The Past Month - Colossalcon and Such

I started my last post with pictures of my plushies, didn't I? Oops! Plushies are cute and the pink one relates to this post very slightly, anyways.

So, I haven't written here in a month, and I'll get to that in a bit. Excuses, excuses. I also have to talk about my first ever Colossalcon!

It was definitely the most fun I've had at a convention in...ages. I don't know how long since I've enjoyed myself at a convention that much. It helped that I was with good friends and the con was executed very very nicely, but it probably didn't hurt that I only knew three other people besides the group I was with!

Colossalcon is held at a convention center that has a joined hotel that has a huge waterpark in it! I can't swim, so I've never really been to a waterpark. I was a bit scared by the irrational thought of drowning or getting water in my eyes (okay, the latter was not so irrational), but I went and...really loved it! I also feel like I got over another fear by going in front of all those people in a swimsuit, haha. I didn't do too much the few times I was there; I wasn't brave enough to go down any waterslide. But I did go down the lazy river and really loved the wave pool. 

As for the actual convention, it was great as well! It was really spread out in the convention center, which meant it was never too crowded in the halls. I didn't go to too many panels for one reason or another, but the ones I went to were nice, and there were a lot I did want to go to, or thought they looked really cool or fresh. 

I guess my only complaint about the convention was how small the artist alley was. The artists they did have were all great, and I'll post a picture of what I got below, but there weren't very many. The dealer room was very great and well organized, but they didn't really have a video game booth.

At the dealer room, I got (because I don't have a picture) a Gokai Pink little blindbox, a Battle Japan Gokai Key, a really inexpensive Idolm@ster shirt, and got my pink squeaky sheepy in an Amiibo trade! I didn't buy too much in the actual dealer room because I didn't have too much money to spare and I wanted more handmade things from the artist alley instead. I did almost blow $40 on a Decade figure, but it wasn't the basic Figuarts, it was something more advanced. They also had a Riderman Figuarts, but he was expensive, too. I think I do want to start getting figures again though. 

From the artist alley, I got two doujins, some stickers, a JoJo pin, a Sailor Moon zine, a Chibi Moon print for my friend, some Kamen Rider pins and print, and a small Pokemon bath bomb that had a Squirtle charm in the middle!

Unfortunately, my allergies started acting up really early on in the con, and because someone we were driving had gotten sick, me and my fiance got sick as well, me more then him. I'm all better now, but it was pretty bad.

Lately, I've been occupying my time with Splatoon! I wasn't too sure of it when it was first announced, and then seeing my fiance play it so much got me obsessed! I've been drawing squidkids nonstop, they're so cute!! Callie and Marie are the cutest, and so are Annie and Spyke, and just all the squidkids in general... oh yes, the game itself is very fun, too! I'm actually okay at it, with the roller anyways.

I also broke my promise and dyed my hair! I don't really regret it, and it looks pretty cool, I think.

So since I've gotten back, I haven't been too well. My depression and anxiety have been really loud in my head and I felt like I haven't really been able to do much. I'm trying to work through it the best I can, which is going so so. I think I'm going to start searching for another therapist. I think talking to someone who's not in my life and who has a more clinical perspective might be helpful; it was in the past.

I'm trying to accept my limitations, and accept who I am now, the latter of which is proving to be very hard. As always, I struggle with my weight, and I am working to change it, but I want to accept me now as well. I have to accept this is my body now and yes, it can be changed, but this is who I am now. I need to get over the fact that certain things cause me to panic and that is okay and my feelings are valid. And I need to find something that will calm me down when I do freak out.

But, I am feeling better then I have been in a while, so I feel like I can do some things again. Cleaning the apartment really, really helped, because my mind feels more clear, now. No promises, but I am going to aim to post one blog post and one video a week! Wish me luck!

I hope you guys are having a good start to your week~!

MTAC 2015 Report & Haul!!

I'm back from this year's MTAC with only a bit of the con crud/post-con exhaustion. And I had fun!

2014 was pretty terrible. I didn't like any of the events, the venue was hot and crowded (yes, I know why we were there), and I just wanted to go home as soon as I got there. I wondered if maybe I was outgrowing anime conventions, or at least outgrowing MTAC. But this year was so much better, it really restored my faith. It was run by someone new this year, the guy who was actually president of my college anime club when I first joined, someone who really got me interested in anime and being in a social setting. Although my anxiety did spike a bit a few times during the con, I was able to keep it under check and really enjoyed myself!

This year, me and my fiance didn't get a hotel room to save on costs, but we probably will next year. When you have five or so hours in between panels you want to go to, and one of them is late at night, you realize how exhausted you are from the day and just want somewhere to sprawl out and nap.

So I was mostly with my fiance, my bestie Miraiina, and her husband this year, and Miraiina had never been to a con! So it was lots of fun to see how excited she was! The first day, we both twinned our lolita outfits! We wore Squirrel Party with similar wigs and accessories! I realize we never got any pictures of us together for ourselves, though other people took them. She looked way cuter then me :P

The first day we only stayed until about sundown. There were no panels we really wanted to go to, so we made it our shopping day! I have what I bought a bit lower down in the post. The second day I was feeling really hot so I didn't dress up. I helped my fiance with his panels and danced during the ParaPara Power Hour. The only other panel we went to was Religion in Anime, which was good but very basic. Next year's theme is "16 Bit" and I would love to do a video game panel, maybe on Animal Crossing, but I don't know what the point would be aside from, "This is Animal Crossing."

I guess now I'll get into what I bought or received~ The only thing I won't be talking about are the cans of coffee because...well, it's just a can of coffee.

I didn't have too much money going in but I did get a good bit, and then my fiance and bestie got me a few things!

I'll start with my favorite and biggest purchase, this giant, pink Yoshi! I'm proud of myself because while he was the first thing I saw, I bought him lastly just to make sure there was nothing else I wanted to spend that money on. I sleep cuddling him now!

Here is a size comparison! He really is big!

The other plushie I have was from my fiance! This adorable lavender (my favorite color!) sheep with a daisy (or egg XD) on its head. It's so fluffy. It also sleeps with me, usually above my head.

Next are two Yoshi keychains from a $3 bin. When did Yoshi become so important to me? I'm really glad I found him in his helicopter form from Yoshi's Island! They're both attached to my phone now.

Next is a sticker and some pins from NattoSoup! Miraiina got me the smaller pins! Unfortunately I think one of the gems from the big pin fell off when the pin fell off while I was dancing...

Lastly is something else the bestie got me, this cute Sailor Pluto figure!! This was something I was eyeing in the dealer room but decided against, so I'm very grateful that she bought this for me!

And I believe that's it! I have a touch of the con crud, so I haven't been doing much lately...I hope you all are doing well!!

Bonus, me at con with smeary smeary eyeliner under my eyes XD

Convention 101

Tomorrow is the first day of my local anime convention! As always, I'm excited to see old friends, dress up, and just be in such an exciting environment. This will be my ninth consecutive year of attending this convention, and almost every year has been unique and great! This year I'm only helping my fiance with his panels and only wearing a lolita coordinate one day - as opposed to past year where I've helped run panels or performed or such - so it's exciting to not be too stressed about things.

I loved the very first convention I attended, it was so exciting and magical! But thinking back, there were some things I wish I had known ahead of time, or even things I wished other people would have known. So I decided to write up a basic intro to conventions panel that might help some convention newbies out! I even drew some quick doodles because I couldn't find good images to use! Of course, don't follow my advice precisely - go off and be unprepared, it can be fun sometimes!

Before The Convention

• Buy your badge/pass ahead of time! I've never been at a convention where this wasn't cheaper then buying it at the door. Some bigger conventions even run out of badges and you're not able to just come the day of and pay to get in! Some conventions will actually mail your preordered admission to you so you don't have to stand in a line when you arrive to the convention. If this is not the case, the pre-reg line is usually shorter then the general admission line anyway, as well as quicker to get through.
• Buy a room and, if applicable, plan your roommates. This bullet point isn't going to be for everyone, and that's fine. Some people feel you absolutely need a hotel room to enjoy a con and that's just not true. I think a hotel room is good, however, if you don't live in the area, or you're changing outfits often, or if transportation back and forth would be a hassle. Also, it's a good idea not to let everyone in creation stay in your room, no matter how cheap it would make costs. Think about space, hygiene, and if all your proposed roommates would even get along. Stuck wanting a room? The convention forums usually have some posts from people needing roommates!
• Plan your cosplays/special outfits ahead of time! This applies moreso for cosplays, but always assume if you're ordering costume pieces or wigs or such that they'll arrive later then they should, so you're not stuck panicking at the mailbox the day before the convention. Also assume that life or something might get in the way and don't plan to finish your cosplays the day before! 
• Look at the schedule, guests, vendors, etc. before arriving, if you're able to. It's not good to make a concrete, wiggle room-free schedule, but it is a good idea to have a rough plan of what you might like to do and see, if there are any guests you need to get an autograph from, if there are any artists or vendors you just have to buy from, etc. A good idea might be to make a loose schedule, noting panels or events you just have to go to, some you really want to go to but won't be too upset if you miss, and so on. Some conventions have begun putting out apps that do this very thing!
• Save more then you think, especially if this is your first convention and everything is new and amazing. If you only bring a bit of money when you could have brought more, inevitably someone will just have that one item that's been sold out online at a good price and you're left wanting.
• Plan what you're going to be eating! Look around the area for food options, or think about bringing your own food (check to see if your hotel room has a microwave, fridge). Keep in mind if there's food to be purchased at the convention site it's more then likely going to be quite expensive. 
• Make a list of every little thing you need to bring, from cosplay parts to device chargers. This may sound like a no-brainer, but the one year I forgot to do this, I left my cash at home. Yeah. Don't be me.

In the Hotel Room

• Make room rules. Obviously don't be overly strict, but guidelines such as not having boys or girls in the room overnight, not playing loud music past x at night, and so forth might save you or your roommates from getting into disagreements.
• Think about who is best suited to have the room keys. Who is not only most responsible, but would always answer their phone in case someone needs in at a moment's notice. 
• Have a rough idea of who is sleeping where so someone who can't fall asleep anywhere but a bed is stuck on the floor with no blankets. 
• Don't feel shy about asking who is doing what! If you want to join up with a group, tag along with others. They might be going to panels or events you might normally not, so you might do something new and really fun!
• Unless you're setting someone's stuff gently aside because it's in your way, don't mess with anyone else's stuff. Just, don't.
• Unless you and your roommates are the closest of friends, not everyone is okay with you walking around naked after a shower or seeing a pile of hair clinging to the shower walls. Don't be gross. And do not, unless it's explicitly okay with all your roommates, bring someone back into the room to be dirty with. 
• Do not bring illegal substances into your hotel room, or drink when there are minors. Not only is the former illegal, but in both cases, if the police show up, they can find everyone in the room guilty because there is no way of proving only one person was the culprit. Not only could you get kicked out of the hotel, but kicked out of the convention, fined, or arrested.

At the Convention!

• Before you purchase that figure, think if you could maybe find the item cheaper online. Not saying you shouldn't purchase things from the dealer room in general, but a lot of dealers do mark up items that can be considered pretty common at conventions. Personally, I find buying things from artist alley is a better use for my money, as these items are more unique and the person selling may not even have an online store. Keep in mind that some artists and dealers may give special deals on the last day of the convention so they don't have to haul bak as much product.
• Don't be rude and block the hallways. There are usually people walking right behind you who would not appreciate if you suddenly stopped. If you want to take a picture of someone's cosplay, move aside to a less congested area. Many conventions have areas just for taking pictures.
• Don't be a creep and touch people. Even if you don't think it's a creepy thing and you're just admiring someone's costume, it's creepy to touch their wig or dress or what have you. The person may also have issues with being touched. Also, that intricate costume or prop you want to inspect might be very delicate. Always, always ask!!
• Don't ruin someone else's enjoyment just for your own amusement. Don't just run into a panel room shouting something stupid and interrupting the panel host or jump in front of a photo shoot. I've even heard of people knocking food or drink out of peoples' hands or even hitting others for the sake of "being funny" or because it was "in their character."
• Don't be stressed!! All this information I'm throwing out may make conventions not seem as fun as they are, but they really are a great time. Don't worry so much about not making this panel or getting to buy everything you wanted. Just relax and have fun!

That's it for conventions 101! If I missed anything, feel free to tell me what you would have liked to have known when you first went to a convention! Also, keep in mind every convention is different, in location, size, and events.

I might do maybe a "Conventions 201" post at some point where I talk about things like running panels or volunteering. I might also do a con experiences post? I know at least I'll be posting about this weekend's convention. See you Monday~!

Fitness Update//Future Purchases

Get the Starbucks birthday cake frappuccino for the next few days only! It's so yummy!

Hello everyone~! The past few days have been very mentally exhausting for me, but not in all bad ways. 

To update on my entry where I said I was going to tackle my eating habits and starting working out - I have lost weight! How much exactly? I'm, um, not sure. Weight normally fluctuates from day to day, and even in the same day. But my weight is fluctuating 15+ pounds, which is odd! Oh well. At least something is happening!

So I was talking with a friend and we've decided to work out at the gym together! She's actually going to pay to get herself a premium membership so she has a guest pass; I'm so overwhelmed by her kindness! Gotta keep filling out those job applications so I can help pay! But, I'm very excited to go to a real gym again, and regularly. What's going to be interesting is that she works night shift, so we're going to be working out pretty early in the morning. I'm excited and a little nervous!!

Also, I've been doing a good bit of art lately.

It looks like I'm going to be spending part of my tax refund on the New 3DS XL. My 3DS XL isn't broken...quite. I notice hat occasionally the bottom screen's brightness will flicker slightly, and sometimes when it's closed, it thinks it's open, which isn't good. So I guess I'll be getting a new one! I'll probably get black so I can paint glitter over it.

I'm also aybe going to be getting some of the YRU platform high-top shoes in black because I found them on sale. I love platform shoes! I haven't really had any proper ones since high school. My best friend actually has these and let me try hers on and they're super comfortable!

One thing for sure I'm going to spending money on is sending a package to my best friend in the UK!

But, as I discovered after I began writing this, my money is going to come in before I attend MTAC, my local anime convention, next weekend! I've been reasoning with myself to not spend all of my money on ridiculous things, so if I do spend money there, it will probably mostly be in the artist alley, or if I happen to see a cute Chikorita!

I'm going to be dressing up both days I'm attending, so hopefully I can do a quick ootd post? I'm twinning with my best friend the first day!

I hope you all are having a great day~!

Artist Alley? Artist Alley!!

A staple at any good anime or comic convention? An Artist Alley!

I recently attended Middle Tennessee Anime Convention - or MTAC -  this past weekend. MTAC was my first convention and this was my eighth time attending. Yet as the con drew closer and closer, I found myself not excited at all, which is strange for me. I figured I'd get excited once I was actually in the hotel and in the con environment. But when the time came...I was severely underwhelmed. Now, there were a few problems with MTAC this time around which I won't get into with this entry, but the environment of being around all my fellow nerds and cosplayers should have gotten me properly hyped! I spent the entire convention feeling like I was just floating around a hot, crowded, sea.

In the past, I used to perform parapara at the convention, as well as helping run some teaching panels or some of my friends' panels. One year I was part of the fashion show, and another year, I volunteered. So maybe it was the fact that I was obligated to do nothing that made me feel this way. The more I thought about it, the more this felt right. I was so familiar with MTAC that just attending was no longer exciting. While I will probably never do volunteering or the fashion show again, I'm open to the idea of performing again if my teammates feel the same way. But the chances of that are slim. So what else is there to do?

As an artist, I've always been my worst critic. I always feel like I'm not good enough. Yet as I cruised through the hallway, through Artist Alley, I saw a few tables of art where I thought...and how do I say this without sounding stuck up or rude...I thought that I could do that, too. I felt that my art could maybe stand next to some of these artists' works. And so, I decided that I am going to apply for Artist Alley at next year's MTAC!

Of course, this means a lot of planning has to be done.

Firstly, I have to figure out a name for myself. A brand, if you will. Unfortunately, I have the habit of choosing a different name for every social media site I join. And even more unfortunately, the name I chose for both my deviantArt account and my art tumblr (though the former can be changed for a price and the latter for free) is "halcyonwh0re." It's a cute name, but not exactly something family friendly. I feel I could put it on a business card as a way to contact me, but not the first thing you see when you would see my booth, does that make sense? I don't feel "worthy" of just using my name, I feel that's something only the very well-known get to do. Also, I noticed that only one person at MTAC's AA did this. I've been leaning towards "Melty Bunny," which is why I chose to name my blog this. A little bit of cohesion, at least? I already have a logo and a business card mocked up if I do decide to use this.

Secondly, I have to decide what sorts of items I would like to sell. Prints of various sizes and commissions are obvious, but what else? I need to choose things that can be quickly produced for not so much money. I was thinking about stickers - everyone loves stickers! I also thought about making either phone charms or keychains using Shrinky Dink paper and a sealant, though I haven't looked up the costs yet. I looked at the price of a button maker and...eek. Although it could be a very good investment if I do make the cut. Buttons are usually very good sellers as well. I should know, I've bought enough. Then there are things that are not so quickly produceable, like plush toys. I know I can make some, but they take a while and they also aren't mass produceable like prints and buttons could be. I could always make one or two. I saw one person doing a giveaway of a handmade plush with a purchase from their booth, I could always do that! (I already have a Pikachu plush in the works!)

Thirdly is the easiest and hardest part - the art. As someone with depression, I can't always control when I'll feel like I can handle things. Sometimes I just can't handle looking at my own art. And that's something I'm going to have to overcome, not only to create a portfolio to be considered, but to create all the works necessary to sell. Then, there's appeal. I know what I like. I know other people like what I like. I like drawing what I like. But, for example, even though I like Super Mario Brothers I might not do art of it because it's not my most favorite. Other people, however, would probably really love Mario art because it's such a classic. Now, I don't mean I'm going to go completely out of my comfort zone and draw things I hate just because it's popular (cough, HonestuckFreeNightvale, cough), but it means I should open my mind and really think about what I should be drawing and how it would be received. Another thing I need to think about is original art, as most anime conventions at least require you to have a certain percentage of your work be non-fanart. I have many fashion pieces in mind as well as some body positivity ideas, but I feel like there's more I could be doing!

I have a lot to think about and do, and unfortunately I have no idea when the deadline is! Luckily, the thought of sharing my art with others and getting experience and exposure - not only at MTAC but at other conventions - seems to be getting my creative juices flowing. Even if they reject me, I'm still going to keep trying. Wish me luck, and feel free to share any tips or experiences you may have!!

~Bunny