Three words terrify any collector: sewer pipe leak. Last summer part of my comic book collection was exposed to “black water.” Fortunately, comic bags did their job and protected 98% of the comics inside waterlogged boxes. However, the 2% lost included several coveted graphic novels below (where larger comic bags didn’t make a perfect seal and water wicked inside).
Other ruined mementos included several hundred unprotected collector cards. What ensued was an ongoing distraction as I began a months-long process of rebagging, organizing, and indexing my old collection (a task I wouldn’t finish until March). This project also included photographing boxes of old documents that were contaminated, but still legible. Let’s just say I used lots of nitrile gloves during this time!
This nostalgic-but-tedious distraction led me to my first major comic book convention, Fallcon. I went there to better understand what to do with my comic collection (primarily downsizing/selling). There’s lots to learn since my hey-day comic book collecting 30-40 years ago. My top priority was attending a panel that discussed the rise of encapsulated cases associated with third-party grading services (something card collectors have done for decades).
While I hunted to replace some of the lost comics, I chatted with dealers, enjoyed fan art (including a massive Lego art display), plus chatted with two cosplayer organizations that cheer up kids, liven up parades, etc. (Minnesota Superheroes United, Costumers With A Cause, and Nomad Ghostbusters).
When winter began, unfortunately my aging parents had health setbacks escalate into full crisis mode. As countless families know, caregiver emergencies are stressful. The creative ideas and wisdom that comes from my experience will no doubt pay dividends in the future, such as an activity I’ll detail more on in Part III. The immediate effect was demands on my time red-lined for six months, which included being a full-time caregiver for almost three weeks. Of course I regret none of this help, but it required me pausing all non-critical activities (such as creative writing). As stress snowballed, I realized I had to work on my own mental health. That meant reprioritizing fun events and distractions in my life.
So, for a brief January mental break, I ventured onto a frozen lake to attend the annual Art Shanty Projects. This interactive art village is quite unique (profiled by the Associated Press and New York Times). My favorite shanty this year was a witch’s house packed with potions, ingredients, spells, and fun stories. Getting decent photos inside this surreal shanty was nearly impossible (due to the lighting and cramming in 8-10 bodies at a time), but my lead photo above is from inside (“Times Are Tough, But Not Middle Ages Tough”). The tour ended with the option of exiting via a small portal that allegedly went to another dimension—only for brave kids and grownups limber enough to crawl through (which I did!).
February’s fun break was Con of the North. This convention epitomizes the current gaming renaissance. Literally hundreds of games I’d never heard of were on display. Role-playing games were also prolific, including a simultaneous D&D game with a 100+ players that raised funds for charity (selling reroll coupons and such). My favorite games during the three days were Starving Artist, Dune Imperium, Settlers of Catan, Knuckle Sammich, and Wingspan.
Meandering between games was amusing too. Many unreleased games were being beta-tested, so chatting with the game designers was educational. A gaming industry panel was also interesting (link here) as I tinker with a board game idea of my own. I pre-registered for next year’s convention, where a new venue will allow even more gaming. Next year’s “wanna play” list is already daunting, especially if I run a game session or two of my own (one old, obscure game for kids, and a recent game that it’s hard to find ten players for maximum intrigue).
Marscon was my last winter diversion. I earned a blood donor ribbon while hopping between numerous sci-fi/fantasy panels. My favorite panel discussed the psychology and morale complexity of rogue characters. Another standout panel went over the long history and politics of pirates, smugglers, and privateers (both panels supported this year’s “Gone Rogue” theme).
My main focus though was to sample “filk” concerts (quirky, fan music). This eccentric, comedic music ranges from experimental to techno to spoken word. Sometimes there’s just a simple soundtrack playing on a cell phone. Filk songs aren’t for everyone! But they definitely broaden one’s mind about musical genres and creative expression. Other impressive performing arts were also showcased, including dancers and martial artists. Plus, a nice surprise was joining a pickup game of the classic, out-of-print DUNGEON! board game.
As winter’s mix of helping family and fun distractions ended, spring finally made me feel like I could, and wanted to, write. I’ll detail this in the Part III blog post. For others struggling with writing amid life’s distractions, click here for an inspiring Writer’s Digest article by Paula Rizzo, “Getting Over the Guilt of Not Writing.” I’ll end this post with an excerpt:
“Who and what has been taking up the time you wanted to spend writing? Maybe you have new responsibilities in your family or at work. Maybe you got into a new hobby that takes more time than you anticipated. It’s OK to prioritize other things, because those things all enrich your writing practice too.”
Click here to read Part III (link to be added when the post is published).