Forgive the late post, I was waiting for an announcement to be made so I could blog about it :p

About two weeks ago, the wondrous and largely anticipated Anime LA came as it does this time every year. A LOT was stressed over this year because a big group of my friends were doing a really elaborate group cosplay! I couldn't even finish the one cosplay I wanted to cos my checks stopped and didn't start again until the week after ALA. SUCKS. But my mom is a doll and let me borrow some money. I didn't have money for a hotel room so I filled up my gas tank intending to drive back and forth for the 3 day event. It worked out well, after the 3 days I still have gas left over!

FRIDAY: I woke up late as the night before was my Nana's funeral. I'm not going to go much into that except that it was a nice service, everyone liked the photo collage I did, we ate really well at the reception and the family is now sort of at war with a few other members of the family. >.< Also, I had a bad panic attack around 6am and was spilling my guts for a while. eh, I ran some errands, then came back home and got all dressed up for my Neurotically Yours cosplay: Germaine, complete with Foamy the Squirrel plush and Pilz E plush that I made. I always have so much fun doing Germaine cos she's an obscure cosplay and when people realize who I am they're like OHHHHHH!!!!

When I got to the hotel to park I discovered that they were charging $13 for parking per day!!! Last year it was free!!! Anyhow, I registered and found out that I got a program participant ribbon on my badge for being a part of the steampunk panel! Also, they spelled my name wrong! yay! I was (s)Aint Xhimo all weekend hahah I waited a while until Cyrene, Keil, and Tak came to check in. I brought along a horsey for Cyrene's Date Masamune cosplay :p After all their elaborate gear was in the room and everyone was accounted for, some wandering was done and some looking around the hotel grounds and dealer's hall was made. :p Thankfully I brought my shoes to change into cos my boots start scratching up my ankles pretty quick. :( I got lost with Keil and Tak who found Yana and Anthony and started playing a drinking game with them. Oh, so much cursing and drinking! I still can't drink. Part of me misses it but the other part is like meh, you want to be able to drive. LOL

This is me and Yana...or is is Yanna and Me...um...

I left the con around 10, I had a trip to San Diego to make in the morning and I wanted to be well rested for it. I said goodbye to everyone in the room (who was Bryan, Cyrene, Danielle, Sierra and Tony) while they got ready for midnight cosplay!

Tak: "Do I look like a dad?" pipe and all, you know :p



another night...another octopus on the head...how does this keep happening?!



tis me as Germaine!



Keil is all kissy kissy with the horsey I brought for Cyrene!



Kawaii Morning! (missing Bryan and Sierra though!) top left to bottom right: Tony, Keil, Tako, Cyrene, Danielle, and me



This is Sarah, I met her at the New Years Eve party, here she is all cute and loli!



Tak flagged down (no pun inteded) this cosplayer to take a photo, I forgot who Tak said this was! :(

I also made copies of Con Bingo for everyone! It was so much fun finding these, I nearly won playing blackout bingo waiting in the lobby!

SATURDAY: I woke up around 5:30am or so to get on the road on time to make it to the 2nd day of auditions for the San Diego cast of Repo! the Genetic Opera! I made it on time, got the same parking and everything, I was very happy! Came in, waited, saw some of the gals and guys that where there last time and a few new faces. Amy was there with her mom, Cindy, doing the auditions! Ingred joined us later to talk about our booth at Chrononaut. (another blog coming soon about that night!)

The auditions went about the same, as Amy called us up to take our places for the parts we were trying out for, we went up. She liked me so much as the lead Scalpel Slut, I did the part a few times! ("I had my first surgery when I was 13...") ;) We had another little meeting about the theatre and how things are coming along with Raybin. We are so going to be ready by the time they come around and give us the go ahead for everything! I talked with Amy, Cindy and Ingred a bit after the auditions, I was very happy with the afternoon! There was an official announcement yesterday afternoon with the cast listing...and I got the part as BLIND MAG!!! When I was told I couldn't believe it, I'm so happy! :D :D :D :D :D :D I have so much work to do but thanks to Rebecca I have a better idea of how to make certain things!

'Tis Amy and I at Lestat's West!

When I got home, I was tired and tried to take a nap but it didn't really work. I went to confession, then church, came home and ate quickly after getting dressed all steampunk like for day 2 of the con. I hurried down there to get there at 7:45pm (and didn't have to pay for parking!) and when I got there I found out that the program LIED and the dealer's hall was closed at 6, not 8!!! I had my eyes on some really nice silver goggles. Another vendor was selling a nice leather half mask with the tarot card for Death pressed into it.

I met up with the gang in the room, they were just finishing up their Gundum cosplay.

The lovely laidies, some playing men, and Haro, of course



Danielle tries her luck at hitting the apple on my head but I screamed like a girl at the last minute! :p



Moon hat, mardi gras mask, I'm not even drunk buahha!



Leek, moon hat, thumbs up!



I don't know who that is but obviously they didn't want us to know! Censor glasses ftw!



Steampunk science explorer! Proof that corsets make waists smaller and boobs bigger! >.<



Bryan's getting ready to see how far Haro can roll...

They said that they were the Basara meet! Lots of great pictures were taken of them all in their costumes and Cyrene did use my pony in one pic, the same pic she was wearing a pancake hat! (I <3 that hat!) Everyone's props were oversized, but Danielle's prop was like WOAH, big and heavy!

I got permission from Cyrene to steal some of her meet pics to share since I couldn't be there! Cyrene helped do a lot of the costumes, kudos to her!!!

Left to Right: Tako, Cyrene, Bryan, Clark, (girl with hair???), Keil, Sierra, Danielle, (person with organge hair???), (person with giant anchor???), Tony



Kawaii Morning cosplay group! Cyrene, Tak, Sierra, Keil, Tony, Danielle, Bryan



uno mas



This picture warms my heart! ^.^

After a while of playing around, we went down to the pool area and took some pictures. I got lost as I usually do but found the group once again! We waited in line for the Con Suite, got us some snacks and walked on again.

Sierra (and a nasty bottle of wax apple wine), Cyrene with Haro, Danielle with a Smile, and Keil with a frightening wig



would you like a drink, love?



found Yana! She was Flo, the Progressive Insurance girl!



w00t w00t, party teims!



Tak was kind enough to take this photo of me next to the bridge!



She's a dead shot!



Bromance: "Why don't you look at me when you say you love me???



Doesn't Tak look sharp with his leek? :p

I left soon after this, I had the steampunk panel to get ready for and I definitely wanted to make sure I had everything I wanted to talk about covered!

SUNDAY: I got up and I exaggerate only very slightely when I say I tried on EVERYTHING in my closet!!!


me and my Gingerbread Coffin

I finally got an outfit I liked and was on my way to the con, though they did get me for parking this time. I was there early enough to buy the goggles I wanted the previous day so I attached those to my hat, as they were more lightweight than my previous night's goggles. In the process, somehow I'd lost the goggles I wore the previous night and I was so so so heartbroken when I couldn't find them, they were my first pair that MPsy made especially for me when I was first getting into steampunk so they had such sentimental value! But it turned out that I had put them in a random bag in my trunk that I didn't even remember putting them in and now they're back at home safe and sound!

Before the panel we were hanging out together at an upper floor and a lot of people wanted our picture! It's so nice to have people really kind of enchanted by our style, I feel so much positive attention from people who ask questions! When the panel started, there were 5 of us: MPsy, Rebecca, myself, Jo and Danny. The topic was Steampunk on a Budget and we had an almost full room! We were very happy with this turnout! It was my first panel and I was excited to share what I knew and I learned a lot in the process! Jo had to leave right after the panel but she let me take this picture in this corset she made herself!

Next up was the Steampunk 101. Eric, Danny and MPsy headed that one, lost of great background information as well as some neat talking points! Poor MPsy was nervous you could tell, but he and the other men did a great job! Eric's laptop didn't work unfortunately as it was part of the demo but the low tech approach worked very well also!

So proud! Eric, Danny & MPsy

After the panels were finished there was a photoshoot for steampunk out near the pool. Let me give you contrast between this year's and last year's meet:

2009: (I kid you not, this was everyone that year...hey, look, it's Danny next to me!)

2010: (OMGosh, STEAM EXPLOSION!) I want to thank Isaiah for taking these pictures for me! :D
(had to be taken in 2 shots!)

Womans

(2 shots again)

Mans

(2 shots)

WHAT A TURNOUT!!! I was pleased to see so many steamies and their outfits and contraptions and their characters! I was very happy to see a lot of my friends at the meet as well!

Brianna, with her expandable wings set! Fly!!!

Our San Diego steampunk DJ, Eric C.! He and his wife run the monthly Chrononaut steampunk dance night at Queen Bee's in San Diego, you all should come sometime!!! http://chrononautclub.com/

Mr. Rice, a photographer MPsy and I met our first night vending at Chrononaut!

Danny B., steam powered man of the law!

Me and the Missus! buahaha, he's gonna kill me later...

OMAIGAWSH HIDE ME, HE'S AFTER ME!!!!

the softer side of steam! ;)

We also started a gang that day...the Gearbox Gang! Here we are doing our gang sign, the moving gears! REPRESENT, Innovation, Imagination, and Science. HOLLA!

check us out on FaceBook! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=272786632929

Man, what a time to be alive!!!

Bri and I left shortly after that, I was very tired but very happy that this weekend went so very very well! I had a time cleaning up and putting away everything afterward but it was a great experience, I was very happy that I got to be a small part of STeampunk Sunday and as a super cool bonus...I got a Powered by Steam flag!!!

I still am geeking over these, this is my first year I get flags! ^.^
Ignore the mispelled name :S

Many a thanks to my wonderful Kawaii Morning friends who were very gracious and let me leave my stuff in the room while I was there in between days, gear gang signs to all my steamies, new and familiar, who made Steampunk Sunday awesome! Next year, TOO MANY PEOPLE FOR 2 SHOTS!!!!

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I used to think once I grew up I'd have to stop dressing up, I was wrong!