Meiko's Online Diary

Mr. and Mrs. Enchanted (2) ?!

Event : OtakonEK 2009
Date : October 18, 2009
Venue : Enchanted Kingdom

Last year, I said that OtakonEK will be my pilgrimage because Azrael confirmed that this will happen every September. OtakonEK was a bit postponed this year due to typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) [link, viewable by family & friends only], which hit the country a day before its actual date. I also thought that I won't be able to attend because of my work's schedule. As if luck was really on my side, I had an acute laryngitis which became my excuse for skipping our shift. Even without a voice, I can still have fun!!! Dada was against it at first but when I explained to him that I have been planning this for the longest, he then allowed me to go. Wheee!!!

Leidi and Prinny

Jeiro and Lora went to EK wearing Pirate costumes while Leidi and I were just wearing casual clothes. I planned on donning the Scarlet gown [link], but I realized that it would be too cumbersome and I don't want to pose for pictures there (yeah, I have issues).

Leidi and I missed both the 10:30AM and 12:30NN shuttles so we had to commute going to Sta.Rosa, Laguna. I was thinking that if something else goes wrong or if we get lost, we might not make it to EK! During those times, I realized that people can either be complete @$$h073S or be very helpful to the needy. Some people took advantage of the situation and charged us too high for fares, while some are very kind to point us the fastest routes and tell us the actual rates.

Smile before the Scream!

We arrived in EK around 1:30PM and immediately stashed our bags in the locker area. Leidi was a bit reminiscing because she said that the last time she's been there was when she was ten. It was time for her to feel the thrills of the rides she missed during her elementary years! LOL!

1) Roller Skater (mini roller coaster) --  Leidi wanted to try Dodgem (bump cars) but I told her that it's too boring so as an appetizer, I took her here. I think she had fun. Hehe~

2) Anchor's Away (swaying pirate ship) -- The line was pretty long and we waited for about 10 minutes before our turn. While standing in line, Leidi felt scared as she heard the screams and wanted to back out. I firmly told her "NO! We are going to take the topmost seats! You see blood everyday [you're a nurse-to-be!] and you can't handle this?!" Hehehe~ Of course, people go to EK to experience the thrills and I want nothing less. While the ship was swaying back and forth, Leidi got really scared at tinawag na niya ang lahat ng mga santo! LoL! She screamed "OH MY GOD -TAMA NA - SHET - ANG PUSO KO - LORD - OPERATOR - STOP - AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" all in one breath! LoL!

Groggy but Happy (2) ...

3) Grand Carousel - no lines, I wonder why? LoL!

4) Flying Fiesta (wave swinger) - Leidi said that if she survived Anchor's Away, she can survive anything! LoL!

Sky Wizards 2009

5) Wheel of Fate (giant ferris wheel) - it was our time to relax a bit and enjoy the view.

6) Rialto (motion sim theater - feat. Speed Racer) - if my reaction to Sponge Bob was "That was it?!" for Speed Racer it was "What the fn(K"?!"

7) Jungle Log Jam (log flumes) - We didn't get wet. It was still cold, though.

8) Rio Grande Rapids (river rafting) - We were VEERRRRYYYYYY WET! LoL!

Despite the fact that we arrived late, we still managed to try out eight rides. This is my best record as of late. LoL! The Space Shuttle is undergoing maintenance so Leidi wasn't able to feel what it's like being the signature ride of EK. Nonetheless, we're able to watch the Sky Wizard fireworks display contest. The entry that we liked was #11.

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Other trips to EK that I put in my blog:

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About two years ago, I had to wipe out all the contents of my computer due to a persistent virus that has been activated by my siblings. I failed to backup some of the things I needed and lost a lot of pertinent information in the process.

CANON ScanLide 25

Another thing I lost was the ability to use my Canon ScanLide 25 [link], a scanner I bought together with my Genius G-Pen 450 wireless tablet [link]. I bought them as Christmas gifts for myself since I wanted to do more artworks as part of my leisure time. The driver cd for the scanner has been misplaced and we didn't  know who's responsible. Mom and I had a week-long fucked-up argument because of it as well (... and that's another fucked-up story I can't forget).

Anyway ... because of the argument and because I couldn't find a free driver download site for the scanner, I decided to completely stop using it. I slowly halted from submitting artworks on my DeviantART account too.

Fast forward to this date ...

Genius G-Pen 450

Dan Paulo (my college buddy) asked me to design a coat for him because he plans on using it for a wedding (whose wedding, I no longer asked). I told him that it has been a year since I last held a pencil and that I've retired from designing clothes. I also told him the story behind the scanner as an excuse. He was very persistent, though.

We then had a deal or a challenge that if he gets me the driver I need for free, then I would say "yes" to him . . . Gosh, that was one of those somewhat regretful things I said. Hahaha! After a couple of minutes, he gave me a zip file containing what I needed! [link to full chat with Dan (for family & friends only)]

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UP

"Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life." === Yahoo Movies

It has been months since I anticipated the release of this film and I did not regret watching it twice on different occasions (Friday afternoon with my siblings then Saturday night with my boyfriend).

PIXAR NEVER FAILS TO AMAZE!!! This is their 10th consecutive wonder and might be another award-winning film from Pete Docter. Both the animation and the story are SUPERB!

The animation is crisp and clear, and they brought the lighting and texture effects to another level!!! I admire and envy their staff at the same time.

PIXAR brought the usual mix of contrasting characters to make the storyline interesting. I found it a bit odd that a 78-year old retired balloon maker and a 92-year old shamed explorer can still do so many things. IRL, men would be affixed in their wheelchairs already. I guess PIXAR just wants to convey that old age shouldn't be a hindrance to continue dreaming and living it.

I give it :

I have been very stupid lately. I lost three of my precious items due to my absentmindedness and I had to shell out a lot of money from my savings account because of it.

Fibrella

The first thing I lost was my Benetton umbrella, which was a year-old gift from Dada. I left it on the taxi I rode going to work. Next, I lost my eyeglasses, which was my remembrance from Teletech. Recently, I lost my N70  when I was also on my way to work. All these happened in a span of  one month!

Red Frame

I am not sure if my lack of sleep, stress with work and/or personal issues had something to do with it, but this sickness (or stupidity if you may put it) caused me so much trouble already.

I bought a new umbrella, this time from a well-known brand called Fibrella. It's a lot more expensive than Dada's gift so I am very careful with it. I am always anxious to have an umbrella in my luggage, but I'd like to keep one because Dada advised me to.

Sony Ericsson W395

I also bought new eyeglasses from Ideal Vision. The red frame is from HANG TEN. I found out that my myopia has somehow "healed" as I only have 150 graded lenses on both eyes now, as opposed to the 175-150 I had previously.

I also bought a new cellphone -- Sony Ericsson W395. It's a walkman phone, with lesser features than the Nokia  N70 but it has a jack that allows me to use my Sennheisser headset [link] and the sound quality is good. This way, I need not to bring my PSP with me, and that's one less bulk in my luggage.

NY&C Wallet

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Irene (confined)

Is cosplay becoming a fad in BPO's now? A few months after I left Teletech, they held a cosplay contest as well.

I originally wanted our team to go as the AKATSUKI but that plan never pushed through due to the lack of funds and motivation. Instead, some of my teammates and I dressed up as "dolls" and I (again) revived my Irene costume.

The preparations took us weeks so I was very disappointed when the actual event only lasted less than an hour. We just needed to submit "one shot"  to the judges and that's about it. I could've just submitted an old photo to them. Grrrr! It was the shortest cosplay I've ever done!

It was a good thing that some of my teammates decided to roam around and take more pictures as souvenirs.

Closet Cosplay

Half-Blood Prince

"Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealousy but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again. "  -- Yahoo! Movies

Dada and I watched this in TriNoma, hoping that we could get the best seats --- the lazy boys. Unfortunately, we came in a bit late and six out of seven movie houses showing HP6 were jam-packed!!! Each of the ticket counters had people falling in line maybe for up to 20 meters. It took us about 30 minutes before we got our ticket and we availed the not-so-good seats for the 2nd screening already.

The movie was long, and -- like always -- had more characters introduced. It's really a pain to remember names especially for someone like me who has never read any of the HP books. There were so many things discussed and it made me dizzy. I am not an HP fan and I told Dada that I wanted to watch this movie just for the sake of not being left out.

IMO, there was nothing much to be excited about but the Snape character and how Voldemort managed to "live".

I give it :

- What is your cosplay alias?
people just call me Meiko or LunarPanda

- How many years have you cosplayed?
nine years. yes, NINE!

- How did you get into cosplaying?
i saw Balat (tagalog for "birthmark", an online buddy of mine) dressed as Lime from Saber Marionette J. i got curious and buddies told me to join the next cosplay contest.

- What was your first convention and how did it go?
AXN AnimExplosion 2001 ... went as Fei Feiring from Gate Keepers. EPIC FAIL. the odango was messed up and i know zilch about the character i was cosplaying.

- How many cons have you been to?
lost count

- How many cosplays have you done?
uhm, i lost count ... but i have only used a few costumes.

[[Your Cosplays]]

- What was your first cosplay and why did you choose it?
Fei Feiring from Gate Keepers. no one has cosplayed her yet and GK was famous then.

- What is your favorite cosplay you've done so far?
cosplay contest: my Bellato costume [link] because it's BE-AWESOME!
cosplay photoshoot: my Wrath costume [link] because i look cool wearing the coat

- What is your least favorite you've cosplayed?
FF XIII Agito Student # 8 [link] ... i know zilch about the character until now... hopefully i can be in-character when we re-do the group cosplay soon. har har~

- What cosplay is the most uncomfortable?
uncomfortable in terms of the costume's bulkness: the Bellato costume [link]
uncomfortable in terms of being in-character: Student # 8 [link]

[[Process]]

- How do you research the cosplay before you make it?
depends on the situation. since i mostly join group cosplays, i let them decide on the theme and then i will just pick the character i like. if i'm going solo, i pick a character that is petite but has a lot of feistiness. i don't want to look cute because many girls already go for the cuteness thing. i want a lot of angst-factor in the characters i portray.

- Do you sew your cosplays yourself?
nope. no time nor talent for that. i designed some of them, though.

- If so, how did you learn to sew? If not, do you plan to learn?
as of late, no plans of learning how to make the clothes ... props, yes.

- Do you make your own props?
i just started. i plan to do more in the future.

- If so, how did you learn to? If not, do you plan to learn?
Lyron is ALWAYS a big help. hehehe~ then there're my other buddies and the power of GOOGLE.

- Do you style your own wigs?
no. i plan on learning this in the future as well. making character-wigs is fun!

- What other skills do you use to create your cosplays?
research

- What skill has been most useful for making your cosplay?
character portrayal and accuracy of the costume

- What is the hardest thing when making a cosplay?
inserting it to my uber-hectic schedule

- What was the biggest screw up you've had making a cosplay?
when i revived my Wrath get-up during Ozine 2008 - day 1. I looked so wasted.

- How often do you injure yourself while making a cosplay?
never did.

[[Budget]]

- Do you try to stay cheap or do you splurge on materials?
i go for quality. if it looks good on pictures, then it's worth the money.

[[cos-PLAY]]

- Have you ever cosplayed with a partner or group?
yes, most of the time.

- Do you try to act in character?
always, unless i dont know the character i am portraying.

- Have you ever done fanservice at a con? (Yaoi, yuri, etc)
yuri, once... never again.

- How do you react to cosplayers dressed as character from the same anime/game/etc?
i am always ecstatic... but if the cosplayer happens to have the same character i am portraying, i try to stay away. i dont like being compared to them.

- Do you try to duplicate your character's expressions, walk, movements, etc?
YES! as per Nejin-sama, it's a MUST! that's why it's COSPLAY!

- When crossplaying, do you try to act as much like the gender as possible?
yes. i only crossplayed once and people were doubtful of my gender. LoL!

- What was your funniest experience of acting in character?
when i cosplayed a Bellato, i went up on stage and said "Data Did Not Match", a bug that was really common back then which really ticked off RF players. i got a lot of cheers from the audience (and also got some violent reactions from GMs hahah!)

- What was your worst experience acting in character?
none so far

[[Competition]]

- Do you compete in cosplay contests?
before, yes.

- Have you won anything?
nope

- Do you prefer skits or walk-ons?
skits. i dont want joining contests on my own anymore. it's not fun.

[[Community]]

- How many friends have you made because of cosplay?
too many buddies ... few friends.

- Do you attend photo shoots and meet-ups outside of conventions?
yes, i prefer them over contests, actually. no hassles, no gimmicks.

- What is the funniest reaction you've gotten cosplaying from people outside of the community?
"That can't be you! That girl is AWESOME in that outfit! You're always WASTED!" - work-mates ehehehe~

- What was the worst?
"Weirdo"

[[Future]]

- How long do you think you'll be cosplaying for?
so long as i am willing and able

- Name a few cosplays you're planning to do next:
Hrist from Valkyrie Profile
Judy Shakbari Hagstrom from War of Genesis

- What is your dream cosplay?
any from those 2 characters mentioned on the question prior to this

[[Misc]]

- What do you take into consideration when picking a character to cosplay?
height & angst-factor

- Is cosplay serious business for you?
no

- What is your favorite thing about cosplay?
CELEBRITY-FOR-THE-DAY kind of treatment. hehehe~

- What is your least favorite?
politics and elitists

- What is it that makes you keep cosplaying?
this is more on feeding my vanity. i love attention so much and I see cosplaying as a major source. i also meet a lot of people because of this hobby. cliche as it sounds but it's really one of the reasons why i have buddies too.

- How would you like cosplaying to change in the future?
i hope that the elitists would just die...

- How do you want to grow as a cosplayer?
i hope i can produce BE-AWESOME props in the future.