Anime Expo is in a few days (B32! B32!) but I also noticed that AWA is putting up reminders that payment is due by July 5 (see [link] ) . You don't pay, you lose your secured spot. That's kind of big deal considering the badges also front as admission for the convention. (Yes, AWA has gone the route of AX 2008 in which it has a separate exhibit hall!)

Oddly enough, AX this year is economizing by putting the AA in the Dealer's room, which could be good and bad. I've some thoughts on how this can work against you (i.e., your stuff is competing directly with merchandise) and how it could work for you (i.e., your stuff is competing against the non-existent merchandise for a particular fandom).

In the final few days before a convention, I'm usually more prepared at this point, but this has been an exceptionally odd and sometimes sad year. This may be my last AX for some time. I think that remains to be seen with certain personal factors, work factors, and economic factors coming into play.

Getting ready for a convention, as I said, is a lot of work -- from doing the art, to preparing the supplies, to thinking through how many prints to make and what to take (and what I can't take because I want more of 'x' print) and thinking through some logistics that most other people don't deal with (i.e., HOW MUCH DOES THIS BAG WEIGH). Creating art for a convention in the anime genre is also a bit self-defeating in that you have to create to sell, and anime fandoms aren't interested in original storytelling, which is something comic fandoms pay more heed to .

That said, I amuse myself because I have vacillated between wanting to be a writer that dabbles in art concepts on the side to wanting to be an illustrator that wants to write stories. These may seem like subtle differences to some, but to me they are worlds apart as a creator.

I think I have to make a decision this year on where to go next year creatively.

And the truth is, I want to tell stories, and it's not going to happen unless I take some of the energy I put into working with the tablet, and take out the laptop instead and go into some coffeeshop and pour it all out.

Anyways, this is a year that I have been forced to address the fact that life is short and I need to be doing what I love doing. I'm not sure what that is yet, and what that means for me moving forward.

I want to be that person who has it both ways, to be honest -- to write and to illustrate -- but I can't figure it out. There's not really a model for this out there (too many want you to write/draw in a graphic novel format, and I don't feel like being held down to sequential panels), hence the "AAAAAAAAAAAAA".

Anyways, to those that know me as both writer and artist, I ask you - pick one for me to pursue over the next 3 years. What say you?

And if you can't answer, just please tell me - how many prints should I bring to AX T_T. AAAAA.

---

On another note, I wanted to continue to remind folks that has posted info on the contest (or started to). Please pass the information forward as much as possible.