DarkSlinky

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I’ve had a few days in my life where everything simply played out perfectly and yesterday was one of them.
“Racing partner and Ford Cobra GT write off” is another example of one of these amazing days.

What did I do, you ask?

I won the first cosplay competition I’ve ever entered, that’s what, dressed as the Scout from Team Fortress 2.

A few months ago at a housewarming party a friend of a friend of mine suggested we all get a group of people together and go to Brisbane’s 2011 Supanova as the Red Team from Team Fortress 2.  We joked around about it, discussed who could potentially play what character and decided to go for it.  It was decided I would be the Scout.

As the weeks went by we planned and collaborated via e-mail, everyone working on their own clothes and weapons and gradually we began to resemble the red team – everything minus the spy and the pyro unfortunately.

When the day finally came we all got up early so we could arrive at Supanova with plenty of time to spare.  We queued for over an hour to get in, and then queued to sign up for the cosplay competition, some of us reluctantly, thinking it was too much effort and we couldn’t possibly win despite how happy we were with our costumes.

After two or more hours waiting to go on stage, our opportunity to present our costumes finally arrived.  I didn’t realise it was going to be in front of such a big crowd, but the cheer was enormous.  We all ran out on stage, the soldier first as he yelled “GO, GO, GO!”

Above our heads they had a screen with “They’re all spies!” as we stood there posing, waiting, watching the host stare at us in awe, as the heavy spun his mini-gun barrel.  This caught the hosts’ attention and he immediately moved down the line to talk to him first.

Host (to heavy):  “How did you make this gun?”
Heavy (in Russian accent):  “Engie is credit to team.”
Host (to engie):  “So, you tell me, how was the gun made?”
Engie (in American accent):  “I took a gun, and I added more gun.”

The crowd loved it.

The host then proceeded down the line, asking my team questions and all of them remaining in character.  I was ready with an answer, but he unfortunately skipped the last couple of us and went back to addressing the crowd.  The soldier then waved his arm, yelled, “ROLL OUT!” and we marched off stage, the crowd cheering behind us.

My boyfriend, who was dressed as the sniper, wanted to go and buy more stuff from the stalls but I told him I wanted to stay for the results, even though I doubted we would win.   I told him he could go by himself, which he did, but the venue with the stalls was closed and he came straight back which was kind of lucky.

When the results were finally announced, at first they said we had come second, which we were stoked with.  Then they said there had been a mistake and we hadn’t come second, which was disappointing, until they announced we had actually come first for the group cosplay.

It was a long, hot day with a lot of queuing, waiting and literally thousands of photos taken by hundreds of both strangers and friends, but it was so worth it.

Thanks to my amazing team.  I love you guys.

Now to plan for next year’s competition…

<3 DarkSlinky.

Team Fortress 2 Red Team

On the stage, from left to right: Engie, heavy, medic, demoman, sniper, scout, heavy, host.

Soldier, heavy, scout, sniper. Taken by Kohanna Photography.

I never planned to get Pokémon Black or Pokémon White, neither did I didn’t get particularly hyped up about it.  I was vaguely excited but I think I knew deep down it’d be overpriced and I’d just be heartbroken when it came out and I couldn’t afford it.

Well, I bought it last week, which is my reason for not going outside much.

It is fantastic.

The best part of it is I got it cheaper purely because I’m a girl.  Let me explain:

My boyfriend and I went shopping one night and saw it somewhere for $59.  He said he’d buy it for both of us at that price and we decided to shop around to see if we could find it cheaper.  We came across it in another shop with a sign for $49 above it; however the games themselves had $59 on them.   He said he’d go ask someone, I said I’d look at laptops while I waited.

After a while of waiting around, I decided to go look for him to see what was going on.  I came across an employee hanging around the games section and decided to ask him about it myself.  I said the game was marked at $49 and asked him if he would give it to me for that price.  He looked me up and down and asked me to show him the sign with $49 on it.

I showed him the sign and he said it should have been $59, but he’d give it to me to $49 anyway.  At this point, Snags had found me and was standing behind the guy out of his view.  I saw Snags standing there and explained to him that this guy would give us the game for $49.  The salesman turned around, looked at Snags and told us what to tell the cashier before scurrying off in a hurry.

I asked Snags what that was all about, and he explained he had already asked the same guy if he would give him the game for $49 and he had said no.  He asked me how I got it for that price off the same guy; I replied that I’m cuter than he is.

Now, I’m all for equality, woman power and moderate feminism, but if a silly boy is going to go all gaga because I’m a girl gamer then that’s his problem and I’m not going to complain if I benefit from it.  The whole incident made my day.

<3 DarkSlinky.

On Friday night I went to see an awesome pianist perform.  I didn’t know of him before I saw him and I can’t recall his name now, but it was entertaining and a lot of fun.  I was glad to spend the evening with a close friend I don’t see much, too.

The only problem was I must have been walking in a stranger way than usual because I came home with huge blisters in the most awful place – just under my big toe… sort of.

Anyway, this wouldn’t have bothered me if I didn’t have a 7 and a half hour shift on Saturday.  I’ve never had pain that bad in my feet.  Ever.

I did have a point, but now I can’t remember what it was.

[Ten minutes later] Oh yes I do remember.

I want to play Team Fortress 2 while I wait for the washing to finish but I just can’t bring myself to do it, especially after the whole crate thing happened.  Yes, I’m one of those people who is incredibly annoyed at the crate thing…  I don’t care what anyone says.  It’s a stupid idea that gives rich (or obsessive) people an advantage over people with lives.  I’d go into it further but I can’t be bothered.

The other thing is I got kicked out of the clan whose server I used to play on, so either I play on a server with strangers and put up with, “ZOMG GIRL ONLINE HURP,” or I play with the obnoxious and perverted people that kicked me out…

Why did I get kicked out, you ask?  The reason I was given was that I’m not active enough.  Of course, how selfish of me not to play online games while I’m overseas.  Coincidentally I was removed after I corrected the leaders’ grammar repeatedly, and he happens to be an aspiring writer.  For shame.  Whatever, I can do better.  I love Pants Party.

Since remembering what I wanted to say and ranting about it the washing has finished.

<3 DarkSlinky.