A Breif Overview of My Otakon Experiences (1996 to 2004) & May the Next Generation Carry On The Tradition.

For the second year in a row I have missed out on "Otakon" & it's amazing how I can lose interest in something I used to be so passionate about. For those of you unfamiliar with Otakon, it is a HUGE 3 day anime convention where fans can indulge in their love of "anime". If you don't know what anime is, it is animation from Japan. Anyway, from 1996 to 2004 I would faithfully attend Otakon each year & fill up my senses with all things anime.

Anime has seemed to explode in recent years. With many popular shows on televison such as "Yu Gi Oh" & "Pokemon", but back in my day (the 1990’s) it was still an underground thing. Japanese cartoons were few and far between on television and were usually reserved for crappy time slots such as 5:30 or 6:00am. Also, you never knew how long the show would remain on the air so you had to make sure to set your VCR because again that could be the last time you’d see that show. I remember faithfully getting up at 5:30am and setting my VCR to see the latest episode of “Sailor Moon” or “Dragon Ball”. If you were lucky, your local video store would have an anime section that was more than just one or two shelves and you could get the latest in anime.

Back When I first started going to Otakon. It was FAR from what it is now as the biggest anime convention on the east coast and takes up the entire convention center in Baltimore, but instead it was nothing more than a dealer’s closet and two ballrooms rented out and converted into movie theaters at the Hunt Valley Inn. Back then it felt more like my “own” and the conventions (although smaller) were a lot more intimate. I could really enjoy myself as opposed to waiting in line for hours or pushing through crowds as has been the case with Otakon in recent years and why I stopped going.

I can't just blame not going to Otakon on just the crowds, because over the years my interest in anime has just declined or in other words, I've grown up. Back then I didn't have things like a mortgage or utilites to pay for & I could easily drop $500 plus on anime merchandise such as videos, dolls, T-shirts, DVD's etc.... Now, I just do NOT have that type of income when I have bills I need to pay. Also, I used to have the attention span to watch episodes of Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon back to back for hours on end, but now with my work schedule, dog, Yoga, significant other, I just do not have the time.

All in all, I had some wonderful times at Otakon & I used to have so much fun with Anime & I will admit I do enjoy the occasional Anime movie from time to time & will watch some of the old DBZ or Sailor Moon episodes for kicks, but I'd like to say I've passed the torch onto another generation of anime fans & may they have wonderful weekends at future Otakons & watching thier favorite anime shows.

With 8 Months Into The Year, I Figure I'd Review My New Year's Resolutions

When I'm not online chatting with my friends or checking up on my myspace profile, I sometimes like to reread some of my old blogs & earlier this year I posted a blog where I list four new year's resolutions. Since I have a free moment, I figure I'd do a reveiw & see how many of my resoultions I actually kept. I'm actually quite surprized.

My first resolution was to meet new people & I will say I did make some new friends this year & from those friends I met other people who'd then become my friends. I also had the chance to meet up with a few of my online buddies. These are peopole who due to distance or whatever I've never been able to hang out with them in person, but I have talked to them online or over the phone for a significant time. With one of my online buddies I've talked to him on & off since 2004, but did not get to meet him until January of this year. Yeah, he was a nice enough guy, but our personalities weren't compatable. Also, it didn't help that he was so dead set on moving even further away from me. Although that didn't work out, I did get to meet up with another individual that I've been talking to since August of last year, and as mentioned in my previous blog, this person would become my significant other. At the moment we have plans to hang out this weekend.

Since I've met some great new people & have a significant other, it has helped me achieve my next resoultion for making time to be more social. Whether it's going out clubbing to the "Hippo" or hanging out at "Central Station" playing "Buzzer" with Adam & friends, or playing Bingo with Beth & Eliza, or Allison's crazy partys, or Painting ceramics with Katie & friends & most importantly spending time with my significant other, I will say I'm spending more time going out & enjoying life than letting my work consume my waking hours or sitting at home bored & lonely.

Although it can be fun to hang out with all my friends both new & old, I will say it can get costly & this has affected my next resolution which was to save more money. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the time I spend with my friends & will continue to do so. I still need to find a nice ballace between having fun & saving money. Maybe I need to think of some activities that don't involve spending too much Money. Also, it doesn't help that I quit my part time job, but I figure if I work a few hours of overtime at my day job, I could make up for the money I'm not getting at my day job & then some. I just need to commit to staying later at work or setting aside some time on the weekends to put in some overtime.

In additon to the expenses of having an active social & dating life, I do have the added monthy bill of cell phone service. I did write a blog about this a while ago, but I DID in fact succumb to going celluar & I HAVE let myself become dependent on it. It has been a great way to keep in contact with my friends & my significant other & it has helped me from getting lost etc.... I really don't know how I functioned without one for so long, but now that I have it....I can't think of going without it.

Ok, eight months into the year I've managed to keep 3 out of four resolutions. I think that was pretty good. If I include this month, I still have five more months in this year to continue meet new people (friends only as I'm content in my relationship : ), hang out with everyone & have fun, use my celluar phone, & most importantly save money