There was a place called Neko-con, in a city named Virginia Beach, and it was the end of the millennium....
Some of you might recognize my opening sentence as a bastardization of a line from Cabaret, I congratulate you and remind you it's an homage, not a rip off.
| This Is A Story About A Girl, Me. |
My name is Kayt, and if you're reading my page you're probably aware of who I am. However if this is your first time here, and you've only seen me in passing at conventions, you may only know me as that obnoxiously bitchy Kayt who seems to be everywhere. I became aware of my detractors early on at conventions, but never had heard it put so bluntly as when my friend Marya reported the conversation she was trapped behind in an elevator at Otakon 98 ( see finger flipping Kayt for more Otakon 98 highlights). It went something like this: |
| Catty Girls Everywhere, Not Just At Neko. |
Young Lady #1: Oh my gawd, didja see who's here agaiiiiiin? That obnoxious
KAYT girl in the bunny outfit. Young Lady #2: Jesus, again? She's so annoying, just who does she think she is? (and so on......) |
| The Retort |
Marya did pop in with a comment that "That Kayt girl" was a good friend of hers, and is really a nice girl once you actually talk to her. I thank Marya, but I owe them an answer. I think I am Kayt. Who the fuck do you think I am? My reputation of being loud, crude, and often only half dressed remains firmly in place for those who attended Neko-Con R this year. And I don't have a problem with that. Those who know me, have spoken with me, and with whom I correspond have opinions that I listen to. The general public who may hate me or love me without any true knowledge of who I am can go fuck a chicken for all I care.( For more Chicken Fucking humor, please keep reading). |
| With That Said, On With The Show... |
This summer I invited all of Neko-con's domestic guests. After each one of them
accepted
I sent out thank you notes and a long questioner as to what kind of panels they
liked
doing, would like to do, or hated doing. Many of them replied, some did not. With
that
information I began to work with my best man, Besh! on the programming line-up.
Meanwhile I began writing program book descriptions for the larger events at the
convention ( the dance, cos-play, music videos, kareoke...) in order that a repeat
of last year's events would not happen.
It was at this time that I also created this web page. I had a lot of free time. |
| That Was Then, This Is Now. |
And then I started classes. I'm taking first semester Japanese and Heian era Japanese history (6 credits and 3-4 credits respectively). I also began working at 4 Star Video Heaven, an elitist bastard of a video store if there ever was one, our selection of anime, drama, and foreign films kicks the asses of any place in Wisconsin. I'd claim we kick the ass of any place in the midwest, but there's this oooooone store outside of Chicago that might just kick ours. Suffice to say we're relaxed, well stocked and that Roger Ebert personally gives us four stars! But what this means is that I work nights, go to classes in the morning, study the rest of the hours, and only vaguely know what sleep really is. I thank god I finished most of my duties for Nekocon this summer. What I didn't finish was those last minute things....and programming. |
| Assume Nothing. |
Besh! who due to a warm, giving heart and a glass of whiskey had agreed to organize live programming for Neko. He then moved to Seattle. This interrupted the planning process. We finished organizing the general panel list a few weeks before the convention. I began writing the rest of the panel blurbs. I wrote concise, sarcastic descriptions for half the panels ( Friday and half of Saturday to be exact) and then had to cram for some tests. By the time I returned to writing the last of the descriptions I learned that the book had already gone to press. I assumed this meant that Larry wrote the rest of the blurbs. Assume, ass out of u and me...yeah. So, I'm to blame for the confusion over Saturday night and Sunday morning panels, but at least every single guest got their bios in. |
| Pre-Con Burn-Out. |
I worked the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday prior to the convention. I should have worked Wednesday, but I spent the day with ice on my left ankle ( I have tendonitis in that ankle...something you'll be reminded of later) and studying. During those days I had a total of three tests, Kanji on Friday, Japanese lesson 6 on Monday, and a three-essay test on the Asuka and Nara periods of Japan on Thursday. I needed a convention in the worst way. Thursday, 2 hours after my last test of the week, I arrived at Madison's airport with my friends Michelle and Jeff. Michelle is taking Japanese with me, she also needed the convention. She'd been to Acen this year, but was still not a con master. Jeff is a quiet warez boy, Neko was his first anime convention. |
| Bar Time. |
We landed in Virginia a 11:00 PM. By this time all the people who could pick us up at the airport were at the hotel bar. We took a shuttle. At 11:30 the bar greeted us with hugs, drinks, and cloves. Home again, home again jiggity jig. |
| Urine. |
That night Besh and I stayed in Brad's room with Marco, Brandon and some guy I've never met before named Jay. Besh and I got our own bed, Jay should have also had his own bed. Jay, returning to the room before the rest of us, had passed out promptly emptying his bladder. Jay didn't stay for the rest of the con. None of us missed him. That night Brad endeavored to sleep on the dry side of the bed. Meanwhile on the floor Brandon attempted the block the fact his comforter was unnaturally moist and Marco was happy that his own comforter came from the Besh and Kayt bed. We stayed up giggling. When ever Besh left the bed Marco would jump in to "sleep with me"....this was funny until Brandon joined in, jumped up onto the bed in the dark, and landed his knee directly onto my left ankle. The next day I put my ankle on ice...again. ( more to come....but I have to study...) |