Hogwarts Has Nothing On My Friends
Aug. 31st, 2015 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teddy_radiatorBack in 2013, I had the chance to attend a Harry Potter Convention - MISTI-Con. It was one of the most positive experiences in my life. I got to meet friends I had met online, and met new friends there. I came away with the feeling that I belonged to something incredibly special; I had fallen in love with my fandom through the people who loved it just as much as I did, and I couldn't wait to go back two years later.
Cut to 2015, and the frustrating realisation that I was not going to be able to attend - money just wasn't there - bad timing, unpredicted expenses, you name it. I told each friend I could speak to how much I wanted them to enjoy MISTI, because I didn't want to be bitter about not attending.
I meant it. I wanted each person I knew to have the best time and the best experience, and aside from Con Crud, I think most of you had a wonderful time.
Then, about a month later, I was sent a link to a Flickr account, where![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
droxyhad posted a ton of photos of MISTI friends posing with an adorable little Steampunk teddy bear - all to tell me they were thinking about me. Thank you, Mary Trupp MacLeod, for the little feller. It made me realise that, while we speak of the magical world JK Rowling created, my friends are the real wizards, bringing MISTI to me, since I couldn't go.
You can see the photos HERE.
Today, I get a box fromsabrebabe - On the outside, it says, "MISTI loves you".
After my heartrate slowed, because Naughty Deb filled the box with a few dozen black plastic spiders! - I start opening this treasure trove of goodies. I found chocolate frogs from Honeydukes. I found a pair of beautifully hand-painted Divination teacups from Deb. I found Cherry Basil Mead. I found a plot bunny from Piper. I found jewelry from Emily, music fromerrandofmercy, I have gorgeous magnifying lenses from Dolores Umbridge!
I have artwork, Christmas ornaments, not one but TWO MISTI t-shirts, totes, bumper stickers, bookmarks, Slytherin coozies, a Cornish Pixie shotglass, candy, tickets, programs, badges....
And nestled within all this fabulous swag, is the teddy bear, the one you all posed with so that I wouldn't feel left out of MISTI 2015.
JK Rowling once made that immortal quote that 'Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home". Hogwarts has nothing on you, MISTI-Con. You have welcomed me home, all of you.
Thank you,sabrebabe, for this box of friendship and love, and to all who contributed their time and talents to the marvelous goodies therein. I will try to be worthy of you. I will spend my life trying to deserve your amazing friendships.
I will never forget this for as long as I live.
In other news, I have ceased praying the grey away. I've stripped back all the dark brown on my hair (pause for a moment of mourning) and put a very aggressively blue/violet blonde colour. I would love to dye it grey, but you can't get proper grey dye in the US for love nor money. I'm stuck with using Hi-lift blue/violet blondes and blue shampoos and hair mousse. I'm also having fun with the retro victory roll/bandana combo - and I couldn't resist showing off the little Steampunk aviator bear that was my stand in at MISTI. There's a definite family resemblance.
Cut to 2015, and the frustrating realisation that I was not going to be able to attend - money just wasn't there - bad timing, unpredicted expenses, you name it. I told each friend I could speak to how much I wanted them to enjoy MISTI, because I didn't want to be bitter about not attending.
I meant it. I wanted each person I knew to have the best time and the best experience, and aside from Con Crud, I think most of you had a wonderful time.
Then, about a month later, I was sent a link to a Flickr account, where
droxyhad posted a ton of photos of MISTI friends posing with an adorable little Steampunk teddy bear - all to tell me they were thinking about me. Thank you, Mary Trupp MacLeod, for the little feller. It made me realise that, while we speak of the magical world JK Rowling created, my friends are the real wizards, bringing MISTI to me, since I couldn't go.You can see the photos HERE.
Today, I get a box from
sabrebabe - On the outside, it says, "MISTI loves you".After my heartrate slowed, because Naughty Deb filled the box with a few dozen black plastic spiders! - I start opening this treasure trove of goodies. I found chocolate frogs from Honeydukes. I found a pair of beautifully hand-painted Divination teacups from Deb. I found Cherry Basil Mead. I found a plot bunny from Piper. I found jewelry from Emily, music from
errandofmercy, I have gorgeous magnifying lenses from Dolores Umbridge!I have artwork, Christmas ornaments, not one but TWO MISTI t-shirts, totes, bumper stickers, bookmarks, Slytherin coozies, a Cornish Pixie shotglass, candy, tickets, programs, badges....
And nestled within all this fabulous swag, is the teddy bear, the one you all posed with so that I wouldn't feel left out of MISTI 2015.
JK Rowling once made that immortal quote that 'Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home". Hogwarts has nothing on you, MISTI-Con. You have welcomed me home, all of you.
Thank you,
sabrebabe, for this box of friendship and love, and to all who contributed their time and talents to the marvelous goodies therein. I will try to be worthy of you. I will spend my life trying to deserve your amazing friendships.I will never forget this for as long as I live.
In other news, I have ceased praying the grey away. I've stripped back all the dark brown on my hair (pause for a moment of mourning) and put a very aggressively blue/violet blonde colour. I would love to dye it grey, but you can't get proper grey dye in the US for love nor money. I'm stuck with using Hi-lift blue/violet blondes and blue shampoos and hair mousse. I'm also having fun with the retro victory roll/bandana combo - and I couldn't resist showing off the little Steampunk aviator bear that was my stand in at MISTI. There's a definite family resemblance.
