Boston Comic Con 2018

This was the quickest, smoothest, most convenient convention I've ever had the extreme pleasure of attending! After last years' hell of an overcrowded con floor and complete disorganization which lead to fans waiting 3 hours in line for a photo-op with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, making me an hour late for my shift at Dollar Tree. It was one of the worst con experiences of my life, second only to the absolute disaster that was Rhode Island Comic Con last year. 2017 was not a good year for comic cons. (Hawaii not-withstanding).

I was actually dreading this day, which made it hard to care enough to put any real effort into preparations, like showering and grooming the night before. I was also exhausted. I can't even remember why. Just figured I could get up at 6:00AM, take a shower, pluck my eyebrows, and pack a bag in time to catch the train to Boston at 9:05AM.

I came across this awesome gray Jurassic Park tank top at Newbury Comics with a pink logo and found the perfect pink plaid button-down to go with it. I also made a list of things to do in the morning and what to bring with me. The only thing added to that list was an umbrella.

I got up at 7:30AM (still too fireakin' early!) to the sound of pouring rain. It's a 15-minute walk from South Station to the Convention Center, the line to get in starts halfway down the block and remains outside until bag checks. I really did not want to go to comic con today. 

Even so, I made breakfast, packed my bag, plucked my eyebrows (showering would've been a waste; with the rain and humidity, I never would've stood a chance) and dressed up all by 8:40AM. Mom's favorite thing to tell me is that I won't make the train. She's usually wrong. I was in the car in no time. The only thing I forgot was a plastic bag for the umbrella once it's wet, which we made do with from the car's leftover stuff.

I waited for 10-minutes inside for the train until about 3-minutes to arrival. Opening the umbrella just outside the door and trying to stay dry felt like being in Jurassic Park, which was actually pretty cool. 

I love riding the train.

Unfortunately, my only reason for taking the train is for doctor's appointments at Boston Medical Center with my mom. Don't get me wrong, she's been with me through this disease from the very beginning and having her come in town with me is extremely helpful. It's just that trying to fit an appointment around the train schedule is so difficult. 

We come in on the 8:52AM train to South Station, then take the SL4 Silver Line to BMC for my appointment at 10:30AM. Wait times, visit length and blood work necessity varies and we usually miss the 12:25P train to Hanson, forcing us to wait over 2 hoursat South Station until the next train leaves at 2:57PM. The last couple visits, we've managed to just make it for the 12:25PM. I would be so much faster on my onward wouldn't feel guilty for making her rush. 

Riding the train by myself is peaceful and fun. Mostly because when I'm alone, I'm going to conventions or concerts, museums or the aquarium. Even a red carpet movie premiere. Coming home from Logan Airport is probably the most rewarding. And exploring the metro in Barcelona made traveling in Boston that much more fun.

I was expecting my nerves to cause anxiety and/or nausea like with the Thirty Seconds to Mars concert last month; another perk of traveling alone. I brought the anti-nausea pills anyway, but what was really being effected was my bladder. So, I made a quick side stop in South Station and grabbed a small pack of arctic grape gum at CVS on my way out - I'd forgotten to brush my teeth as my mom was guilting me out of the house earlier.

The rain had cleared up, so the walk to the Convention Center was actually pretty nice and the crowd was steadily going through security. It only took me about 30 minutes to get in. Registration was really quick, so I stopped in the bathroom to fix my hair and make-up from the elements. 

The Jeff Goldblum panel was in an hour, so I made my way to the con floor, grabbing a map and schedule on my way in. The panel would be held in the Main Theater which was immediately to my right as I entered the hall. Two long lines had already formed, with a third halfway down. I only waited about 20 minutes before they started letting people in. As the second line got moving, a fourth was being formed beside me. 

The theater was pretty good-sized, the seating arrangement wasn't horrible and the seats themselves were a lot more comfortable than I expected! I was in the second middle section with a decent view of the stage. There were two big screens on either side for optimal viewing. The left was blocked by a pillar, but the right was in clear view. I didn't bring my camera because I've had so many issues with bringing one and I just don't care anymore. My phone works fine and I'm meeting him later for a professional photo so...

There was a kid a few rows in front of me with Jared Padalecki's bone structure. I felt like such a creep, but I couldn't stop staring. I even got a few discreet photos with the stage as my main focus. 

Jeff Goldblum was charming as ever. Dressed all in black with a leather jacket to match which always looks totally sexy on him. Like actually meeting Ian Malcolm!

It's great when there's a panel prior to the photo-op. I find it more comfortable to see them before and know what I'm getting myself into. I've seen him interviewed on talk shows (that probably helped a lot too) and he's very personable, will talk about anything and up for more. And my god, that man's sensuality...

The panel was a 30-minute moderator Q&A which was a bit of a let down. Apparently yesterday Mark Sheppard had to start fan questions himself at his panel because the moderator didn't approve. Mark does what he wants and totally gets away with it. I so wanted to say "hi" to him while I was there...

I did learn  few things though. Jeff Goldblum will be in a new NatGeo 13-episode series out next year called The Curiosity of Jeff Goldblum where he questions where things come from, how things are made and the science behind it all. Sounds interesting. They start filming this fall. 

I also might look into his band. Not that I'll ever be in California again, but I guess he's planning on touring the country. I'd go if he came to Boston. He encourages fans to come and say "hi," take photos, sign autographs and chat. Funny how that seems to be my type.

At the end of the panel, he judged some cosplays, mostly related to his movies, but a few he didn't know and he loved all of it. He likes the creativity and passion of fandom, no matter the genre and he learns a little along the way. He also has a very good memory. He remembers the most random people in movies, it's incredible and so respectful of all those involved from extras to directors, producers, studio execs and everyone in between. 

Before the panel, I looked over the floor map and found the photo-op booths were to the left of the theater, right by the bathrooms and across from the autograph area. I checked on the status of my group with 40 minutes to spare. Plenty of time to visit the restroom and check out the guests sining autographs. Unfortunately, the only restroom available on that side of the hall was men's, the women's blocked by autographs.

Restrooms are located on both ends of the hall, so I took the long way around, looking for Mark Sheppard's booth, which ended up being towards the back, right next to Freddie Prince Jr.  If I weren't broke, I would've gotten so many autographs... I never had a crush on him or anything, but I Know What You Did Last Summer.... Also, he and Sarah Michelle Gellar are the only '90s couple to have made it and I respect them both so much for that! Mark wasn't there and it was unlikely I'd make it back over there...

I stopped at the photo protection booth in the middle of everything. I forgot to bring an 8x10 and I'd wanted to get mom an 11x17 for her free 101.7 The Bull poster from the Luke Bryan concert last month - I'd only remembered on the train in and hoped I wouldn't forget. 

I slowly made my way to the opposite side of the hall. People mostly followed the rules of the road, staying to the right, but everyone goes wherever they want. And this guy with a T-rex costume decided to wear stilts and block the whole aisle! I was stuck behind him for a while, before pushing past and finally making it to the other side. 

It took me 10 minutes to get from one side of the hall to the other. I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing that earlier this year. Never mind sitting in the middle of a crowded theater with no idea where the bathrooms were located. And forget about photo-op lines...

I leaned my protectors against the stall on top of the toilet paper dispenser.I decided to rearranged my bag while I was in there. The 8x10 fit perfectly, but when I tried to fit the 11x17 in vertically, my bag didn't close and I don't want to walk around the convention with my bag wide open. I was prepared to hold it until I thought of bending it to fit around the interior of my bag, since I wouldn't be needing it for anything anyway. It worked! When I came out, there was a line and I felt so guilty I didn't even check my hair before I left, which was part of the reason I went there in the first place.

The trip back was much easier and I made it with 15 minutes to spare. I stayed next to the scheduling board towards the back, waiting for updates on my group, 2. Announcements were made about every other guests even when Jeff Goldblum was finally on the board. I listened for updates not coming form the PA system, learning that they were letting groups 1-3 line up. When I got to the border, they were only allowing 1 & 2 through. Once the line started moving, it was pretty smooth. I only had to wait about 20 minutes. I fixed my hair and make-up before entering and my god is he gorgeous all in black...

There was a family of four in front of me, so I didn't have much time to watch others pose with him. I had toyed with the idea of hugging him, but then my shirt wouldn't be visible. I should've just hugged the man, but I did I a side hug instead, completely thrown when I felt him lean closer to me until his stubble prickled the side of my face, and he smelled really, really good.

Jared, Jensen and Misha are family. Hugging them is second nature. I love them with everything I have. I'd prefer to never let go...

Mark isn't really the hugging type.

Kim and Brianna are a force of nature and I've never hugged any woman harder, on their insistence.

Supernatural is a family.

James's wife won't let him hug fans, and any sexy vampire pose is off-limits.

Jared Leto is a germaphobe and doesn't hug or do sexy poses because he's Jared Leto.

Clearly I don't know Jeff Goldblum that well. I don't know why I didn't think he'd be his sensual self, but DAMMIT! I should've learned in, too. It was hard enough to stop leaning away and you can totally see how uncomfortable I am. I just wasn't prepared. And I haven't had a crush on him in years. He's just a really amazing person and my younger self would totally appreciate my ability to meet one of my childhood idols. But I am the most awkward person in the world!

I have met so many celebrities at conventions, how is it still this hard!? It's not even meeting them that's the problem, this time it was the physical contact. I know I'm not the most touchy-feely person in the world, but What. The. Hell.

Prints are ready as soon as you leave. I had to dig around in my bag to find the photo-op ticket before leaving, so they could scan that and the photo. Probably for future JPEG purposes. As I was getting scanned, someone said they liked my cat tattoo. They were on my left, so it was Emma. I gave a distracted tanks and found a table nearby, immediately putting my photo in the protective plastic. I took a crappy phone pic in shitty lighting and posted it to Facebook before messaging my friends to see what they're up to.

Michela never got back to me (she finally messaged me when I was at home, saying she had just gotten there), Julie was in a popular food court that had a really long line to get into and I had a 2:00PM train to catch, the next one not until 4:20PM. I like my friends, but not that much. Julie messaged me while I was crossing the first bridge and I told her my plan and sent her my photo. She loved it. I wished her well as it started to rain again. At least I had an umbrella.

I made it to South Station with 15 minutes to spare. I found a seat at a table near the door and played Zoo Story while I waited for them to announce the Kingston Line boarding. At 1:47PM I got nervous and headed out to the platform nearest the usually for my line. Nothing was listed and people were waiting. at 1:50PM the board lit up and I took the single seat at the table on the bottom part of the train. I finished my Zoo Story game, tried to read fic but there was no wifi, so I settle for writing down the events of the day in the notebook I brought just for the occasion.

I really love riding the train.

~*~