Anyone up for a Fantasy RPG?

I just learned through this thread that the theme for FanimeCon 2010 is "Fantasy RPG!"
Um...yay!

10,000

Today I hit 10,000 hits (originally combined from the two blogs I had) for this blog! I would like to thank everyone who has visited my website over the years, and here's to 10,000 more hits and more convention coverage!

BlackBerry Launcher is Live!

I just got the link to the BlackBerry Launcher that connects to my blog. I gave it a try on my Pearl 8130, and it loads my blog! Props to EDL Industries for making me this custom BlackBerry Launcher!

Send this link to your BlackBerry...
http://edlindustries.com/downloads/launchers/calicon/calicon.jad
...to install it OTA (over the air). Once it's done, click on the icon, and bam - there's my blog!

1st Radisson Impressions

I forgot to post this yesterday, so I'll post this now.

I got the chance to visit the Radisson hotel, site of Sac-Anime Summer 2009. Like what I said on Twitter, it's a beautiful site with lots of room. There's a huge lake in the middle and a ton of spots for photoshoot opportunities - I know I'll be getting some of that real estate for a photoshoot.

I didn't get the chance to tour the ballrooms/meeting areas and the conference center, but I would think those would be locations to put dealers room, viewing rooms, panel rooms, the console gaming room, and places to have the Masquerade and whatever else cosplay has in mind. Plus there's ample space for cosplay chess, if someone decides to hold one.

I also found out there's a couple of eateries in addition to Costco's food area being outside (can someone say a mass food run for pizza and chicken bakes?), so the food situation outside eating in the hotel and getting it delivered isn't that bad, although it'll be good to know someone who can drive.

Overall, this place is good for Sac-Anime. I tried to picture where everything could go, but you just can't given the near limitless combinations.

I'm really looking forward to August for my hometown con.

BlackBerry Launcher Coming Soon?

So there's this person who makes custom-made BlackBerry Launchers (a Launcher is an icon in the main menu and when you click on it, the browser opens to open the web page), and I submitted a request to have a custom-made BlackBerry Launcher that connects to my blog - that way, people can have instant access to the blog.

Well today he e-mailed me back asking for a icon photo, which means it's coming soon!

CGR and the Radisson

As Sac-Anime moves into the Radisson hotel, everyone is looking forward from moving out of the Scottish Rite Center and into this lovely hotel in between downtown and the Arden area.

I asked the CGR staff if they were looking forward to moving to the Radisson, and they are excited and are looking forward to more space - I picture something around the size at the Red Lion Inn in Summer 2007, probably even bigger than that.

I haven't had the chance to talk to everyone, but I think everyone would agree that a move like this can do wonders for a con.

Mini-Report: Sac-Con June 2009

Like I've said before, I love this Sac-Con after FanimeCon. I can always find people who went and talk about their experiences, and people who didn't go and let them know how awesome it is.

I wasn't planning on doing much, and with the things they were I decided to stick around the Console Gaming Room. For some odd reason, I found myself over there the majority of the time, laying back with the awesome staff and the wide variety of games. Props to Scott for allowing me to try out the Final Fantasy XIII demo and I was very impressed with the gameplay - I'm looking forward to FFXIII...whenever it comes out. There was also some impressive Guitar Hero: World Tour play in between.

But the highlight of the CGR was mashing through 104 straight stages/days in Rampage: World Tour, the 1997 arcade classic by Midway. I just kept on mashing with me and person that jumped in until we got tired or until we hit Sacramento. I got to both when I retired.

There was also a Venom Energy Drink booth set up, and they were giving away free energy drinks to the crowd. No, seriously, they were. I took like four while some were getting casefuls, probably for free publicity. I told them about Sac-Anime in August, and they told me that they were a lock to come back. I notified Dan about this, and I'm guessing they're in the talks.

There was a Masquerade, but I didn't bother with it - it's weird, ever since I didn't go the Masquerade at FanimeCon 2009, I'm sort of indifferent towards these kinds of events. Maybe it's just that I was having so much fun in the CGR that I didn't want to break that just to watch a Masquerade. (I also blame the YouTube effect as well.)

Either than that, I didn't really do anything besides kick it with the CGR staff, take free energy drinks, and win a $50 anime figure for $15 via Charity Auction. That's all the buying I really did.

Overall, it was con for me to kick back and relax after a week's worth of work.

Business Cards Promotion

I was thinking of putting this in the Omissions section of the report, but I wanted to put this on its own separate post.

I was constantly in and out of my hotel room, and for good reason (besides refreshing myself): I kept running out of business cards to hand out to people at the con to promote my blog. Before FanimeCon 2009, I was lucky if I went through my stack of cards that I keep when I go to cons in a day - I have a Rolodex card holder that holds about 30-40 business cards.

I ran out of cards about half an hour after I arrived on Friday.

I gave them to whoever I saw, especially those who I took pictures of. I gave it to people out in the hallways, people that I interacted with over that weekend, and even people in the elevator - I even left my stack on the elevator floor when I got off so that people could take them as they please.

I'm glad that I went through three boxes - I want to get rid of these as fast as possible because of the typo on the Twitter address. I have one more to go through, reserved for Sac-Anime in August and Sac-Con this weekend. That way, when I reorder I can fix the typo.

But overall, I'm satisfied with the results.

fanime con 2009 ++ fanime side story

Traveling Valentine has their report up about FanimeCon 2009.

Also -


(taken from the 1st part of the Sunday portion of report - thanks for taking that Erica!)

Sac-Con June 2009 Status

I'll be out there next Sunday for Sac-Con (the one I love the most because it's right after Fanime), and since the theme is School Days, I have this "hybrid" idea that 1) I made up like today and 2) has a true story attached to it. I think of a it as a melting of fantasy and reality yet keeping what I have been while in school.

I'll let you think on this one for a bit. See you all on Sunday!