This post was supposed to go up a few days after I arrived home from PAX, but as you can see, other things required my attention. Then more things filed in a line and wouldn’t let up.
Truth be told, I didn’t really feel like synthesizing my entire con experience. I had plenty of time to think about what to write on the train ride home, and I felt there were some moments I couldn’t remember accurately, and others that I felt were just for myself.
I will say this about the con: Unpub happened in a way I never expected. I would have been happy with just one playtester showing up at my table and giving solid feedback. Instead, I had four vastly different groups that gave me varied perspectives on my game. Mostly positive. But I also realized that introducing my fantasy world through a collaborative improv card game probably isn’t the best method. I also don’t know how I feel about game developing in general right now, so I’ve shelved the game and all current dev attempts. I’m going to focus on other endeavors until that interest inevitably circles around again. Because it will.
I have no regrets, but for future big cons, I’ll either opt for a single- or two-day jaunt. And I’ll probably drive there as well. It took about the same length of time as a car ride, and I’d be far more comfortable. (Really, the train back used to be an overnight sleeper, but they changed it to a plain commuter. But at least now I can tell train advocates that I gave it a try and they should leave me the hell alone.)
The adventure has me wanting to make regular trips up north, although at this point, I outright want to move. I enjoyed my experience in Boston, and I never once felt that I was in danger while walking around. Folks seemed to mind their own business. Of course, I was in the Financial District, which might be one of the safer parts of the metropolis. Still, I’m sure once I tell my relatives about my adventure, they’ll have heart attacks. Because big cities are where bad people live, and little country people like myself get attacked right on sight.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m going to focus on other endeavors and be braver with some of my talents. Such as tarot… well, cartomancy in general. I saw booths selling tarot cards and a few other esoteric items (even Chooseco has a Choose Your Own Adventure tarot deck). If tarot is becoming more mainstream, then maybe it’s time I made it a focus—and got compensated for it
But that’s for another post. I’m actively working on setting things up and deciding how I want to present this sort of content. Because like hell I’m doing the basic bitch reading I see on so many channels: “Hi, soul tribe/family/collective. Let’s see what Spirit wants you to hear. Take this however it resonates because it won’t resonate with everyone, even though all my viewers will likely want it to apply to them. I’m picking up on a chosen one/earth angel/star seed/old soul. I know this because I never do readings for bad people. You have a heart of gold and you’re the life of the party, and you’re incapable of doing any wrong because you’re just that pure. I mean, you’re just so pure, you should just ascend your gross human body already. But it’s a good thing you have me, a person who’s more divinely connected and wiser than you. By the way, there are so many bad people working against you. They’re dark and evil and want to make you feel sad. They’re probably destiny swappers. Isn’t that terrifying? Only I can help you with my direct connection to Spirit, which seems to be shared among every other reader on this platform. But ignore them because I’m the real deal. And it’s not like you could ever develop your own connection to Spirit, even though I just called you a chosen-starseed-angel. Now that I’ve buttered up your ego and rattled your nerves, subscribe to my channel so you won’t miss my other Barnum effect—I mean, divinely-intuited readings. Go to my website and pay me $100 for a three-card reading that you could learn to do yourself with enough education and confidence. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, BYE~!”
I wonder if I could hire different practitioners and have them read the same scenario? I wonder how that would turn out…
Anyway, I’ve got a lot I’m working on right now. I’m very much looking forward to stress testing a few business and career-oriented spreads, as well as practicing with Lenormand and regular playing card decks… and dice, if course. You could also see some comics fairly soon.
Okay, I’ll show one PAX-related photo:
