeah, I was a little overwhelmed. I was fine once I was sat somewhere I wasn't too crowded.
And yes! All the soap!
FOR JUSTICE
Ah, what a meetup that was! The prices weren't altogether unreasonable either.
Was awesome meeting you and going to the con. Shoot, I forgot to get a photograph with you. Regardless, best con ever.
3311937
Was awesome meeting you at the con, ROB. You're like the chillest horse famous man on fimfic.
3312178
Great meeting you there, Noble. Give my regards to Gabriel when you can. Tell him I'll catch him in Quills and Sofas one of these years.
3312525 I'm guessing you meant it was awesome to "meet UP" with me at the con, since we've met before, y'doof.
But it was fun, yeah. Sorry 3312057 was a butt and made you sleep on the floor
Seriously, I'm sure that if we all bunk together next time, we can sort out how to sleep in both a comfortable and chaste manner.
3312552
Hey, I told him it was a joke when I realized he took it seriously. He insisted :(
3312561 I know, just giving you shit ;)
3312569
So rude
Why do I even room with you?
</3
3312582 because I'm nice and fairly quiet and not a thief or liable to murder you in your sleep
also because it's cheaper
also because i apparently make cute noises in my sleep
it's the little things
3312591
Oh
Okay
3312645 all i'm saying is that I'd rather pay $130 for the entire weekend's stay and bunk with you guys than pay $516 by myself, y'dig
3312525
Likewise Kalash! Actually, gotta refresh my memory here. I know I saw your nametag, but for the life of me I don't remember what you looked like. What were you wearing when we met?
3312762
Most likely something like this:
soviet-power.com/pictures/29_0.jpg
>tfw I already saw all of these because of facebook
well, most of them
anyway next year I will make it to bronycon and we will rip that place up
3313579 hells yes
oh wow.
just. wow.
i did not expect to accidently photobomb any of the bronycon pictures for the fimfic blogposters.
and yet i find myself in at least 3 of them, one of which is here.
3319911 are you telling me you went and like... didnt say hi?
or didnt like, facebook me to be like HEY IM THERE LETS MEET UP
if that's the case i am very disappointed sir
3320056 i was, like
horribly shy.
like, extremely horribly "didn't even tell my closest irl friends about it" shy
my wife only knew because she went with me
We did see each other a lot, but... that was to be expected - and is totally awesome. lol The number of people in my group who were like, "ERMAGHOD that's Soap Lady," was absolutely priceless. There was soap and BronyCon. :P That's how it rolls.