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Despite various personal mishaps and actually being rather disappointed by the Hyatt during my second stay there, I very much enjoyed Comic Con. I was there for the two Critical Role panels and all the announcements. (I got to Ballroom 20 literally right before the One Piece screening and there was no line; I just walked right in!) Sunday I attended two more panels, including the Queer Eye for Elfquest which left me with a new level of awareness of just how radical that comic was for its original time, as well as how the free and accepting elf society portrayed there influenced my views and writing, and probably starting before I was even old to understand all that I was reading! I purchased a print of mermaids meeting casually with a sea serpent, some geeky cat stickers, a Quark's t-shirt, and a very pretty new oven mitt that probably going to be very useful indeed.
Before any of that, though, I finally made it to the San Diego Zoo, and managed to see most of it, including the pandas. Thirty years after I did a school report on the then nearly-extinct California condor as an endangered species, I finally got to see one in person. Friday and Saturday I went on a seal tour where we got to see sea lions, checked out the city's Natural History museum, and Friday night when the Sing on Street YouTube channel hosted outdoor karaoke in the Gaslamp Quarter, I got to sing "Down by the River" to the crowds. (I don't think they'll put me on YouTube, since I mostly just stood there and sung, though the guy running it complimented my voice.)
Now I am back, and facing down having to make a decision about New York very soon. But I do know I'll be going to Atlanta next May. I ended up buying that live show ticket while I was literally walking out of the plane! I also wrote an extra narrative interlude inspired by all the talking I've been doing about my first BG3 playthrough and Tav on the discords, though it may be late in the week before I have that ready for posting.