Anthrocon? But HOBART, I thought you went there last year!!!!!
Anthrocon was a very nice experience for me again this year, resulting in a two week escapade where I also saw my family down in Chicago.I will talk about the convention first, then my family time, and then other random happenings in my life.
My friends picked me up from my parents' house in Tinley Park, Illinois, and we drove to Pittsburgh. Nothing happened. We ate at Pizza Parma for dinner, and I sat in our room in the Omni and watched NHK World Japan. That's it. That's the whole day. We also got some wares from Target.
My Thursday starts off with a brisk jaunt around town. I had been cooped up in the car for several hours yesterday, and I really just wanted to see town before registration opened - so I did! I pretty much walked to Frankie Pace Park when I had heard registration opened. I got my badge (using the events line because I was in a band), loafed around in the hotel room on account of the heat, and eventually took a longer walk to Point State Park and back, getting some habibi food from "New York Halal Taste" on the way home. It was just as delicious as Pizza Parma, without the line. I then returned to my hotel room to get my trumpet and have a beer, in preparation for the Otter Chaos rehearsal that night.
After I did trumpet fanfares at Fursquared, Cornel (one of the head honchos of Otter Chaos) asked if I could play trumpet for them in the future. At the risk of sounding dramatic, this was a dream come true, and I had been looking forward to this for a few months at this point. I also did not prepare any of my music ahead of time, printing it all at my mom's house.
Rehearsal started, and I was given a beer. The horns warmed up for around ten minutes when we were moved into the convention center for the rest of our practice, due to a scheduling issue involving the drumset. I had to chug my beer (no alcohol allowed in the convention center), and then helped Cornel carry his steel drum stand across the convention center. I felt like the guy in Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the coconuts walking behind the knight.
I felt great for the rest of the rehearsal. I am not great at trumpet. Trombone has always been my main instrument, but I was better than I remember being. We ran the set, people thought I was funny and also mostly reasonable, and then we lugged our equipment back to Crawford. I went back to the hotel room and watched more NHK World Japan.
Crack of dawn for our sound check - 9:30 AM (EST), pretty much 8:30 AM per my biological clock. I ate some of the mini scones I had bought from target, and then waited about an hour after call time for the A/V people to be ready. Sound check was okay. I played "O Canada" as loud as possible into the microphone. Then came three hours straight of gigs!
Horizon, the Jazz Band conductor, asked me to play fifth trumpet for their opening song, Torque by Alan Baylock. I sightread it fairly well, and it was honestly good fun. I then left the stage, and changed my clothes in the bathroom.
For the unaware, Otter Chaos is a video game music band. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and their remakes use tons of trumpet in the soundtrack, to the point of it being the butt of jokes. I decided to bust out my cosplay of May because I would be playing trumpet. Putting it on in a normal size bathroom stall is a pain in the ass, between the double pants and the wig. I also forgot the bottom pair of pants for the double pants, so I was wearing booty shorts the whole set. I then watched the jazz band finished, and got ready for Otter Chaos.
I have to admit, things went better in rehearsal for me than the concert for Otter Chaos. However, the band sounded great! There were a few guest vocalists as well, who were all outstanding. I was impressed we could put something together that good that quickly. It was honestly the peak of the convention for me. They also livestreamed it. You can find the VOD here. Honestly, this whole experience was so often that I am thinking about getting trumpet lessons so I can get better at doubling - mostly for this group.
After Otter Chaos, I went to marching band rehearsal. Honyo and I were both holding down the fort on the tuba section this time, with a couple of bassists as well. It was alright. We ran through all of our music, the necks on the King sousaphones don't fit, nothing really remarkable. Turns out the marching band in the parade would get cancelled later that night, but at least I got to play sousaphone!
After rehearsal, I went back to the Omni and took a shower, because I smelled like complete and utter shit. It turns out some of the Otter Chaos gang wanted to get dinner, so we all met at the Prismanti Brothers Bar and Grill in Market Square. My boss and I eat at Prismanti Brothers whenever we fly through the Pittsburgh airport, because the food is reasonably priced and delicious. Their gimmick is that they have these HUGE sandwiches that they shove the fries on. I had an Italian Sausage one with double meat, because I hadn't eaten anything the whole day, and two beers on an empty stomach. The food was great, and the company was even better. I feel like I made friends, not through nepotism, but because I'm good at doing something, have a common interest, and am good at talking to people (or are at least funny). These are the first friends I made outside of work who I actually earned through something, rather than just inheriting from my other friends. It's like I belong.
After this "era of good feelings", and getting to encounter Clicky, one of my compatriats from the Furbanism and Transit Chat (he was cool), my two beers suddenly did not want to be inside of me anymore. I went inside to use the men's room, which was in the basement. I then continued to almost fall down the stairs to the men's room because I was drunk. It was genuinely scary.
I then went to the Jazz Band party over in the DoubleTree. I made small talk with everyone, including a trumpet player who ownned a Conn 16E Mellophonium, like I do! The conversation was an interesting mix of talking about jazz music, and struggles with gender. Honestly it was good to have. After the party, I went to the Omni, and watched more Japanese public television.
Saturday morning, I hit up the Dealer's Den before the marching band call time. Although we were not going outside on account of the weather conditions, we did play in one of the atriums and had to assemble for that. I didn't buy much - just picked up my underwear from Tail Ends Studios (fantastic place to buy clothes with your fursona's butt on them, by the way), and looked at one blanket. I did end up buying the blanket. It was a cute Braixen and Fennekin pattern, and I hadn't bought anything else. I also ran into my friend Folder in the dealer's den, and was genuinely really happy I got to see him. He is a total dreamboat.
The marching band played in the West Atrium. I got to play tuba super loud for around 30 minutes. It was a fantastic time. After returning the sousaphone to the Crawford, I went on the Saturday Cocktail Cruise. It was alright.
I was hoping the cruise would allow me to see more of Pittsburgh, but it really just took the same short route. I want to go up the Allegheny to Kittaning or something and back. The food was alright, and the drinks were okay. The funnest part of the whole experience was seeing a barge, and standing on the bow of the ship in the pouring rain, letting it wash upon me like I was in Deadliest Catch.
After the boat, I watched the fireworks go off from the roof of the convention center. They were cool, but I regret not walking somewhere else first on account of the crowding. I was supposed to meet people, but there were so many crowds there that it was futile. I returned to the hotel room, got mildly drunk, and relaxed with some friends. They went across the street to the park to get fursuit pictures. I was super tired at this point, so I just went to bed.
On Sunday morning, I woke up late, and saw the community orchestra. The orchestra was fantastic, and I would rather have joined the orchestra than hit the cocktail cruise. They did all sorts of repotiore, and they did it well. It has me thinking about practicing and maybe getting better at my instrument. I will make it a point to join the orchestra next year
I went to the charity auction, and didn't buy anything. On the way to the charity auction, Cornel grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and was like, "why weren't you in the orchestra?" Genuinely one of the funniest things to have happened to me the whole weekend. I was busy on the booze cruise and couldn't make rehearsal.
After the charity auction, I went through the dealer's den, and bought the Braixen blanket I mentioned earlier. I then got a walking taco for a snack. I hit up the deer meetup, didn't talk to many people, and then went back to the Omni before the rain hit.
My roomates and I went to the Burgatory restaurant in Pittsburgh on the North Shore. It was alright. Taking the light rail was interesting, though. I had one beer to pregame for my later evening plans - the Otter Chaos afterparty.
On the way to the Embassy Suites the party was at, I picked up a six pack of Yuengling Dark, and a cheap bottle of wine. They charged me $17 for a $5 bottle of wine. Bastards. I then continued to probably get more drunk than I hever had been, in the company of some great people. I was the first to arrive and the last to leave, I just actually enjoyed being there that much. Tons of good small talk was had with a bunch of different people who I may convince to be my friends! I almost hit on at least three people. People think I'm funny. I felt fantastic minus the fact I almost fell over in the bathroom multiple times on account of how drunk I was. Here's how many drinks I had:
Honestly, the amount of alcohol consumed was ridiculous. We had the frat house style pile of cans on the table and everything. After we cleared out the fridge and all of the booze people brought, Cornel had to go out and buy more beer. This was a FANTASTIC fucking party. I got to drink beer and make new friends. I'm so proud of what I thought I wouldn't be able to acheive when I started therapy.
I stumbled back and went to bed.
On Monday morning, we all loaded the car and went home. I was dropped off at my parents house around six.
By complete coincidence, my brother's birthday was the Monday I would be in Chicago on the return trip, so we went to Mickey's Ribs and Gyros, probably the best dining experience I had that whole weekend. I always try to go to that place when I'm in my hometown. We caught up, I filled him in on the events of the weekend, and we ended up going to the high school afterwards.
My brother teaches band at the high school we went to years ago. He had me carry a couple of things for him, and showed me how the band room was laid out. It was exactly how I remember it being when I graduated, but it was a nice walk down memory lane.
We then bullshitted for the rest of the night. Not much else happened.
I drove back home, and ended up stopping to see the graves of my grandpa (dad's dad) and grandma (mom's mom). It was very quiet and somewhat emotional. Had to see Uncle Hector too, of course. Otherwise the day was uneventful.
The weekend before Anthrocon, I was in my hometown for some family affairs related stuff. My cousins graduated high school and middle school, so I attended their graduation party and ate a ton of Mexican food. My dad got extremely drunk, and we had a heart to heart after we got home, and I learned the family lore that he always wanted more kids, but figured he was lucky with three. It was really weird to listen to someone who says as little as my dad talk about his parenting style. He did well.
Saturday morning, most of us super hungover, we went to the cemetery, where they finally buried my great uncle Fitz. It was genuinely sad, but I'm happy he's in the ground now instead of just being on someone's mantle. I'm happy I got to see it. He was a great guy.
Saturday night, my brother, sister, and I went to Jack Gibbon's Gardens. It was okay, Al's Steakhouse is still the winner so far. After I got drunk off of a Manhattan, they decided to drop the family lore that we all had an older fourth brother who was apparently stillborn. I had never heard about him, but he was developed enough to have a name. There is no way my mother processed this grief properly, and it honestly explains a lot about her parenting styles. I want to know where he is, if he exists. If there's a box of ashes or something, I want to be told what it is now, instead of finding a mysterious box laying around somewhere. Honestly? It's easy to think about now but it was super existetial immediately after I learned this.
Sunday night, I went to church with my mom and sister. I'm not religious, but I tune into the church services online in the morning because it makes me feel good. I was happy I went. We then went out for breakfast, which was very enjoyable. I then worked remote for two days.
My uncles ex-wife Joanne died of breast cancer after some time. She was a fantastic lady from what I could tell. I think I'm going to attend the celebration of life. I hadn't spoken to Joanne in many years, but at minimum my uncle will be there, and my cousins from South Carolina, and it's important to me that I'm there for them at this time, even if I don't talk to them much.
I became the Librarian of the Minnesota Freedom Band. The board is very happy to have "someone who will attempt to meet the minimum requirements of the role" in charge of the band's library. No developments yet, but the Minnesota Freedom Band is my ride or die.
Work is busy busy busy, but may be thinning out slightly. I won't hold my breath, because shit happens.
I have written two Minecraft parodies this weekend. I am so proud of myself.
I may need braces because my previous orthodontist didn't do a very good job.
I got to see my old college friend, Kali, who was in town for Summer Games Done Quick. I always like seeing Kali, and honestly might hit up SGDQ next year. I don't speedrun, but I like the vibes. The same weekend, I got to see my old friend Jake, who was in town for a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament. It's always good to catch up with people.
As I have been writing this, I determined that I did not properly evaluate the struggles as presenting as a woman during Gender Crisis 5, where I wrote it off. Between this realization, and thinking "I wish that were me" when looking at art where males get turned into female Pokemon, I determined that I have reached the sixth gender crisis, and will provide more updates.
Anthrocon was a fantastic time. I got to hang out with my existing friends, I got to play in some bands, and I got to make new friends through the power of music. People care about, or at least minimum know about me more than they did before. This is probably the highlight of my year in terms of socializing with people.