Three days. One convention. A whole new perspective.
Rendezvous' first step into the creative world went south - to Tucson for Comic-Con.
Can you have every emotion and question every decision you've made at once? Yes. Yes, you can. The radio was as loud as could be in the 100-degree heat. Mostly to silence the doubts in my head.
Did I reserve the right days at the hotel? Did I bring everything I needed? Do I have the tickets? Am I in over my head? Is there a thousand things I could be doing rather than investing my time, energy, and finances into what could be tantamount to a fool's errand?
Finally, the big day. Guess who can't get through security? Yep. Backpack isn't see-through. Have to trudge a mile back to the car and switch out to a clear bag, which only carries half the things I brought. Bad omen or lack of research? Debatable in the moment.
I'm down $20 for the new bag before I even get through the doors. After getting scanned because my keys set off the alarms, I finally get inside the convention center. I'm already stressed and exhausted from lack of sleep. But that sound... it was unmistakable. Excitement was in the air.
The sweet smell of popcorn and nachos filled the air as the hum of thousands of fans and vendors swirled through my head. I wanted, desperately, to be a businessman, but my inner nerd would have no part in that. Cosplay, comics, and collectibles - oh my! I had to see it all, talk to everyone, and follow each new shiny thing that passed in front of me.
This went on for three days. The second day, security wouldn't let me in with a bottle of water, and the third day I got frisked (I still think she should have given me her phone number or taken me out to dinner after getting that intimate with me). Security turned out to be the Joker to my Batman. But the trip and the convention were worth every second of my time.
I spent those three days learning about the industry and, more importantly, about myself. I learned I didn't have to pitch Mercy or myself - I just had to talk to people. Those conversations lit a fire in me to continue to pursue my passion. I traded website addresses with strangers, took pictures, and made connections I didn't think were possible.
It's been a long time since I've been the new guy on the block, but now, for the first time... I believe I might be right where I belong.