Okay... over all ACen was fun, but a little disappointing. The overall atmosphere of the con was different than it has been in past years.Registration royally screwed the pooch, even worse than last year. IRT made me want to punch them. And programming in general wasn't all that awsome.

Dispite this, we still managed to have a good time. And the plus side of there not being as many cosplayers as usual... most of the people actually cosplaying were pretty good! The way the con was spaced out this year allowed for there to be more room for other programming. And no one in my group got themselves arrested!

Anywho!

Thursday: Got to the hotel pretty late, which I will admit was mostly myfault. ^^; After checking in and lugging everything up to the 8th floor (Woo top floor!), we decided to go for a dip in the pool. Arriving at said pool and discovering the whirpool we all thought "nice! Relaxation time!"... only to discover the water in so called 'Hot Tub' was luke warm at best. I'm still a bit confused as to how a hotel can have a cold hot tub >_>.

Friday: Woke up early... gah. Then discovered the breakfast buffet of win. After chowing down, heading back up to the room and proceeded to spend the next hour helping everyone else get ready -_-; . Then Celly straightened my hair and I finished getting ready. Celly and I cosplayed togther as Uruki and Takiko from Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden. Her Uruki is amaizing!!!By happy happenstance, the first people I ran into, after picking up my Panelist Badge, were Sam and Kristen! Kristen litterally pounced (and started humping) me out of now where. It was hysterical! Then there was much squealing and huggling and "how have you been?!"s. Then there was much huggling of the Naname figurine on Kristen's part. I ended up joining them for the Gundam Wing photo shoot. Which was tres magnific! I was able to spend time with Kelly and Joel while I was there as well!  I hung around with Sam for a little while after the shoot, saw Adam, then joined up with peoples for lunch. After that I went to the SailorMoon photoshoot. There were a lot of good SM cosplays. I especially loved the PGSM Dark Mercury. And Tanya had a really really nice Kino Makoto cosplay. She looked every bit the part.

After the ball I was going to go out to eat with Celly and Dani, but I had a rather nasty head ache so it was bed time for me.

Saturday:  The group went down for breakfast together. We had an awsome time just sitting around chatting. We discussed some of the most random topics Even when everyone was done eating we just sat there and talked. After getting dressed and ready I met up with Frosty and we wandered around the con a bit. She as Jack Frost and myself as Hinamori Momo.  I paid my anual visit to the yaoi vendor then wondered artist alley looking for peoples. I found several I know from DA, but some how managed to completely miss Crizl ;_; .  We ran into a Santa Clause with a pair of candy cane swords. He and Frosty had a little show down. It was fun. Also ran into Bird Girl and hugged Cooking Mama.  Teri and I ran into a couple of really cute guys we'd met the night before and we stood around and talked for atleast a good 40 mins if not a whole hour.

Met up with Stepho and some of her friends. Met new peoples... it was fun! Sat and talked with them for a good hour before heading back to the room to relax. Had a little bit of drama, mostly involving red make up, and watched people get caught in the rain. Went to the restaurant in the Embassy for dinner. DAMN was it ever good. Dani joined us for dessert. Her sexy Vampyre costume is just that... pure sexy. Then Nick joined us for a bit, and played a really cute trick on Ami.

 Went back to the room and had a little more drama involving the hotel wanting another form of payment. We tried to get a hold of the only people who hadn't paid.. but failing misserably in that endevour a bunch of us put in extra and took care of things. Then we changed and went to the rave. OH MY GOD! The rave was frigging awsome~! Not only did they have beyond kickin' djs, but they had made the room bigger by taking out the fake walls. It was hot and sweaty and pulsing  and grinding and unbelieveable. I haven't danced like that in a long time. We met up with Felix in the rave and formed our own little dancing group. Then went and hung out in by the Spooney Bards when we got tired. Then we went back to the room and I was informed that my "Magical disappearing people" had yet to return. I've yet to hear back from them. But that meant that 3 other people could use the couch bed, so it worked out well.

I discovered what it was like to have a sixteen year old shadow pretty much glued to your hip, and love the child to death but... NEVER AGAIN. She's a sweet girl, but having a kid who won't leave your side for even two seconds with you all day would drive even the biggest of us mother hens up a wall.

Sunday: Missed breakfast, but that was ok. We all needed the sleep. I was going to do a closet cosplay of Komatsu Nana, but sadly the shirt I was going to use was accidentally ruined... so I just wore street clothes. It was most comfortable. We finished packing, and checked out once the room was almost clear. Then I met up with Sam at the Car Show. We sat and talked for a while. It turns out Sam had a little present for me. A little strawberry shaped timer!!! It's soooooooo cute! I totally love it. We wandered around the dealers room and watched an interview with the Japanese band ACen had this year, Peelander Z. OMG! They are frigging awsome! I have never seen a band interact so much with their fans. They stood at their booth, signed autographs, took pictures with people, posed, and were out noute silly. I looked them up when I got home, and let's just say they have a new fan. Sam and I got our pic taken with them. 

   We then ran into Amanda Sr. and Amanda Jr. in Artist's Alley. I bought the most adorable Pikachu pillow (it was only $5, which was pretty much the last of what I had but it was sooooooo worth it!) and scowered AA again for peoples. Still managed to miss Crizl *cries* Seriously... how did I do that? And twice?! *sigh* Anywho! Exchanged IM info and chatted for a bit, then it was time for them to be on their way. There was much huggling. 

  I watched the Yoshi cosplayers dance in the Car Show area, they were so adorable! *has video footage* Then got some more pics and hung out with Ryan for a while. Then sadly it was time to go home. I managed to leave a couple things in Celly's car *kicks self*. Luckily she doesn't live too far away. 

Well, that pretty much completes this con report. You can see ACen 08 piccies here -> http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w267/ainokaku/ACen%2008/