A Night At Hogsmeade Inn

As a Portlandian I participate in various geeky events and organizations. One of those organizations is the Time Traveler’s Costume Guild, a member of the International Costume Guild. My mother helped start this local group, and this January, we were able to host our first big event, a Harry Potter themed dinner. My write-up for the event was featured in ICG’s May/June 2016 Newsletter, but you can also read the full write-up below.

Press 101: How to Apply for a Press Badge as a New Outlet

Blogs, Vlogs, and new press outlets for our geeky world are popping up almost daily. Cheap technology and the rise of social media has helped propel individuals and small outlets into great sources for geeky news. And thus, the battle for press badges at conventions has gotten tougher. Not to mention, it can be confusing for a newer outlet to know how and when to start applying for press badges. Remember, every convention is different, and thus has different rules about applying, and who they will accept as press.

This is meant to act as a general guide based off of my experience in the industry, and the opinions and preferences of friends that hold Press positions at various conventions across the US. Even if you follow this guide’s advice word for word, there is never any guarantee you will be given a press badge at a specific convention. Please always be polite, write a full and accurate application, and ask when you have a question about a policy or decision.

Your Guide to Conventions!

While I’ve been busy Conventioning, I wrote a few pieces for PNW Cosplay, a new cosplay mag here in the Northwest! Your Guide to Conventions covers the genres, types and sizes of conventions you may encounter. Check out Part 1: Convention Genres and Part 2: Convention Types on their website! Part 3: Convention Sizes is now up!

How to Room Share at a Con like a Pro

Room Sharing is the act of sharing a room with one or more people. At conventions this usually means a hotel room. While it’s not like having to share a dorm room in college, there are still plenty of horror stories. So, how do you and your roommates ensure everyone has a great room experience? Outside of being really really awesome? Conventioning has some tips to help you!

Unapologetic Geek Out Podcast

This month has been full of conventions, so we’ll be updating soon!

The last few events Conventioning was at were so much fun! A big shout out to Colorado Anime Fest, Wizard World Portland, and Anime Milwaukee for being super awesome. Sakuracon is our next show, finishing out the exhausting month of March.

At Anime Milwaukee I had the chance to meet Nick who runs the Unapologetic Geek Out podcast. We chatted a bit about social media, and he interviewed me for the podcast. Please give the episode a listen! I’m looking forward to seeing them again at future cons and hanging out~!

Outreach Booths: The Frontlines of Your Convention

I’ve worked my fair share of convention booths, and there have been good and bad experiences. I’ve also seen a huge range of set ups, goals, and things that work (or don’t). The bottom line is that your convention booth is like a foreign exchange student, and everyone will be judging their first impression of your convention by it. Below is a list of things to keep in mind for your convention’s booth at your next outreach event!

A Flock of Deadpools

Nearly every convention has had a run in with religious protesters at some point. Often the attendees will attempt to troll the protesters in an attempt to get them to leave. However, some protesters have no intention of leaving. Some are there simply to entice a reaction that they can then use for financial gain via lawsuits. At a convention I attended in 2015, there was one such incident at the public park across from the convention location. All I ever saw of this was the aftermath, a flock of Deadpool cosplayers running around in a line through the park. As I saw this through a window at the convention location, there was no way to know what was going on. Or why so many Deadpool cosplayers were running around. Honestly I’ve seen some pretty weird things at conventions. Since then I’ve learned what was behind this troop of Deadpools from some of the convention staff.

REAL ID Act: Update 2

King5 reported today that Washington will receive a two year extension to become compliant with the REAL ID Act. This will give Washington state until January 22nd, 2018 to become compliant with federal regulations for IDs. This deadline extends to all states that are non-compliant. Residents will be able to travel on domestic flights with just their Washington state ID, but notices both via TSA at airports and online will increase by July.

REAL ID Act: Update

Today it was confirmed that Missouri and Illinois state issued IDs were both deemed non-compliant. Missouri still has an extended deadline of January 10th, but Illinois request for an extension was denied. But with that deadline coming closer, and many states still having non-compliant laws on the books it will be interesting to see what happens. Homeland Security has stated that people living within a non-compliant state will be given a 120 day notice before their state’s deadline.

For more on the REAL ID Act & Flying in 2016 check out my other article!

If you’re unsure of your state’s compliance with the REAL ID Act, check out the following websites for more information: Homeland Security FAQ or REAL ID Act Enforcement

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Source: ABC Chicago

The REAL ID Act & Flying in 2016

You may have heard of something called the REAL ID Act. Or maybe you’ve heard something about needing a passport to fly on domestic flights starting in 2016. Well, beginning in 2016, if you live in a ‘noncompliant’ state, you will need to dust off your passport. Even if you’re just catching a puddle jumper from PDX to SEATAC. The REAL ID Act was signed way back in 2005 and is supposed to help up security on domestic flights. The reason this is thought to be needed is that some states do not require proof of citizenship to obtain a state issued ID, or do not require a domestic permanent address.