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What will you do to pass the time?


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I don't even have to tell everyone how long that pre-reg pickup line is, and without a doubt we'll have some huge guests this year, Mr. Kappei being one of them, and JAMproject is bound to have a monstrous turnout, so I have to ask you, my crazy yet patient otaku. Since lines are bound to be abundant and lenghty, what do you do to pass the time?

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IMO, is it me, or does every year the pre-reg line get longer on Friday? Last year was insane; the line was completely all around the BCC. 2006 was long, but not that long. Same with all the other years (IMO), but to answer your question, I take pictures of cosplayers when they walk by and I usually talk to people in front or behind me, and ask them what are they looking forward too, etc. Passes the time greatly!

EDIT: I usually ask (people with badges) what the badge selections are, to save me time when I get to the desk.

Edited by Eddie 2
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I'm reasonably sure that it's a perception thing -- the last three years, between 6 and 9 thousand (roughly half) of all the pre-registrations were picked up on thursday night. (Honestly, we could get through 1-2k more on Thursday. )

That means that most of the remaining folks are picking up their badges on Friday morning -- and it can't move as fast because half the computers are doing at-con registration, whereas Thursday is purely pre-reg pickup, and that line gets chewed up like feeding a sponge to a woodchipper.

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yeah Thursday moves quickly. To pass the time, a buddy and I am planning on dressing up like rick astley and carrying a stereo around playing "never gonna give you up". yes it has been done before at otakon but hey it sure is fun, plus i love the reactions you get from passign cars. =D

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I dont usually stand in lines if i dont have to, but I am willing to do so for kappei's events. so, I'll probably:

1. read some manga i bought in the DR

2. talk to people

3. nintendo DS/ chatroom

4. take pics of cosplayers

i think above all i would be using the nintendo DS while in line. the chatroom option is just awesome to me, mainly because you can only really use it at a con.

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Vis a vis the Thursday pre-reg line.. yes.. it's gotten TONS better since the first year that it was offered. The first year that it was offered, I remember hopping in line when it was just about at the doors to the lobby and it was literally a 2 hour wait from there to get my badge. This past year the line wrapped around the building and I was in and out in about 30-40 minutes. :mellow:

As far as what I do to pass the time? Either chat with people in line or pop on the internet on my cell phone to decide where to go around town when I'm not at town.. either finding new restaurants or bars or whatever. The most fun part of Otakon for me is not just the con but finding new and fun things to do in Baltimore as well. :)

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Ugh last year it rained a little during the Thursday badge pick-up so this year I'll be spending my time carrying an umbrella :mellow:...but I'll probably be yapping like the woman I am, playing the DS, listening to the ipod...I'd say reading but when you have to get up and move three feet every ten or so minutes once the line starts going its gets kinda hard to actually concentrate, but last year my friend made a scarf while in line so I may try and do that!

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Well, since becoming a Gofer then TCG, I don't need to stand in line for Pre-reg, I'm one of the people handing you your badge instead. I've waited with my friends in line to get their badges a time or 2, & of course I waited in line from '01-'04 when I was a regular attendee.

Anyways when I do wind up in line at a con, I always wind up talking to the people around me, I've met several interesting people over the years that way. Oh & take the occasional picture of a cosplayer that catches my attention. Watched anime in line one time cause someone had a mini dvd player, exchanged flavors of pocky another time, just had fun conversations everytime :) I make the most out of the situation, when I'm at a con, I try to have fun in whatever I'm doing.

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IMO, is it me, or does every year the pre-reg line get longer on Friday? Last year was insane; the line was completely all around the BCC. 2006 was long, but not that long. Same with all the other years (IMO), but to answer your question, I take pictures of cosplayers when they walk by and I usually talk to people in front or behind me, and ask them what are they looking forward too, etc. Passes the time greatly!

EDIT: I usually ask (people with badges) what the badge selections are, to save me time when I get to the desk.

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Well, since becoming a Gofer then TCG, I don't need to stand in line for Pre-reg, I'm one of the people handing you your badge instead. I've waited with my friends in line to get their badges a time or 2, & of course I waited in line from '01-'04 when I was a regular attendee.

Well, we still have lines ... just much shorter than gen-pop.

As to con event lines, I usually talk to the fellow condemned souls nearby and/or drift off into a light nap depending on time.

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i just simply get my badge on late thursday evening...doesn't take but a couple mins...def much better than waiting til friday morning. i learned my lesson at otakon 2004.....wuz outside in that hot b-more sun for a good 3+ hrs...not fun i tell u...i was afraid i was gonna turn out to be a raisin >_<

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I'm probably going to wait a bit until the line starts moving and the first big wave has died down.

I'm meeting/rooming with an online friend that I've known for years for the first time at Otakon. If she shows up on Thursday, I'm sure we're going to be spending a good deal of time talking and getting settled in the room....maybe go out and grab some dinner.

Whether she arrives on Thursday or not, my fiance and I would have finished a car trip that lasted several hours. We could use the rest.

If nothing else, I bought this HUGE graphic novel called "Bone" (not a manga). I read the first book (out of nine) years ago but then the magazine stopped carrying it. I've been dying to finish the story and now I have all nine books in one enormous volume. That should last me a line or three.

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On Thursday: I usually talk to my friends, people watch, or listen to music. This year I'm also playing Pokemon RED (yeah you heard me) on my old school Game Boy and trying yet again to get a line long sing along of "The line that doesn't end" ala Lamb Chop.

The rest of the weekend I'm going to spend line time talking to friends, people watching or just generally zoned out...it kind of helps to pass the time.

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On Thursday: I usually talk to my friends, people watch, or listen to music. This year I'm also playing Pokemon RED (yeah you heard me) on my old school Game Boy and trying yet again to get a line long sing along of "The line that doesn't end" ala Lamb Chop.

The rest of the weekend I'm going to spend line time talking to friends, people watching or just generally zoned out...it kind of helps to pass the time.

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Let's see...

My trusty red Nintendo DS, with Pokemon D&P, Puzzle Quest, and maybe Luminous Arc and/or Summon Night Twin Age

Radio/MP3 player...you never know when SEVERE weather will strike.

My also trusty digital camera. I'm getting more space for this sucker.

My portfolio...I luv drawing orig. stuff.

Breakfast food.

That's pretty much it.

My plans though seem to lean toward the Thursday pickup this meeting because for only the 2nd time I have that option.

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ok well my first coupld of otakon i got in line on friday to get my badge. it was sheer torture and i was bored beyond belief because i didn't hav anything to do and i was still very young so i refused ti talk to the people around me.

NOW it's all better! thursday lines aren't that bad. the other lines are another story.if theres something you really wanna go to, duh show up early. last year i got in line 3-4 hours early for the concert and 1-2 hours early for the AAA panel, and another 1-2 hours early for the sunday autograph session. needless to say i did do alot of line waiting.

to pass the time i brought a book to read, i actually chatted with the people in front of me ( never behind me for some reason.......), looked through all the random stuff i bought, went through my contact list and called just abotu eery one who would listen, and if i had been the genius i am now, i would have remembered my IPOD.

anyways, that's probably what i'll do during my line moments this year.

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yeah Thursday moves quickly. To pass the time, a buddy and I am planning on dressing up like rick astley and carrying a stereo around playing "never gonna give you up". yes it has been done before at otakon but hey it sure is fun, plus i love the reactions you get from passign cars. =D
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Hmm... What to do to pass the time at Otakon this year while being off duty from TCGing?

I am planning on bringing my PSP and DS with me, possibly trying to make friends. I have a 5 GB memory stick for my PSP loaded with music which I am planning on listening to at Otakon. Bring some books with me to read.

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I have my DS were ever I go, so if I do end up in a long line, and I am not in costume, that will be there to entertain me.

The Pre- Reg line always goes pretty fast for me, so I do not bring anything along for that, instead I try to have some nice conversations with those around me in line. Its a great way to meet people before the con truly gets under way!

Man, I am really starting to get giddy for otakon!

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Mingle with other people. Play my DS, if I can find it. Take photos and videos. Drink tons of water. Make sure I don't get sunburn and my father doesn't have a heat stroke. ^^;;

And annoy people with J-rock on my cell phone? LOL

Edited by DuelNatsuko
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I shall break out my i pod and randomly start singing amazing j-rock songs! ^_^

naa.

:]

Ds pictochating is always fun.

Chatting and randomly dancing with friends is even more fun.

Also Trying to meet new people.

Hmm, this year is going to be great :]

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I know one thing you can do to avoid the pre-reg line altogether: volunteer as a Gofer! Not only will we take you to get your badges after Orientation ( and give you a kewl Gofer hang tag), but you'll earn some great perks for your service. And we only ask for a measly 8 hours minimum, and you can choose when you want to do your hours! Please see the Volunteer Basics and Gofer FAQ on the Otakon site for details. If you have a question that's not answered there, feel free to PM me or post to the Gofer Q & A board.

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I will never understand people's desire to stand outside all day Thursday in a line. I spend all day Thursday hanging out with my friends, going to dinner, and hanging around the harbor/room...THEN later in the evening I go stand in line for like not even 20 minutes.

Other lines are pretty unavoidable though. I use my DS a lot, between pictochatting and games like Mario Kart. At Katsucon, Mario Party was a real life saver since a bunch of people can all play no matter if they have the game or not. Usually I'm with at least one friend too, so well, I talk and socialize.

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I usually arrive on Friday afternoon, so getting the badge is relatively quick. When lining up for a panel or autograph, however, I just like to look around and see which cosplayers are walking by. I liked seeing the bug last year.

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I will never understand people's desire to stand outside all day Thursday in a line. I spend all day Thursday hanging out with my friends, going to dinner, and hanging around the harbor/room...THEN later in the evening I go stand in line for like not even 20 minutes.
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There are to many awesome things to do in the inner harbor, such as the aquarium, and some equally tasty eats.
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I remeber way back in the day when being first in line ment you had a full choice of con badges. Then there was a reason to line up hours ahead of time. Now its just silly. My friends and I get in line about the time it opens because we generaly have nothing better to do and we'd rather have the whole thursday evening to ourselves.

I will have my old-school Gameboy (the full sized one running on 4AA bateries) with me in the line for our reasonable wait along with my friends to spend the time with.

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Last year my friends and I played "extreme WarioWare: Twisted" - you pass the DS after you complete the minigame (or die). It gets pretty crazy once you get higher up, since the games are only like 2 or 3 seconds each, and there is only 1 or 2 seconds between each one. Pretty much like WarioWare hot potato. If anyone is in line next to us, just ask if you want to be included in the game! =0

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0.o There was a line on Thursday last year? We just walked in, waited maybe 15 minutes, grabbed our badges, and was out the door to the Hardrock for dinner. For other lines my DS and PSP work wonders for in line boredom. Also Ipod speakers for dancing in the line. Great way to meet new people.

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0.o There was a line on Thursday last year? We just walked in, waited maybe 15 minutes, grabbed our badges, and was out the door to the Hardrock for dinner. For other lines my DS and PSP work wonders for in line boredom. Also Ipod speakers for dancing in the line. Great way to meet new people.
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how to pass the time...? Maybe I might just take a "quick" trip to the aquarium before hopping into the line. If that isn't an option, just listen to music and keep an eye out for friends. But of course, :3 being the nintendogs (as pointless as that game is) geek I am, I'll probably keep an eye out for anybody playing nintendogs.

....

>_> or quickly scraping together a last ditch effort cosplay necklace with a box of sculpey and the hot baltimore sun baking it away. lol

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1. DS or PSP

2. Find other yaoi fangirls or talk to the people I came to the con with

3. Oogle over stuff bought in the dealers room/artist alley

4. Read manga

I don't get bored at Otakon really. I try to keep busy and only take breaks if I'm tired. ^_^

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