A Few Wild Weeks

It's been a while since I've updated this, but I've been really busy. Here it is in a nutshell: I decided to fly to Los Angeles for a long weekend. WHAT? That's right - small town me in the big city with people I only know from chat rooms and instant messages. Here's the longer (and much more interesting) version of the same story...

I think it was the middle of October when I decided I needed a vacation. I needed to get away, clear my head, have fun, etc...
I regularly chat with a few other Robotech fans, and most of them live on the West Coast. So I decided I would fly out for a party and the Los Angeles Science Fiction and Comic Convention. I talked with a couple of other Midwesterners who were going, then bought my plane tickets the first weekend in November. The countdown was on!

I conventiently neglected to tell my parents, because I thought they would blow up at me. And I was right! Thanksgiving weekend, my son told my parents I was going on a trip. They asked me where and why, and I answered honestly. My cell phone started going off about an hour after I left their house. My mother was afraid my plane would get hijacked or crash, and my father told me I would probably end up "like that Natalee Holloway girl down in Aruba". I reminded my parents that I was an adult and capable of making my own decisions. I know they were simply worried, but they really had me pissed off!

The morning of December 2, my boyfriend drove me to Indianapolis International Airport and watched me board a westbound plane. And that's when the real fun begins! My plane sat on the runway for an hour because the airline's navigational system was down - no flight plans could be seen. But I was soon on my way. I hadn't flown in approximately 13 years, so I was a little edgy when the plane took off. The first 3 hours of my flight weren't too bad - a few bumps here and there. But the bumps got bigger when we went over the Rocky Mountains. My airsick bag got filled up as well...

The weekend was UNBELIEVABLE! Friday night consisted of meeting the people I only knew from online, and hanging out with them until the wee hours of the morning. Did I mention that I didn't sleep at all Thursday night? I woke up for work around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, and didn't go back to sleep until about that same time (Indiana time) Saturday morning.

Saturday morning, I was awakened at 6:30 a.m. (L.A. time), so we could be at the campus of the University of Southern California in time to hopefully be seen on ESPN'S Gameday. I've been through the USC thing before, so I won't do it again. However, I did wear a Notre Dame pullover on campus - until I started getting weird looks and comments.

Saturday night was party time! Actually, the party started in the afternoon. It ended a little too early for me Saturday night. I drank quite a bit, and somebody was sweet enough to carry me to bed.

I recovered quite nicely for the convention Sunday afternoon. I met quite a few of the voice actors from ROBOTECH, got to hear Michael Bradley sing, and saw some more of the city when we left the Shrine. Dinner on Sunday night was very cool. We went to a sushi place called Kabuki, and I ate real sushi for the first time. Lots of sushi. And drank these things called Mojitos, which are now my favorite alcoholic drink. More good times shared by the ROBOTECH fans I was dining with.

Monday morning was the worst. I knew I had to come back to Indiana, but I wasn't done with Los Angeles just yet. I didn't have very much time there, so I didn't get to see everything I wanted to see. I mean, I saw what I went to see - but I didn't get to experience EVERYTHING I wanted to experience. I said my goodbyes quickly, because I could feel my eyes filling up with tears. I ate breakfast at the airport and called my mom (who was cool with my decision to go by that time), then boarded the plane that would bring me back home.

My plane flew over the Pacific Ocean for a few minutes before it turned east towards Indiana. I was in tears because the view was so beautiful, and because I missed the city and "Da Family" I now had living there. I made up my mind to return in July for another Anime convention - if I can wait that long to go back!

Here's to Azoric, Marshall, Lancer, Valkyrie, Razor, JasonC, ReflexPoint, Darkwater, Sktch, Memo, Black Beauty, McHenry, Mouse, Kevin, Steve, and Tom. I'm so sorry if I forgot anybody. There are still some things I don't remember about the weekend, but I've heard they were captured on video. Anyway...

All of you made my first trip to the West Coast a memorable and fun one, and I can't wait to come back in July! Thanks to everybody in my new "family"!