JordanCon 2024 Travel and Arrival

 

Hello Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. The next few days are going to have a handful of posts. I'm in Atlanta for my first-ever JordanCon! Tress finally got me to come; it only took her four years. I don't do well with crowds, and whether I deal well with people is debatable. Anyway, I signed up for a media pass and will do my best to detail my experience. If you are at the Convention, feel free to say hi! I have badge ribbons to promote the 2024 Reading Challenge (which can be found here.)

Those who don't know about JordanCon can learn more at https://www.jordancon.org/. I would explain, but it's a charity event, and I don't think I could do it justice. So, go to the website, learn about it, come next year, and have fun. I plan on returning next year, and it has not officially started.

My day started obnoxiously early so I could get to the Indianapolis airport by 8. I am not a morning person, and this was a challenge. Luckily, I didn't have any issues with traffic. Security deemed me not to be a threat to the nation, and I quickly went through the checkpoint. I pre-ordered some piping hot Nectar of the Gods (aka coffee) and spent more time waiting at Starbucks than in security. 

After an hour-and-a-half flight on a very crowded plane, I safely made it to Atlanta. Tress, being the lovely person she is, took the MARTA and met me at the Airport, even though she got in yesterday. This is the point where I explain that I am not a real adult. I am the age of an adult, and I have a job, but I am terrified of doing everyday things like taking public transportation. I feel like the closest thing Indiana has to public transit is a hay ride in the cornfield. I do not know how to Uber. I'm vaguely aware there is an App, but that's all I know. I'm unsure how I summon a driver if I have to give them my non-existent firstborn or how it works. I've also watched too many true crime stories and would rather not be kidnapped. So, Tress acquired me and we had a lovely lunch at TGI Friday's. Then, it was off to the shuttle to the Marta Station, where we took the rail to the general hotel area. The view from the hotel is fantastic, and there's a whole garden where you can walk!

Because Atlanta is approximately 37 degrees hotter than the sun, and I was already sunburnt from the 1/2-mile walk from the station to the hotel, we just chilled for a few hours in the room. Eventually, we decided more coffee was needed, so we walked to the Starbucks next door. Being that this is Tress's fifth year, she was able to socialize and talk to people. She introduced me, and then I made attempts to socialize before registration. There were conversations about books, previous conventions, and other nerdiness. I did my best to act like an extrovert and was included in conversations, so I think that counts as a successful attempt at being a human. We now have our badges and have already started to collect ribbons. Because I'm not done with the series and have yet to read much Sanderson, I've had to have many of these explained to me. I'll understand them someday, however. 

Tress's ribbon is for the Taylor Swift Parody she did last year for a Parody competition. She's been going around singing it and getting it in people's heads—mainly mine. You can check it out and get this earworm in your head by going here. After the registration, it was dinner at Cheesecake Factory with a new friend and more socializing. One thing I really enjoyed about this first day was the vibe and getting to know people. It was relaxed, and I didn't feel like I had to prove my nerdiness to anyone or defend myself for not having finished the series yet. Everyone so far has been incredibly friendly. 

The official shenanigans start tomorrow. I want to attend many of the writing panels this weekend, but I'm currently playing it by ear. Tomorrow is apparently Tiara Day. I decided that I needed to dress up fully, so I will be running around in costume and getting a photo shoot done. Here is a sneak peek of my costume.