Pop Con 2021

 This year's Pop has to be the best I have ever attended.   Many people were cosplaying as Resident Evil characters, My Hero Academia, Dagonropa or Demon Slayer characters.   I saw the occasional Muppet, Disney, Cartoon Network and obscure character.   It made me really happy to see Hetalia and Homestuck players, since both of those fandoms (to which I belong) have a bad rap attached to them.   All the fans I have met have been nothing but nice and they are anything but creepers.   Maybe someday, I'll be brave enough to cosplay as a genderbent Eridan Ampora.    

  I met 4 of my favorite voice actors.   Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, Billy West and Rob Paulsen. Every one of these VAs was tremendously hospitable and wanted to hear about your life and what you enjoyed.   They weren't afraid to answer questions and were very candid about the business, too.  Maurice was there with his son.   He complimented me on my Rei Ayanami shirt, which gave me a MEGA grin.   

John and I savored a panel with all the voice actors.   They performed a very unusual and hysterical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.   Let's just say you had to be there to really appreciate the humor that went into it.   All the character voices worked for their parts, oddly enough.    

There were vendors galore and plenty of things to look at and see.   John and I met Kitsie Duncan, who hosted The Oddity Files.   She directs a podcast called Paranormal Crossroads.   Our friend Evan was interviewed on a panel with them.   Kitsie actually helps with tarot readings and does exorcisms so I can imagine she is a very busy woman.    I was able to get her book and she was kind enough to sign it for me.   Paranormal people like us tend to vibe immediately, so we made an instant friendship.   She was superbly cool and I was lucky to make a new friend out of her.    

After the insanely amazing cosplay contest (I had never watched one before), we moseyed back into the convention hall.   I hadn't talked to Rob Paulsen.    Mr. Paulsen was a jewel.   He gave ME a hug and I wasn't expecting that.    He was actually intrigued and impressed with my line of work.    I was floored and still am !   Hopefully I can contact him in the future.   Maybe he could put in a good word for me, since I am trying to get into voice acting myself along with sampling, animation, stop motion animation, streaming and storytelling on my YouTube.     

Needless to say, I don't know if there is anything that can top this year's con.    It was well worth it and John learned a valuable lesson not to park near the Hyatt.   It's far too expensive and next convention we go to, we'll be parking at the Circle Center Mall, which is definitely the more frugal option.