Well, this post took long enough considering my lack of daily activity, but so much of my job search and studying for my licensing exam was on the computer so I just couldn't do it anymore. Now, however, I have a job and am studied out until closer to the exam date. That can all be included in a later post. This is about Dragon*Con, which I attended at the beginning of September in Atlanta.
As the title would suggest, this event is filled with quite the assortment of costumes worn by attendees. If you don't know, Dragon*Con is a convention held every year in Atlanta celebrating the different areas of Science Fiction and Fantasy in film, television, literature, etc. My family has been going for years, but I've always had something else to do over Labor Day weekend. This time they were able to lure me with the promise of attending an acting class with Amber Benson for two days. I totally Buffy fanboyed out at that suggestion and had to go.
I stayed with my friends Karissa and Justin at their apartment in Candler Park east of downtown. I really love staying with friends as opposed to hotels because I feel like I actually get to know a city when I use its public transit and am away from the touristy areas. Enough about my lame travel habits.
The acting class with Amber Benson was AMAZING. Not really in terms of learning new things because my acting classes in college had covered all of these things, but it was just fun to meet ten new people and play improv games for two days. We also worked on cold reads and preparing for a television audition. Amber was so nice and encouraging of everyone, and she even went out with us for drinks the second night! I got to meet her mom and talk about being from Birmingham because that's where Amber and her family are from as well.
The rest of the convention was spent going to panels in the different "verses." A verse is a universe of science fiction or fantasy like Harry Potter, Doctor Who, or all things Joss Whedon. Actors, directors, writers, and fans all sit down and answer fan questions. It was really interesting getting to see all of these people talk passionately about acting and writing.
There were also some fun events. My mom and I competed with my friends Ben and April on a Game of Thrones trivia team. I have seen 0 episodes of the show, so I was a real asset... Actutally, though, I nerdily studied plot lines on Wikipedia and new some of the answers! Unfortunately, most of the score was given due to style points in little mini challenges between question rounds. One involved me pushing my mother at a running speed in her wheel chair for her to tackle a bobo clown and Tebow. There are pictures depicting this or I wouldn't believe it myself.
Karissa and I went to two dance parties the last night that were so much fun. If I go again or go to a similar conference in another city, I'll definitely dress up. If you have an ounce of nerd in you, you have to go. Just don't depend on the MARTA to get you anywhere because it sucks and will stop taking credit cards or require you to walk up the largest escalator in the South because it's broken. I even got super touristy and went to The Varsity for the first time with Amanda and Karissa to be unimpressed McKayla Muroney style. If you're looking for good food in Atlanta, go to Mary Mac's. It is a wonderful Southern style restaurant with some of the best sweet tea in the world. Believe me. I'm a connoisseur.
Coming up next my trip to DC and subsequent job offer!
Friday, October 12, 2012
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