This photo is copyrighted and courtesy of Beat Down Boogie.
I cannot believe that I just came back from my third consecutive Dragon*Con! Three and and a half years ago, I did not even know what D*C was! (Gasp!) For those that may be new geeks in training, D*C happens in Atlanta, Georgia and ”is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!”
Here are some of the many “Pros” of the “Con” (pun intended!)
P – The “P” is for the people! They are what make D*C what it is, all 40,000+ of them! Everyone is super friendly, and you get to see amazing costumes! I made a ton of new friends this year! I walked around in costume, with guys from Beat Down Boogie. I did a little video of me walking around as both Naomi from Modern War Gear Solid and Princess Peach from the upcoming Mario Warfare series. Be sure to tell me what you think! Special props to Christopher G. Moore for putting that together for me so quickly! 
R – The “R” is for receptions, as in parties! I know, I could have used the “p” for that, but that was already taken by the people! At D*C, it is always time to party. From the hotel bars, drum circles, live music, and DJ’s, basically where ever you are is a party.
O – The Big “O” is for open, and not what you think it stands for. Get your minds out of the gutter! 
Actually the “O” could stand for “Oh, wow,” because you see some pretty incredible stuff at D*C. It could also stand for “overcrowded.” With 40,000+ people it can get a bit packed, especially in the hotel walkways, but that’s not very positive now is it! So, I decided to go with “open.” With the three main hotels connected, the Hilton, Marriott, and the Hyatt, you are free to roam! Everything is an arm’s length away. I mean everything, including both men and women in duct taped costumes. Plus, with the people being so open and friendly, you are guaranteed to make new friends.
S – The “S” is for Star Wars, of course! What kind of Geek Girl in Training would I be if I didn’t mention Star Wars! This year was especially cool because Carrie Fisher had a panel. She is hilarious! I didn’t expect her to drop as many “F” bombs as she did. I learned a lot of personal stuff about her, like the fact that she was married to Paul Simon and she has one daughter, and I heard some funny anecdotes too, like about the infamous, slave Leia, metal bikini.
I hope to see you in 2012!
Con*fully yours,
Alena
