My CAA Anniversary, Otakon 2024, and other stuff

[ClosetOtaku]

My 20th anniversary at CAA came and went without any notice from me, as I've been extremely busy this summer. But, as I noted over two years ago, this ghost town is becoming ghost-ier every day; I haven't done the statistics, but the frequency speaks for itself.

I went to Otakon 2024 this past weekend. My first Otakon was its 10th anniversary in 2004; I was there for the 20th (and had gone every year up through 2017); and, after a couple understandable absences, returned for the 30th. I'd have to say Otakon, far from fading, has grown -- the attendance was over 46,000, double what it had been when it was in Baltimore. And, finally, the staff has figured out how to run things in the (relatively) new DC venue, to the point where I don't think of it as Line-Con anymore.

I'm still watching anime. Frieren, Hibike! Euphonium, The Apothecary Diaries, Bocchi the Rock!, Plastic Memories (yeah, an oldie that I'd been meaning to watch) are some notable titles from the last 18 months. The end of this year will mark my 25th anniversary of watching anime intentionally (I watched Astro Boy back in 1966 as a kid, but had no idea what anime was at that moment). And 20 years since Haibane Renmei completely redirected my life in many ways, and altered my viewing habits from occasional to frequent.

What else? I'm doing cancer research at the moment. That will change when my contract ends this October, but my next step is still up in the air. More cancer research, some defense work, or maybe just retirement - I can take Social Security starting this year - but I find I waste a lot of time when I'm not focused on something productive, and I'd just rather not do that. So, we'll see.

Anyways, I think my average posting now is about once per year. So long as the lights stay on I'll drop in on occasion. I miss the conversations folks used to have here, and for the most part have no idea where people migrated to (although a few are Facebook friends). If you are reading this -- hello, welcome back, don't let the echoes scare you.

[shooraijin]

Comic-Con just finished up in sunny So Cal recently, though we still have health concerns, so it's necessary for us to be cautious. The photos looked good though.

[Peanut]

Its nice to see a familiar face from CAA meet ups at Otakon past. Hello again ClosetOtaku it has been...years? Decades? Oh gosh its been decades...welp glad to see you are doing well. I was actually thinking about Otakon the other day though I have no idea if I will ever have the time to relive my 20s and attend one in DC.

I'm still watching anime. Frieren, Hibike! Euphonium, The Apothecary Diaries, Bocchi the Rock!, Plastic Memories (yeah, an oldie that I'd been meaning to watch) are some notable titles from the last 18 months. The end of this year will mark my 25th anniversary of watching anime intentionally (I watched Astro Boy back in 1966 as a kid, but had no idea what anime was at that moment). And 20 years since Haibane Renmei completely redirected my life in many ways, and altered my viewing habits from occasional to frequent.

What did you think of The Apothecary Diaries? I rather enjoyed it personally.

[ClosetOtaku]

Apothecary Diaries: I'm looking forward to the next season. It kept changing the plot up enough to keep my interest, and the interaction of the characters is intriguing.

I suspect this post, and every post on CAA nowadays, I more attended to by bots than people. But anyone out there, anyone, feel free to prove me wrong!

[shooraijin]

I keep the bots cleaned out, so hopefully not.