We all have dreams. I've yet to ever meet a person who didn't have something that they didn't fantasize about one day achieving or doing. But most of us just sit around, never doing anything about it. Here's the thing - you don't have to.
Life circumstances may get in the way, and maybe it really is out of your reach -- but sometimes you'll be given an opportunity. And when opportunity presents itself, you need to take it.
There are times in my life where I've taken the opportunities in front of me - when I got the chance to build No Brand Con from scratch with a few friends of mine. We ended up building an event that changed the way cons were run in the region, and inspired a generation of event runners.
There are times in my life where I didn't take the opportunities in front of me. I let my own fears and anxieties hold me back. Now, I don't know if I would have been a success if I had taken them, but I know that the only regrets I have in this life are that I never tried when I could have.
I know people who don't follow their dreams because they have obligations or people counting on them -- and that's admirable. I hope their situation improves where they can one day reach for more. But I also know people who sit around and talk big... yet never doing anything.
Opportunity is sitting right in front of those people, but they don't take it.
And I honestly sit here wondering why.
- Traegorn
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Today is my birthday, and like most of my birthdays... umm... it's not that different than a normal day. It's only notable that it's my thirty-fifth birthday, which means I am now, officially, no longer part of the mainstream "eighteen to thirty-four year old" demographic media seems designed for. I am, officially, no longer "young" according to most people.
Well, the massive bald spot growing on the back of my head told me that already, but still.
I honestly haven't had a lot of time to ponder it though, because most of my mental energy has been focused on this thing:
Yes, that's right -- the Nerd & Tie Expo. We announced it a couple of weeks ago, and we've now launched an Indiegogo Campaign to raise funds for the event.
We want to run the best convention we can, and even if you're willing to just throw a few bucks our way we'd really appreciate it. In exchange we've got some pretty decent rewards - including basic stuff, like admission to the event to some absolutely bonkers options.
We think it's a good deal.
Honestly, between the blog and the convention, Nerd & Tie dominates a lot of my creative energy. It's been really obvious in how this blog has slowed down as I'm writing multiple news stories a day over at the other site. This blog isn't going away any time soon, but it's not likely to have more than the occasional posts now...
...but you've probably noticed that already.
Ah well, such is life. At least I'm having fun.
- Traegorn
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I realize that there are people who read my personal blog who don't read Nerd & Tie, so even though we let the cat out of the bag last weekend, you might not know that I'm starting a new convention with my cohorts over there.
It's called the Nerd & Tie Expo, and it's coming to Eau Claire, WI next year.
For those paying attention, this is the huge news I've been sitting on for a few months, as we wanted to make sure that all the contracts were signed and that we could really pull this off. We'll be starting a crowdfunding campaign pretty soon to raise capital for the event, and I'm hoping you choose to help us bring this bizarre dream to reality.
For the most part, I've been out of running cons for a few years -- but like many addicts, I'm relapsing. We're doing it in a familiar location too, so it's really, really exciting.
We've got a great team of people running this event, including staffers I've worked with for over a decade. This is really an all-star team putting together this event, and I think this, long term, has the opportunity to be one of the best regional cons anyone has ever seen.
Y'know, assuming we don't screw it up.
I don't have a whole lot more to say at this moment that I didn't say over on my announcement post, but if you watch that space (and this one) you'll see some great guest announcements over the next few months and a whole lot of awesomeness.
Again, I'm really, really excited.
- Traegorn
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So this weekend I'll be at Geek.kon in Madison, WI. I've been going almost every year (I missed one year because it clashed with my sister's wedding), and as always I'm excited to go.
I have a spot in the artist alley if anyone feels like stopping by, saying hi, or picking up a print collection of UnCONventional or The Chronicles of Crosarth.
I'll also be doing a live show of Nerd & Tie alongside Nick and Pher, and I'm pretty excited about that too -- mostly because we're announcing something huge there. Yes, it's that huge thing I alluded to last entry, and since I can't talk about it, it's been one of the reasons this blog has been silent.
Well, maybe not, but that's my excuse right now.
When I say this announcement is big, well... let's just say... it's big. Nerd & Tie is becoming something quite awesome.
Yeah...
Of course, none of this matters if I don't get my crap together and into my car soon...
- Traegorn
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Haven't been blogging much. Lots of stuff going on. I have a big announcement that I can't make yet.
A geek related announcement. Some already know. It's kind of huge. Was on the lake last week with my family and they couldn't get me to shut up about it.
But I can't say anything yet.
I will say something at Geek.kon in Madison in a few weeks. That's where and when I'll make the announcement.
Again - huge. Big stuff. Important. Awesome.
Can't say anything else.
- Traegorn
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So right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in West Plains, MO. Tomorrow is Oz Con, and I have to admit I'm kind of excited about it. If you're going, you can find the event schedule here, but if you're just looking for me, the highlights include: 7:00pm Friday - Never Have I Ever With The Guests
Just what it says on the tin. Along with the other Oz Con guests, I'll be playing Never Have I Ever (or "I've Never" as its known in my neck of the woods). Should be highly entertaining.
9:00am Saturday - So You Want to Start a Webcomic
Join me for the A to Zs of starting your own webcomic. From the creative to the technical, we cover all the bases.
6:00pm Saturday - Cosplay Contest
I'm one of the judges for Oz Con's cosplay contest... so, yay! To be fair, for most of this, you'll just see me sitting in a chair. BUT IT'S ME, IN A CHAIR! EXCITING! Also, y'know, cosplayers.
1:00pm Sunday - Convention Disasters
I've been working cons for almost 20 years, and I have stories. Oh god do I have stories. Some of which I haven't even worked into UnCONventional yet either. So yeah, beyond that I'll also have a table with stuff for sale, and that's neat too.
Again, you should be there.
Because I am. Or, I mean, will be tomorrow.
Which could be right now for you depending on when you read this, now that I think about it...
- Traegorn
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Five years ago today, I stood in a chapel in a park in Washington County, WI. Five years ago today, Crysta walked down the aisle. Five years ago today, she became my wife.
Five years. Five amazing years.
Right now she's carrying a totebag on the other side of the living room, with no idea that I'm writing about her right now. She just smiled at me and put it down. Crysta is packing things in the bag. She hasn't eaten breakfast yet.
She should eat breakfast.
We're getting ready to go spend the weekend on a lake in Northern Indiana near the Michigan border in celebration of these five years (wow, five years). One of our favorite things to do is sit on a lake and do nothing, so that's what we're going to do.
Hopefully the weather will be nice.
So here's to the most wonderful woman I've ever known, and the fact that she continues to put up with my fat, lazy ass sitting on the couch right now is amazing. I just told her I was writing a blog entry about her.
She smiled at me.
Life is pretty awesome some days.
(Mandatory plug: Next weekend I'll be at Oz Con in West Plains, MO - and you should come too)
- Traegorn
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This June is a very busy month for me, as I'm going to be all over the place over the next few weeks. It is very, very exhausting.
And I just got over being sick.
First up I'm going up to Milwaukee as a bunch of my family is getting together to go to a Brewers' game for my dad's birthday. The weekend after that Crysta and I will be celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary -- which is, y'know, a big deal.
I honestly can't believe she's put up with me for this long.
Of course, after that, I'll be headed out to West Plains, MO for Oz Con (June 26-28). Which, y'know, is a whole other thing.
If I fall over, someone please prop me up.
- Traegorn
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So I got back from Anime Central on Sunday night, but I'm only just now feeling awake again.
The convention itself was pretty great - I got to see some old friends, meet some readers of UnCONventional who I hadn't yet, and talk to lots of people who hadn't yet been exposed to the awesomeness of my stuff.
As an added bonus, I also got to see my brother for a bit, since Crysta and I crashed at his apartment.
It's my first time back at a con that size in a really, really long time, and while I still prefer smaller events, I will probably go back next year. My only big regret is that I didn't get to spend as much time with most people as I would have liked, as ACen was a pretty busy con for me.
But an event like that draws all your energy out, and coming home was like crashing into a wall. Whether I like it or not, life goes on post con, and I have schedules, deadlines and work to get done... so I've been kinda in autopilot since.
But today I felt awake. Which is, y'know, a good thing.
The next con on my calendar is Oz Con in West Plains, MO from June 26th to 28th. I'm a guest of honor there, and it's officially my first convention in the state of Missouri. After that, I'm taking July off this year, followed by my annual Geek.kon pilgrimage August 21st to 23rd.
Oh god, do I need some sleep.
At least we've got a three day weekend coming up...
- Traegorn
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