Why I Love Conventions

Growing up was a mixed bag for me and the things I was passionate about. On one hand, I loved sports. I loved playing them. I loved watching them. On the other hand, I was a complete and total nerd. Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and comics ruled my world. I never found any shortage of people who would engage with me when it came to sports. I was a walking encyclopedia of sports stats. I would rattle them off like a preacher reading scripture. I wasn’t any different with my nerdly pursuits but except for my two close friends, no one cared.

I was teased and bullied growing up. It wasn’t always about my nerd pursuits. Sometimes it was because I simply could not shut up (I know this is shocking). I wouldn’t allow people to say things to me that were hurtful without responding. You couldn’t tease me about comics and not get an earful. You couldn’t be a bully around me without me getting in your face. It led to more conflicts than my psyche was truly comfortable handling. I was often quite stressed.

The interesting thing is I got to a point where I truly didn’t care what people thought about me or the things I liked. My geeking out spread to computers, history, old TV shows, and a whole host of other things. I became comfortable in my skin. I loved talking to people. Sharing with them my passion. It didn’t matter if it was about the San Francisco Giants or the X-Files. It was the community and the friendships.

This is why I love going to conventions. It has little to do with the actual convention theme and everything to do with hanging out with friends. People who share the passion for the world I live in. People who want to share new finds or what they are geeking out on. People who see how excited I am about buyiny a Funko Pop Rocketeer and Roger Rabbit and totally get why. WonderCon was another rousing success. Thanks to all my friends who made it so.