SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome everyone. Sure. Welcome everyone. Back to the Blurred Spectrum Podcast. We have been uh MIA for some time. It's been a busy summer. Um, I think between cons and businesses and school and work and the world burning. Yeah, burning. Smoke, fog. Flashback to the what the fuck is wrong with America podcast episode. Um, there's been a lot going on, but we finally made it through July. Uh, we are now entering the month of August, and we just want to do a real quick recant. You know, what happened? What did we do in July? Um, there were several cons that took place. So you know how uh our panelists love conventions, attending them, um, interacting with our listeners, interacting with um our, you know, for some of our cosplayers, their fans, they're with their celebrity status. So um I have a couple of panelists here today who want to give you their uh feedback, their experiences during the month of July. Um, of course, starting uh with myself, uh your moderator, Suchi uh New Showden. I also have here the cosplay hostess with the most is uh Sayone cosplay. Hello! And then, of course, I have our editor-in-chief, our uh executive director, our producer extraordinaire, uh Miss Ambizi Foshizi, my easy Lady Giovanni. Hello. So, as I said, we just want to kind of, you know, take a step back. Not way back, just about 30 days, uh, into 34 days, uh, into uh July and kind of just give a recant. What happened? What did we do? What were some of the pros and cons to the cons that we attended? Um, and of course, each of our experiences are wildly different uh based off of what we were doing there, why we were there, how long we were there. Uh, but I want to give our panelists the opportunity just to talk about it. So maybe we can find some synergies or or find some reasons why what happened to us happened to us. Uh, who wants to go first? Because I can go first. I got plenty to talk about. Uh Say.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Um, sure. So my I'll start with BlurCon. Went to BlurCon at the beginning of July, and I really enjoyed my experience at BlurCon. I think that's probably the lar the longest time I spent at a con. Um, I did not stay uh near BlurCon. I actually did a lot of commuting back and forth just for financial reasons. It was just best for me to commute this time. And um, it was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. I had um some, you know, dealing with health issues and whatnot. Um, I had to kind of change some of my cosplay plans around, but um, I knew that I wanted to bring a sense of Yoruba excellence with some flair, and uh it was it was it was really a lot of fun. Um excuse me, one of the cosplays I did wasn't even planned, and I got the most love for, and that was the one where I just wore my my regular Niger clothes uh with a head wrap and some wings, and people just lost their ever-loving mind. That was very, very interesting. That was not planned.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

The not the Niger godmother. That's what they or Niger Fei mother.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Yes, Nigel Fei mother. That was so not planned. I literally was gonna come home, switch it into some very casual clothes, and enjoy the con, which I never do.

SPEAKER_05 3:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Um, and usually I'll just go to a con for two to three hours. I'm like, I'm tired, I want to go home. And I never, never enjoy the con to its full uh extent, and I really had a lot of fun. Um, I would say just being around a lot of black people was so empowering. The food was fantastic. I'm within wonderful company of Suchi and uh Lady Legacys, and they were my cosplay uh handlers uh for the weekend, which was which was great. As a cosplayer, it's so nice to have uh familiar support, uh, whether it is uh holding your purse or readjusting your outfit, uh tightening your corset and or taking pictures, and all three just did they they they literally saved my entire weekend because I would have just been there by myself. And it's very overwhelming going to a con, navigating it by yourself, so to speak. So it was a lot of fun. Um, the people, I saw so many friends that I are out of state. Uh, it's amazing how so many cosplayers will travel from uh DC, will travel from the south, will travel from New York more so just to come to well, DC is not too not too far for Virginia where we are, but more so like New York, people from you know, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas coming to BlurCon. Um, it was such a wonderful experience. Um, I would say the pros were I the artistry of these cosplayers were just amazing. And BlurCon is a smaller con. It is growing by by the year, but just I'm just so amazed at the black excellence, the creations, the the even the uh the they had a fashion show I didn't get a chance to be a part of, but I just seeing the pictures after after the fact, the DJing was amazing, the food was amazing, the whole entire vibe of BlurCon. Of course, I know BlurCon has a lot of uh controversy here and there, but uh like a lot of cons do, and let's just say that. But just to be amongst our own people in such a relaxed setting, and let's just go by the vibe of the con. The vibe of the con felt like home, and what I always love about blur, and that's what always brings me back. Um, yes, it's hot as fuck. Don't know why they're they AC can't why it's not regulated so that it we can all be nice and cool. I don't know, I don't know why. I don't know if it's because there's so many people in one hotel, but I don't that is probably a con for me. Um, how they still just can't get that shit together with the the regulation of the temperature. Um, the very slow elevators, it takes forever to get from one part of the uh con to another part, especially if you have a very big, um, I would say uh flamboyant cosplay, you have no choice but to take the elevator at times. Uh so I would say just kind of traversing the space um has its difficulties, uh, which could also be dangerous as well, because you don't want to take the escalator having something that can kind of hit other people. Um, and also with the uh the hotel being so open, because you it's open and you can see different floors. So that is a safety risk being a cosplayer as well. Um, but with that being said, the vibe of the people, it always feels like home. It it always feels so nice. I never see any bad uh interaction with individuals at BlurCon of my own experience, um, just walking the street. I have people that I know on on Facebook and Instagram, and they're like, is that you, Sion A? And I'm literally in my car. I'm literally in my car, and you know, I I just I just love it. I just love the vibes. Um, but um, I would say the con with Blurred Con is the art. I wish there was more art, um, so to speak. I just wish that the art room, because I usually go to cons for the dealers room and the art room. I just wish it was more art um compared to other cons um and more variety, so to speak. Um, so as just somebody who just loves art, that would probably be my one thing that I would I kind of have reservations about. Um, but with that, and it just would I wish they had a bigger space so that they can kind of um you know show off what they really want to show off, uh so to speak. Um and I would say maybe the parking, the parking wasn't bad. Parking wasn't bad, so I can't say that. But um, yeah, I would just say more so the art room. So with Otacon, um I had a very interesting experience. So um I haven't been to Otacon since 2019, like before the pandemic. And Otacon has always been has always had a special place in my heart because that was the only con that I could go to financially. So this is my first going to two cons in one month. Um, so I was really excited to go back. Um, last time I was at Otacon, I dressed up as Persephone and people lost their whole entire mind because at the time it was a trend. Yeah. Um, so I think the one big difference from Otacon and BlurredCon is that I could wear anything at Otacon and it'll be it'll be seen as fresh, different, new. Like, oh wow, that's so cool. At Otacon, it was very trend focused. Which was, I can't say it wasn't always like that because when I went and I saw Bleach characters when Bleach was big, everybody were cool.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

Um everybody was a captain.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Everybody, so I think Oticon has always been more trend focused, but I think I'm more aware of that now as a cosplayer. Yes. I think that's really the difference. And um I I have my reservations about that. I I I what I did cosplay um as no face, and people I think for nostalgia for nostalgia purposes were really excited about that. Um, I had my my my one of my best friends and my coworker went as the Soot Sprite. So I had no face and I had the money. So as a cohesive, as a cohesive um unit, that was a lot of fun. I never actually possibly whipped someone with someone. Oh wow, I wish he saw it, Tushi. It was so cute. We were both there waiting for you. But um, but uh I I love the burlesque show, that was hilarious. My to be honest, I went to Oticon because my nieces who actually pushed them to get into cosplay, they both cosplayed and they made me want to cry.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Phenomenal.

SPEAKER_01 10:48

Yes, they call me their cosplay mother. So there uh because last year I couldn't go and they they hyped me up to their friends, like my auntie's gonna be there. I'm like, please don't do that. And so they hyped me up to their friends, and I didn't want to disappoint. So I really went to Otacan more so for them as a promise.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

And you bore down, so I heard I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

I was Queen Barrel, um, and I was no face. Uh for Friday, it was kind of like just something an easy, like Niger Japanese fusion cost, but I just kind of just threw on and called it today. But I didn't spend too much time at Odacon. Um, I this was my first I have a cat. It was my first time uh trying to put my cat in like uh at hotel, and she did not do well with it. So I had to leave the con on Saturday um and pick up my cat and bring the cat with me to the hotel. Wow. So uh yeah, that's what I didn't even get a chance to enjoy Saturday at at all.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

I was wondering why you disappeared on Saturday. I was like, oh, they was like, oh yeah, she was just here. I was like, what?

SPEAKER_01 11:56

I had to, yes, because I had to leave. I had to leave. So I my room, I had a hotel in Crystal City, so I did like Uber from Crystal City to the con because it was actually pretty cost effective doing it that way. Um, but I had to leave Crystal City, drive an hour to go to Columbia, and then drive an hour in the storm, might I add. In the storm.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

Well, yeah, that was Saturday.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Yeah, that was Saturday, and I had to pick my cat up, and she was like on a hunger strike, didn't want to eat no food until I picked her up because she's petty, and I had to bring her to the hotel, and then we had to go to the punt. So by that time, it was already like eight, eight, nine o'clock. So I didn't even get a chance to experience what I wanted to. The burlesque show was hilarious. That was my first time going there. Um, the lines at OdaCon are still ridiculous. I I think I'm so used to Blurred Con now where things are just easier, but I've been spoiled with like the nice small cons.

SPEAKER_05 12:55

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

But um, I feel like the the the vibe was very different um compared to Blurred Con where it felt more familiar. Um Oracon didn't it had black people, but it wasn't it wasn't black focused, so to speak. Um which I haven't been I haven't been used to for the past three years. I'm so used to seeing black nerds, you know, and and so and I and I love nerds of all cross, but I feel like it just it just didn't hit home the same for me.

SPEAKER_00 13:27

It wasn't hitting.

SPEAKER_01 13:29

It wasn't hitting, and it it felt I don't want to say I was disappointed because a lot of it was for unforeseen circumstances of just me not being able to enjoy the con, but even like the art room and the dealer's room, which I loved, and it could have been because I went so late and I lost the opportunities to see what I might have wanted to get early. They're either sold out or everything as beautiful as they were, they just didn't grab me like how I remembered. I remember there used to be a hentai, hentai section. Yeah, it wasn't better. I was like, where is it? That was like every like, and then you saw plus size hentai, you saw people of color hentai. I feel like I did not see many black artists at Oda Khan, and it was so weird because I was I remember I used to I would see so many characters that were transformed into black people. I didn't see that, yeah. As and it could have been maybe I was there late, um, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 14:31

I mean, there were there were black artists, um but what I noticed because it's funny, when I was in the artist alley for the artist room, I was looking for specific artists uh because we we we uh needed to have a meeting with them. And as I was going up and down the aisles, I so I haven't I at the time I hadn't met the artist, so I just had a very vague description of what she looked like, and I didn't even know what the name of her booth was. So I was just going up and down the aisles looking for this black woman with beautiful hair, very tall. Like I was like, this is vague, but okay, I'll look. So I'm looking for a black woman, and as I go up and down the aisles, I'm like, oh, this is increasingly easy because there are not many black black women or black people as artists in the artist alley. Now, of course, there was plenty of vendors or dealers in that dealer's room, but it was just very interesting. The percent the ratio uh uh of different people, different creators. Um even one of the dealers who you know we have a partnership with, she was in the dealer's room, but she's not a dealer, she's a maker. And Oticon does have a distinction between dealers and makers. Makers are individuals who create everything that they sell from scratch. So whether they knit it, whether they build it, whether they woodwork it, it's separate, and they're supposed to be in a separate space um where they can, you know, provide you with their unique crafts. And she was put inside of the dealer's room, and it's like you have her in between this company that has thousands of products from different uh different countries, and another person who has a bunch of I think works for like toy stores, so they have like a bunch of like mainstream toys, and she's in between them, and she's like has all this like she had I bought this while I was there. This uh handmade uh one piece do-rag that she made from scratch. Wow, and I don't know if you guys saw the story where I was excited about a do-rag. This is the do-rag. Um, but it it was it was interesting. Obviously, I started going to my own story, but yes, to to respond to that point from years past, there's normally been it's been a not balance, but there's there's been more options, and I felt like this year I didn't see as many options either.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Yes, I I think there's there's multiple variables. I mean, Odon was the same weekend of DreamCon. And a lot of vendors that were at BlurCon were at DreamCon and met personally that I have their art from BlurredCon. They're like, I'm going to DreamCon.

SPEAKER_05 17:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

And I think and that was the I kind of laughed when I saw the the date change to August because Odon has been in July for months for years. For years. For years. And and for people, old school Oticon goers. When I first started going when I was like 23, Odokan was always in August. It was always like the first weekend of August. Maybe here and there, it would be the last weekend of July. It was always the first week of August.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

What I remember. It would like go back and forth. But like I think because I don't again, it could have been because in um uh it was a Baltimore Convention Center, they had more leeway.

SPEAKER_00 18:03

Either conflicting dates or wherever that last weekend in July, first weekend of August falls on. It's been very a variety of variables. I do know that you're correct when it's when they moved to the DC Convention Center, um they specifically were looking at the last weekend in July because there wasn't any competition. It was just in terms of where everybody else is located, it didn't really have an impact. But um I don't I I have I need to go back and check what the final numbers are of Otacon, but I'm certain that DreamCon being on the same weekend as Otacon two years in a row, definitely oh, two years in a row?

SPEAKER_01 18:42

I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Um it wasn't on the same weekend last year, it was going to be on the same weekend next year, but they changed it, and that's what I'm saying. Like, if it was if it was two years in a row, they would have seen a dramatic impact of their numbers. So that's why I need to see what the numbers were for this year. But oh, by far, I'm and we'll talk about DreamCon in a moment, but yeah, that was that was heavy. But I'll let you finish. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

Yeah, no, no, you're you're completely right. And I think I felt that that this could because I know that there are a lot of people that are Maryland-based, DC-based that went to DreamCon. Um, and I think Maryland-based, you would most likely go to Otacon. Because everybody knows about Otacon if you're in Maryland, DC, Maryland, Virginia, because that is probably one of the biggest anime conventions on the East Coast. One of the biggest anime conventions on the East Coast. Um, that everybody knows about a KatsaCon. Um, so Akata Con, um, and um New York Comic-Con or New York Con, forgot what the is it New York Comic-Con? Like the usually you hear about Oticon, KatsaCon, New York Comic-Con on the East Coast. Those are the usual three that you hear. Um, and Otacon being probably one of the biggest anime cons specifically on the East Coast. So a lot of people know about Odacon. I did feel like oh, I had a conversation with my friend who was the Soutspray with Oticon. The venue is so overwhelming for me as a cosplayer to navigate. Um, it makes me want to save it for an hour and leave because so much walking and it's it's just so much walking and at escalators and walking down. The elevator's fast.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

I will say that.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

But the convention is so long, it's so yeah, and he was because he's a long time Odacon goer in Baltimore, he's from Baltimore, and he was like, the con is he says the layout's different, but he said he had to do a lot of walking too at Odakon Baltimore. I don't remember I I don't remember that. I remember that I can't maybe because I was I knew where the dealers' room was, I knew where the art, and I think it was just easy one way in, one way out, instead of walking. I felt like I had to walk a mile to get to the deal.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Oh, yeah, I think I was walking with some of the vendors on Thursday or Friday, even before the con started. And most of us, well, I I I don't I don't have a uh uh step counter. I just walk, but all of them had step counters, and I think Thursday, even before people were there, their step counters were at like 30,000 steps. Yes, going back and forth and back and forth, and then by the time Friday came around, people had hit like 40,000, 50,000 steps. Easy, and it wasn't even the end of the day. And I was like, bro.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Wait, I lost weight at Otacon.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

And I'm mind you, I'm eating like no, my waist, my waist was looking nice. I was I was quite happy. I was snacked, I was like, I was sweating, I was walking, it was nice, it was nice.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

I was like, I came home and I'm like, I know my ass gained weight. Cause I was eating terrible. I was eating like Indian food, like Indian food, like in Crystal City. I was I have cookies and donuts and chicken and poultry, everything. And I'm like, I know my ass gained weight. And bitch, I lost like three pounds. I'm like, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_05 22:22

Yes, balance.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

But you know, but still the walking, the walking was it was way too much for me. It was overwhelming. Um, I do like how they had guides to tell you where to go. Yeah, um, but I still was fucking lost. I still was lost because there's so many rooms.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

I've explained that to one of the coordinators. I was like, you know, I know you have maps, I know you have virtual maps. I think there should be a different flow so people have an understanding that okay. My biggest thing is I've and I've told people this before when it pertains to conventions. If you release the schedule a little bit early, and I get it, last minute people jump in, things change, people cancel, so on and so forth. I would say, in this day and age, maybe have just digital schedule, scheduling team. Because I mean, everybody has a phone, you know, you can have a TV screen in the hallway in the lobby, have a digital map, digital uh schedule, so at least people can know or plan before they come to Otacon where they're gonna go. Because if you're just kind of darting back on forward, like I mean, like you said, if you're just going to the dealer's room and the artist alley, then you got two halls. A and what was the other one? C, I think. You go to A or B, you go there, you go there, you go home. If that's all you go into. But there because you wanted to go to the Burlesque show, and then there was also the uh the Masquerade uh uh show or ball, and then there was the cost uh the cosplay competition, and it was this, and it was so there's so many different events, and there's more events coming next year. It's you and and especially if you're used to going to smaller cons. Like technically, I would consider, and it's weird, like blur con in terms of population, I would consider a medium-sized con. But in terms of building, it's a small con in reality. Um, compared to some like larger mid-sized cons, like um uh like a Tidewater Comic Con or I'm trying to think about New York, well, not New York, not New York. Uh, but there are other cons that are like mid-sized that have you know quite a few, almost you know, 20,000 people that come through the doors. So the the final count for OdaCon for this year with them doing all the numbers came in uh just about 42,000 people.

SPEAKER_01 24:53

I think that's less than previous years.

SPEAKER_00 24:56

Um allegedly they said it's it's it exceeded last year's record bake uh record breaking number um of 40,466, but it it and it exceeded their third uh um uh their 2013 year. But the problem is, of course, it's still post-pandemic, so the numbers are steadily trying to increase and get back to what it was before. But it was a sheer large amount of people, but keeping on top of that, don't forget DreamCon was the same weekend, the same weekend, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:28

A lot, I I personally know a lot of my friends write DreamCon because they were like, I want to be yeah, like I they're like, I was like, Hey, you're gonna be at Odon? They're like, I can't go on a go to DreamCon instead. And these are people that like if DreamCon was on the same weekend, they would have gone. Oh yeah, the they would have gone, but it's like hello, you have a bigger version of LordCon in Texas, I'm going, you know, and but that is not in a lot of people's budgets. Like DreamCon, that is that is expensive, also is expensive.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

It's different layers. You you gotta think about flights, think about hotels, think about then you get there, now you have to do other things.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

So yeah, yes. So um, yeah, so like but but uh I would say I just I wish the pro was that the con Odakon is beautiful, I would have to say. The the the convention itself, like inside the space, is beautiful, it's very spacious. Uh the con, the that's a pro. The con, I would say I don't think they knew how to utilize the space well. Um with Odacon. Um what would BlurCon too? BlurCon just has too many damn people.

SPEAKER_00 26:43

I was gonna say, but yeah, BlurCon 100% does not utilize their space. Well, yeah, BlurCon should be in a bigger space and and utilize the location that they're in better.

SPEAKER_03 26:54

Blurcon really should be in in Baltimore Convention Center.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

BlurCon should be in Baltimore Convention Center, but they I know that they had um released uh renewed the lease on that on that damn hotel. So more people are gonna go to BlurCon and it's gonna even be more of a clusterfuck, so to speak. With less AC.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

But with but with OdaCon, I agree. Like they could utilize a space better, differently. Like, there's so many different things that can be added to Oticon to make it even bigger than it is. Um, I think like you said, it if they use the space in a different way, it would be so much better.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

It's just too much, it's too, it's too much space for them, personally. I feel like no, I mean, as in like I feel like they should have all the workshops in one area, all the panels in one area, and they they have things sporadically everywhere. I don't think they really sat down, and maybe they did, but it's just from me seeing it. I don't think they truly sat down and organized for the the consumers on what is best for them to navigate that space. Put all the panels in one place. The when we were in Baltimore Convention Center, all the panels were in one specific place. Even a BlurCon, all the panels are literally, you know, you go upstairs, those are the panels. So it was very easy to navigate. And my friend who went with me, he was like, you know, it was a it was very, it was overwhelming to the fact that you couldn't plan out your day. Yes, because you didn't know what was where. I had friends that I couldn't even see because where I was was too damn far for where they were. And just because of the distance, they were like, I'm at the um Lolita Garden party. And I'm like, where the fuck is that? And I'm asking people where isn't they're like, well, it's outside near the Marriott. That means I'm already I already walked a mile, bitch, inside of the con and heels in cosplay. And I didn't even say I didn't get the chance to tell y'all my cosplay was falling apart. So reason why I wanted to see you, yeah, it's like my cosplay was like I was holding it. If you see in the in the picture, I'm holding like the mouth, my mouth attached, but I'm just I had to basically fake it till I made it until I was like, I'm yeah, so like everything was falling apart. I was trying to hot goo shit, it just didn't just wouldn't hold. So I was having things fall apart from like the weight of me walking so much, and no, so but yeah, it was just trying to convert traversing the con was a challenge for me, and then there was no there was no chairs to sit for me. Like, as in like when it came to like the deal, when you get out of the dealer's room in the artist's alley, there were no chairs out there, people were sitting on the floor, which I know is like typical con, you know, culture. You're not gonna have trees to wear, but I'm fucking tired, and I know that I won't have any relief until my ass walk up the up the escalator or up the stairs and around the corner to just get out.

SPEAKER_05 30:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:03

For me, just to get out of that space. So um, but again, Odacon as um for what it was, it was beautiful. I saw a lot of people, friends who who really utilize the con the way I wish I was able to. I wish I had that experience. Um, I there are always ways that cons can do better. Um, I feel like Odacon is still trying to figure out how to work that space because they were just a master in a way with Baltimore Convention Center because they've been there for like two decades. Um, the lines were disgustingly long. But when you were in there, you knew where to go for workshops, you knew where to go for pants, you knew where to go for the party, like you knew where to go, even though that was not a small convention. Baltimore, no, it can hold 33,000. They kept capping because so many people kept going to the con.

SPEAKER_05 30:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Um, you actually had a counter. If you went online to try to buy a ticket, they're like, hey, we're at number 30,000. We only got like 2,000 left, you know. Old school older con. Um, so now I just feel like they need to really hone in on how to utilize the space to make it easier for cos players, to make it easier for people to walk around, to make it easier to know where to go to enjoy the con till it's full.

SPEAKER_05 31:26

Jeez.

SPEAKER_00 31:27

That's a good point. I mean, I think there's so many different factors in how the con can be better, what can be changed. Um, but before I give my spiel, because I've been slightly interjecting on accident, uh Amber, your experience at BlurCon, at Otacon. Uh, why don't you uh tell the listeners about it?

SPEAKER_04 31:51

Um so I guess we could start with BlurCon. Um the pros, of course, is the fact that um BlurCon is for the people, by the people. Um, so it's always great to see people have, or my people have, a safe space where they can uh cosplay, where they can do the Naruto run all over the place. They can honestly, and even so BlurCon is not just you know people dressing up in their favorite anime. I've seen um what is that character from Eddie Murphy where it's the Jerry Carl and the Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

So yeah, is it um Coming to America?

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Yes, uh sexual chocolate.

SPEAKER_04 32:36

Yes, somebody dressed up a sexy chocolate, and it's like not only do we cosplay the things that we nerd over, but we cosplay over the things that we grew up watching. True, so that's always great to see. Um, and also my comfortability level is 1,000 when it comes down to blur con. I straight up did my whole entire makeup in the middle of the whole cell that we were at. You definitely did, and I had no problems, nobody was making me uncomfortable, nobody was ogling at me. You know, I actually got compliments while I was going through the process, so I felt very welcome, I felt very comfortable. Um, and I I think it is a great thing, Blurred Con is where we just have our own space and we don't have to worry about being too black, we don't have to worry about being too nerdy, we don't have to worry about being black and nerdy. We can just be. And um, I definitely think that is the pro. Um, not only that, but with the Blurred Spectrum podcast being there, we had great feedback. People were engaging with us so much, and they were excited to actually come to our panel and listen to us, but not only listen, but also have you know their own things to say as well and and really engage with us. So that's the pro, or those are the pros for me for BlurCon. Um, I'd say the con would be um, you know, streets have it, streets have said certain things. Um the streets will just keep it at that. Um, but the streets have said that there is disorganization, um that a lot of the people who come are inconvenienced, like the celebrities that come are inconvenienced and they're not really being treated like how celebrities who come and guest appear should be treated. Um, I think if this continues on, that could be one of the greatest downfalls of BlurCon because we have established a black convention where we can just nerd out and we can have you know so many people come in, and we also want the you know actors and actresses that we grew up watching to also be a part of BlurCon. But if you know the disorganization continues, that's going to be a huge problem. Um, another con is like um Sayane said earlier, those damn elevators. I was stuck on a level for like a good 10 minutes in a crowd full of people who was also waiting a good 10 plus minutes to get on the elevator. Um, I don't know if there's anything that they can really do about that though. So it's just like it's not like we can invent something and then be like, hey, I'll I'll fly you up to the next level. It's not like we can add something into the hotel. So I don't know what can be done about that because in the hotel there are certain levels that you can't get to unless you get on the elevator, um, and the escalators stop after a certain amount of levels, so it's it's just it's complicated with that. Um, and then when it comes down to again, when Sayane also mentioned the heat in there. Um that day it blur kind of was already tremendously hot outside, and then we got inside and it was just humidity and body heat everywhere. So just heat outside, heat inside, heat everywhere. So again, that's another kind. I feel like there is something that can be done, you know, at least like put fans on different levels somewhere to like ventilate the place. Because, you know, when people are cosplaying and they spent so many hours on their makeup, nobody wants to come to BlurCon and have it all melt and sweat off.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Hi, melting. Oh, well, I have to add to that, I on purpose did not do body paint. Yes, because of it and I um I had to change what I was going to do because of that, and that's a change because you can't express your artistic freedom because of circumstances that are not even in your control, like the damn AC. That's one thing I have to say with Odon, never had an issue.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Yeah, y'all were freezing up and down.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

It was great, it was fantastic. And someone that has like hot flashes like myself, fantastic. And as a cosplayer, that's something you can regulate your body temperature when it's cooler, but when you're hot, you have even makeup. Who the hell wants to be blotting a face with set and powder bitch? Like, who wants to do that inside of the damn pond? And I just have to add into that as a cosplayer, you're 100%. I had to change, I couldn't even, I didn't even think about that option because I went through that last year when I did do body paint, and I'm like, I won't do this shit again.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

So um, but yes, boom it once.

SPEAKER_01 37:36

But yes, I just I just have to thank you for for adding that in.

SPEAKER_04 37:40

Yeah. Um, I think I think that's it for the cons. Um, oh, I'm sorry. Why did I skip this part? Because I almost cussed an employee out. Oh first the hell of all. BlurCon needs to hire their own employees, and and the whatever hotel we were at, they need to let their employees take off for that weekend. Because we were in one section of of where there was a bar and eating area, and we were having our own little podcast discussion. And in the middle of our discussion, we noticed somebody turned the lights off on us. So we were just like, hmm, that's that's conspicuous. It's okay. Um, so we we kept moving, we kept our conversation going. Then out of nowhere, one of the employees from the hotel just starts wiping around us, doesn't greet us, doesn't say, hey, can I get you anything? Doesn't say, hey, you know, would you like to order? Nothing. He just wipes around us, throws menus in front of us, and doesn't say a goddamn thing other than that we need to leave. And I'm like, for one, one of the people who are with us actually wanted to order something, but because he was so motherfucking rude, Lord have mercy, she didn't, and I'm just sitting here like apparently that's a normal thing that occurs at BlurCon with the hotel employees. And my thing is, BlurCon, get rid of them, tell them to take a fucking break because I almost cussed them out, and he had the audacity to wear a Spider-Man shirt as if he was trying to intermingle with the cosplayers. But like, how are you here serving us? But you're rude as fuck to us at the same time. So I I that needs to be fixed, or somebody is certainly getting cussed the fuck out next year when I come back. But those are my pros and cons for blurred con. Oh lord. Moving on to Otacon. Um I I guess I would like to start with the cons with Oticon just because it's very short. Um, when it comes down to Otacon, I think um the parking is okay. You know, I parked around the corner at Safeway. Safeway always got a parking spot for me. So shout out to Safeway. But the parking is decent. Um, the distance between the parking garages in the area and the uh convention itself is also decent. However, the way that they manage the doors and the entry, I was very confused of because there's too many people, and you're you're forcing people to stand in these lines when there are literally 30-something doors at the pathway. So you got all these doors that you could check people, get them into inside, but you rather have them wait outside in a very muggy, nasty weather, and create unnecessary long lines when you could be letting people in to the several 50 plus doors that you have in the area. So that's the only thing. I don't think it's right to make people wait outside in a in those long lines when there are several different entrances into the convention. Um, the second, I'd say, um, I know Dominique talked about this as well, the floors. Okay. Um, I thought I wore comfortable enough shoes. I thought I was supported enough. And by the end of the day, I was feeling pain in my back, pain in my knees, pain in my legs. So, you know, maybe maybe Odokan can work on that, maybe get better floors. I mean, hell, if you if you need to get fake grass up in there, do it. Fake grass. Like those those concrete floors is just not doing it. But I think I think those are pretty much the only cons I have. Um, they they have plenty of room. Um, and it it's it's an amazing area for all the convention goers. Oh, I'm sorry, I skipped the con. Um, another con that I do have uh is is the simple fact of the vendors. There is not enough plus size representation. I'm sorry, there's not enough plus size representation among the vendors, and um again, I got rained on and stormed on and caught in storm while I was there, and I was like, okay, let me just look for a pair of pants for me. I felt like I was shopping in the kids' section, and I I literally went from front to back of the vendor section, and the only pair of pants that I could find was a 2X men's size shorts. And I'm like, that ain't right. But you know, maybe maybe what we could do is is call for people who have plus size businesses to come to Otacan. Like, we're here. Plus size girlies do go to conventions. Like, please come and represent us. Please give us options so so we can feel kawaii too. Like, I'm sorry, I'm not a size too. Um, but the the lack of plus size representation within the vendors is what like really bothered me because it it felt like I was like, am I gonna have to walk around soaking wet in these clothes because nobody offers something inclusive in my size? Um, but yeah, that I'd say that would be the finishing of my cons. Um, the pros is that there are so many amazing cosplayers, and you have cosplayers that actually like build their entire costume like their Iron Man of the cosplay world. And I remember last year I actually got to see like a Transformer robot from top to bottom. And you like it wasn't it wasn't they were wearing tights and you could see their arms and you can see that there was a person, it was an actual robot there. And I think when it comes down to Otacon, they kind of bring in a lot of people who are excited to show off the things that they've been working on for months. So I will say that if you go to Otacon, you'll never be disappointed in any of the cosplayers because they always bring their A game. Also, I absolutely I absolutely loved their gaming section. Their gaming section has so many options. You can play old school games like old Dance Dance Revolution from like early 2000s all the way up to more newer games because I saw there was a game where people could actually like DJ and play a game like that. So I I definitely appreciate the diversity in their gaming section. And also with the tournament, I appreciated that they had a full screen for everybody to be able to watch so that it wasn't like people were overcrowding just one small TV or people just trying to push and shove and watch different things. I think it was very well organized and I think it was very well planned where everybody had an ability to play, everybody could find something to do, everybody could enjoy themselves, whether they were old school, whether they were new school, where they were just there for the tournament. I think Otacon did a great job of just being inclusive in that sense. But those are those are definitely my pros and cons of both conventions.

SPEAKER_01 45:11

If you don't mind, I would like to add on what you're saying with the inclusivity, but more so um I noticed that Otacon allowed BlurCon to promote, which I was actually shocked, shocked to see. Um, because I've never, again, maybe I don't go to many conventions. I've never knew that cons can promote other cons.

SPEAKER_05 45:34

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 45:35

Um that was cool. Like I just to kind of see like they do have some type of camaraderie, like hey, you know, blurred con is another con.

SPEAKER_00 45:44

Which I thought was I wouldn't say camaraderie. Uh I mean certain places it's it is it is camaraderie, but I'll just say they paid for a table so they were able to promote. Because BlurCon was there, NecoCon was there, Magfest was there, um Catsupon, I believe was there. So there were quite a few cons that were present.

SPEAKER_01 46:02

I didn't I I didn't know that you could do that. I thought that would have been a conflict of interest because I never saw that at Blurred Con. So I I didn't see other cons.

SPEAKER_00 46:14

Blurcon had other cons, but as you talked about, and as Amber, uh sorry, as uh Lady Giovanni talked about with kind of some of the controversies and things like that, certain companies, certain businesses, certain brands are uncomfortable promoting in Blurricon. Um especially right now. Um but if you think about maybe not last year, the year before last, um MacFest was definitely at Blurricon. Um NecroCon was at Blurricon. Actually, even this year, Chromacon, uh, which is a uh black woman-owned uh con in March was at BlurCon and at Oracon. So it is but it is possible to you know promote your brand. You can even take on-site registration for vendors. Well, they take on-site registration for vendors as well as congoers if they want to go to the cons of their choosing. They can pay for their ticket right then and there. So you're I mean, you're probably you're a vendor at that point. So it is possible for them to do that. Um I think the big thing is uh it's just it's all about whether or not they can if they see whether or not there is a conflict. I think the only time would be if for example, I doubt Dream Con would be at OdaCon. Because they're at DreamCon. So if there was conflict in terms of timing and things like that, things like that, or if because most cons will tell you that our product or our con convention is completely different than anybody else's. So um because of that, I think allowing other conventions to come won't really bother anybody. But it's it's it's really do you have the do you have the funds to send your team? Because mind you, these tables aren't cheap. So you you spend in quite a bit of money to go to this other con. And the idea behind it is to get on-site registrations, get people interested, get people uh aware of your comments coming up. So yeah. Uh, but I mean, I don't after y'all said all these pros and cons. I don't even know if I have anything to say. Um, because of course my experience comes from a completely different angle. Um obviously I'm a business owner, and so I can come in as a vendor, I can come in as an exhibitor. Um, of course, I went to both BlurCon and OdaCon. I went there for four days each, even though the cons were three days, because I was there on the uh what they call day zero, or yeah, day zero. Um, so my experience from both was very uh not unique per se, but uh well yeah, everybody's everybody's perception, everybody's experience is unique. So uh for BlurredCon, um I'll start with the pros for me. A lot of the pros for BlurCon was uh as both Sayune as well as Lady Giovanni stated, it's it's that family environment. And you know how people always say, oh, you know, when you work here, we're a family. No, no, no. Blurred con is a family environment. You got your uncles playing dominoes outside, you got your cousins rapping on the porch, you got, you know, it's it's literally a more family like like when you have, well, and this is you know, perception is everything, but the the quintessential idea of uh a family Thanksgiving and all the cousins go out and hang out to themselves, that's blur con. All the cousins outside hanging out. That's what it felt like. It was really just an environment where we all were able to share those things that we all enjoy and have in common with no risk of somebody saying, Well, that's not cool, or you can't wear that, or she doesn't look like that, or you did that wrong. I and it uh one of my biggest pros, which was completely unexpected, was being the handlerslash bodyguard of Sayone cosplay. That was completely impromptu. Uh we stumbled across her, and she she just she I because I have we've been doing this podcast for as long as we have, I've had conversations with Sayone as well as um Miss Skittles, and they told me about the horrors of you know either being by yourself or you know doing an elaborate cosplay at a convention, and I've learned more about cosplay culture at conventions in terms of you know cosplay girlfriends or cosplay boyfriends, or you know, the handlers or the grips or whoever. So when we saw her at O at BlurCon rather, and she looked extremely hot, uh, not uncomfortable, but just hot. And she had this fan uh which she magically attained that day. Um, but she had this fan and she's trying to cool herself off. And I was like, uh in my mind, I was like, wait a minute, I know for a fact that she's here by herself. Why is she here by wait that would you Sayone, would you would you mind if we like just helped you? And it went from us just like holding her stuff because what and actually what actually happened is she was in the dealer's slash dealer's room slash artist alley and she got caught in this corner. And I'm not saying caught like somebody was harassing her, but she was caught in this corner because of how beautiful she is and how amazing her cosplay was. Everybody wanted to take pictures, and lo and behold, she was in front of this curtain and it looked like an actual photo shoot. So every time one person stopped taking pictures, or while somebody was taking pictures, another 10 people showed up. So she was she was like she was just stuck in this corner with a beautiful Yor. Your I think she was a your cosplay, uh from Star Yeah, yes, and it was the two of them just next to each other with their whips, their chains, their floggers, and and and their and their weapons. Because I believe that day you were I was Oya. Oh yeah, yes. So yeah, you Oya and Yor back to back with knives, swords, floggers, and and and and and weapons posing in this corner, and like like as as Sayane said, it started to get hot. And even though we in the in the dealer's room, it was more or less cold. When you're standing doing poses for long periods of time and different angles, you're looking at different ways, and people are asking this. Like, if you've ever seen celebrities on a red carpet, there's a reason why they don't stop there all day. It's because you take your pictures, you get 30 seconds, and now move on. Because I'm not about to be like your body temperature automatically heats up when you're in those types of situations. And I'm like, okay, I'm not about to play Captain Save 'em, but she looks like she needs some home. And she doesn't, it looks like she doesn't want to be here all day. So I was like, hey, let's help her out real quick. So we grabbed the fan, we grabbed the purse, and then we're like, okay, pictures are over, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, if you need any other pictures, you can find her upstairs. And we just like started moving. And it went from, hey, let's just walk around the artist alley. We walked around the entire con. And we were just from one experience to another. We went outside, we got her food. Uh, like she said, we recorded, took pictures, and it went from one day to the second day I saw her. I wouldn't even say the second day we were her handlers on that day, but on the second, I think that might have been Sunday. We were just around, you know, just talking and looking at things. So it was, oh, what's that the Friday? I forget. But no, it was, it was, it was one of, I would say one of the best times I've had at BlurCon was being her handler. And it it was because I saw it from a different, I saw BlurCon from a different perspective. Um, and like I said, I had been there from at third on Thursday. The main reason of the responsibility I had at BlurCon, of course, was the podcast, the live streaming of the podcast on um that Saturday. But being able to walk around and and not see it from her eyes, but experience it from her perception and just be around her and see all like I'm like uh several times. There was this one. It's funny that uh um Lady Giovanni brought up sexual chocolate because there was one uh cosplayer who was cosplaying sexual chocolate or Rick James, he was either one. Um, and no disrespect to him, good cosplay, but he held us up for like at least 10 minutes trying to get his phone to work, and I was like, Oh, he has to deal with this all the time.

SPEAKER_01 55:04

Um sexual chocolate and prints collaboration.

SPEAKER_00 55:08

Yes, it was sexual chocolate uh collab uh collab matchup, and I was like, it's a great cosplay, but I have a phone, we have Instagrams, we can we can send you the picture. We we we don't have to like his phone was so full because he'd been taking pictures, so he was trying to delete uh empty storage on his phone, and we were standing there for 10 minutes, and I was like, We haven't even made it out of this room yet. We and then because he was I don't want to say holding us hostage, but because he was holding us there until he was taking off the mess, more people showed up asking for pictures, so now I'm trying to get him to hurry up and get the the the data off his phone, and Simon is behind me still taking pictures and posing and standing with our foot arts and her hand up, and I'm like, yo, we gotta go. We she said 40 minutes ago that she was hungry, we need to go get her some food.

SPEAKER_01 56:01

Hungry wanted to use the bathroom, and I couldn't move.

SPEAKER_00 56:04

And I think around that time, your corset uh top started to malfunction, and you needed to fix it. And I was like, Okay, and you know, I can't fix it, you know. I'm about to do it. But luckily, of course, Lady Legacy was there, or Dr. Legacy's was there. And I was like, So can you, you know, uh yeah, we just have I was like, Can you help her? Can we fit? Can it be fixed? She's like, Yeah, we just have to get to the bathroom. I was like, Oh shit. Uh let's uh I was I had to make a decision. I was like, all right, ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna have to stop it for today. Uh, if you need any other pictures of video, oya will be downstairs in the mezzanine. Right now, we do have to make a beeline for her green room. So thank you. And then we just beeline it out. Granted, she didn't have a green room, that was the bathroom downstairs, but we made it. She was able to freshen up and get everything set up. So, but that was it was so fun. It was it was a great time. I actually would love to do that every year. Um, because unless we have, unless I end up uh running an experience or something at Blurricon, I think going around as and what really upset us is we could if we knew you were gonna be Oya that day, and I we would have we had some clothes that would have matched your gear, that would have man, that would have been amazing. But you know, next year. So that was cool, that was really dope.

SPEAKER_01 57:24

It was so much fun. Like again, I think Blurred Con was fun because you and Dr. Legacy was there. I I it was so much fun to again just have like a be among friends and then to and then to have you and uh uh I've never had a female handle. Yes, that was different because last year I had my friend Eric help me. God bless him. Uh I don't but and then before then it was uh my boyfriend Talent. Yes, and that was his first experience of having a cosplay girlfriend and going to a con. So he was like, he didn't know what to expect. Um, but this I again I was able to enjoy the con. Yes, because you guys were there. Like I was I drove again, I didn't stay on the premises, I had to drive home, yep, change my clothes, drive back to the competit and I still I think I stayed the latest was like 12 o'clock.

SPEAKER_00 58:22

Yeah, surprising.

SPEAKER_01 58:24

Surprising, and I'm like, oh my god, this is a con. Now I know how many people I really went to a con, and again, I've been going to con since I was 23, and I have to say, I experienced a con. Yes, and that was so much fun. I got to eat.

SPEAKER_00 58:43

Oh, oh, and and that was most that that was what I no matter what I did, if I had to chin check a dude, if I had to push the crowd, the most important thing that, especially myself and Dr. Legacy, wanted to make sure happened was that you got something to drink and you got something to eat. Because you was walking around, I was like, it's two o'clock, and you're like, I haven't eaten yet. I was like, You've been taking pictures for all these people downstairs, you ain't eating nothing. Let's go. Food trucks, let's go. We already went to the bathroom, straight upstairs, no stopping. Give me your hand, let's go. And we walked straight to the food trucks and had some, like you said, amazing food. I had some amazing strip. Oh boys, that those lemonades were phenomenal. Phenomenal it was it was oh that oh I I need to go back and I need to put a I didn't put a review. I was supposed to put a review on that Creole food truck. That I went we went back to that two times in two days, I think.

SPEAKER_01 59:39

Yes, we did, but we have to give uh a huge uh pat on the back and applause for you and your videography skills, baby, because I didn't even know. Like so, for for the listeners that are unaware, uh Suchi took a video. Was it my phone he took it on? Or was it your phone?

SPEAKER_00 59:59

It was because you were you were you were tired of unlocking your phone, you had finally given me the pin, and he was like, I'll change it later. And I was like, Okay, bet. And it was whatever. Oh Lord, we walked out of the building, and it was it was literally so when it comes to photography and videography for me, I'm not, I'm not, I'm nowhere near Lady Giovanni. That's why she handles that business. But my eyes, when they catch something, I'm like, I have to, it's almost like an artist. I have to, I have to paint this, I have to capture this. And it was it was the way you walked out of the building and you you made a right turn, and the way the wind hit the beads in front of your face and it hit your gown. I was like, I need to pull out the phone, and I just started recording. I was like, even if this turns into nothing, you could delete it later, but it turned into something so epic and so uh regal, the way the wind was capturing your train, the way the beads were rocking back and forth your face. I was like, I need to get closer, and like literally, my body was just on autopilot, and I was just moving, so I don't know what you were about to say, but that that's what that's why I did what I did.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:06

It was beautiful. I think it's funny. I blurred con is so cool. Two people who I never met in my life took videos that to me, and I was able to have content that I didn't even know I needed or wanted. Yep, but I had content from Suchi, I had content with each cosplay. The cosplay I didn't even choose to wear until that day somebody was like, I must videotape you.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:32

I was like, I must videotape you like okay, you must be captured on tape, on tape.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:42

The um the the Niger godmother, yes, walk, and and I'm so I'm so subconscious about like how do I look? Did my face look okay? You know, uh if I'm taking a picture, I can delete the selfie. I don't like how I look, you know, but like somebody's giving you one shot bitch, yeah, very so I I found myself watching that video over. I look good. I'm just like good, and then like with the um the cell cosplay, yes, another random person. I came out the garage and don't know this person from Adam. And they're like, I must capture you, walk, and I'm like, walk, and I'm like, oh my god. Um and it's it might be TMI. It was my time of the month that whole entire weekend. And I'm yeah, I was I was so worried that I was gonna have a slip of some of some unforeseen circumstances because I'm wearing a fucking leotard, and I'm like, God, please don't make this happen. I was so I'm just like sweating. I'm like, please make sure everything stays where it needs to stay. So she's like, what like my ass? No, so I'm just like I'm praying to the God, the ancestors. Please don't let this be a uh what is it, a world star event. And and she she I was walking and I'm like zooming. I'm like, is there any issues? Okay, no issues. And she again, random person sent me the video. I added music to it. Random person second day, sent me the video, added music to it. Succi didn't even know it was being video recorded. I said, send me that it's on your phone, right? I added music to it, and and all the music I added was actually music I already had on my phone, and I'm like, this is glory. Everything the stars were a line, nothing broke. I think I had a hairnet caught on to the on to the wings that you're gonna do. The wings the wings, and it's funny because it was in the video, but it matched with the the gold, the black, and the red. So I'm like, I'm not gonna do nothing with it. Everything, the stars was a line for Blurcon. Oticon, not so much, everything was not a line, but BlurCon. Blurcon was probably by far my my best con experience this year, and it would not have been that way if it wasn't for you, if it wasn't for Dr. Legacy, it just wouldn't have been that way. And I'm so grateful to you and just all of the wonderful surprises, and it was glorious. And I I I'm I'm very much looking forward uh to next year for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:36

Yay!

SPEAKER_00 1:04:37

Like I said, it that made my my weekend because I I normally I normally I would have gone home and then come back for the rabe or done something else, but no, it was it was fun because we were there, we were entertaining ourselves, we were just you know moving around and having fun. Um the cons to BlurCon, and I'll keep this short. Um well, you know what? The cons for both cons. Let me let me do it like that. Yes. So both of the cons, from my perspective, big thing was organization and communication and scheduling. Um between where things are supposed to be located, the rooms are supposed to be booked, uh, uh the hotel. Oh, big thing. The hotel and the convention center for for BlurCon and Otacon respectively didn't know where things were supposed to be. And I know it's not technically their responsibility, but at the very least, they should be able to point us in the direction. Because if they have some of the information, I feel like they should have all of the information. Because the hotel for BlurCon didn't know where our podcast was supposed to be located. They were like, you're not even on the list. And then Otacon, the people who are working there didn't know who was supposed to be wearing, even if we're wearing badges. It was it was a lie. Um con wise. Uh that that was probably by far is just the disorganization and uh between the buildings, the Facilities and the conventions. Because I don't want to put it all on, you know, the people who are working for Blurcon or the people who are working for those particular facilities, but it's just for me, if I'm using a space, and it's kind of what um Lady Giovanni said, realistically, if they can't understand what's going on and fall, not necessarily fall in line, but aid you and aid your event, then you just need to get more employees or volunteers or staff and have them take their place. Give those people the weekend off, and we'll put people in those places who can do those roles and handle those jobs. Um just have the budget for it because having people cause discord makes it worse. Because it's like you have all of your employees and your staff doing the right thing, and it takes just one person who doesn't understand their role or their job to cause dissension. Like at Otacon, they it was very obvious. You come down the escalators, you go to the left, it's artist alley, you go to the right, it's the dealer's room. Walk on the left side, walk uh uh ongoing, right side, incoming traffic. But then when a staff member from the convention center starts telling people to go the opposite direction, and again, they weren't talking to everybody, they were talking to one person, but they weren't clear with their instructions, which caused a traffic jam, which caused everybody to walk in a different direction, which caused pandemonium. And then it caused the staff member who works for Otacon to start yelling at the top of his lungs to help clear the issue. The guy lost his voice by the by Saturday morning and was and but still had to work the rest of the weekend. So it's it's those types of situations that could easily be cleared up with better understanding across the board. And most of the time, I don't even feel like the people who work in those facilities, kind of going back to what Lady Giovanni said again, even care or want to help. They're just, I have to work this weekend because it's big events, I don't care what's going on. This has nothing to do with me. Unless you ask me where the bathroom is, I'm I'm just I'm I don't know what to tell you. Like there was times where I was like, Do you know where this is? It's like I I think it's downstairs. Um you go over there to that info booth, they can tell you. I was like, I appreciate you. Thank you. I really appreciate it. Um, yeah. So those are I would just say in terms of cons, I mean I have plenty others, but I'm gonna stop there with the cons. Uh, but pros, uh, did my pros for glurcon, pro for Otacon was uh I this this is the first year that uh Umbral's Arcade, my company, uh was and partnered with Origin of Play and a couple of other brands uh were able to sponsor and run the gaming tournaments, or at least four of uh no, six of them, six of them. And uh we ran four of them, sponsored six of them, and they went off amazing. The the the the winners, the the tournament was very competitive. I mean, although Lady Giovanni said she didn't know what the hell was going on, she at least enjoyed some of it. So we did a good job. Uh, I also agree the big screen was amazing uh to be able to capture it. I wish I I hope next year we can use it in a different way as well, enhance the experience for everybody. I really want to make it a lot more inclusive, make it an um even bigger spectacle, I think is the key word. Um uh, but all in all, I I loved how that transpired. Um I also agree, I think the both of you said that the people there were very friendly. Uh Otacon had a lot of encouraging people um in terms of the con goers. Um, because between, I mean, of course, I wasn't around. Uh actually, that's one of the negatives. Let me say that real quick. One of my negatives for Oticon is I never saw Sayone cosplay face-to-face. Um, but the pros were I heard that she showed out and she looked amazing. Uh along with uh, of course, uh Miss Skittles, who was also at Oticon, and um Dr. Legacy, she was also cosplaying um at Otacon. I believe she was number five on Sunday, and she was. I don't know what to call her. I uh I mean she could have been a handmaiden, she could have been goddess.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:09

She looked beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:10

Yes, African goddess. I'm honestly, if she had worn that when you were Oya, slate. Yes, like destruction, like it would have been over. Um, but no, no, it was it was really it was amazing to see everybody really enjoy themselves. Um, we were able to go, uh we were invited, uh my company was invited to the masquerade competition, which um uh Miss Kittles and Dr. Legacy was able to be a part of or sorry, sit for and watch. It was very interesting. I I I've been at Oticon for years. I've never actually been to an event at Oticon. It's my first event ever, and I've been at Oticon for five, six years, uh, and vendored four years, three, three, four years. Um, but it was really fun. You know, people took taking scenes out of anime and recreating them was so dope. Um, I think I've only, and I was talking to, I was having a conversation uh a couple days ago about when most black people hear the word masquerade, they're thinking of like a masquerade ball. You know, you're wearing gowns, you have masks on, you know, people can't see who you are. But then when you think about the actual definition of the word masquerade or masquerading, what they were doing was masquerading because they were masquerading as characters from anime, they were cosplaying as characters, but then they were also recreating performances and scenes. I was like, yo, these people are really good. Now they're not talking, they're voice, uh uh, what's called lip voice, lip syncing, there it is. Uh, they were lip syncing, but they were really good. I I've never seen something like that before. I uh it would have been awesome to see some of us there. Uh, but again, I didn't save the whole thing, so maybe there were some of us. I don't know. Uh, but I think it would have been dope if I I think we should enter. I think the Blood Special Podcast should enter. We should recreate a scene from an anime. I think it'd be very dope. Um, but that's a thought. Uh but no, but at the end of the day, I think one of the biggest cons yet pros is cons want to stick to their theme even to a fault. And you know, of course, BlurCon's theme is well, they have theme different themes every year, uh, but their theme theme is you know, black nerd convention, and it's like well, they want to stick to it, but they don't want to stick to it, which is contradictory and controversial at the same time. So you should probably figure that one out. And then Otacon, of course, is a Japanese culture, pop culture convention. So you got your animes, you got your um music, h-pop, you have all of these different themes and things, and it prevents certain aspects of other cultures being accepted or being added. Um, because there's Japanese rap, and I'm pretty sure they never kind of spin the block on that one. That's something I would love for them to add. Uh, because Japanese rap is pretty hard if you get the right one. Uh, and let's not even go into baby metal, but uh, so anywho, uh, those are my pros and cons. I guess I didn't want to spin the block too much on that. Um, I think overall, um, you know, especially when we started this podcast and we were talking about Corona Vention and how much we missed cons, and now we're two years back into conventions since the first time uh we started this convention this podcast. And I think I would have oh, this is one of those emotional things, isn't it? Um, I would have never dreamed that before this podcast had started, I would have gained friends and loved ones that I could go to conventions and really enjoy myself. I've been to conventions for years and it's either been solo, um, or it's you know, just been with a person that might not have had the exact same interest. So we just end up splitting up. I go this way, they go that way, and then we just meet up and then we leave. Um, except for a few times. Um so to be able to experience BlurCon this year with Sione and Dr. Legacy, uh, to be able to, you know, go through uh Otacon with um Rebecca Quinzel and Hoke Biceps, uh to be able to witness uh Lady Giovanni's first conventions, uh starting from last year on to this year. Um it's it's been it's been an amazing experience. I I love every moment of it. I can't wait to see much, much more of it. Um as we go to different conventions. I can't wait to see where the Blurred Spectrum podcast will kind of tie into this because I foresee us going to conventions as a podcast, representing the podcast. So um I'm excited for what the future holds as it pertains to the our group as a whole and all the things that we're experiencing. Um, there are always going to be cons in situations, and I'm more so mean negative um in situations, uh, but those are all learning lessons. It's it's these are things we learn from um that we can make future uh opportunities even better. So um, you know, as I wrap up this episode, and I think Sayame, did you have something else to add? DreamCon. Oh Lord, right? So real quick, with DreamCon, um, I'm sure all of you have either heard about it, went there, or if you haven't heard about it, you must, I mean, go go do some Googling. Uh, but Dream Con uh is a convention uh based out of Austin, Texas. Um, I don't want to I I don't want to be incorrect. Uh I should probably check. I forget how many years it's been so far. Um because I know last year they're newer. Huh?

SPEAKER_01 1:15:54

It's a newer, it's a newer con. I think it's is it newer than BlurCon?

SPEAKER_00 1:15:58

Uh it should be newer than Blurcon. I just don't know how old it is. Um let me check real quick. Um, greedy boy. DreamCon's first year. Oh, look at that. Oh, that's the wrong DreamC. That's funny. Ha! No, because that's interesting. So there was a DreamCon that had to do with um Dreamcast that happened years and years and years ago. So that's funny. Uh, because they they closed and now they own the name for DreamCon. Um, and they have, and we were talking about all the sponsors that they have. Um man, I I want to say they're like five years old, but I'm not 100% sure. I'll do the research and I'll bring the update. Um, but they've been around for some time. Um, and they are younger, of course, than Otacon. Um Blurcon, well, both of them, yes, Otacon and Blurcon. Um last year they had over 6,000 people at DreamCon, which is amazing for them getting started. And this year they had they're still actually tallying how many people they had at this year's DreamCon. Um, so it's just been amazing to see all of it. Say Ne.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:24

2018.

unknown 1:17:26

Woo!

SPEAKER_00 1:17:26

Oh wow. Wow, that's crazy. They are I mean, discounting the pandemic. So that's technically four four years old, four or five years old.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:38

Is Bailey the same age as BlurCon? Is it not?

SPEAKER_00 1:17:43

Yeah, because I think BlurCon also BlurCon either started in 2018 or 16. I think it is 18 though.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:51

That's yeah, that's because it was created. Yeah, but says a group of anime and gaming YouTubers who lived together in Austin founded DreamCon in Waco, Texas, in 2018 as a way to connect with as a black-owned business, and perhaps the only business-owned convention in Texas, DreamCon, focused on making the anime and gaming space inclusive through its activities and special guests. So, yep, 2018.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:16

And BlurredCon started in 2017.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:19

Ah, so they're very close.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:21

So the very close age. Um, so I don't know if Dreamcon, I know DreamCon took a year off. I don't know if they took any other years off between then and now. So it's it's very interesting to know about like how young these cons are, all the work, like all the work they're putting in, like the sheer amounts of sponsors. DreamCon is sponsored by Crunchyroll, Denny's, Disney, Nintendo, Konami, Twitch, Viz. Uh, like, the list goes on and on.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:06

And that I would love to do, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:08

Like, I don't know how they market themselves because the money that goes into that con is it's it's a lot, but you like one thing I was talking about the other week uh with um uh Dr. Rebecca Quinzel is you're you're dealing with not just people but influencers, not just blurred, but influencers, youtubers. So individually, they have been marketing them their themselves individually. RDC World has been making people laugh and using social media for years before they started DreamCon. I mean, I don't have the exact year, and I'm not about to start reaching that researching that right now, but like not buying years, but obviously TikTok and Instagram is their wheelhouse. So when you're dealing with a group and individuals that have millions of subscribers, you would be a fool when they all come together and they're bringing even more influencers who have millions and billions of subscribers together into one place, and they said they're gonna live stream to their own individual platforms. If I have the opportunity to market myself or tie my name to it, I'd be a fool not to do it. That's why big names are tying on smaller names, I'm sure, did it uh uh uh initially. But having a like, I'm sure food, fast food, like Denny's is already a part of it. I'm sure other fast food chains will jump on next year. Like it's they're at the point where they can post, like I was in one of the things we were talking about is I had so much FOMO after OdaCon. Like, I had a great time at OdaCon because of my company being there and and and having um that space, but like my favorite wrestlers uh uh uh commentated the Mortal Kombat tournament at DreamCon. Some of my favorite singers were at DreamCon, like other brands, partners, like you said, friends of ours were all at DreamCon. Some of my mentees from college that I taught got into the gaming uh industry, they had a gaming panel talking about the ins and outs of the gaming industry at DreamCon. So it's like it's such a it's it's big, it's huge. So the FOMO, and that's one thing we talked about during the Corona venture episode is how missing out on something that we used to do all the time. Well, how do you feel when you miss out on something that you know is epic and you want to be how do you deal with that?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:38

So much I want to be a hater for Dream Con so bad. So I'm like talking to friends, and like, how was it? Did you not like it?

SPEAKER_00 1:21:47

It was the I bet it was stupid.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:51

Was it a horrible experience? It was horrible, wasn't it? It was the best experience of my life.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:56

It was amazing. There was nothing wrong.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:00

Okay, if I didn't care. I'm like, how you gonna book the ticket when we still don't even know what the date is for next year? People are guessing.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:12

Like, I don't care. I'm going back.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:16

No, but seriously, like all the influences. Okay, Dragon Con. I didn't even know about DragonCon until T Pain was there. And people lost they shit. Yeah, because they're like Dragon's there, I must go to Dragon Con. And I'm like, what the fuck is that Dragon Con? And I didn't even know. So people lost their mind again. Influence is power, it is influence is money, money and you had Chiara Ples that was at Dragon Con. Um Kira Please was at DreamCon.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:45

DreamCon, DreamCon.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:47

And um King Vader, yeah, who was making who've been making anime content for years pre-pandemic.

SPEAKER_05 1:22:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:55

Was also, I think Tranquil Ashes saw King on the plane. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:03

On the plane. The actor who played zero in holes.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:08

Yes. He he won one of the tournaments. I think he won the Mortal Kombat tournament.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:13

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:14

Just seeing him in the um in the goofy movie. Uh oh my gosh, cosplay.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:20

Uh Power Line. He won the tournament at Power Line.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:25

Mad. I'm mad. Let me make it.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:27

Because you know what tournament did he win? He won a tournament. I I don't know if it was Mortal Kombat or Cleo. Was it Cleo Thomas?

SPEAKER_01 1:23:36

I'm not I'm I I think his name is Cleo. Yeah, I think so. I think so.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:40

Yes, Cleo Thomas wins the Mortal Kombat tournament at DreamCon.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:46

And it's it's amazing because you know it's different from a concert. You have celebrities that are acting just like us because they are just like us.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:52

They're just and and I that's why I keep telling you and Miss Skittles, y'all are celebrities. Y'all, y'all keep putting this in your mind. Y'all not so they're just like us. Why? Because they're people. The only difference is they have a couple of more followers and subscribers, which y'all will get to very soon.

SPEAKER_01 1:24:08

I'm tired.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:10

Anyway, um, but yes, we just want to talk a little bit about the FOMO. Uh, we're not hating. We'll be there soon.

SPEAKER_01 1:24:18

I'm a hater. I'm a hater. I am a hater. I'm hating because it wasn't there.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:24

Lady Giovanni, are you a hater or or are you just uh do you wish you were there?

SPEAKER_01 1:24:29

We could be both.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:33

Um, I'm not a hater, so to say. Like, it's like I look at people at DreamCon be like, I'm so happy for y'all because my scared ass can't handle being on a plane. I'm not getting on a plane and going all the way to California.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:46

So I'm spirit in Texas.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:49

Yeah, it's not a good thing. We could have drove there. It's only Austin. That's the same thing. It don't matter. That's not too far. Listen, it don't matter. They there, I I commend the brave people of the world for getting on a plane.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:02

Of the world.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:03

Just to go to a convention, I commend that.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:07

The money's.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:10

We're working her through some of the things. She's gonna go somewhere soon. I just gotta figure out the closest one.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:16

Yeah, I would love for us to give me a Xanax before y'all put me on a plane. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:21

Some some recreational recreational cannabis.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:25

That'll do it. I've heard.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:28

Not my personal experience, but you know.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:30

Me and Mary Jane go together like this. We go together real bad. There, see, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:35

Bring bring a lunch box and just put a little bit in there, and you're good, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:40

Good to go.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:41

Good to go.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:43

So, but yes, like we said, we just wanted to, you know, share our experiences of you know old con and blurcon and also talk about our FOMO slash wishful prayers, happily, happiness, slash hateration in this dancery about DreamCon. Um, but yeah, that wraps up our episode. Uh, of course, we have a bunch of new episodes coming out really, really soon. Uh, as um Lady Giovanni talked about, she has a quite a few interviews uh that we've done uh from these last couple of cons. So that's coming out soon. We're really excited for what's coming up next. Um and oh, of course, I gotta you know give everybody the opportunity to see how they can be reached. So, of course, our podcast as a whole can be reached on the blurred spectrum on Instagram. Uh it's not, it's it's called X Now, right? X. Um I see that now. Facebook.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:40

I come up with porn site on my phone.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:43

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:45

Is there is there malware on me? So I'm sorry, I just had to say that.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:51

I love it. Um malware on my phone. Um okay, so we're on Facebook, Facebook, Instagram, um, YouTube, the blurred spectrum. Uh also I can be reached or found rather uh Suchi No Shogun on Instagram. That's Suchi T, what is it? T-S-U-C-H-I underscore no underscore shogun s-h-o-g-un um on Instagram, and then, or of course on Umbral's Arcade. If you need any BR uh things, you need VR games, VR experiences, we can bring it to you, your convention, your uh occasion. That's not a plug. This is sponsored by Umbral's Arcade, so I can say that. Um so uh Sayone, how can you be reached? How can you be found?

SPEAKER_01 1:27:42

Yes, Sayone cosplay on Facebook, Sione underscore cosplay on Instagram, and Scionay period cosplays at gmail.com.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:54

Ooh, fancy. Oh, I forgot about the mailbag. I'll say it afterwards. Uh and Bizzle, uh Lady Giovanni, how can you be reached?

SPEAKER_04 1:28:01

I can be reached on Instagram and uh TikTok on uh FW underscore the pink dream. And like I always say on every podcast, do not find my Twitter.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:14

Oh lord. Oh, you mean your ex? Don't find your ex? That's right.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:18

Man, fuck Elon. Like he's ruining everything.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:22

I mean, you can always switch over to threads. Everybody's jumping on threads now. Y'all want to do threads?

SPEAKER_04 1:28:27

So they say don't do threads because um if you open up a threads account, you can't delete the thread. You can't delete your account with threads. If you delete the account with threads, you delete your entire Instagram.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:41

Instagram? Oh, you have to tie it to Instagram.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:43

Isn't that what threads is?

SPEAKER_01 1:28:46

I know it's affiliated with Instagram. I know it is affiliated, I just don't know what it is.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:50

Oh no, so that's gonna be a whole nother episode. Should we or should we not do threads? All right. Um, and then of course, our mailbag, theblurred spectrum at umbral stark.com. Uh, thank you all for listening to this episode. Thank you all for continuing to listen to our podcast. We can be found wherever podcasts are found, um, which is funny because obviously, if you hear what I'm saying, you're already at a place where podcasts can be found, so I really don't need to say this. Um, but yes, as I always say, Tayonada.