Vidad Magoodn, he of the News Network, has made comment:
"Actually, I'm just envious that part of your job involves going to anime conventions. I hate anime... but that sounds like a LOT more fun than what I'm doing."
What's funny is that I turned to the Dread Dormomoo at Mile 301 on I-65N and asked
"I'm 50. Why do I keep doing this?"
Seriously. I love BEING where I am. It is the Getting There that is a pain. I dislike driving. It is such a waste of time. Thankfully, there are audiobooks, Bible CDs, and music.
So the question remains, beyond "Dude...she had PURPLE HAIR!!!".And the money.
There is the issue of ego strokes. At the end of a 3-day anime convention, there are scores of kids and adults wearing our shirts. Now to be clear, we sell OUR shirts. Our designs, our printing. These shirts are a part of us, not mere reselling of someone else's stuff. The Aardvarks actually have a fan base. This all adds up to major positive strokes.
By and large, the anime fans are a polite lot. Much that is positive in Japanese culture comes through in anime, especially the manners. Sez Ima Strawman of Omaha: "Oh, the kids are just copying the polite behavior they see." Hmmm...that sounds like learning to me. Besides, I'd rather have someone copying politesse than thuggery.
Vidad, why do you hate anime? Are you a thug? (Hey, I'm practicing political polemic, here.)
The retail shirt sales have exploded our business, and this is a good thing. It well and truly helps to make the con-to-con grind bearable.
There was a lovely Twilight Zone episode entitled "Kick the Can". The moral was "You're as old as you act". I'm 50, with reasonable health, a few aches here and there. In my HEAD, I'm still a teen. Early teen. I call men "Sir" who look like I do now. I've always called men who look like I do now "Sir". I collect toys. I sometimes do more than look at them. Being around these kids is a major boost. Maybe it's the aerosol hormone levels. Maybe our mental ages are consonant. I just know that I feel better talking with them, joking with them, listening to them. It's corny, but being with the youngers makes ME feel younger.
That's reason enough to drive 8 hours to a con.
2 comments:
I hate anime like I hate Haitian radio. Because I don't understand it. It's an impersonal hate... not a hate that wields a baseball bat. It's dispassionate, like a slowly rolling glacier. But I like the purple hair, so maybe the hate will melt in time.
But I doubt it.
I don't know who said it, but "Follow your happiness." Sounds like a good idea, and it sounds like that's what you're doing. Have fun.
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