In which I should have been a Boy Scout

[ultranos]

This might sound like a dumb question, but I'm looking at the calendar and noticing that D*C is, oh, two weeks away. And since one particular aspect of my personality is that I like to be stupidly prepared, I'm mentally trying to figure out what I'm going to pack. Because the only other con I've been to is AB, where the extent of my "packing" is "should I take a backpack? Oh, sure. I might actually buy something."

(And I need to go to Eastern Mountain Sports to pick up a new duffel bag because my old one is torn to hell. I'm hoping an EMS one lasts longer than, oh, 3 years with minimal use.)

So, uh, any suggestions? I mean, I'm probably taking Erebus, because at this point in time, I have a very hard time functioning without my laptop or other computer. Yes, I am that sad.

(And do I actually want to take the full BDU getup, even though at this point it's not really cosplay because I wear it all the damn time.)

Comments

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

I didn't bring a lot to D*Con, but ended up bringing WAY more than I actually used.

Dress comfortably and casually and in stuff you're comfortable sitting on the floor in. Bring shoes you can walk/stand all day in. Bring something to fiddle with. I actually didn't bring my laptop and didn't miss it.

Water bottle = good. Possibly bring something you can eat for breakfast or as a snack during the day (no good grocery store close by and things are scheduled all day long - it's easy to forget to eat, but a bad idea).

Costumes are everywhere. We ended up not doing the at night parties because they were WAY more crowded and loud than we wanted and it was more fun to just hang out as a group somewhere and people-watch. I did bring one party outfit thing and never wore it.

Have a little extra space because odds are you're going to come home with something.

Also, the big thing that surprised me - panels, especially Saturday and Sunday BIG panels (the ones in the big rooms with the stars) are CROWDED and you have to line up 1-2 hours ahead of time to get a seat. This...really kinda sucks. It helps if you have people to wait with. I carried around a deck of cards we didn't end up using, but it might be a good idea.

And, yeah, carrying around a backpack or something other small bag is very useful.

When you're picking up your badge (I assume you are pre-regged) check you're in the right line. Last year the line for people people to buy that day was around the building but pre-reg walked right up. Don't freak out if the line is long - it probably isn't yours.
(also, last year, on Friday morning, hotel room check-in took FOREVER. The Hilton we were in had lots of people checking in and about one desk clerk. Took us twice as long to get our room key as it took to get our badges).

Mostly, you won't get to see every panel you want, try to mix things up, and enjoy the other fans. They're the best part.

(oh, and even if you don't want to pay for authographs, walking around the walk of fame to gawk can be fun)

HAVE FUN! I'm so very sad I'm not going

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

I'm likely to bring Erebus with me to Atlanta, but not carry it around the con. I'm just, eh, addicted to my computer. On the other hand, I'm very likely to (take after Jack O'Neill) and bring my Nintendo DS and keep it with me all the time.

Clothing: I was generally planning on jeans + tshirt. The thing I was joking with the BDUs is that I often wear BDU pants instead of jeans, and my standard pull-over longsleeve shirt is a BDU shirt.

Thanks for the reminder about the food thing. I figured water bottle, but yeah, I'm liable to forget to eat.

I learned my lesson about pre-reg this year at Anime Boston. I'd forgotten to, and the on-site registration line was 8 hours long. (After 5 straight hours of class, naturally)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mostly decided not to bother lugging my computer and was shocked to find I was so busy I didn't miss it. But lots of people did bring their computers, so you won't be alone. DS would probably be a good line entertainment when needed.

jeans + t-shirt is fine. Geeky t-shirt is even better. People were generally either in costume or really casual. And, yes, BDU pants are the best ever. Pockets! Reinforced butt and knees! Full range of motion!

I brought a ton of oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate cookies that my room ended up eating for breakfast and carried around a bag of trail mix that often ended up being lunch. Carrying something is a really good idea if you want to eat without leaving the con (there are places in the hotels but they were uninspiring and somewhat pricey - though not as bad as at convention centers)

Ugh, yeah, I was so glad I pre-registered. Luckily WorldCon was smaller and I came late on the second day so I didn't have a line there.

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd just probably feel lost without bringing the laptop at all. If nothing else than for recharging my iPod or updating my DS. (Because, um, I'm a bad person and hacked my DS. It has an eBook reader now!)

I love my BDU pants. :)

Trail mix! I hadn't thought of that. I was considering energy bars (there's approximately one brand I can stomach, and then, only a few flavors), but I like your idea much better.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Makes sense!
(yay hacking! My iPod touch has been similarly...not-quite-hacked but worked around)

BDU's! I had to wear them for a year as part of my uniform and I still miss the pockets.

Yeah, I'm, um, a bit of a trail mix addict.

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I installed a hack on my DS. It's...more than an eBook reader. I'm currently contemplating if I want to expend the effort (and money to increase the RAM) to install a version of Linux on it.

The pockets are roughly half the reason I love BDUs. The other is that I go through pants like nothing. A standard pair of khaki cargo pants will last me approximately six months before they're ripped/worn out to the point of being unwearable. BDUs are really the only type of pants that can stand up to the beating.

I've never really eaten a lot of trail mix, mostly because we never had any in the house when I was growing up. Having a younger brother who will go into anaphylactic shock upon eating a peanut kind of bans nut products from the house.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Hee :) Yay hacks!

Yep on why BDUs are of the win! They are designed to be beaten up and like it.

That, um, yeah, that would keep away the peanuts. The thing I love about trail mix is there aren't really rules so I can just mix together whatever sounds good. My standard mix is cheerios, peanuts, raisins, and semisweet mini M&Ms but it can be awesome to add sunflower seeds, other nuts, other dried fruit, sesame sticks, or anything else that seems appealing.

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

This is also the reason I never really ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until college. (You just end up kinda learning to pay attention to things like dietary restrictions other people have. Which is great when I get told the people I'm cooking for have $RANDOM dietary restriction, because I've very used to doing work-arounds and substitutions in recipes.)

That trail mix does sound good. My current ridiculous snack of choice these days is actually seasoned nori (dried seaweed). I think it's my proximity to the Japanese grocery store. However, I am unconvinced that would go well in trail mix. :)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

*nods*
My only restriction is that bananas are evil but I've definitely cooked for people with wacky food issues. It's an adventure!

(eh, peanut-butter and jelly isn't that great. peanut butter and honey is getting somewhere. Peanut butter and chocolate is NOT TO BE MISSED)

...I, um, you can keep your nori all for you :) (actually, though, that could work really well with the right things mixed with it - probably not stuff that's overly sweet, but stuff on the plain or salty end could work)

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

It is an adventure!

(There was a time when I had very little money so was pretty much living off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It was kind of sad. I have not tried peanut butter and honey. Peanut butter and chocolate is indeed delicious, as is peanut butter and Nutella.)

Yeah, nori is, um, special. I don't know why I like it, but sometimes it's just really good when I'm craving something salty. And it's healthier than, say, potato chips. (Hm, mixing it with plain or salty things could work. You're giving me ideas. This is dangerous. The last time someone challenged me to figure out how to cook/make something with food, we ended up with Mt. Dew roasted chicken.)

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

Mt Dew Roast Chicken...sounds tasty.

[ultranos-fic.livejournal.com]

It actually really is. I generally do it like a beer-can chicken, only using a Mt Dew can. Also, about 1/4 of the can is poured into a skillet of orange concentrate, chicken stock, and ginger, which is then used as a glaze. It actually not as sweet as people would think.