Whenever you go to any kind of convention or gathering where there will be a sizable number of humans packed into a relatively too-small place, it stands to reason that you will want to have a few necessities on hand. Next weekend is Steamfest. This weekend in San Diego (just in case there are those of you just not cool enough to care in the audience) is San Diego Comic Con - the largest convention of its kind and this year tickets sold out in a record breaking 98 minutes.
There are currently 130,000 people milling around a conference center in downtown San Diego and I can guarantee that many of them are having a blast - and they are also tired, hot, smelly and surrounded by annoying people.
I have been in enough situations where I would want a few certain items, and so here is my Convention Kit. These items are ideally able to fit into a smallish messenger bag style purse, or a smallish backpack. Either way, you'll want them in some way, shape or form.
1) Tissues. There will inevitably be coughing, sneezing, allergy and illness ridden people all around you. Keep your germs/snot/facial bodily fluids to yourself. That's how epidemics get started.
2) A hand fan. Preferably one of the folding variety as they get smaller. If you prefer a battery powered unit, try one of those too. Either way, any room filled to capacity with humans is bound to get hot. You can do something about an over-air conditioned room, but you can't do anything about an under-air conditioned one. Flapping hands, programs, pieces of paper and blowing down your cleavage, while entertaining for the rest of us, simply don't do the job.
3) Something to do. If you like Angry Birds on your phone (although, it kinda ruins the spirit of things at a steampunk convention), do that. If you like reading, bring a novel. If you like knitting, crochet, needlepoint - whatever it is to keep you entertained while the annoying people whine about the wait (or to prevent you from becoming one of the annoying people), make sure you have it.
4) Aspirin. Just... don't get caught without it, okay? Trust me.
5) A refillable bottle of water. Because dry swallowing aspirin kinda sucks.
6) Lip balm. These places get weirdly dry, and once you notice your lips are chapped you will be completely obsessed with them until you get some freaking lip balm. Not a fun way to spend the day.
7) If you wear hearing aids like me or any other battery powered correctional device, bring a couple sets of spare batteries. While you should always do this anyway, I'm endlessly surprised at how often people are going with just the batteries already in the device.
8) A small sweater or sweatshirt. For the opposite reason you'd need a fan.
And that's it, folks! Guaranteed to make those who did not pack one of these kits jealous, this is one of the best things I've ever come up with.
Tonight's song is by The Extraordinary Contraptions. It's called "Prelude to the Nocturnis."
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