So I had dinner with a few friends / acquaintances tonight from mah normal life. And I realized afterward it felt empty compared to friendships formed at PAX... huh. This happening for anyone else, too?
I understand that sentiment completely ... this is very strange to me, but a friend didn't want to come to PAX, which is cool ... but he kind of insinuated that it was beneath him. We haven't really talked since I got back from PAX. This is the same person that was my husband's best man, who traveled with us overseas to Japan! I knew something was wrong when we were in Tokyo and he didn't want to have anything to do with Akihabara, the anime nerd paradise ... he has just acted really superior ever since then
So I had dinner with a few friends / acquaintances tonight from mah normal life. And I realized afterward it felt empty compared to friendships formed at PAX... huh. This happening for anyone else, too?
I understand that sentiment completely ... this is very strange to me, but a friend didn't want to come to PAX, which is cool ... but he kind of insinuated that it was beneath him. We haven't really talked since I got back from PAX. This is the same person that was my husband's best man, who traveled with us overseas to Japan! I knew something was wrong when we were in Tokyo and he didn't want to have anything to do with Akihabara, the anime nerd paradise ... he has just acted really superior ever since then
I'm really sorry to hear that. Especially coming from the person with one of the most badass cosplays I've ever seen or heard of! It sucks trying to talk about how exciting PAX was to people who just write it off as another convention. Though the picture of Mr. T in that Red Faction mecha certainly gets their attention xD
I went to school at the Rochester Institute of Technology, home of some of the largest video gaming and anime clubs on the East Coast. I got used to living in nerd culture, and ever since graduating have had trouble readjusting. PAX East only made it worse. I was hoping I'd be able to post some of my blogs discussing the games I got to play and my time there, but there's been no interest whatsoever from friends (even the geekier ones).
Outside of RIT I've basically been THE GEEK of the group, and now that PAX is done it hits home harder than ever. I think that's why I've been sticking to some forums and blog comments so closely ever since. I want to recapture some of that comradery as it is clearly missing from my real life.
GrimRupert on
I'm a website!
PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
Going to Pax gives me the feeling of going to a big casino. Every one at the casino has a passion for winning. And everyone at Pax has a passion for games..
And at PAX, we are all winning!
WE are all winning so much, Charlie Sheen needs to take some notes.
I hate to break it to you first-timers, but veteran status does not dull the anticipation. Now that you know what to expect, there is no chance of disappointment. You know it'll be an awesome weekend, and thus there is nothing to dilute the frothy excitement.
It's going to be a long year.
Hopefully, they announce the dates for 2012 soon so we can build an app to countdown... ::PAX Withdrawal::
I hate to break it to you first-timers, but veteran status does not dull the anticipation. Now that you know what to expect, there is no chance of disappointment. You know it'll be an awesome weekend, and thus there is nothing to dilute the frothy excitement.
It's going to be a long year.
Hopefully, they announce the dates for 2012 soon so we can build an app to countdown... ::PAX Withdrawal::
Look inside of your PAX East program. They already announced them.
Something else that struck me recently is how apt the song "To Have A Home" from A Very Potter Sequel is in describing my feelings and experiences at my first PAX East.
It really does give you a feeling like you belong, a reason and a something to believe in. It is hard to hide a smile. For the first time in my life (well in a long time) I didn't feel so alone, and that made my heart heal.
I love reading these ... just warms my heart ... we are all so connected!!!
Just as last year's PAX made me feel at home within a community very far from my physical home, this year's PAX made me feel even more comfortable in my own skin. Last year, I was too nervous to really break out of my shell and explore PAX without my husband or friends. I was too nervous to cosplay even though I kind of wanted to. This year, I did both of those things, and reaped the benefits of my extra confidence tenfold. I even let myself be interview'd by Blair for G4 even though I neeever eeever would've done ANYTHING like that in the past. I almost passed out when they actually played it on TV because of my insecurity, but that's another story. Anyway, my expectations of cosplaying and what people's reaction would be was just blown out of the water by all the positive feedback I received. I am now considering cosplaying at some more conventions, doing things on my own more often, and just generally being more social. I "fake" social pretty well but inside I'm generally going over and over in my head, wondering if I'm saying the right thing or if I'm being interesting enough. Well, PAX is helping me realize that I am a pretty decent person and there are other people out there like me. I love you guys T____T
That is so AWESOME! You were on G4?!! Nice!
I totally am with you on your other points. I really felt like I was able to be myself at PAX and I felt more accepted then ever. The day after I got back I was walking around a local neighborhood, wearing my swag feeling so proud and self confident. I even got up the courage to go into our local Exchange (which is kind of like gamestop but with DVDs, records, etc.) and ask for an application! I've always been too nervous to do this in the past because its mostly an all male staff, and I thought they wouldn't accept a gamer girl. They were actually totally nice about it, complimented my swag, and gave me an application!
I think what we gain from PAX can apply to more then just video game related life situations, and it can really boost self confidence
Oh, and I also think you should keep cosplaying! This was my first con too, and I'm really hoping to attend more over this year, and I'm already planning my next costume
Kupo!
Wow. I can't believe other people are saying this too. I noticed last year and again this year that I was much more confident and outgoing after PAX. Talking to random strangers... looking people in the eye... stuff I usually have a very hard time doing.
I actually said to my boyfriend "Just watch... PAX will make me more confident and outgoing... at least for a couple months... and then it will slowly wear off until PAX 2012." Hmm... Which I think is why I need to convince him to go to PAX Prime.
kitties_on_acid on
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MagnifiedX[E] PC SecurityBoston, MARegistered Userregular
I came all the way over from Scotland for this PAX, which in turn was both my first PAX and real con as well. I have to say I plan on attending them reglaurly from now...
Thanks for writing the first part of my post for me!
As implied above, I hail from the north of Scotland, a relitavely sparsely populated area which is very conservitive in its outlook. To compund that, I'm in the military where "Geek" is very definately a pejorative term and gaming (beyond your FPS macho-thons) is looked down on. Finally I'm old school, as in old and left school a loooong time ago.
My geek life was always kept very quiet. I collected my comics, played NwN and WoW and never let a nerdish hair on my head rise above the parapet.
Until a couple of years ago.
When the first season of Penny Arcade: The Series started I felt, vicariously, like I'd found a home. Scott Kurtz even talks about the feeling, his "Night Court family". As I watched the various installments there was frequently an ad playing - Jerry standing on stage, bellowing "Welcome to PAX!", Helix Nebula cuts in... it was heady, emotional stuff and I was caught hook, line and sinker. I was going to PAX.
I began trolling this forum, getting caught up in the sense of community almost immediately. I signed for some events to help me get out of my shell a bit and counted down the days.
The Pokecrawl on the first night was great, but I didn't really get that whole sense of a greater community - perhaps because I was there solo while most others at least had a +1. On the Friday I was hungover, a little bit overwhelmed and just wandered around in a bit of a daze... it was fun, but where was that PAX community that I'd seen in the ads?
Turns out it was in the queue for the concert that night. As we sat there for 4 hours we played games, we did crafts, we sung songs, we kept beachballs in the air for a preposterous amount of time, we whored ourselves for the smallest pieces of swag (I got all 5 badges though!)... When we finally got into the concerts we collectively had our minds blown.
The rest of the weekend was suddenly open. I bought some dice, signed up at the DnD booth and roleplayed for the first time in... 20 years? I learned to play the WoWTCG (and got utterly crucified in the process!). I talked to people more freely in lines and panels. I queued ridiculously early again for the Saturday concert and was stunned when four complete strangers not only held my place in the line when I went to get some food, but took all mystuff with them when the preline got moved upstairs. It says it all that I had no fear about leaving my DS, my phone, my camera, my Kindle lying aroung in a building with 70,000 strangers. That night when Paul and Storm sang Frogger! The Frogger Musical I reached that state I had seen - and now I'm home.
So sure, I had a great time, so did a lot of people. The lasting impact? I've shared it with people. I've told the guys I work with about dressing up as a Pokemon, about the cool new games I watched and played, about how 4E has changed everything I knew about DnD. And while it got me a lot of strange looks, it also got me a lot of positive responses. Who knows, maybe I won't have to go all the way to Boston to find my own Night Court family after all?
Landerolin on
Pokecrawl 2011 - Team Squirtle!
Tweet me @Landerolin
This was not my first PAX. I went to PAX East last year, and I knew I wanted more.
I am not what I'd call a "serious" gamer. You will beat me at Halo. You know more of the rules of 4 ed. Your deck is better than mine.
But I play. I play a little bit of everything. But I never really felt like I belonged to a community in that respect. Until now. I have just spent 3 days like Jack Skellington stumbled into Christmas Town for the first time. I felt like this last year, but I guess I needed the extra dose to really sink it home.
My big take-away this year was community. I want to be a part of it. I want to help make it better. I want to see you all next year or maybe, as soon as PAX Prime.
this++;
Although this was my first PAX, I am in a similar position. PAX East renewed my sense of joy, in games specifically. A bit of depression kicked in after we were home from Boston, but I have since made connections with friends and want to give back to the community of gamers. PAX and the spirit of Christmas are very similar in that way, and it's been a long time since I've felt it.
Thank you everyone, and thank you PAX.
SpectacledBear on
Currently playing Stardew Valley and I Am Setsuna.
Posts
I understand that sentiment completely ... this is very strange to me, but a friend didn't want to come to PAX, which is cool ... but he kind of insinuated that it was beneath him. We haven't really talked since I got back from PAX. This is the same person that was my husband's best man, who traveled with us overseas to Japan! I knew something was wrong when we were in Tokyo and he didn't want to have anything to do with Akihabara, the anime nerd paradise ... he has just acted really superior ever since then
Outside of RIT I've basically been THE GEEK of the group, and now that PAX is done it hits home harder than ever. I think that's why I've been sticking to some forums and blog comments so closely ever since. I want to recapture some of that comradery as it is clearly missing from my real life.
PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
WE are all winning so much, Charlie Sheen needs to take some notes.
Hopefully, they announce the dates for 2012 soon so we can build an app to countdown... ::PAX Withdrawal::
Look inside of your PAX East program. They already announced them.
Something else that struck me recently is how apt the song "To Have A Home" from A Very Potter Sequel is in describing my feelings and experiences at my first PAX East.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uesDv58ZLZE
It really does give you a feeling like you belong, a reason and a something to believe in. It is hard to hide a smile. For the first time in my life (well in a long time) I didn't feel so alone, and that made my heart heal.
Wow. I can't believe other people are saying this too. I noticed last year and again this year that I was much more confident and outgoing after PAX. Talking to random strangers... looking people in the eye... stuff I usually have a very hard time doing.
I actually said to my boyfriend "Just watch... PAX will make me more confident and outgoing... at least for a couple months... and then it will slowly wear off until PAX 2012." Hmm... Which I think is why I need to convince him to go to PAX Prime.
Can't wait to see all of you next time.
Thanks for writing the first part of my post for me!
As implied above, I hail from the north of Scotland, a relitavely sparsely populated area which is very conservitive in its outlook. To compund that, I'm in the military where "Geek" is very definately a pejorative term and gaming (beyond your FPS macho-thons) is looked down on. Finally I'm old school, as in old and left school a loooong time ago.
My geek life was always kept very quiet. I collected my comics, played NwN and WoW and never let a nerdish hair on my head rise above the parapet.
Until a couple of years ago.
When the first season of Penny Arcade: The Series started I felt, vicariously, like I'd found a home. Scott Kurtz even talks about the feeling, his "Night Court family". As I watched the various installments there was frequently an ad playing - Jerry standing on stage, bellowing "Welcome to PAX!", Helix Nebula cuts in... it was heady, emotional stuff and I was caught hook, line and sinker. I was going to PAX.
I began trolling this forum, getting caught up in the sense of community almost immediately. I signed for some events to help me get out of my shell a bit and counted down the days.
The Pokecrawl on the first night was great, but I didn't really get that whole sense of a greater community - perhaps because I was there solo while most others at least had a +1. On the Friday I was hungover, a little bit overwhelmed and just wandered around in a bit of a daze... it was fun, but where was that PAX community that I'd seen in the ads?
Turns out it was in the queue for the concert that night. As we sat there for 4 hours we played games, we did crafts, we sung songs, we kept beachballs in the air for a preposterous amount of time, we whored ourselves for the smallest pieces of swag (I got all 5 badges though!)... When we finally got into the concerts we collectively had our minds blown.
The rest of the weekend was suddenly open. I bought some dice, signed up at the DnD booth and roleplayed for the first time in... 20 years? I learned to play the WoWTCG (and got utterly crucified in the process!). I talked to people more freely in lines and panels. I queued ridiculously early again for the Saturday concert and was stunned when four complete strangers not only held my place in the line when I went to get some food, but took all mystuff with them when the preline got moved upstairs. It says it all that I had no fear about leaving my DS, my phone, my camera, my Kindle lying aroung in a building with 70,000 strangers. That night when Paul and Storm sang Frogger! The Frogger Musical I reached that state I had seen - and now I'm home.
So sure, I had a great time, so did a lot of people. The lasting impact? I've shared it with people. I've told the guys I work with about dressing up as a Pokemon, about the cool new games I watched and played, about how 4E has changed everything I knew about DnD. And while it got me a lot of strange looks, it also got me a lot of positive responses. Who knows, maybe I won't have to go all the way to Boston to find my own Night Court family after all?
Tweet me @Landerolin
this++;
Although this was my first PAX, I am in a similar position. PAX East renewed my sense of joy, in games specifically. A bit of depression kicked in after we were home from Boston, but I have since made connections with friends and want to give back to the community of gamers. PAX and the spirit of Christmas are very similar in that way, and it's been a long time since I've felt it.
Thank you everyone, and thank you PAX.