San Japan (totally not Cyborg) 009 happened last weekend.  Amidst the new venue and new date, I noticed some things.  If I took your picture (I was the dude with bear ears, see below) you can find it here!

1. 

   #16: You are…somewhere?

   THURSDAY NIGHT – Went in the old entrance of the Gonzalez Convention Center out of habit…oops

2. New space is YUUUGE
3. My fursuiter friends are already complaining about all the walking they’re going to be doing over the weekend.
4. Artist alley is HUMONGOUS
5. Dealer’s room is INSANE
6. They ARE going to turn on the escalators in the Dealer’s room, right?
7. Autograph area setup looks like what I see set up at comic-cons, hmm
8. Located in the back corner, milk and eggs and all that
9. If Labor Day does take a bite out of attendance, we’ll really see it on Friday, IMO
10. Me gusta bigger panel room for Furry 101! About fuzzing time!
11. The halls remind me of PAX South Year 1 but with the lights on
12. Seriously, the HBG felt like a cavern back then with all the lights turned down
13. Spiffy new booths for registration, ooh
14. Badges are less nice this year, a little more papery.  Hope they hold up.  Compared them to last year’s badges after the fact and they’re the same.
    
15. Press badges get the same art as volunteer ones? BOO!
16. The YUUUGE maps were just a bit confusing.
17. Didn’t help that they put teensy ‘You Are Here’ stickers that were near-impossible to find.  Maybe some gold stars or Pokeball stickers next time, guys?
18. FRIDAY-This is my free day: No panels and my freaks aren’t showing up until late in the afternoon
19. Arrived at 11 and easily found parking at the Houston street lot, wonder if that’s a sign
20. Random person also walking to San Japan asked if the tin of Altoids rattling in my pocket were dice. OH HELL NO
    

    #28: Overestimate much?

21. Walked into the Henry B. via the main entrance this time. Is niiice!
22. Finally found someone pickier than Alvin Von Devious to try and help with their fursuit. Came close to (metaphorically) flipping the table.
23. Customer service tip: Just answer my question without the lame jokes, please.
24. So who gets to be the under/sideboob/cheek checker?
25. Escalators in the dealer’s room are shut off, no bueno.
26. One dealer’s display had ALL THE BOOBS.
27. But that’s okay because they’re just cartoons…right?
28. “History of Anime in the US” got the biggest panel room and about 50 people showed up. Yes, I counted.
29. Good panel, but come on, I had that many the first time I did Furry 101 three years ago at RealmsCon.
30. Do they even check to see how many people actually show up at panels?  Seriously.
31. I kept waiting to hear one word at History of Anime but it never turned up: “Japanimation” That’s what we called it in the 80’s, kids!
32. Friend and I did our good deed for the day getting a friend out of a jam.
33. It took me a half hour but I had to claim the top spot on the Time Pilot game in the game room. EDS is on top where it belongs. *flex*
34. Somehow I got pegged as the guy ‘running’ the furry meetup and some folks freaked when I showed up late.  THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS, GUYS
35. SATURDAY-Easy parking on Houston St again, which has me slightly worried
36. Saw displays made out of free Priority Mail boxes in the dealer’s room.  Classy.
    

    #26: Under….side…ALL THE BOOBS

37. Only the first 100 people get an autograph? Interesting.
38. “It is up to the artist whether 101+ get an autograph” There has to be a better way to say that without making the artist look like a complete tool.
39. The Taito Groove Coaster video game calls the Space Invaders alien a ‘crab’ IT’S AN ALIEN GUYS
40. I keep thinking ‘Spock ears’ whenever I see pointy ears
41. An anime con is one of the few places where you can lose a fursuiter
42. Need to mark the lanes in Artist Alley, which one is ‘Row 5’ again?
43. Arrived too late to the Bitforce concert to take advantage of my press badge, pbbt
44. Wonder if they had technical problems; we could see the lead guitarist was shredding his fingers off but could barely hear him.  Otherwise, good show!
45. Except for the game room, the air conditioning seems to be holding up well.
46. Good thing too, because I was soaking after the occasional three-block walk to my car.
47. The paleta man is back, woo!
    

    #47: Hello, old friend!

48. Nearly filled up our medium-sized panel room for Furry 101, w00t.
49. 45 minute time limit threw me off, though, may have to reorganize things for next time.
50. I only have two cosplays (Professor Utonium and Soos). I didn’t wear either, and saw the perfect people to take pictures with (The Powerpuff Girls and Giffany)! ARGH
51. 18+ maid cafe was fun!
52. Tipsy elevator normies were…interesting.
53. Tipsy normie asked: “WHY YOU WEARING MOUSE EARS?” I’m not going to debate with someone holding a drink in public, they won’t remember anyway.
54. SUNDAY-Less parking at the lot, but still no problem finding a spot; be interesting to see the attendance this year (It was down 12%)
55. Been seeing a lot of ‘robot guts’ shirts around, guess they’re a hit.
56. Hey panel door guy, the door opens when I say so, capisce?
57. Noticed a lot of Judy Hopps cosplayers, bunny ears, Nick Wildes, and even an Assistant Mayor Bellweather. YAY ZOOTOPIA!
58. Overwatch was also popular. I don’t even play the game, but for my friends it’s always HIIIGH NOOOON.
59. Left early because the show just isn’t as fun without my friends!
60. Mizuumi-Con is now “Otaku Fair” That’s good.
61. Otaku Fair decided to not make any further announcements about their new event at THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE CITY FOR POTENTIAL ATTENDEES. That’s not good.
62. Observation:  Labor Day weekend works great for older folks like myself. For the youngn’s, though, not so much.