Well, I did it. I actually went to AX2003 and I survived. This is my first convention of any sort and the experience was…unique.

"Why are you going again?" my mother asked me. "Weren't you supposed to get over cartoons when you were a teenager?" She lowered her voice into a dramatic whisper. "Do you feel like you aren't being fulfilled in your marriage or something? Is that why you are going?"

"Mom!" I protest. "A lot of people much older then I attend. And they even cosplay!" (cosplay=dress up like a character). I wasn't going to bring up the fact that I dressed up like Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager for Halloween two years ago.

"Hmph," was all she said in return.

The day of infamy dawned. My ride (thanks ABA!) picked me up and we arrived at the Anaheim Convention Center in record time. At first we meandered around because we didn't know where to go, but ABA saw a line forming and we quickly headed to the end of that queue. I thought it quite strange that were no costumed people in this line. In fact, many people were dressed conservatively and carrying Bibles. The tip off that we were in the wrong line came when the people in line started to do "The Wave" (like at baseball games), shouting "Jesus Saves!" in unison.

Oh. My. God (literally). "What line is this?" I asked the woman next to me in a horrified whisper.

"This is the [Unnamed Televangelist] Ministries Bible Convention," she replied. Oh shit. Wrong line.

We finally got in the correct line, which turned out to be the line to get in line for the convention. After waiting another 1.5 hours for the convention to open, we entered the exhibit area to see the dealers hawk their wares. I'm not even going to get into the people there. Think of all the anime cartoons that are out there, and there was probably someone dressed up as a character from that series. People of all shapes and sizes were dressed up. It was a sight to behold. We attended a few anime showings and panels, all to kill time until the main reason we were there: the Robotech panel which was at 5 pm. This is when all of the members from the website got together and were able to meet.

"Hi, I'm Miriya Parino. From Robotech. You know, the gorgeously intelligent Quadrano Ace who almost defeats, falls in love and marries Max Sterling? That's me..." I tell everyone in my game show host voice.

I’ll post more on the Con later, as my brain has not recovered from the experience yet.