Considering that three months ago I drove by myself all the way to Dallas from PA,
traveling to Atlanta would be much easier, especially with someone else. Besides, I've
had fun the past couple AWA's. This year, Brad was the only one who could ride down
with me.

AWA is a big anime-themed party, and few will deny this.

My course of events, as follows:

8:30 pm: Repeated phone calls foil my plans for a power nap.

9:45: After a quick stop at my house for loading, Brad and I shove off for Atlanta.

Friday, 4:00 am: Awake for too long. Brad takes another turn driving, and I'm laughing
like a hyena for no damn reason.

11:30: Finally found EK, and shortly afterwards, got into the room, and a much-needed
shower was taken. We got a smoking room, even though we don't smoke, but it's on the
third floor, right by the stairs, which lead directly to the main convention areas. That
will prove handy this weekend...

2:30 pm: Brad and I return from a grocery store run, and I have some money that needs
spent on anime goodies.

3:30: Surprisingly, I stuck to my original shopping list to a fair degree.

4:00: Brad and I check out the music video panel. Last night is catching up to me,
evident of my nodding off. Time for a nap.

6:30: Can't sleep much somehow... So, Brad and I check out a Slayers special, which is
running ahead of schedule.

8:30: Learned who some of the other roomies are. Wow... Shawn the Touched is
staying in the room! Cool! Why EK didn't tell me that before is beyond me...

9:00: It's time to go to hell! Japanese Anime Hell, to be precise. The assortment of
video odds and ends is a must-see every year. Not always anime related, but still a
blast.

11:30: Can't-fight-sleep-any-more... It's official; I no longer have the old late-night
stamina that I used to have. I head back to the room, and crash royally.

Friday comments: No one will deny that AWA is a giant anime-themed party, though I
wish that there was more room for the events. For instance, the room for primary
video was smaller than what many clubs meet in. And there's only two regular
theaters with a shutdown each night? Umm... I like AWA a lot, but there are people
that come here to watch anime in between the parties...

9:30: Set out to see what to do, and basically roamed around for several hours.

2:30 pm: Wanted to see Silent Mobius TV, but that was postponed indefinitely in favor
of a panel on amateur video production.

3:00: Brad and I check out the Space Ghost panel, which focuses more on Cartoon
Network and their plans for showing more anime. No, the all-anime channel is NOT
definite. It's a great big if-then-if-then-if-then situation.

4:00: Decided to pass on the voice actor panel and the music videos, as fatigue was
kicking me in the ass. A power nap followed shortly thereafter.

6:30: Woke up just in time for everything else shutting down to focus on the Cosplay,
which I wasn't too excited about. No photo pit to give me a good seat this time. It was
clear to me that even if I got in line now, I wouldn't get a seat either in the main
programming or video one. As video two was crowded waaaaay past the measly fifty
seats, and there was little else running alongside the Cosplay, I head back to the room
to enjoy some of my goodies from the dealer's room and some munchies. Wish I
could've held out for the power nap from earlier.

10:30: Room party on the 8th floor! They need time to set up the VCR, so everyone else
hangs out in the hallway, sharing jokes and dirty limericks until hotel security comes
along. Brad and I both decide we don't care too much for gin and tonic.

11:30: Knowing ahead of time what seating can be like in video two, and the popularity
of Slayers, I head there an hour and a half ahead of time. This also gives Brad a taste
of Kodomo no Omocha, and Cowboy Bebop, two very good shows. A bunch of people
leave the theater after Bebop, letting Brad and I get some decent seats for Slayers Try.

2:00 am: Time for bed...

Saturday comments: Hmm. Well, this is interesting. Now I'm really glad EK got a room
on the third floor. Most of the main elevators broke. Doesn't look like the hotel is
holding up well to a couple thousand anime otaku. Seems too crowded nowadays. Most
of the events rooms are just too small for the convention.

11:30: Nothing on the video schedule catches my eye. Since EK has the room for one
more day, Brad and I take our time packing our luggage.

12:30 pm: Just a few more things from the dealer's room... Hey, Urusei Yatsura volume
22 is here! Why didn't I see this earlier!?

2:30: We catch the last half of "Sexism in Anime", which is quite intellectual, and
stick around for "Worst anime ever made." Most of that I agreed with. Most of it...

4:00: Time to leave, if we want to get home. Brad and I say our good-byes to our
fellow roomies, grab the last of our stuff from the room, and shove off.

2:30 am: Factoring in a stop at Shoney's, I think we made a new record for Atlanta to
Waynesboro: 9 1/2 hours, even with rain the first half of the trip back.

Lows:
too crowded for my tastes
not enough anime shown
Getting to the hotel before the room is ready

Personal high:
Seeing Slayers Try and a bunch of other goodies late at night

Personal complaint: Shutting down almost everything else aside from the Cosplay,
despite not having enough room for everyone to see said Cosplay, resulting in a large
amount of people roaming around the convention area, looking for something to do.

Survival tips: Five people sharing the room is fun and cheap, but if the hotel only
passes out four keys, there could be a problem.

Overall, not bad. Glad I took off from work on Monday. I can see myself going to AWA
again next year, but I hope more room for the events can be available somehow.
Seating was very tight. On top of that, I'm going to seriously consider taking a plane
trip if I travel alone next year...