Sigh

So. Tomorrow starts Otakon, and as I've been wanting to return to this convention for three years and pre-registered since February, you'd think I'd be excited about it, right?

For some reason I feel like going to Otakon is an obligation this year; I'm an anime fan in the Baltimore area, and I'm pre-registered to go, so I need to attend, right? But I'm not going with anybody, and I'm not going in costume, and to be honest, the amount of anime I've been watching recently has been dwindling at a rather precipitous rate. (Not necessarily indicating a lack of interest in the subject, mind; I just haven't really had the time, the energy, or the available television.) I'm not even sure I want to buy anything - I have Descendents of Darkness, Saiyuki, Noir, and Martian Successor Nadesico waiting at home for me, and that's not counting the various series that Roommate owns that I haven't watched yet.

For that matter, can I afford to buy anything? I've been saving up money (in fits and starts, I admit) for a while to go to this convention, and I have almost $600 to spend - but should I be using that to pay bills (not really necessary) and improve my standard of living instead?

I hate being plagued by self-doubt like this. I wish I could just go and enjoy it and feel like I was actually part of the fandom, instead of feeling guilty because I'm spending money and stupid because I don't treat a series or movie being released commercially in the US for the first time as old news just because all the real fans had that fan-subbed years ago.

Oh well.

Maybe I'll find a copy of They Were Eleven and the trip will be worth it.

...

Sweet zombie Jesus. How did it get to be almost 9 AM already?

O_o

It's been an interesting morning. I woke up the first time at 2:45 AM, convinced that I was hearing someone taking a shower; given that I'm supposedly alone in the apartment until the beginning of September, this was rather startling, especially since I'd just woken up from a dream that had ended with me dealing with a ghost infestation. After a few minutes lying paralyzed in bed, I sat up, and realized that it was rain outside combining with the hum from my fan to produce a sound not entirely unlike someone taking a shower. All the same, though, I turned on the TV and started up Sports Night to provide some other noise; after a moment of reflection, I got up and turned up the volume on my alarm clock, too.

At 4:30 I woke up, decided it was too damn early, and set my alarm for 5.

At 5 I woke up, hit the snooze button, and went back to sleep. I repeated this once more, and then realized that I was going to have to add 20 minutes to my commute by swinging by my parents' house to pick up the laptop I'd inadvertently left there the night before. Shower, clothes - realizing midway through that my laundry loads are still inexplicably hemhorraging socks, invariably my favorites - yes, I have favorite socks; they're the ones that feel comfortable - drive drive drive. Laptop was exactly where my father had said it would be the night before. Drive drive drive work.

I saw two accidents on the way to work this morning. The first was somewhat understandable; it was unrepentantly foggy this morning (visibility was down to about three car-lengths with headlights), and the driver had pulled just a little too far left and struck the guardrail on the freeway. The second was odd; someone had gone off the road at an intersection and hit a building. In particular, my building. Given that there were glass and little shards of metal all over the sidewalk and road where I usually park, I opted to park in the garage today, even if it means paying an extra $10 for parking.

Now it's nearly 9 AM and I'm wondering where the time went.

I will toss in a random plug for etherjammer, though. It wants love.

Toga!

A few weeks ago, telerib and her household threw a toga party.

Now, there are pictures.

...

Sitting peacefully in my office.

Enjoying the silence.

Suddenly:

"Allo. Allo. ALLO."

Standing outside my door, talking on his cellphone.

>_

*snicker*

"Damage to a church in Forest, Ohio, is estimated at $20,000 after a preacher asked God for a sign. A member of the First Baptist Church said a guest evangelist was preaching repentance and seeking a sign from God when lightning struck the steeple."

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the toy store...

From prodigal, following up on this post: President Bush in a flight suit.

Also, this is pretty funny, if not entirely worksafe.