So, it's been ages since I've had time to update my DA Journal!  Life's been keeping me busy since March, so this will just be a very BRIEF overview of everything!   I have also been really behind in uploading photos here and to my Facebook--for those of you who also keep in touch with me there.  I will try my best to finish uploading all of these photos ASAP!

--- Con-Nichiwa ---

So, Con-Nichiwa 2011 was a BLAST!!! On Friday, I was Howl from Howl's Moving Castle.  On Saturday, I was Kadaj from FFVII: Advent Children.  And I was Kaito from Madness of Duke Venomania on Sunday.  I was so happy that my friend Courtney (she was cosplaying as Yuki from Vampire Knight on Friday and Saturday, and she cosplayed as Gumi on Sunday) and I were able to attend together!  It was her first time at a convention--and her first time cosplaying!  ^^  I also got to hang out with my friends--including ones that I don't get to see that often!  And I made a few new ones--like the amazing ninja Yuffie ( )!

The reactions I got while cosplaying as Howl on Friday were great!   (I tried so hard to keep that cosplay a surprise--the reactions were worth it!)  Kyou ( ) was my Sophie and Andrea ( ) was my Calcifer on Friday.  Karaoke was fun~!  Afterwards, I hung out with my friend, Bonnie ( ), who went as Kiki.  I attended 's Otaku Fitness panel.  It was very helpful!  I got a lot of good tips!

On Saturday, I got to the con and only discovered--once I'd changed in the bathroom--that I'd forgotten one of the straps for my pauldrons back in my dorm room.  Andrea was an amazing lifesaver for driving me back to get it...! TwT  Thank you!  I still feel bad about that emergency run!  I REALLY APPRECIATED IT THOUGH!!!  Right before that crisis, I bumped into my friend Jesse from English class in the Final Fantasy panel.  The rest of Saturday was really nice.  I popped by a panel that Gackto was running.  Then I went to the Kuroshitsuji cafe and to the auction afterwards.  I got to "kidnap" Mai ( ) as Moogle Girl!!!  I was so happy that she cosplayed as her when I was Kadaj!  I then disappeared for a while to help my friend, Valerie ( ) , with a skit for the Masquerade!  (She ended up winning a prize for "Best Wings"!)

Our skit in the Masquerade can be viewed here: [link] .

(I never managed to make it to the mini-Matsuri festival at Con-Nichiwa.  :/ I hope that it'll come back again next year.)

Sunday was quiet and relaxing.  My friends and I decided to cosplay from Madness of Duke Venomania. was Luka, her now-fiance was Gakupo ( ), Courtney was Gumi, and I was Kaito.  I got to participate in cosplay chess for the first time, rather than just being a spectator. Oh, and Valerie's fiance won one of the top prizes in the raffle that was held to benefit the victims of the disaster in Japan!

---Graduation---

I graduated from the University of Arizona this past May, with my B.A. in Creative Writing and my B.A. in English.  I also completed my minor in spanish.

---Summer 2011---

During Memorial Day weekend, I traveled back to Pennsylvania to visit my family.  I'm especially glad to see my grandfather every time I have a chance to visit.  My family there also wanted to celebrate my graduation, so I had a lot of fun.  When I returned back to Phoenix, I was fortunate enough to participate in a paid summer internship in the technical documentation department with a software distribution company here in Phoenix.  Although the internship is now over, I feel that I learned an exceptional amount--and it's an experience I'd do again in a heartbeat.   

I also tested for my black belt in Ryuseiken Battodo.  I was extremely nervous, but so grateful to have sensei Monica help me prepare for my test.  Sensei Ashley was kind enough to be my partner for the kata.  The black belt promotion ceremony was this past July--and I may upload some pictures from it to DA, when I receive them!  I'm grateful that my friends were able to attend the promtion ceremony and celebrate with me.

I also went to Wisconsin to attend my cousin Joey's wedding in July. ^^

---Upcoming Plans and Conventions---

I think that that's about all I can think of in terms of updates for what's happened this past summer.

I hope to attend Saboten-con 2011, but I'm not sure if I'll be wearing any new cosplays at this convention.  I may just touch-up the existing cosplays that I have.  I'm not quite certain which cosplays I'll be wearing on which days.

Friday: ???
Saturday: ???
Sunday: ???

You may see and I wandering around at the con. ^^  I'll also probably be wearing a vocaloid cosplay at some point.

The Sky Castle Ball (steampunk+Miyazaki-themed) sounds like a lot of fun.  And I do have Howl... X3  But I don't know if I'd have any time to try and incorporate steampunk and do it well.

---Checklist---

To-Do List:

Finish uploading Con-Nichiwa Pictures.  (I also took video, but the sound quality isn't as good as I hoped--especially for some of the panels.  I might upload some of the footage to Facebook.  However, I received errors when I tried to upload these files earlier.)

Finish uploading pictures from the Aqua photoshoot. ( as Aqua from Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep).

Upload pictures/videos of the Ryuseiken Battodo cutting demonstration at the Kodenkan of Tucson.

Upload pictures from the Cosplayers for a Cause: Cosplay Cafe to Benefit Japan.

Upload pictures from the Kaigi Picnic in the Park event at Dunlap Park.

Upload pictures from a cosplay meet-up at the Fiesta mall.

Upload pictures from .hack// photoshoot. ( as Kite, as Shino, and myself as Elk.)



Like I said, I will try my best to have all of these photos uploaded ASAP.  I may jump around and upload pictures to DA in a non-chronological order.  It just depends on how much time I have to work on these photos each day.

That's all I have for now! Thanks for listening, guys! ^w^