-
thinking about anime conventions
2004-05-19 22:37:16
Otakon 2001. The first time I ever went to an anime convention. Only on Saturday, but what an experience. My family and I were traveling at the time, and our travels took us close to Baltimore. After a bit of begging, I convinced them to stop there on our trip, and hence my first time at an anime convention. I got a bit overwhelmed thinking of what to do next, but I still managed to have a productive and enjoyable day. After that, I wanted to go to Otakon again, but it never happened. Hotel rooms in downtown Baltimore are insanely expensive. The old members of the anime club dealt with this problem by putting eight or more people in a room. But this was not my idea of comfort, and it made me uneasy to think that hotels will kick you out if they catch you breaking the “limit of four” rule.
So I never again attended an anime convention, until, Tekkoshocon 2004. You can get a hotel room in that area without going broke, so I attended all three days. No ordinary clothes this time, I finally got a chance to display my Lt. Zechs Merquise and Lt. Char Aznable costumes. It was a small convention, but it was fun. Especially since I made new friends that share my interest in anime. People who show enough passion to make a cosplay costume, create an AMV, or whatever their activity is. I hope we can get more passionate people like that in the anime club.
And now, at long last, I will be able to return to Otakon. With the help of the friends I met at Tekkoshocon, I found a comfortable place to stay that won’t cost me a fortune. I look forward to this trip. It seems the goals which I was staring to think I could not reach are within my grasp if I try hard enough. -
both good news and bad news for the anime club
2004-04-30 23:22:36
As another semester draws to a close, I look back on our university’s anime club. Two years have passed since the big turnover (where many of the old members left and some new ones came). It’s never been quite the same, because some of the most talented and devoted members were in that old group. But I, as the oldest remaining member of the club, have helped to hold things together.
This was actually a very productive semester. We had two club outings – one to a restaurant that serves Asian food and one to a nearby anime store. Several of us went to Tekkoshocon. We participated for the first time in the mix-off event – where various campus organizations present a (nonalcoholic) drink at a table decorated for the theme of the drink. Our theme was the Japanese tea ceremony. I did that almost single-handedly. Also, we finally got storage space on campus. This is very important because we cannot spend our club budget on videos and video equipment unless we store it on campus. Again, this was my doing. We didn’t get a club website up and running, but we found help in the art department and we may have one next fall.
I was feeling rather proud of the club until the time of the all-nighter party. No one showed up. I was shocked. This was the first time we ever had a semester without an all-nighter. Traditionally, this had been the most anticipated event – a time when we could end our semester with a fun party. I was feeling proud of the club, but I then realized I only had myself to be proud of. This showed that only I and a few other members truly cared about the anime club.
It seems the time has come for another turnover. I suspect most of the old members will not return next semester, and it is probably for the best. We will have to count on new members joining next fall if the club is to continue. Despite our best efforts to advertise and provide club members with various fun activities, we struggle to make people come and we struggle to convince people who come to stay. I can only conclude that our university is filled with students who are simply not interested in participating in campus organizations. There was a joke going around campus a while back: “Apathy Club: cancelled due to lack of interest”. That pretty much sums it up. I can only hope that the next fall semester brings freshman who have not yet decided to “sit on the sidelines”. -
I won’t be a 2nd degree black belt – in rank, at least
2004-04-24 21:26:08
Although black belt testing is tomorrow, I will not be attending. Testing for 2nd degree black belt costs $475! I would like to advance the rank of 2nd degree black belt, but this is too much to pay. Actually, I could probably afford it if I dug deep into my pockets and gave up some of the things I was planning to spend my money on. But I feel it is a matter of principle.
I think it is unfair to charge so high a price for the opportunity to be a 2nd degree black belt. I’m sure they want to discourage unprepared people from testing, but isn’t making the test a challenging and demanding test enough? One of the tenants of Tae Kwon Do they have taught me at this school is integrity. And part of integrity is not encouraging unfair behavior. So, it seems that their plan to make lots of money has backfired.
I shall test myself in the days to come. I will perform my techniques to the best of my abilities. I will spar with high-ranking black belts and check how I do. I will see if I can kick through 5 pine boards at one time. And of course, I will do this with a good attitude. If I succeed, I will consider myself a 2nd degree black belt in spirit, if not in rank. -
using a sewing machine is difficult ... but important
2004-04-18 22:10:36
Learning how to use a sewing machine is difficult (at least if you are using the old Montgomery Ward 1943 model). The spool thread has to be put through six, that’s right, six different hooks. And the task of preparing the bobbin thread has many steps to it, some which are very tricky. If you don’t thread the machine just right, it won’t work. But once you learn how to set up the sewing machine, the rest is just practice to learn how sew well.
Although it is difficult to learn how to use a sewing machine, I’m learning it now. Even though I’m pretty good with a needle and thread in my hands, there are certain jobs that can only be done with a sewing machine. I must learn to use one to be better at cosplay. Up until now, my costumes required only a little bit of work with a sewing machine (and my mother helped me there). But I was only delaying the inevitable. Now I will learn to use a sewing machine myself. -
first entry
2004-04-12 21:45:26
Greetings.
This is the first time I’ve ever used my journal. Initially, it struck me as an odd idea. You don’t post personal information on the internet where many people can look at it. But there’s nothing wrong with posting information that’s not private.
What to write ... care to hear how I became a fan of anime?
I first saw anime during a trip out west with my family. The hotel we were at had a channel called Scifi Channel. There, I saw a cool swords-and-sorcery show. Years would pass before I realized it was an anime called “Record of Lodoss Wars”. Some time later, we started getting Scifi Channel at our home. One evening, while flipping through the channels, I came across a movie called “Fatal Fury”. The announcer said it was made in Japan. I was interested. However, I didn’t know where else to find anime, so it faded from my memory.
That was all I ever saw of anime for a long time. Somehow, “Robotech” escaped my attention. “Sailor Moon” did not, but I dismissed it as a silly kid’s show aimed only at girls (how close-minded I was being). “Pokemon” certainly didn’t escape my attention, but that craze looked so crazy I decided to stay away from it.
Fast forward to college. I saw a flyer advertising a free public showing of “Slayers: The Motion Picture” by the local anime club. I decided to go and satisfy my curiosity. I was surprised to see that such in depth stories/characters could be found in animation. As fate would have it, our cable company had added Cartoon Network at about that time. I started checking out anime, and the rest is history.
That’s my story. Click on my journal any time you want without fear. This journal will never be used to post offensive materials.
JOURNAL: Michael*Explorer (Michael Sawicki)
Current server time: Jan 14, 2025 14:12:33