I need not search for precious gold; of wealth, I have my share. For with my eyes, I scan the skies

Got back Sunday night from Sac-Anime.

It turns out that Sac-Anime announced on their website: "SacAnime has added an extra day to our show. The festivities will begin on Friday July 13th at 3pm" (03/05/07) But this wasn't on their advertising that I saw at AniZona, including their full-color flyer. So I got there about 6:30 pm Friday. Knowing what I know now, would I have driven up Thursday night? No, but I might have left before dawn Friday morning.

It was an odd convention. ( I probably won't go back -- I prefer the ones run by non-profit organizations, or at least run like a non-profit -- but I'm glad I went and checked it out. )

I gave away six cases of half-pint water bottles and five cases of granola bars. (Also a carton of Goldfish crackers.) Lots of "are they really free?" reactions, a few fans recognized me, encouraged people to take flyers. Not really expecting a lot of people to sign up -- most of the attendees don't have a chance of making a winter run down to SoCal until after they graduate from high school. But they might remember us when they do take control of their lives.

Signs. A number of "Free hugs" or "Hug me, I'm cute" signs and their equivalent. I interpret these as saying "I don't know anyone here and I'm bored."

Most memorable costume: Hula Totoro.

The main reasons I went: to see their convention and support it in my own particular way, to "wave the flag", and to remind returning members that we're happening three weeks earlier than before and in a new hotel. Pre-registration and hotel cut-off deadlines are both before Christmas which is in itself a significant change, instead of being after New Year's. Getting the attention of new people was a distant 4th in importance, compared to those goals.

Convention I wish I could attend this summer: Ani-Jam, in Fresno. It's the same weekend as the summer Cosplay.Com gathering in Laguna Niguel.

Apart from the picnic, my next stops will be Costume College, Anime Vegas, Mikomicon, Conjecture, Ani-Magic, Pacific Media Expo, and Loscon.

*I used the term "sci-fi" to refer to science fiction (s.f.) in my post above. Some of the old guard, fandom's dinosaurs, still stubbornly maintain that saying "sci-fi" is a sign of an outsider. This makes as much sense to me as the Star Trek diehards who dweebishly maintain there's a meaningful difference between Trekkies and Trekkers. I believe that they lost the fight for the term at least ten years ago, when the Sci-Fi channel went on the air, and we only have to wait for them to die out. Then we can safely use the term in our fanzines without fear of reprisals.