Tekkoshocon 2006

Tekkoshocon 2006
Con Report

DAY ONE:
Arriving in Pittsburgh was a bit unusual for me. I hadn’t actually been to downtown Steeltown on pleasure… well, ever. My most recent trip there had been back in, oh, I think June for an interview. In any event, getting to Monroeville (where the con was being held) was a bit tricky. First, I realized that whatever love I have for the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation, I should immediately disaffect myself from. This happened because I was charged $3 to get on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as I entered the state, and then another $2 to get OFF the Turnpike in Monroeville. I thought the idea behind a toll road was that you pay once…. meh, anyway. One of the new things I tried this year was pre-registering, which I would quickly realize at a smaller con like Tekko is somewhat unnecessary. The registration desks were unfettered and uncrowded, and things moved VERY smoothly. I was early, though, so nothing was open quite yet. It’s sort of like a Resident Evil game– at first, you can’t go in all the rooms, but as time goes on and you see cutscenes, stuff opens up. I ducked into a video room and caught about ten minutes of Galaxy Express 999; I also took that opportunity to do Cosplay #1: “Random Mysterious Guy In A Black Cloak”. Nobody got it.
I decided it was time to hit the game room, since that was open and it was conveniently located across the way from the dealer’s room. I wandered in and glanced at what was going on– lots of fighting games, a couple Smash Bros. setups, and a linked Mario Kart Double Dash setup. There were also two setups for DDR, the Katamari Rose Rollup stand, and the crown jewel of the room– a Para Para Paradise machine set to Free Play. I was glancing over at it when I saw something out of the corner of my eye– a familiar face. It was Juan Torres, one of the organizers of the usual DDR tournaments down in Cranberry. We talked for a bit and I grabbed a pic; after a quick match against each other, I figured it was best to head out and get in line for the dealer’s room. I knew I’d run into Juan again.
There was indeed a line for the vendor’s room, but I was patient. When I got in… it was amazing. Lots of stuff, just… stuff! I’d vowed not to buy anything on my first run through, unless it was something I’d not see again. Fortunately for my budget, I didn’t see anything I couldn’t live without immediately; I did make a note of the import game table (mad-gear.com) and a couple of the other vendors. My quick glance disappointed me, as I had not found any Risky Safety. I was looking forward to getting that series back, but alas it was not to be. Anyway, that was almost it.
See, two of the con’s most notable guests happened to be set up side-by-side in the vendor’s room; the DeJesuses (which I still can’t say properly without making it sound like a euphemism for secularization) and Caffeine Angel Studios, aka Poe. One thing about Poe I’ve been hesitant to say is that the man frightens me. Seriously and with all honesty, I completely froze in terror as I passed the booth. A young woman next to him offered me a flyer, and I took it; then, without thinking, I asked for an autograph on it. Poe obliged without really looking, smiling, or even acknowledging my presence; I took the hint– ‘go away’. Right, and I did. I made a point not to make direct eye contact with him after that and in fact avoided that part of the vendor’s room. I felt better after a while, but still… yeah, don’t feel bad about it. Besides, I liked EN better than Errant Story.
I decided at that point was the best time to line up for the opening ceremonies. It turned out to be for the best, too– there were already quite a few folks waiting by the time I got there. The wait was long, but it paid off; Greggo came out and stalled for time while the techies set up. Eventually we were let in to the main events hall, and the show got underway. The organizers came out and said a few words, setting up a storyline that would run through the con– something about a takeover and having to endure Obvious Technology Videoroom, which is Tekko’s version of MST. It was very amusing, and a welcome chance to rest and finally get into the con spirit.
I ran off to Artist’s Alley at this time, and picked up an awesome Kyo hat by Able Sisters Fan Crafts. The reference made it even more irresistible. I also swung by a few of the other booths and picked up the final touches to my secondary costume– a set of orange tail and cat ears. Thus laden, I admired some of the other work. While it wasn’t all set up during my first trip through, I have to admit that overall I was very impressed with the crafts and artwork on display. There were many very talented artists showing off and selling off their work, and much of it was quite remarkable. I came extremely close to commissioning a Neopets art for my sister’s birthday; however, as awesome as the work is, it would have kind of ruined the surprise to have to call my sibling to ask her to describe her present. Next time, sis.
Those of you just joining us here at TFO.net might not be aware of this (and those of you who’ve been with me for a while are probably sick of hearing about it anyway), but I’ve been on a self-imposed diet since late January. So it was with a certain amount of unease that I decided to go to lunch at the Monroeville Mall across the way from the con center. In general I consider myself to be on a ‘relaxed’ regimen on the weekends, but this was the first test of my theory of being ‘off’ the diet during special events. It turned out all right– the food court had plenty to keep me interested, and for the first time in a very very long time I had french fries without any of the usual guilt I’d feel about it. The test, as it turned out, worked beautifully; I was able to resist sliding back from my progress and I’d actually held pretty steady. (Of course, there was the inertial effect of me not wanting to go back on the diet once I came back, but meh.) I promise, this is the last time I’ll talk about food in this report– but I did eat well enough, really. I just don’t feel the need to detail where I ate.
Braving the rain to make it back to the con (it wasn’t raining when I left…), I dashed into the Risky Safety showing. Now, I’d first been introduced to RS way back in 2003 prior to my first con, but never had the chance to actually see it until the next year. Of course, I’d picked up the set on my way out of Otakon ‘04, and lost it during the Great Unemployment. I’m unhesitant to say it was very pleasing going back to the series; it’s certainly something special among anime, being a shorter-running story and focusing around a unique set of main characters. Most of what I said after Otakon still applies– it’s very short, but the time spent on it is nothing shy of amazing. It’s beautiful– visually, conceptually, and in its execution. I have to admit, parting with it pained me… but then again, getting it back is half the fun of being a collector. That’s a lesson I would soon learn…
Don’t get me wrong, there was a ton of stuff to do at the con. It turned out, however, that a lot of the downtime between events would be spent by me in the game room. This is in sharp contrast to my previous behavior, as the Otakon game room always seemed out of the way (much like Tekko’s video rooms felt that way). Anyway, Juan was bombing around doing the organizer thing, so I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to him. However, I noticed a group of seated folks huddled around in a very familiar position; elbows resting on their upper legs, just above the knees, supporting the small silver and blue devices in their hands. That’s right, the DS Pit was seeing some use. I pulled out my own device, and joined a game of Mario Kart DS in progress. Later, I would dominate a few rounds of Tetris DS, until one of the other players elected to shut his machine off during a tense showdown, thus killing the match for all of us. (There’s a rant about DS multiplayer in there somewhere, but I’ll save it for a rainy day at the ‘Jak.)
The Para Para Paradise machine didn’t have much of a line at that point, so I stepped up and watched until it was my turn. Let me explain how PPP works for those of you unfamiliar with the game. Rather than stomping on arrows or pressing brightly-colored buttons, Para Para Paradise has no mechanical triggers which must be activated. Rather, the machine relies on aerial-mounted beam sensors to detect whenever a hand, leg, or other object passes beneath them. The five sensors are placed in a semi-circular array in front of you– one directly in front, one each at 45-degree angles to the left and right, and one each at right angles to the left and right. Like DDR, arrows rise from the bottom of the screen and correspond to the sensors. The challenge comes not from nailing each of the arrows, though that is certainly one way to score it. Para Para Paradise relies very heavily on the aesthetic and kinesthetic aspect of dancing. The music is powerful, hard-driving Eurobeat and it’s difficult to stand still while it’s blasting around you. While many people just stood there and reacted to it as if it were any other arcade game, the truly ambitious (such as myself, if I may say so) tried to do some interesting things with it. I saw players with intricate hand motions (actual parapara dance moves, as I would later learn); some players used their cosplay props to trigger the sensors; and myself, I spun, kicked, and backed into the sensors (in my Kyo costume, someone yelled “Use the tail!!” so what could I do but oblige?). I wouldn’t get too many chances to play, but it was a blast; however, I know inwardly that it would be somewhat less fun in a home version, since it relies a lot on the feedback you get from spectators. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to drop some hyperkinetic Eurobeat moves again soon.
The time had come for one of my favorite parts of any con– the AMVs! I’ll be honest, I hadn’t actually seen very many AMVs in quite some time (and I had kind of overdosed on AMV Hell, so that didn’t hold so much of an appeal for me). Sitting down and getting an aisle seat felt damn good, and when the show started, I felt that I had really arrived at a con. Seeing an AMV is a bit like seeing a fan of a series convince you to watch it; that’s pretty much what prompted me to watch Outlaw Star and then to finish watching Noir. The right AMV will definitely make you want to learn about a series, and an overwrought or overproduced one might turn you off. There were a few that turned out less than impressive, but two of the best stuck in my mind.
The first was a video for Fullmetal Alchemist in regards to Maes Hughes. The song was called “In Your Eyes”, but it wasn’t the song by Peter Gabriel; rather, a female vocalist [Patti LuPone] crooned a beautiful and haunting tale relating heaven to her lover’s eyes. Now, superimpose this over the scenes of Maes, and focus on the fact that halfway through the series, Maes Hughes becomes no more. It’s powerful, it’s amazing, and it’s something you should go get right now… let it download while you read the rest of the report.
The other video which impressed me was a comedic one called “Channel Surfin’ II”, which was basically AMV Hell Lite. It didn’t shoot to overload you with hundreds of disparate scenes, and it certainly didn’t go overboard in shock value– in fact it was just plain shorter than it should have been– but it was freakin’ hilarious. It got people to stand up and cheer halfway through; there wasn’t a single second where nobody was laughing. If you ask me, that was the single toughest act to follow, and pretty much every other comedic AMV paled in comparison. As soon as I find a link for it (AMV.org only has the first one), you guys’ll have it.
There was but one thing left on my schedule for Friday, and that was Obvious Technology Videoroom Pi. The show was a little late getting started owing to the fact that the DVD to be inflicted was missing, but eventually it was found, and eventually it was revealed– the evening’s torment was to be the live-action Parasite Eve movie. The con’s three chief wiseacres– Chris, Jeanie, and TJ– were on hand to relentlessly mock… well, each other, mostly. That’s the real thing I got out of it– there were a few in-jokes I didn’t get, and on occasion the hosts let entire minutes pass without comment. However, the comments that did make it in and relate to the film were inspired. Especially the recurring “I-beam to the face” gag. Oh, one other thing. I wrote about the Parasite Eve movie way, WAY back in 2003 when I first saw it, and I had made mention of the nippleless status of the goop monster. Alas, there was no mockery of the nipple-impaired to be had this night, as (under the impression of wanting to save time and to remain PG-13 friendly) the hosts elected to skip the hot, viscous lovin’ that was the sex scene. Overall, I’d have to take Pez’s schtick here and give them an honest pi out of five stars, simply because it was above average but not quite worthy of four stars.
Speaking of Pez, it was late and I was tired. The drive to his house was… let’s go with ‘interesting’ in the dark. However, what wound up being most interesting was actually finding his house. He’d said that his building was ‘across from a Giant Eagle’. Silly me, I expected a sign that read ‘Giant Eagle’ to be visible from the street at a glance; of course, the Giant Eagle was under construction and the large sign was still not yet erected. No slam against Pez, of course– after all, I got in and am just now griping about it– but it was a bit frustrating. Anyway, I got in, Pez and I did the usual ’sorting out the sleeping arrangements’ thing, and we both went to our respective beds as it was 1:30 by then. I slept peacefully, content that all was safe.

DAY TWO:
My heart leapt in my chest as I saw Anime Price Is Right on the schedule. I’ve been a major fan of television’s most exciting hour of fun and prizes since I was small, just because there was always something cool to see. Seeing an anime-centric version, hosted by the incomparable Greggo and narrated by Kyle Hebert, was beyond awesome. I stood in line for a good hour hoping to get on, but as it turned out I was not called on to Come On Down. Now, the show went very smoothly– it was probably the best-produced show of the entire con, with one glaring exception. The Plinko board was set up and used at the beginning of the game, and then became the world’s most well-crafted and awesome obstruction to half of the audience. So in short I was sort of penalized for waiting in line… but meh, the show was awesome and the people who won cleaned house. I mean, come on, the guy won a DS and and Xbox 360.
As I said, a lot of time spent at a con is either in lines or in transit. Now, you can look at this as a burden (”I paid $35 to stand around? WTF?”) or you can look at this as an opportunity. During downtime, I usually make sure my camera is at the ready and I roam the halls and rooms, looking for costumes that are well-done or cosplayer groups which are well-suited for each other. I call this ‘cosplayer hunting’, and I’ve sort of taken this to be an unofficial challenge whenever I go to a con. The rules are simple– each day I have to snap at least as many photos as I did the day before, and I can’t have any duplicate photos (ie I can’t have the same cosplayer by himself/herself in two photos unless the situation warrants it). Over the three days of Tekkoshocon, I snapped over 130 photos, and they’re all online– check them out here. (Please note: These files will be taken down on May 31st, 2006, to avoid people leeching them until the end of time.)
I think the highlights of the costumes I snagged were, in no particular order: the Advent Children group watching Para Para; any of the Skittle Ninjas from Mortal Kombat (aka Subzero, Reptile, Smoke, Scorpion, etc.); the amazing Alphonse Elric cosplayer who had to duck his head; Tsubasa-style Sakura; “Sit Happens”, a pose by one of the many, many Inuyasha groups; the Momiji-hat-wearing girl who let me snap the “Kyo’s picking on me!” photo with her… the list literally goes on, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few of the most awesome ones. Everyone did an exceptional job, and they’ve inspired me to work much harder on my costume(s) for Otakon.
Next on the list was an OAV pointed out to me by Slipgate, entitled “Azusa Will Help!”. I knew nothing going into the showing save the title, and that Slip seemed to enjoy it. After just shy of five minutes, I was hooked. The plot revolves around a small high-school baseball team in the mid-future, whose primary cross-town rivals dominate the league through the use of corny-looking ’sports robots’. Naturally, the underdogs are 100% human, until one of their ranks decides to leave the team. To make up for the missing man, and to prevent their club from disbanding due to too few members, the group decides to purchase a robot– but all they can afford is Azusa, a second-hand maid-type. Azusa is cute, dutiful, and completely inept when it comes to baseball– until the team discovers she has the ability to go into ‘Power Mode’, a state which makes her typical of a robotic maid but drains her battery faster than normal. Naturally, being a second-hand device purchased on the cheap from a shady Akihabara huckster, her battery is starting to fail. The team trains her, all the while her active time between charges becomes shorter and shorter… Well, the ending is a bit cliched and practically screams ‘deus ex machina’ (or whatever the equivalent phrase is in Japanese, I suppose), but overall it’s a good payoff to a very interesting show. For a one-shot OAV, the production value is very high, and the writing is pretty spot-on; nobody’s left behind when it comes to characterizations. It’s worth a look, even if maybe it’s not worth keeping around for too long. Lunar anime has a torrent for their fansub.
Shortly afterwards, I headed down to the game show tryouts. It was actually just tryouts for the 25,000 Yen Pyramid… which, of course, I didn’t know. But even if I had known I still would have shown up. People were paired off two-by-two into groups that did not know each other, and asked to do a couple of demonstration rounds of the game. (For those of you unfamiliar with Pyramid, it’s a word association game, along the lines of Taboo. You have to give clues to get your partner to say a specific word without actually saying that word.) I personally thought my run was a little rocky, but apparently it all worked out…
After dinner, I slipped into Panel One and caught the tail end of the ‘AMV 102′ presentation. Basically I got to see a few really good vids, mostly stuff I’d seen before, though. The panel cleared out, however, and there were about six or seven of us waiting for the presenters for the next event, ‘Running A Con’. We waited, and I pulled out my notebook– it was time for me to do what I intended to do; time for me to actually validate the excuse I’d made for going to an anime con by myself. We all waited a little bit more, and got to chatting… why we were waiting for the presenters. I gave my reason (’I'm writing a novel, wanted to get some insight’), and the others gave theirs– they were a few of the executive staff for Ohayocon and Ikasucon. I’d previously seen them running a Go demonstration in the Vendor’s room, so I was not surprised to see them there; however, seeing them wanting to learn more about the way Tekko worked kind of surprised me. Some time passed, however, and still no Tekko presenters.
What happened next, I blame entirely on Pez and his desire to make me more outgoing and more social. I started asking the Ikasu/Ohayo guys questions. They answered them. While it sounds kind of childish, it’s pretty much what happened– I forced them to usurp the presentation, and pushed them into the limelight by asking them about their most amusing and most unusual happenings while running their respective events. They were cool about it, and they were quite knowledgeable; I learned quite a bit about much of the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff that the average con-goer doesn’t see. It actually impressed me how much work these guys put into each year’s con, and how much work they have to do while the event is running– it seems to me like they wind up running the con more than they actually get to enjoy it! Still, they were gracious and very pleasant, and I really enjoyed talking with them. If you guys are reading this, thanks! The book’s coming soon, really, just a little while longer until the draft is done…!
More cosplayer hunting until a little while later, when I discovered that Anime Hell was attracting a bit of attention. It was scheduled for Panel One, a very small presentation room. I figured it was one of those ‘get in line or get shut out’ deals, so I did what I knew I ought to do. I got in line and whipped out the DS… until I remembered that I was out of battery power and my charger was in Cleveland. So I just sort of hung out– I’d de-costumed by this point– and watched all of the people going to the rave. I could probably have taken a few more cosplayer pictures, but I didn’t want to block the line too much, and besides, I was really, really tired. The line lasted for about an hour– a young, short, pink fuku-clad woman walked by about four or five times– until it was announced that there were only 90 seats in the panel room. I was number 20 in line. Phew.
The showing was along the lines of a more focused AMV Hell. Rather than showing just quick clips, the presentation was basically ‘The Best of Internet Humor’. Don Herzfeldt’s ‘Rejected’ got showing (and a LOT of applause), as well as a clip of a very creepy-looking German man singing some incredibly upbeat song with a voice like a tuba. There were also a few very odd Japanese clips including “Fish Fight!”, Segata Sanshirou’s music video (which defies description), and live-action stop-motion Gundam (which I could not make up even if I tried). There were also a few of the lost Fenslerfilm G.I.Joe clips, and the occasional WTF moment. A good time was had by all, until midnight exactly, when Jill Valentine burst in and ordered everyone out. The showing had run late, and was threatening to encroach on ‘How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse’. Tired, but declining a complimentary bottle of Bawls (as I wanted to actually sleep when I got in), I returned to Pez’s house and slept.

DAY THREE:
There must have been something magical about Sunday. Seriously. I woke up at exactly the right time, I left Pez’s house at exactly the right time, and I was lined up for The 25,000 Yen Pyramid at just the right time. There was a small crowd gathered, but it was still early in the morning– earlier still when you consider the fact that that night had been Daylight Savings Time’s start. Nobody was really at their best– well, nobody could be expected to be at their best. So it came as no real surprise that the tech staff had slept in and left Greggo in the lurch during the setup. All in all, though, the staff got their stuff together really quickly and began announcing the names of the players.
I was the first one announced.
In general, under the stress of such an amazing revelation, I’d normally run around jumping and screaming in absolute bliss. After about five minutes of this, I’d roll around on the floor in a similar esctatic state, until finally the joy climaxed and I passed out. Fortunately, I remained calm, and had to make do with a goofy grin on my face. The celebrity players, who would be partnered with myself and the other folks called, came out. Tiffany Grant and Matt Greenfield. I have to admit, my first impression of Ms. Grant was, “Holy crap, she’s short!” Well, all right, not really. I generally don’t get star-struck very often, but I could feel it creeping up on me in the back of my mind. Especially as I was promptly seated directly across from her for the first round. As for Mr. Greenfield, well… I suppose it was just early, or maybe it was the technical difficulties, but he seemed a bit unhappy. Still, he wasn’t antagonistic or despairing. I wound up playing matches with both of the celebrity guests, and I was very happy to do as well as I did. Even getting stuck with the yaoi category. I missed the shot at the Super Six, and cleared maybe one category by myself. And naturally, every time I wound up in the winner’s circle, I’d freeze up on the sixth answer, putting me ever short of the grand prize. Overall, I did manage to pick up two DVDs: the Rayearth OAV, and Risky Safety vol.1. That alone made the trip worth it– Risky Safety was nowhere to be found in the Vendor’s Room, remember?
I made a point to shake hands and exchange small talk with everyone who played, and Ms. Grant didn’t pull away in revulsion when I hugged her. That’s got to count for something. Pleased with my wins, I knew I had to finish up quickly– time was running out. I swung by the Dealer’s Room one last time and picked up Pop’n Music 7 and Ah! My Goddess vol.4. I did one last thing– I went to con ops with the sole purpose of saying ‘thank you’. Satisfied that I’d shown the proper gratitude, I left Tekkoshocon 2006 behind.
The drive back during daylight was sort of bittersweet. I had come away with so much and so many new experiences. Still, I had a bit more to look forward to this weekend. Pez was awake, and had run out for a second when I arrived. We decided to head out for lunch, and Pez took me to Squirrel Hill. He’d mentioned that he’d become fond of boba tea, and we went to a small cafe which offered it. If you’ve never had boba tea, let me explain what it is: Asian Lucky Charms of a sort. Tea, hot or cold, with small balls of tapioca (called boba). Which in this case were black, for some reason. It was good– I had honey green tea with boba, and it was definitely something different. However, we knew that was just a prelude, so we popped into a Panera for the real meal.
The food was, in a sense, irrelevant. We had work to discuss, work which still connected us. A week or so, while preparing for the trip, Pex had expressed some amount of astonishment that he’d been (in his words) ‘geeking out over writing’ so much. I replied that I’d always known he was a good storyteller, and it just took him a while to hone his craft. Still, he was right– when we first met, neither of us really considered ourselves a ‘writer’ by trade (after all, I ‘knew’ my fanfics were pretty much just a hobby that sucked up way too much time), but as time had gone on, he’d discovered in him a bright-shining pen. Myself, I still don’t know as I’m all that good; but if it makes even one person happy, I’m willing to keep on telling the stories I know, and the ones I learn on the way. Because that’s what life is, a series of stories: some told, some heard, and all lived. But then again, not every story has a happy ending.
Over the past seven months, something had been nagging at me. My grandmother had passed away a week after I’d been hired in Cleveland. I was in the middle of apartment hunting with my mother when I got the call. I wouldn’t be able to attend the funeral; I had to get to work bright and early that Monday. So, it had literally been seven months since I’d been to the house. Here I was, passing right by it. I knew, viscerally, I shouldn’t have stopped in. I knew it wasn’t the best thing I could do right then. I should have just gone right by. I really should have. But– and this requires a little setup– Fruits Basket made me. I have a video iPod, and I’d ripped all of Furuba to the device prior to lending my boxed set to Pez. Rather than listen to disparate songs on the long drive back, I set it to run Disc 3 of the series, and I covered the screen with the Tekko t-shirt I’d bought (so as to avoid any violent crashes caused by me watching the anime instead of the road). As I pulled into Sharon, the episode where the group visits Kyoko’s grave began playing. The turns came instinctively, each one leading me closer, and closer still to that house. I was being called.
I let myself in, and was astonished at how little it had really changed. Sure, some of the larger things were missing and there was paperwork on a table in the living room; but, despite all of that, it still looked and felt like Grandma’s house. To me, it still was. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t stop the tears. I dropped to my knees, the grief taking the legs from under me, and let the waterworks flow. There was nothing that would stop it. It was impossible to stop; it was inevitable that this would happen; and it was necessary. It was what had to be done. At the same time, I knew I should not have been there, but that it was something I had to do. Have you ever had to do that? Have you ever felt like something was so wrong while you did it, but looking back, you know you can move on because of the pain it caused? My eyes fell on it just then.
It was a very old mechanical bank shaped like an old-fashioned cash register, blue and battered. The paint had faded and chipped in places, and some slight cosmetic rust marred its surface in spots. The idea was that you would put a coin in the slot, pull the lever, and it would keep track of how much money had gone in. Once ten dollars had been inserted in any combination of nickels, dimes, and quarters, the slot would open and the money would be accessible. A few forgotten coins rattled within the machine, and out of habit I pulled a nickel from my pocket and donated it to the bank. I’d remembered the bank from when it was in my posession, long long ago. My cousin had its companion unit, which was identical yet red. Years of abuse and neglect had made this one very sorry-looking indeed, but it still worked. It worked, after all these years and all this time when it was assumed to be broken. Something told me to take it with me; it was among the piles of miscellaney left behind after the more valuable pieces had been claimed. I came very close to doing so.
And yet, right now, it sits in that empty house in Sharon, my nickel within it, waiting for the remainder of its deposit to free it. I left it behind. I had to. Because no matter what, having it in my posession wouldn’t remind me of her any more than I would already be. I hadn’t stopped thinking about any of my family. I can’t. If I do… then they’re truly forgotten, truly lost. It’s important to just move forward and move on, holding their memories in my heart, as dear to me as anyone ever could be. Their memories will bridge the distance between us.
I got into Cleveland at roughly 8 pm or so; the power had gone out at some point during the weekend, so I checked to make sure the TiVo had picked up all of my shows; I packed lunch for the next day, and I collapsed into bed. Game and anime were completely forgotten; I was exhausted, but it was a good feeling. It was the kind of exhaustion that only comes from a feeling of deep-rooted and profound peace. It seems like I get these feelings every time I leave a con, but they’re no less important because of it. The peace that I feel is the peace of knowing that I’m not alone, that I’m among friends, and that no matter how bad the world gets, no matter how strained the world becomes– at least once a year, for even just three days, there’s nothing but joy.

A sincere thank you goes out to the staff and attendees of Tekkoshocon 2006, and to the guests and presenters. It was a fantastic time and I’m already thinking about joining up for next year!