It all starts with a chest

Story of my life.

Actually, I generally find that when struck down with a cold or flu bug, everything usually starts in my head. Nose, throat, cough, etc.

This new one started in my chest. Last night I woke myself with what I thought was a nose-whistle and turned out to be a wheeze in my chest. Eew.

So, I still went in today to help get the store ready for the event tomorrow. I also picked up some airborne, throat drops (sugar free), and Orange Juice at Walgreen's.
Then I dealt with my business at the Gonorrhea (er, Galleria). I had to return the car charger for my Ipod that the Apple store sold me, because it was not compatible with my Ipod. (Sold to me despite my having brought the Ipod into the store, and explained about how USB cords don't recharge it.)
I also had to return (Oh, sorry, "Even-Exchange") over a hundred dollars worth of tea that some bozo sold my housemate at Teavana.

That's a rant for a different day.

I also headed over to whole foods and picked up lunch, along with some delicious foods. Tangelos! Those were completely awesome! Non-dairy milks! Cashew butter! (Oh, GOD Caaaashewww buuuuutter...)

So I'm feeding my body, and beating back the evil bug with megadoses of vitamins and drugs. (The drugs were already in the house.) Now I'm going to have a nice nap, then I'll have some delicious tea (because I have a HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMN TEA IN MY HOUSE) so I can infuse myself with some green tea. The body, it begs me for green tea this time of year.

Send me the healing energies, folks. I have to work an event tomorrow that requires my full attention and voice, as I'm teaching. I then have to get on a plane and fly to Texas, then get on a plane and fly to California on Sunday. I'd really like to try to have this thing licked by then.

Where to go and where to not go

For many years now, I have supported and promoted Teavana, particularly the location in the Galleria. I've been serving Teavana tea at the Mad Scientists' Tea Party for at least four, maybe five years. Lately I've been offering flyers and catalogs at those events as well.

So when someone close to me wanted to get some high quality tea, I felt completely confident sending her to the Teavana at the Galleria. She went with a mutual friend who was familiar with the store, too. This was my friend's first visit.

I must tell you, I am mortified about what happened next.

( The horror, the horror! )

I really want to stress this to anyone who reads my journal and is considering going to Teavana for some of their quality products: Visit the one in West County. They're the ones who impressed me in the first place. Visit the one in Frontenac Plaza, because they're sweet and nice and awesome, even at the end of the day. Visit the one in Chesterfield Mall, which is great by virtue of NOT being the one at the Galleria. (I know that there's one in that mall but I haven't shopped there.) Do not visit the store in the Galleria, or if you do let them know that you don't plan to buy and why.

Tevana really does have quality products which I intend to continue to enjoy.

I mean, I have to. I have $100 worth of tea to consume.

So please come to our tea-themed events at Kawa Kon, and drink our tea. We have a steampunk track that includes a Tea 101 run by the lovely and talented bakadragon, and an ice cream social (which, believe me, will have some iced tea available for drinking.)
I am running the doll High Tea on Sunday, which includes an actual luncheon and is only an additional $5.

Drink our tea! Please!

Anime? Not entirely.

You know what? I like Anime. I liked it when we called it 'Cartoons', and when we called it 'Japanese Animation', and when we called it 'Japanime'.

Voltron, defender of the universe! Go Speed Racer, Go! Battle of the Planets! Robotech!

And let's not forget the American projects that also farmed out their animation to asian studios. Rankin-Bass had some of their projects animated by the team that would go on to form Studio Gibli. (There's a *reason* why we're all in love with The Last Unicorn...)

And I'll bet you like Anime, too. Ok, now it's things like Innuyahsa and Bleach and Full Metal Alchemist, and society has finally gotten the hint that one can tell amazing stories through the medium of animation that are not *just* for kids.

Most of the people on my friends-list are "Fans". Con-goers. Weirdos who dress in funny costumes and read/watch kids' stuff. I'm damn proud of my weirdo-American heritage and I'm betting that most of you are, too.

Show of hands: Who misses NTC and the other short-lived conventions that used to happen in the spring? Who misses having something to look forward to other than Archon and out-of-town cons?

Something interesting has happened in the world of Anime Conventions. This year's Kawa Kon has tracks for Anime, it is true. It has Anime-themed events. But do you like Doctor Who? How about Harry Potter? Perhaps you're into this new-fangled Steampunk movement? Are you suddenly inexplicably obsessed with BJDs?
Those are all TRACKS of programming at this convention! Hokey SMOKES! There's a QUIDDITCH match, for goodness' sake, with St. Louis' own Viktor Krumm (impersonator) as the ref! There's a Steampunk Social, and workshops! There's going to be Doctor Who-lympics! And if you're into BJDs or *any* kind of dolls or articulated toys, I'm the one in charge of that track and you all know that I bring the fun.

Guys, the best kept secret in the city is that there's a fantastic SF/F convention, right here, with a fully-formed Anime track and a whole lot more!

So I'll be donning my Steampunk gear, my Doctor Who-inspired stuff, and perhaps something that fits neatly in the Hogwarts School of Wizardry's dress code. Or maybe I'll bust out that costume inspired by a Voltron character that I've been threatening to wear.

Get yourself and your friends registered and come out to play!
www.kawakon.com