Revan

This series is free this month on Amazon Prime video: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08QN5859T/ref=atv_hm_hom_1_c_LzQwT3_brws_8_20 A series of lectures on places to visit in DC, if you have time before or after the con. I go in a day early, so this is good to see what's around. (I've hit several of the Smithsonians, the National Gallery, and the National Mall in the past few years.) It's from 2019, so the information on how to get in may have changed since then, but it could be a good source of inspiration for sightseeing.

I don't know if this technically belongs here, as the forum header says 'Serious discussion'. Close enough for government work, I suppose. What for years had only existed as a promo video with bad sound has been found, apparently in the Library of Congress of all places. It definitely was a thing. What that thing is, I'm not quite sure. Pilot episode (Watch at your own risk. Though it can't be as bad as Spaceballs the Animated Series. I had a friend yell at me when he watched that, despite my warnings.) Immediate takeaways (don't know if I want to watch a 2nd time: - I'm wo

I was curious about this myself, but wasn't sure about broaching the subject. I've read that Gencon, with ~50K attendees and a similar masking / vaccine policy, had reports of people getting Covid at the con. One speculation for this is because Indiana's vaccine rate was in the 50s while DC is up around 80%, and people actually caught it outside the con while attending. I can't say whether that's true, but it does sound plausible. I haven't had any symptoms, and I tested negative twice a week after the con. I stayed masked whenever I was outside my hotel room - Septa, 30th Street Station,

I was at the Marriott Marquis, and it was fairly painless. I went down the 2 escalators, showed them my vaccination card, my driver's license, and my badge (I get it mailed.) and got the band. Took only a few minutes including the escalators. The only downside was they didn't have the 18+ bands there, and when I asked the person about it they said they should have thought to bring some to this station. Edited to add: This was at about 4 on Thursday.

Long post, as I tend to go to panels almost exclusively at Otakon anymore. I think I've got all the ones I hit. (I lost the paper I was using for my schedule and notes, and I've been really busy at work lately.) Dubs vs Subs -The presenter was good, and the presentation about how Japanese and Western theater influenced their acting styles. (Like Japanese Noh encourages broad, exaggerated performance and Western acting tends toward a smaller, closer style because the camera focuses in on the actor.) However, it seems to me that a fundamental point was missed. Per the description: "How

Waaaaaay back in 1995 or 96, I was AnimEast in New Brunswick. The hotel was hosting the con as well as a wedding on that Saturday of that weekend. The reactions of people looking at the cosplayers was... unique, especially (if I'm remembering this correctly, it's been 25+ years) someone who was playing as Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf dressed as Grandma, but with something bursting out of the chest or stomach. I think it was one of those moments where everyone in the wedding party pulled the 'We'll wait for the other car.' Then there were the early years at the BCC when Otakon only used h

As of last year you could enter the phone number 202-867-5309 to get the club card discount at Safeway. It may work for Giant as well, because using the local area code plus the Jenny phone number works for a number of stores in my area. As for things to bring, a couple I haven't seen mentioned: - hand sanitizer (you never know) - utensils (for those of us who buy food from Safeway, etc.) A couple that are more for me: - canvas shopping bags (it is less wasteful, DC charges for plastic bags, and it's really easy to go through a bag check when you just have to hold it o

Follow up related to Wild Bills: I bought some items from them during Otakon online 2020 and now have a couple of their coupons for all day refills. Do staff members get free soda as a perqusite, or do they have to pay it? I'm more than willing to drop the coupons off at the Otakon booth in the Dealers Room (or somewhere else) for someone on the staff to use if they want. The 32 oz mug I bought is more soda than I'll drink in an entire weekend, much less filling it multiple times, so I'm never going to use these coupons.

Got mine yesterday as well. I like holograph(?) effect as you move the badge - the mascots go from normal appearance to more of an... isekai(?) look. (One dresses in a fuku with a Crabby topped wand. Who's the blond character on the badge? I don't recall seeing that one before. I also like how you have the hours* listed for the Convention Center as a whole, Dealer's Hall, Artist Alley, and Gaming Hall. I still wouldn't bet against multiple people asking what time the Dealer's Hall closes on Saturday. * Interesting that the WEWCC will close at 1:30 AM Friday and Saturday. I guess the

I'm hoping they do a wristband pickup on Thursday. I could swear that I picked up an 18+ band on a Thursday down in DC previously (obviously not 2021). I've been getting badges mailed since Baltimore*, so I know it wasn't just picking one of those up. Then again, if I could get both wristbands on Thursday, that'd be even better. * Less habit and tradition than convenience of not having to wait in the pre-reg line. Though if I have to wait in line for all this on Friday, then I threw my money away.

I expect the mask policy* to be better enforced than at Too Many Games last weekend. It said on the website that masks were mandatory, but there were a good 30% of the attendees sans masks. * As long as you have the same people who did it last year, I have no doubts that Otakon will do a better job than TMG. I have 2 incidents from 2021: 1 I witnessed, 1 anecdotal. A) One staffer stopped a panel when the panelist went down into the audience after he left his mask on the stage. She gave him the option of putting a mask on or going back onto the stage. He did the rest of the panel while wea

Not necessarily. From their site (bolding mine): Currently, verification of vaccination or proof of negative test are not required for admission to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center or Anime Central... In our recent vaccine and mask policy change announcement, we stated that face coverings may be required in some areas of Anime Central or at the request of our guests of honor at their events...We strongly recommend wearing masks in all lobbies, hallways, public spaces, and restrooms. ============ An attendee of Colorado Anime Fest said they were given a wristban

Saw this posted on another forum. Fun stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74KhDM9Z1Xk Maybe this will work, I don't have a preview option for this post. : [MEDIA=youtube]74KhDM9Z1Xk[/MEDIA] My favorite was either the Attack on Titans, Andy Reid in the Mahomes Mech, or the 'QB Carousel' that for the Colts. Though I do wonder what they would have done w/ the Browns.

When I got my first shot, they recommended keeping a picture of the card on my phone. Been updating the pic w/ the subsequent shots. I've never had a issue when showing that to people. Though while I can understand the precaution of being vaccinated, I'll say this will slow down entry into the WEWCC even more, especially in the first rush when it opens. I'm curious if they're going to close down the convention center early this year for cleaning. Not that I'm complaining, a midnight close worked for me - I'm no longer a young man, and I need my sleep.

I've been getting badges mailed since it became an option (2013? - the year after the computer snafu on Thursday down in Baltimore), and shipping has always been charged. I figure it's not that big a cost to eat to avoid standing in line for my badge. Now if there were an option to get an 18+ band that way... but I know you have to have proof to get one. (Though it is amusing that I have to show ID that I'm over 18 - I have badges that qualify for that band.)