Hello everyone. It's time for a journal again. I just got back from a convention and I need to report, as well as a few updates from my life. For the first time ever, I'm going to do a 1 paragraph overview of each day. You can read that if you want to get through the journal quickly. If haste is not your style, the more detailed version is below it.
FIRST DAY OVERVIEW
(The short version of what happened): Well, as usual, we got on the road late for the convention. By the time we had packed the car and driven to Amber's house, we were almost an hour behind schedule. We hustled up the road and made it to Dana's at about 11. He was cleaning his car out when we arrived, and by the time we left it was about 11:45. Then we had to show my mom how to get to the interstate to go back home, so we were even more behind. I had wanted to go to an event at 1, but by the time we arrived at the con hotel and got registered for the con, it was almost 4, so that did not happen. After we got registered, we went to our hotel and got checked in, where we encountered problems. Once everything was done, we went swimming and then shopped for food. When we got back to the hotel, I cooked dinner and sent my team on their way to play Cards Against Humanity for the next 4 hours while I stayed at the hotel and washed dishes, got the internet set up, and had a shower.
More Detailed Explanation of Day 1:
Leg 1 (Amber's to Dana's)- Nothing of note happened on the way from my house to Amber's, so I'll just start with Amber's to Dana's. Mom was driving, and anytime you get your mom and friends together you must be careful. Amber was not aware of what to say and what not to say, and somehow the subject fell on Dana's behavior at the last con. She was like "I can't believe he was flirting with other girls right in front of you." So mom was like "Well it's not like you're dating." Busted. So much for dating on the down low to avoid unwanted questions. Cat was out of the bag. After that, the subject changed to Amber's girlfriend. LOL I had not told Mom that Amber is a lesbian, since I didn't want her to worry about Amber trying to get in my pants. So much for that.
Leg 2 (Dana's to Nashville)- We got to Dana's and he was cleaning out his car. He was not ready, even an hour later than we were supposed to be there. His grandmother came out and asked who we were about ten times, then finally went in the house. (His grandmother does not like any of us and refuses to allow us in the house, though I doubt she can even remember that in her state.) Anyway, we got on the road and backtracked to show Mom how to get to the interstate, so we were even later, but at least mom got home okay. We went up the road with Amber and Dana taking up the majority of the conversation, listening to various 90s music, such as Aaron Carter, Backstreet Boys, and Brittney Spears. We all remember those days fondly. The traffic was terrible as we came near Nashville. I think I could have walked the last part faster than we drove it. It took us 25 minutes to go 4 miles. Awful.
Leg 3 (Hotels)- We finally got into Nashville and we were about 30 minutes from check-in time, so we went to the con hotel first to get our badges. Amber and I went in while Dana parked the car. We got our badges and Dana's, but had to show ID to prove we were over 18 and get the wristbands for the 18+ events. Amber left her wallet in Dana's car, and he moved the car three times while we were trying to walk to his car. We kept following him around like wtf just stay where you are. We finally all three got wristbands and got cleared to wear them in the water and went to check in to the hotel. When we got to the hotel 20 minutes later (bad traffic, small distance), it was after 4. I walked up to the counter to get checked in, and they gave me a whole bunch of shit about using my mom's credit card and not having her with me, even though they had a notation in the file where she called in and told them what happened and why she was not there. Then once I went through several people and finally got checked in, the room had not been cleaned. They made us wait for like 40 minutes to get our room keys and get into the room. We got unloaded and opened our bags just long enough to grab our swimsuits and change. Since we all wanted to change at the same time, I took the closet, Dana took the bathroom, and Amber took the kitchen. LOL. It is really hard to change clothes in a small and dark closet. I do not recommend it.
Leg 4 (Pool and Store)- We went to the pool and lots of fun stuff happened. The other group that was there was drinking beer, and Amber had her ipod out there. She started listening to some music I've never heard of, and they bonded over it while I swam around to try and get my arm to move. We got out of the pool when the sun went down and got dressed to go to the store (I got to wear my dress! I am now in love with it). We got to the store and decided to eat pasta, so we bought pasta and alfredo sauce, chicken strips, and garlic butter. We went back to the hotel and Amber cut up the chicken, I cooked, and Dana showered real quick. Then they went to play Cards Against Humanity.
Leg 5 (Cards Against Humanity then bed)- They went to the con hotel to play their game and I stayed back because I had no interest in it. I decided to set up the internet first so I could listen to Pandora while I was in the shower. That was not a simple task. It was 11 at night at that point. So I called up to the front desk and they connected me to IT. After almost 40 minutes, they managed to get me on the net. So I listened to Pandora in the shower and did a bunch of crossword puzzles. I finally got motivated and did the dishes then went to bed, since I was tired of waiting on them to get back. Practically as soon as I shut the light off they came in. As soon as he get in, Dana turned the TV on and kept it on for almost two hours, despite the fact that Amber and I were tired and kept telling him to go to bed. I was so pissed off by the time we went to bed I told him to stay on his side of the bed and leave me the hell alone. That only lasted until I was still awake at 6 in the morning.
OVERVIEW OF DAY 2
We woke up late that morning and had just enough time to get in our cosplay and be about 10 minutes late for the beginning of autograph signings. When we got there and parked the line was extending down the hall and out the front door of the hotel. I thought there was no way we were going to get any autographs, but the line moved fast and we were able to get in quickly. 30 minutes later, I had all three voice actors autographs (but no photos) and we had met Ryan, so our team was finally complete. Ryan, Amber, and I went back to the hotel after that to change out of cosplay and into more sensible clothes. I put my dress on again and we went to Chuck Huber's panel while we were waiting on Dana. When he was done talking, he offered a time to get autographs and photos, so I got a picture with him.
After that we went to get dinner and then came back in time for the rave. After we went to the rave, we went back to the hotel and Dana turned on the TV for another 3 hours and I wanted to beat him to death. I drank quite a bit of rum and put myself to sleep. I slept like a baby and didn't even notice him snoring. Thank you rum.
More Detailed Explanation of Day 2:
So, as I said in the paragraph above, I was in cosplay, but my cosplay was incomplete. I woke up and my swimming the day before had backfired. I couldn't move my arm past a 90 degree angle, so I was unable to put my wig on or even do anything to my hair. Strangely enough, I was recognized as Nel three times, despite the fact that I was only in the outfit. I have never been recognized when in the wig. Very strange. lol. So we went to the dealer's room and I bought 4 bookmarks and 6 buttons. When we went to go back to the hotel, Ryan's car wouldn't start! We had to stand out there for like 20 minutes in 100 degree heat in three layers of long sleeve cosplay for him to get the car started. He did something weird. He put it in neutral and rolled it, then it started, like magic. I think I need to learn how to do that. XD. We were going to eat while we were at the hotel, but my grandma called and asked where Mom was. I had no idea, since I wasn't in town, but I talked to her for about 20 minutes, and Dana kept texting everyone. Finally he texted us that the concert was over, but he had "CAUGHT THE FREAKING DRUMSTICK!!!" LOL. That was pretty cool I guess. We were going to eat when we met up with him, but he wanted to go to a panel and Amber wanted to catch up with a furry dude and get a picture with him. She never did find him, but we got some tickets for buy one get one sandwiches at Arby's. We decided to go there and we had issues at the drive thru. Dana changed his order three times and confused the poor girl working the window. I felt sorry for her. He got a little belligerent, which was surprising. We went back to the hotel and ate and got ready for the rave. We piled in the car and Dana drove, so he moved the car twice and then waited on a tow truck to tow away a Videl cosplayer's car and then he parked where she had been. We went up to the line to get in and they told us that I couldn't take my purse in. Holy shit man, I had my phone, GPS, tablet, and mom's credit card in that purse. So I put it in Dana's trunk and wrapped it up and prayed it would be safe until I got back to it. I did stick my phone in my bra though. SO very unladylike. The first half of the rave was good, but when they switched DJs the music sucked. Ryan came to get us from the Toonami party and we thankfully went back to the hotel. My purse was in the trunk right where I left it. We went back to the hotel and I had a shower while Dana watched a ton of Toonami and I drank a LOT of rum. I filled a whole half a solo cup with rum and mixed it with coolaid. Not the best combo, but it was effective. When we went to bed, I was asleep quickly and stayed asleep all night. And I needed my rest after the night before...
OVERVIEW OF DAY 3
Not much happened on the last day. We went to the dealer's room again and I bought a bracelet that I had been eyeing for a while. I spent my last 15 dollars on it too. I only had 14, so I borrowed one from Amber. I still owe her that dollar. It's two tones of purple, one of my favorite colors. Dana got his drumstick signed and bought a CD of the band that had performed. I finally got the money from the two holdouts in my group and we exchanged money so we each paid what we owed in food and liquor. I tried to make it as fair as I could, being precise to the last cent. Amber went home with Ryan (a surprisingly cute couple even though that would never happen. lol) and Dana drove us to Bham. Mom was late getting to our meeting spot and I called her. Dana threw a fit when she said she was caught in traffic and 60 miles away. He threw the car in reverse and declared he was NOT missing church while I was still on the phone. After about 30 minutes of arguing with him while on the phone with my mother, and even a nicely placed curse that I know Mom must have heard, we decided that Dana was going to skip church and take me to meet Mom at the Galleria. After I got off the phone, he was really quiet and finally asked why I was so mad at him. That just made me more mad and I wanted to throw him out of the moving car. Finally I calmed down and I told him he was rude and inconsiderate, and I was not entertained by his potty humor and dirty jokes and that I am a proper lady. I told him he needed to learn some manners. We sat there and waited in the parking lot for a bit, and he said that he might be open to eating with us, since he was skipping church anyway. I just glared. So he was like "well I guess you're so mad at me that you don't even want to eat with me or see me right now huh?" And I was like "yes, that is correct." When Mom got there we packed the car with my stuff and got on the road. We made it a few exits before we stopped and ate Taco Bell. I had the new thing, the burrito with the quesadilla wrapped around it. It was pretty good. But the biggest shock: they don't have the slushies with the strawberries anymore! That was why I wanted to go there. So sad... We got back on the road and arrived home about 8. The end.
PERSONAL LIFE UPDATES
Mom said I couldn't leave until I switched my major, so I did. We went through the book and decided psychology was about the only thing I could do, so that's what my new major is. I went to the school and switched it and was advised on the 31st, one day before my trip. lol. I cut it close. I signed up for my classes and haven't really thought too much about it. I was glad to be going back to school until Mom called me today and told me how much tuition was and that it had gone up. I had a meltdown about the fact that I had to have a meal plan and that I was going to pay $4250.00 to go for one semester, with $600 or books along the way. Almost $5000.00. Are you kidding me?!?! I make about 1200$ a YEAR working at my job. How the hell am I supposed to pay that??? I will leave a comment in the suggestions box, especially about the damn meal plan. I am not happy. That is all.
Rachel
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