Ah yes, convention season.
Well, there are a few earlier in the year, but since I only ever go to two specific ones a year, this is the start of mine, at the very least.
Two years ago, those who've been here a while might remember my diary entry about Picacon in Kristinehamn around this time that year. Well, this wasn't Picacon, cus 2024 was the last year it was held, but when they decided to stop, some people decided to start up a different convention in the same city, called Väncon ('vän' meaning 'friend' in Swedish). The first con was held last year, but that was when my hands were still downright nightmarish, so I ended up not going.
This year, I did decide to go, and just like in 2024, I ended up driving back and forth, opting to sleep in my own bed rather than in a sleepingbag. Admittedly, I decided to do so this time because I had to medicate Kalma (had another visit with the vet recently btw, hoped he'd get to quit the meds, but not quite yet). Otherwise I probably should have stayed in the dorm (despite them being in the same place as Picacon's which means the dorm is dreezing) because uh. Guess whose hands are absolutely pissed right now? Miiine!
At least I didn't have to drive through a snow storm this time.
Ah, either way, I had a lot of fun, met some friends I barely see at all outside cons, sang a lot of karaoke (two duets with Annu, only one of which was planned), ate a lot of street vendor sushi (which is a new one for a con that's not Närcon, it's the first time I've seen a non-NCS con have street vendors - there was only one, but still, more than I'm used to personally) and did a lot of yapping.
Initially I was planning on cosplaying, but I ended up not doing so, so that's another first. Not cosplaying at a con at all, aside from the one I worked at. Since I was staff at BLYG'11, I don't count that towards the non-cosplay score. Just didn't feel like dealing with contacts atm.
The first day Ren came with, but not the second, but I still had some other friends there to hang out with. A woman I met at the club last month was there, even! So that's fun.
Going back to the topic of karaoke, I wanted to sing Journey through the Decade, but the video version almost crashed the program and they didn't have a non-video version so I didn't get to sing it. I sang Treasure Sniper instead, but I'm bummed I didn't get to sing the DCD OP. I think I'm gonna make a file for it myself and send to them, so I can sing it next time.
I need more Kamen Rider karaoke!
So, ah, purchases. The books were from the same place that always stands right inside the entrance to the... C-house? I think? at Närcon Sommar, which I always forget the name of, but these were some of the second hand books they had. Strawberry Panic? Talk about a throwback. Was that the first yuri I ever watched? It might have been, but I'm not 100% sure. I've read the manga before but I've never owned it.
They had a couple of Tanemura Arina-manga volumes, neither of which I've read (though my memory could just be failing me, I'll notice once I crack the book open), but the pastels drew me in, so I went with that one. Tanemura-sensei was one of my favourite shoujo mangaka when I was in middle school and high school. Full Moon? Jeanne? Time Stranger Kyoyo? Shinshi Doumei Cross? Absolutely loved those. I started making a Meroko cosplay back in high school, but I never finished it.
Ah, the amount of projects I've abandoned could fill... well, maybe not a book, but a short story-sized one, at least.
Sakuran sounded interesting from the back, and it's made by the same mangaka as Sugar Sugar Rune, so I think we can count that as 3 for 3 on the nostalgia factor.
The cute Angel and Lucifer stickers are by MissLadyTale, and I've currently stuck them inside my phone case with my gloomy bear and Verosika stickers.
The Sailor Moon phone charm is from Yohgerbs It matches my sternum tattoo!
My last (technically my first, but the final image, so, eh) is a piece of vaguely chicken-shaped sheep-skin. I've put it in one of the boxes my cats (mostly Kalma) likes to sleep in. I bought that one from a guy advertising artisan courses.
Can I be a little bit vain? I mean, this is my website and my diary, so I'm gonna be a little bit vain.
I got several compliments on my outfits, and it made me very happy. Especially when I'd made one of my tops myself.
Ah, I also got many compliments on my bag, which I'll be making a separate post for soon.
Right now I'm gonna bounce though, I think my hands need a break for the rest of the night now. They're quite sick of me.( ଂϖଂ)