When it is time to stop staffing cons...

[MegaZone]

Well, I finally made the decision today and resigned from both Anime
Expo and Anime Boston. I'd started staffing Anime Expo in 1992 and
I've done it since then, as well as AXNY.

Basically I think it is time to forget about the worries of staffing
and try to actually enjoy the cons for a while. I don't know if this
is it for me and staffing, or if I'll try it again someday, but it
does feel a little odd to know I won't be doing it after 11 years.

The longest I've ever worked one job is about 2.5 years...

-MZ, CISSP #3762, RHCE #806199299900541
--
<URL:mailto:megazone@megazone.org> Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me..
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-755-4098
<URL:http://www.megazone.org/> <URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/> Eris

[Ben The Cyber-Terrorist Cantrick]

MegaZone <usenet@megazone.org> wrote:
>Well, I finally made the decision today and resigned from both Anime
>Expo and Anime Boston. I'd started staffing Anime Expo in 1992 and
>I've done it since then, as well as AXNY.
>
>Basically I think it is time to forget about the worries of staffing
>and try to actually enjoy the cons for a while. I don't know if this
>is it for me and staffing, or if I'll try it again someday, but it
>does feel a little odd to know I won't be doing it after 11 years.
>
>The longest I've ever worked one job is about 2.5 years...

When you staff you get to go to the dead dog party, see all the people
who have to get medical attention because they drank too much, and generally
enjoy the benefits of being in the same confined space with 10,000 fanboys.
Also, you can sleep on the floor in a room with 7 other people.

When you don't staff you can spend as long as you want in the video room,
hog the Dreamcast and/or arcade machines in the gaming room, attend parties
and drink too much, and blow loads of money in the dealer's room. Also,
you can have a room all to yourself.

All in all, I can't say I'd rather do one or the other. They both have
their advantages and disadvantages. Some cons I've been glad that I was
staff. Other cons I was really glad I wasn't. In general, the bigger names
attend and the more big events planned, the less likely I am to staff it,
as con duties might prevent me from getting to something I really wanted to
see. Viz, Bruce Campbell at A-kon two years ago. Conversely, the smaller
and "slower" the con, the more fun it is to be staff vs just a guest. You
have a better chance of maybe meeting some of the GoHs as staff, and being
con staff is generally not boring even if the con is somewhat slow.


Of the 11 years that you have staffed cons, how many years were you
relegated, like it or not, to be Security - by sheer virtue of your size? <G>


-Ben
--
Ben Cantrick (mackys@dim.com) | Yes, the AnimEigo BGC dubs still suck.
The Spamdogs: http://www.dim.com/~mackys/spamdogs
Ben's Irregular: http://www.dim.com/~mackys/irregular/
http://www.megatokyo.com

[MegaZone]

mackys+usenet@dim.com (Ben "The Cyber-Terrorist" Cantrick) shaped the electrons to say:
> Of the 11 years that you have staffed cons, how many years were you
>relegated, like it or not, to be Security - by sheer virtue of your size? <G>

I ran security for AX 4 years in a row - 1995-1998. After that I
refused to do it again, for the safety of the fans. I was ready to
kill the next idiot fanboy.

-MZ, CISSP #3762, RHCE #806199299900541
--
<URL:mailto:megazone@megazone.org> Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me..
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-755-4098
<URL:http://www.megazone.org/> <URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/> Eris

[Aya Nakajima]

MegaZone wrote:

> mackys+usenet@dim.com (Ben "The Cyber-Terrorist" Cantrick) shaped the electrons to say:
> > Of the 11 years that you have staffed cons, how many years were you
> >relegated, like it or not, to be Security - by sheer virtue of your size? <G>
>
> I ran security for AX 4 years in a row - 1995-1998. After that I
> refused to do it again, for the safety of the fans. I was ready to
> kill the next idiot fanboy.
>

Try being a six foot five inch tall girl with a physique more at home on Schwarzenegger
trying to be casual at a con who's just browsing and being assumed to be security because I
do more watching and general browsing than purchasing and viewing of anime showing at the
con because I attend everyday of each con..... for seven years and running.... ^_^' I
even got a pat on the back for being an excellent convention security person from the real
building security for stopping a dishonest bastard from doing the five finger discount at a
dealer's table,.... in spite of the fact that the dealer happened to be my friend and I
just didn't want to see her being taken advantage of.

Nakajima, Aya ^__^


Nakajima, Aya ^__^