May was very busy, as you could probably guess by my silence.Β It is always the height of the convention season for me.Β I told myself I was going to take it easy this year, but I ended up having free time, so I decided to sign up for a few things… and before I knew it, I was trying to do too many things at once, as usual.Β Why can’t I just do everything??Β It gives me serious anxiety.Β Anyway…
May started with working on a costume for Costume Con!Β Costume Con is one of my favorite conventions, but it moves around to different cities every year, so it’s been six years since I last went.Β This year was in San Diego, lucky me!Β Locations are selected three years ahead of time, so I’d been looking forward to this for three years, and started designing my costume late last year… but wouldn’t you know, all these things came up, and in the end, I was only able to devote a week and a half toward actually making the costume.Β I regret not being able to put as much time into my costume as I had hoped, but Costume Con was still awesome as usual.Β More on that in a separate entry.Β My consolation is that friends and other Costume Con attendees told me my costume would be perfect for Labyrinth Masquerade Ball in LA at the end of August, and they convinced me to go.Β So, I’ll have another chance in August to embellish my costume and wear it again.Β I’m looking forward to it!
Two weeks after Costume Con was FanimeCon.Β Considering travel time, I had about a week to work on anything for Fanime, so I planned the bare minimum, costume-wise.Β Being the sucker I am, I signed up for another solo dance performance on Stage Zero as well as volunteering for Fanimaid Cafe.Β Stage Zero gave me a 30 minute time slot (and heaven forbid I not take advantage of the whole 30 minutes!), and then I somehow got involved in more groups than I had intended for Fanimaid Live (seven songs total).Β I had to make a new maid uniform, because my old one no longer fit, and I was hoping to make a new outfit for my solo live (which I didn’t complete).Β Seriously, when will I learn to quit?Β I overextended myself this time.Β Fanime was still fun, and I had a great time working with Fanimaid Cafe, but by the end of the con, I was completely exhausted.Β I forgot a lot of songs during my solo live, which is unusual for me, but thankfully no one seemed to have noticed.Β In addition, the shoes I wore for most of the weekend were a little too tight, and I ended up bruising my toes.Β Sometimes shoes feel ok, but everything changes when you’re standing all day and dancing… don’t wear shoes that are too tight!!Β It’s not worth it.
By the way, on Friday at Fanime I did a panel on using LEDs for cosplay with my friends Cherry Tea Girl and Vince of Cosplay Lighting.Β I know I haven’t been very vocal about my work on the IDOLM@STER Starry project, but if anyone ever has any questions, I am here to answer them!
It’s been two weeks since Fanime, and I am mostly recovered (aside from my toes…).Β I am skipping Anime Expo this year, but will actually be making a return to SDCC for the first time in seven years!Β The Flowers of Wonderland group I was a part of at WonderCon will be updating our entry and competing again at SDCC’s Masquerade.Β I will also be modeling in the Her Universe Fashion Show for my friend Lynleigh‘s entry.Β I’m super excited!
Luckily I don’t have any major costuming work planned any time soon, so it’s time to return to the idea of “taking it easy”.Β I have actually been suffering health problems since the beginning of March, and have finally been diagnosed with PCOS.Β There are days when coping is difficult, and I just have to take a break.Β Everyone has their challenges, and finding a balance is important.Β For me, I guess it’s time now to focus on diet, exercise, and taking care of myself.Β It’s been 14 years since I first started having problems with my health, and doctors suspected I might have endometriosis (which still has not been confirmed either way).Β I am glad to finally have some sort of explanation, though.Β It baffles me that conditions like PCOS and endometriosis are somewhat common, yet so many women struggle for years without answers.Β I am still trying to figure things out.Β Meanwhile, moderation and balance.Β Don’t try to do too much.Β Someday I will listen to myself.
I leave you now with a photo of Tass, sprawled on the printer, without a care in the world.Β It’s one of his favorite places to sleep, but I can’t imagine it actually being comfortable.Β Strange guy.Β What would I do without cats?? I can always count on my two furbabies to brighten my day. β₯
