Thoughts on Azkatraz

[rurounihime]

My first HP con, believe it or not. I had a GREAT time. ^__^

Shared a room with coffeejunkii, fireelemental79, and bluelittlepig. And can I just say that, while the pillows left a little to be desired, the beds were OMGKEYSMASH. Wow. Sometimes it pays to fork over lots of money for a ritzy hotel.

And I just love how San Francisco charges a tourist fee. Wow, that's amazingly annoying. "Hey, why don't you pay for the privilege of staying in our huge, noisy, PERFECT city." Especially since I live in Sacramento. I should charge a Capitol of California Resident Visiting Your City Fee. Just 'cause.

Three things I learned:

1) It is so fun to put faces to names. SO fun. Wow, I met so many awesome, awesome, awesome people, and I got to fangirl many of them (in my own quiet way), and I just adore that they are all classy women who have absolutely NO SHAME about teaching the specifics of mpreg to unsuspecting men in Castro restaurants. YOU. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

2) coffeejunkii is a SHAMELESS ENABLER OF MANY ADDICTIVE FANDOM SUBSTANCES. Watch yourself. ^_~

3) red_rahl is the only person I have met who actually DOES physically glomp people when she hugs them. And I love that. *snuggles*

The panels and programming I attended were all fun, and even if I didn't agree with everything in them, it was fantastic to open up that dialogue and think about the different ideas people have about Harry Potter and the fandom. It's such a good way of sharing the fandom and bringing people into the same sphere involving something we all love.

The entire experience was enlightening for me in one really big way: there was the sense that I didn't have to hide anything about fandom at Azkatraz, which is so different from going about my life on a day to day basis. So many aspects of fandom that are glossed over in the interest of avoiding weird looks... But not at Az. You could talk about anything and there was a very basic level of support and knowledge that was just... great. Really fantastic.

So thanks to everyone who made my first con such an awesome one, and I look forward to seeing you again soon. ^__^

Comments

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

So, so jealous.

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

Babe, guess which universe I will be posting fic in tonight... just for you, because I MISSED SEEING YOU AT AZ. ^___~

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

I ADORE YOU SO MUCH EVEN WITHOUT ARRANGEMENT FICCAGE!!!

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

I want to thank you SO MUCH FOR the lj account extension and the cupcake on my birthday!!!! OMG. You made my DAY. I can't even express how wonderful you are, and how much I regret that we couldn't meet up at Az. I hear you are a very busy lady, though, busy with important live-saving things, and I totally respect you for that. Thank you very, very much, my dear. You are so good to me.

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

I will get to a con one of these days. I have to meet all of you people.

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

Meeting everyone was indeed the coolest thing (and I hope I didn't frighten the universe with my fangrlin - somehow I regressed to a squeeful 12 year old)!

I have a Ru/Rickey pic for you if you'd like it (LOL now I have a collection of those self shots w/me and ______) where shall I email it?
Oh no, I don't! now I wish I did. I got all misconstrued ;P

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

RICKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeek,fcjnfsogviunqflcawjkmxft obp5utejgd

Oh, my lovely lady, someone has a pic of us, I know it. Don't worry. ^__^ *hugs*

[oldenuf2nb.livejournal.com]

Meeting you and Ceej and firelemental and bluelittlepig was one of the true high points of my con! You are all such amazing women.

And yes; those two young men who now have an inkling of what mpreg entails may never be the same! (although the brunet did say "I've been trying to get pregnant for four years!" dies!)

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

Oh my lord, he made my NIGHT with that comment! *cracks up all over again* I wanted to take them back to the con with us.

Spending time with you guys was truly a joy. I am so glad we got to meet and cackle together. ^_~

I friended you. Of course. HAHAHAHA.

[aldehyde.livejournal.com]

i'm a) very happy you had such a positive experience and b) quite jealous ;)

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

I really wish you could have been there. I'd love to meet you. *hugs*

[fireelemental79.livejournal.com]

Funny. I would have thought you would have said that you learned that "fire is a great big walking plague." :D Yeah, just go ahead and say you know everything about me. Riiiiiiiight. Sure. Uh huh. Riiiiiiight. :D

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

As one who did not fall to the plague, I guess it wasn't top priority for me. But I'd like to know how Grape and Coffee are doing...

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

*mad hugs*

You left :(

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

I know. Twas not cool. If I had it my way, I'd stay at HP conventions for weeks. ^__^

Gah, think of the programming nightmare. O.o

I miss you already. *mope*

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

eeeeee! so v. v. happy to have gotten to spend so much time in your presence [*glomps*]

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

Likewise! Hahaha, it was WONDERFUL to finally meet you, Snotty! I felt like I knew you already, like we were just rteconnecting after a long break. *hugs*

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

well, we do sort of know each other, but i understand what you mean, and agree. your energy felt v. familiar and comfortable, as if we've hung around in each other's presence before.

can't wait to hear how things go for you this next year :D

[ravenpan.livejournal.com]

oh man that sounds amazingly awesomely fantastic! I wish I could have gone - maybe someday I'll get to one!

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

I would love to have seen you there! But yes, definitely, we will meet. I'm intent upon it. ^__^

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

*still fangirling you*

*glomps and refuses to let go*

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

*HUGGIEOFDOOM*

Hey, lovely lady! Awwww, I wish we were still at the con! RL is so non-pottered. *laughs* I miss you already.

[elanna9.livejournal.com]

there was the sense that I didn't have to hide anything about fandom at Azkatraz, which is so different from going about my life on a day to day basis.

SO TRUE! I wasn't able to make it to Azkatraz itself, unfortunately, but I had this same feeling at Lumos (which was the only con I've ever been to.) I can't even believe that was three years ago.

It sounds like you all had a blast; I've been enjoying the con reports, which is just a little bit like having attended vicariously. :)

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

Isn't it neat? I felt like I had already met all these people, and that... well, that there were no boundaries concerning conversation topics, you know? I felt more free than I have in a long time.

[fireelemental79.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're right. I did comment on some one else's comment. Wow. I am so far down Plague Way I don't even know what direction I'm going. Somebody give me some chicken soup before I DIIIIIIIE!

:D

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

I want to throw a pie at you. Just because I've always wanted to do that. And it would be fun. 'Cause then you could eat it.

*is weird and random*

[fireelemental79.livejournal.com]

By all means. But don't throw something I'd hate, because then I would have to stick your face in my armpit. And do you want to go there? Really?

~doesn't need to point out anything about peculiarity of comment as it is generally accepted by this point that Fire is peculiar~

[dacro.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the cake, baby! You sooooooo rock!

[rurounihime.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are so welcome, darling! I'm glad you liked it. It really is a tasty cake, isn't it? Especially for being wheat free and all that. I'm actually finding that the wheat free options taste better sometimes. ^_^ At least they don't make my stomach screech at me later, and that's half the enjoyment right there.

[dacro.livejournal.com]

indeed!
I love some of the wheat-free options. some gerat stuff now - compared to a few years ago!