Let Me Introduce Myself (:

Hello! I'm so glad you're reading Adventure Junkie!

I am Heiwa Kibo Hane, the newest member of the Adventure Junkie Team.

Basically, I will be doing the reviews for all of the different comic-cons and anime conventions for this blog. I work with Ani-Maze-Me and do basically the same thing, but Aki Okami has most of that under control for Ani-Maze-Me. Taylor and I will operate this blog separately and share all of our adventures with you! :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

You can check me out on facebook, too!

Sandwich Junkie

Random, necessary Fun Fact: 

Not only am I an adventure junkie, I also willingly confess to being a foodie.

Okay, so now for my random thought.

I was sitting at Firehouse Subs in Morganton, NC with my mom and little sister and one of them sparked an idea. I think it was Mom who mentioned that there isn't a good sub shop in town--or at least not one that isn't overpriced. So my next adventure was born! It's a little cheesy, but the plan is to eat at (and do a review of) all of the local and surrounding sub shops. 

The Goal:

I want to find edible sandwiches that I don't have to work three jobs to afford. 

I don't have a hit list of sub shops just yet, because I'm not exactly sure how many local shops there are. If you have a personal favorite, please comment below and I'll visit it for sure! 

I know I'll be going to each of the Subways (there are like 6 of them). I'll be going to Jersey Mike's and Jimmy John's, too, and I guess I have to go back to Firehouse Subs. I'll be making a separate post for each of the reviews so it'll be easy to follow. 

Eventually, I'l let you know which is best (in the opinion of The Adventure Junkie)!

Please, continue following my randomness and entertaining my weirdom. Thank you for reading!

What Does "Butler" Mean to You?

Sebastian Michaelis Cosplay

Anime Sebastian Michaelis

It's very difficult to have adventures when one is struggling with depression caused by various other health issues. I've been feeling a little better lately, so I started doing some more things with my adventure partners!

For example, I went shopping at the closest mall to me (Valley Hills Mall) with my little sister last Wednesday. It was a normal shopping trip for the most part--and it was the first time I drove my Jeep on the interstate for a long-ish distance! But my blood sugar was too high to drive home after we finished our mall crawl, so she came up with an awesome idea.

Before I tell you what her idea was, I have to explain why she had it to begin with. Autumn's favorite thing to do is watch anime. (Discuss anime. Cosplay. Write about anime. Fangirl. Make edits for her anime pages on facebook--yeah, you get it.) One of her favorite anime characters is Sebastian Michaelis, the demon Butler from Black Butler with fantastically good looks. An Otaku girl's dream event is a "Butler Cafe," in which a host of attractive young cosplayers dress up as Butlers and wait on their every need. So I decided I would host a Butler Cafe for my sister as a belated birthday gift. (It has become a community event and will be held July 2nd. If you would like to attend, please email me and I will keep you updated!)

We have discovered that not a whole lot of people know what a Butler Cafe is really supposed to be, Autumn thought it would be a good idea to walk around the mall and survey people's impression of the term "Butler." There were an overabundance of people who see a butler only as an old English guy that does house chores for you. Sure, that is what a Butler can be, but that is not what a Butler should be. Someone said that a Butler is a "member of the family," and another person said that a butler "is someone that helps you out when you need it." That is more like what I want people to think about when they consider "Butler." Someone that you can depend on. A loyal companion, even when no one else is.

That is definitely hard to capture in a 1-day event, but it's the idea that I want my guests to leave with. In order to discover how to market that, Autumn and I literally walked all the way around the mall--twice--and asked everyone the question "What does Butler mean to you?" And then we proceeded to Morganton and asked everyone in our area the same question. Literally, everyone. Again, everyone considers a butler as a background figure. But a butler in the anime sense is way more than that! That is what we told people when they asked why we were doing a survey, and then we were able to do some free marketing for the Butler Cafe.

A Sebastian Quote

What I learned from this experience:

Several things were brought to my attention through this idea.

First thing was that anime and the fandoms typically bring people out of their shells. Like, Autumn kind of has anxiety when she has to talk to people she doesn't know very well. But when she's talking about the fandom and her Butler Cafe, she's not even nervous. It's amazing to see how it shifts comfort zones so easily. It's like therapy.

The second thing was that it's rather fun to do something totally random without any hesitation. Our spontaneous craziness was the most entertaining thing that week. I enjoyed talking to people and learning things about them, and about how to market pretty much anything. Asking a single question can answer a lot of problems in the marketing/research world, so I have discovered.

A third thing was that not that many people know what a Butler Cafe is, or much about the Fandoms at all. If people understood the freedom that comes from belonging to the fandoms, they might not be so hesitant to participate. The event that I am planning is meant to make people feel loved (by way of pampering), regardless of anything else that they have going on at that point in time. Everyone needs that and that is what the fandoms are for. It is also what family is for. 

I also learned that sister-dates are good therapy, and I was in desperate need of an escape from my mind. It has been a long month, but I'm feeling much better lately. It is very important for me not to be alone when I am feeling lonely, and I guess I needed to realize that.

My advice to you: anything can turn into an adventure. You just have to learn to be spontaneous, and say yes to the crazy ideas every once in a while. Everything is a learning opportunity, and sometimes it can be fun and rewarding! 

Discipleship Now 2016

Every year my church does something called "Discipleship Now." It is a weekend filled with worship and service. Kind of like a summer camp, but over a weekend and it is usually in the spring.

Students will show up on a Friday evening and have dinner with the group. After that there is a series of large-group and small-group bible studies. The smaller groups (i.e., junior-high girls, senior-high girls, junior-high boys and senior-high boys) then split up and head to a "host home." A host home belongs to a church member that has volunteered to allow a certain group to stay with them Friday and Saturday night. Ideally, lights-out before eleven. Realistically, lights out before about 3 a.m.. Saturday morning there will be a large group session and small group session again. The mission project is after lunch on Saturday, and then the groups will join together to have some sort of activity (like hiking or going to the movies). The day ends with another large group and small group session. The groups return to their host homes and crash for the night. This year, the groups met at one of our favorite breakfast places before church. The final large group and small group sessions were held Sunday evening, but I had to work so I didn't get to experience those.

Last weekend was DNow at Burkemont, and this year I was blessed enough to be able to teach the junior high girls. I had to re-work my work schedule so I could be there for half of the weekend (I also went to prom on Saturday night), but it was very much worth it. I don't have pictures, but I have a list of things that I learned from the weekend that will be included in this "review."

Overview

D-Now this year was an incredible, overwhelming experience and I am very blessed to have gone. God spent the entire weekend speaking to me. (I love it when He does that!) The girls I was teaching, and my co-teacher, were very open with each other and I'm hoping we can keep up with that. (One of my least favorite things about church activities like that is that groups usually disband at the end of the event and the members do not stay connected.) We spent the weekend learning how to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. In smaller group sessions, we found ways to apply that to everyday life and we challenged each other to do so. 

I only got 2 hours of sleep on Friday night (not really sure why--but probably because Autumn, my sister, wasn't there). That made for a very long Saturday and a very interesting prom Saturday night. Saturday, I got 3 hours of sleep. Sunday I was absolutely exhausted because I was going on 5 hours of sleep from all weekend. However, the lack of sleep taught me that I was capable I think. 

D-Now is something I would definitely recommend for all families with junior high or high school aged children. It is a full worship weekend, and it is amazing to me how God always shows up in some way. Even, and perhaps especially if the child attending is not a religious person it is a very good event to participate in. 

What I learned

I came home Saturday night from prom still thinking about the abundance of information and revelation that I had gotten from D-Now. Before I forgot everything, I made a list. (Then I passed out and went to sleep.)

• One of my students taught me that we are individuals, and wanting to be like someone else is discrediting what God made in you. (I knew that, but she put it to me in a very profound way). She also taught me to write down what I learn so that I can reflect on it later. I had gotten out of the habit of doing that. 
• My co-teacher (Becca) taught me that she can sing ANY Rihanna song better than even Rihanna can. Probably any pop song in general, actually.
• Becca also taught me that it is important to share my story, because you never know how God might use it. God can take broken things and make them beautiful. 
• Seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. 
• If we only love those who love us back, then what kind of love are we showing? 
• Being "normal" is not only overrated, it is impossible. Be who you were created to be, because God made you for a reason. 
• Everyone has made mistakes, so don't ever feel like you have rights to judge someone or retaliate against them. They do deserve forgiveness for whatever they have done. 
• Do not feel like you do not deserve forgiveness. You do. 
• Sleep more than 2 hours at night if you want to be functional the next day. 
• Be vulnerable. It's okay.
• Do not be a teacher of God's word, but rather let The Teacher speak through you. 
• God is good. ALWAYS.
• Pray throughout your day. It might seem like it won't help you at all, but  nothing is more beautiful than being in constant conversation with God. It gives you a totally different perspective. 
• Yes, you can. You are capable. 
• God has never failed to use someone who says "Yes." 
• Sometimes, you reconnect with old friends and find out how your situations really weren't that different. 
• People belong to God. He owns their souls. He simply lets the souls mingle while they are here, and that is why you have loved ones. 

What was significant

That list has more meaning than I wrote down in my notebook. Well... some of it does.

 

If we only love those who love us back, then what kind of love are we showing? Ask yourself that. What is your answer? Comment in the comment section below. I had to ponder that question for several moments Friday night. I am sometimes guilty of not showing love to people who I feel have wronged me. But aren't we all? I definitely need to work on loving those who do not love me, because that is what God calls us as Christians to do. We are supposed to be God tangible (Jesus with skin), so we have to do a better job at showing God-like love. 

Forgiveness to me basically means I am telling the other person it's like it never happened. Even though I cannot literally forget the way some people have hurt me, I can forgive them and say that it is like it never happened. The forgiveness sometimes isn't even for them, it is for me. That being said, I've been in a place where I felt like I had gone too far to be forgiven. Specifically, I felt like I had gone too far to be forgiven by my family--those that I treasured more than anything. But I have discovered that if we show a God-like love, then we are forgivable. Jesus died to forgive us, so we have no right to withhold forgiveness from others. 

It is okay to be vulnerable, no matter what the world tells you. Christians especially need to be vulnerable when telling their testimony. If you show other's how real God is to you, then they will see Him as real, too. Opening up to someone does not mean that you are weak, and don't ever let society tell you otherwise. Just let God lead your words.

Biblically speaking, teachers, pastors and leaders are held to a higher standard. But if you are called to teach God's word, remember that He is the only One who can properly interpret and reveal it's truth. In order to teach His word, you have to let Him move through you. If you don't allow God to work, then what kind of a teacher would you be? 

Prayer was my favorite part of D-Now. We prayed about everything, and I have to mention that prayer always brings me closer to God. Sometimes I forget to pray or I figure I will just do it later, but when I make time to speak with God, He blesses me by "showing up." In other words, He reveals Himself to me when I pray. It is a very overwhelming experience, but it is proof that my relationship with my God is personal. 

When I say "Yes, you can. You are capable," that goes much deeper than those words can truly show. I actually got to stay the night Friday (which is part of the event). Because of my diabetes, I am not usually allowed to do anything like that. Also, I go in and out of states of depression where I feel like I am useless and incapable of anything. Not only did I get to stay the night and enjoy the fellowship/worship, I was capable of being a leader. That was a much needed confidence builder. God showed me that I can do anything I want to, regardless of what physical limitations He has given me. 

People belong to God. They are not mine, even though I claim them sometimes. For example, my sister is my best friend in the world. My mother is also my best friend in the world. I claim both of them and they both mean pretty much everything to me. But I have to recognize that they are precious gifts from God--i.e., they are not mine. God just loved me enough to let me enjoy them while I am here. That is huge for me, because that means I am giving God my most prized "possessions," recognizing that they are not mine to begin with. I am putting Him first and trusting Him with them. 

 My Final Report

If I had to give D-Now a letter grade, I'd give it an A-. The reasons for that are pretty evident in the above article. I always love it when God reveals Himself, and kids at these ages really need Him to do so. The only reason for the minus is the disconnect after the event, which is yet to be determined from this year's D-Now. It is a good thing for teens and young adults to participate in for sure! God never fails to use those who say "yes," and He usually gets involved in things like this. 

 

Marion-Con 2016

I recently posted about some of the potential adventures coming up. Marion-con was definitely on that list! I went with my adventure partner, Aki (little sister) to Marion-con yesterday and there is quite a bit I would like to share.

Overview

Marion-Con's venders, staff, cosplayers and artists were all very family-friendly and definitely easy to talk to! Aki and I had a blast getting to know the people and experiencing another small-town convention. I have to say, I found Marion-Con much more enjoyable than Morganton-Con this year (probably partly because I had the flu--but Aki said the same thing). Morganton-Con gave a more industrial, city-type environment and it felt like everyone had their own agenda. Marion-Con, by contrast, felt extremely friendly and the environment was family-like. There was a line wrapped around the building and down the street to get into the convention, but it was a good time and well worth the wait. 

Venders

One of the things that stuck out the most to me at Marion-Con was that their were more people looking for donations for local shelters, children with cancer and other such things than actual venders. There were some venders trying to earn a pretty penny off of their products, but mostly there were people trying to raise money to help other people. That is pretty amazing to me, and I am proud of those "venders" for renting a booth to do that! Aki and I donated to some of these groups, but we didn't buy anything else at the convention. If we were going to buy something, it would definitely have been from the artists! They were all very open and friendly, and they let us take pictures of our favorite artwork. 

Staff

The staff at Marion-Con (not the venders, but the actual staff) was minimal. That is very much okay for a small-town comic-con. They were all very friendly and helpful. Everyone seemed eager to please the con-goers. 

Cosplayers

*There will be an entire separate post with pictures of cosplayers and other things*

Aki and I cosplayed as Hinata Hyuga and Kiba Inozuka from Naruto. Naturally, this got a lot of attention. There were a lot of cosplayers at Marion-Con! Aki and I counted the Dead Pools--there were only two--and we got a picture of them. There was no conga-line, but it's okay because it was their first con :) (see Diabetically Speaking > Yama-Con 2016, The Slants and a Conga Line) There was a "Pool Party" though, as the Dead Pools were playing music out of a jukebox downstairs. There were a variety of cosplayers near the music--some of which we recognized. Actually, some of the cosplays were things that we didn't even see at Yama-Con in December. It was pretty great to realize exactly how many people love the same things we do, and that they aren't that far away from us. Yes, we are complete geeks sometimes. But now we know that we are not alone! 

Artists

I think Aki and I spent the majority of our time downstairs with the artists. Some of our favorites from Morganton-Con were also at Marion-Con. (The next post with pictures will have photos of the art as well, and there will be information on who the art belongs to.) I got to talk to most of the artists and each group were very friendly and EXTREMELY TALENTED. Some of the artists were painting, drawing or doing other forms of art while at the con so people could see them work. I always enjoy watching the artists use the talent that God gave them. Others were talking to the crowd to try to upsell their products. Even with the louder marketing, none of the artists seemed pushy or rude. They all had a great personality and were very friendly.

Aki and I have never stayed for longer than an hour at one of the smaller cons, but we stayed at Marion-Con for 2 and a half hours. It was easy to do, because there were so many friendly faces and so many things to look at. It's also easy to stick around somewhere that you feel welcomed, and Marion-Con was very good at making their guests feel welcomed. This will definitely be something that I do again! 

Something else I feel is noteworthy is Marion-Con's marketing genius. Before the con there was a lot of social media presence that brought more attention to the event. The event staff seemed very enthusiastic and inviting, and so more people were willing to "like, comment, and share" their posts. This is undoubtedly part of the reason for the great turn out! Great job letting everyone know about the event, Marion-Con! You guys definitely delivered a great time! 

Morganton-Con Coming Up!

I am getting ready to go to Motown-Con with my adventure partner, Aki!! :) We are going to cosplay as her creepypasta characters, Soul and Hanran (she will be Soul, I will be Hanran). Original characters, but it already has quite the following!! (If you are interested in Creepy Pasta style writing/stories, go check out Soul at The Life of Soul Thief! 

Who else is going to Morganton-Con? Looking forward to seeing you there! 

Upcoming Events Near Morganton, NC

Alright, so for those of you who are a little bit geeky there are a few upcoming events (one-day Cons) that could be fun! 

Morganton, NC is hosting their bi-annual comic-con on February 20th, 2016. I've been to the Morganton con before (usually cosplaying as Heiwa Kibo Hane gone Otaku). I love this con because it is small town! It isn't an anime con by any means, but everyone is friendly and I enjoy attending because of the atmosphere of the con. If you are looking for a fun way to spend your Saturday on the 20th, come check it out! I plan on Cosplaying as Hinata Hyuga at the con this year (my sister is going as Kiba Inuzuka--both are Naruto characters). So, if for no other reason, come see us dressed up like Ninja and representing for Ani-Maze-Me ! I will be providing pictures after the mini-con, especially of the cosplayers! 

Marion, NC is having their FIRST comic-convention this year! Aki Ame Okami will be attending that convention to support Marion-Con, and you can definitely bet this Adventure Junkie is gonna take the bait and attend as well! I'll be writing a review on Marion-con, accompanied by plenty of pictures to support their efforts! Looking forward to hanging out with Aki and Ani-Maze-Me while I am there. (Aki usually makes my cosplays) :) 

Hickory Con is another 1-day convention in Western NC. It is a little bigger than Morganton-Con, and it isn't always quite as friendly. That particular convention does not have the small town atmosphere of Yama-Con or Morganton-Con, but it is definitely fun to see all of the cosplayers attending Hickory-Con! I plan on going on that adventure and counting "home-stuckians." 

Alright, now that I have geeked out a little I'll let you all know of some other upcoming events that do not involve anime or those fandoms. 

Burkemont Baptist Church is going to be presenting their annual Easter production. They will be at the CoMMA again this year, showing Morganton "The Presence--" which is this year's Passion Play. Kevin Uhrich, the Church's music minister, will be directing the play. It is usually an inexpensive experience. If you are looking for a fun way to spend the evening, consider attending the performance! The show will be at the CoMMA toward the end of April (23 and 24). Also, if you are interested, that Sunday morning Burkemont will be having a worship service at the CoMMA. (You can email one of the staff members if you are interested in attending. They will have all of the information regarding the service.) 

If you saw one of my recent posts and were interested in going to a contra/social-dance get together, the following is a list of events in the surrounding areas: 

Warren Wilson College – Thursdays www.oldfarmersball.com (Old Farmers Ball)

Asheville, NC – Mondays (Grey Eagle) www.oldfarmersball.com

Boone, NC – 2^nd Saturdays www.boonecountrydancers.org (Boone Country Dancers)

Winston-Salem, NC – Tuesdays www.feetretreat.com (Fiddle & Bow Country Dancers)

Greensboro, NC – 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays www.feetretreat.com

Celo, NC –r 1^st Fridays www.oldfarmersball.com

Davidson/Charlotte – Mondays & Fridays www.contradancecarolina.org

Jonesborough, TN – 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.com (Historic Jonesborough Dance Society)

Greenville county, SC - 1st, 3rd, and 4th Saturdays - http://www.harvestmoonfolk.org/hmfs/index.php (Harvest Moon Folk Society)

I haven't been to any of these events yet, but I am hoping to drag my sister and some friends with me once we get a little better at the dancing! :) It is DEFINITELY a lot of fun and I would strongly suggest this as any kind of event! There isn't usually an expensive fee for the entire evening (I believe one of the top two is a $7 fee), and it is very worth it! Don't worry if you are new to the dancing style, because you will be taught how to social-dance at the event. It isn't difficult, either. I promise. I am not a very good dancer, but I can pick up on this pretty quickly. 

If anyone that is reading this is interested, I have started a Creative Writers' group for Morganton and surrounding areas. You are more than welcome to join us as we go over each other's writings and work on our creativity! 

I will keep you all updated on what else is available for an adventure, and I will definitely report on the adventures I attend! 

Yours Truly and Adventure on,

Taylor Ryerse

The Adventure Junkie 

An Unplanned Adventure

So I knew that I had to attend a social dance class Tuesday night, but I had no idea how fun it would be! It was my second class, but my first class with my adventure partner Autumn! Let me tell you, she is a very good dancer!

I took a contra-dancing class because I had to have a PE credit to graduate from my school. (There is a video below for those of you who do not know what contra-dancing is.) I don't usually dance in front of other people, and I have NEVER danced with other people! But in contra-dancing, it is a requirement so I learned how to pop my personal bubble. At first I refused to dance with anyone but my sister (Autumn... and she refused to dance with anyone but me because she can be very anti-social). But eventually we kind of let go and we had a blast!

One of the reasons Autumn is such a good dancer is because she is very good at balancing weight, and she doesn't mind swinging me halfway across the room if need-be. In my dance class, I usually either run into a presumed male partner that is afraid to touch me (so it is a little awkward) or one that almost drops/throws me. Autumn did neither. There are only like 3 other presumed guys in the class that are good at balancing weight and do not throw me. (I realize that Autumn is not a guy, but there are less females than males in this class so some females do the male roles. They are not good at it.)

If you have ever wanted to try dancing, but don't think you will be very good at ballroom or "elegant" dancing, I would strongly suggest contra-dance or social dancing. It is a little like a square dance, but it is much more accessible and much more fun! You don't have to be good at dancing, really (just try not to throw anyone). There is a caller who tells you the moves and you simply follow directions. In the video example I don't believe you can hear the caller, but in reality there is a caller.

I wasn't expecting to have so much fun learning how to pop my personal bubble, but I definitely did! Autumn and I are going to get a little better at it and then find places to social-dance near us, after we can convince some guy-friends to be our partners. This experience was definitely worth it, and I would suggest it to anyone looking for an easy, fun PE credit, date night or hobby.

Adventure Planned!

So I have convinced my adventure-partner Autumn to go on an adventure with me soon!

Once the weather is permitting, we are going to drive my Jeep to some pretty cool places (and explore until we find new ones!) and take pictures. Pictures of the Jeep, pictures of us, and pictures of God's beautiful creation. I will be sure to post some of the pictures here afterwards! And I definitely cannot wait to tell you about exploring with my best friend!

Another thing we plan on doing is hiking to the top of South Mountain State Park so we can see the falls. But we want to wait and do that when the water will be frozen, because that will definitely be a sight to see!

Excited for my upcoming adventures for sure!

Adventure on,
Taylor Ryerse (The Adventure Junkie)

P.s. If you want to see some more of my writing, check out Finding Me. That is my other blog and I post a different variety of things on there.

Itching for a New Adventure...

I cannot express to you how very badly I would like to go back to Yama-Con! I do not want to wait until December of this year to return! It was too much fun and it was definitely an adventure! I enjoyed spending time with my adventure partner, Autumn. And then there was the conga-line lead by Dead Pools, and the proposal at the cosplay contest, etc... It was so much fun for the weekend.

Maybe I am also just itching to go back to the mountains (Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, Tennessee). I like the fresh air and the cold. I also like the peace and quiet, and with the crazy things I've had going on lately I could use a little of that. A getaway adventure. That would be beautiful (and needed).

I'm in the process of looking for another convention to go (that isn't Nerd Nation, the Phi Theta Kappa convention). But the one I have found that I would like to attend is Magma-con (Yama-Con's Sister convention), and that is in the summer. I have to wait a while to go to that one...

Maybe I'll just make a weekend trip to the mountains, or possibly to the beach. I haven't been to the beach in a long time. I have to deliver a car to my grandmother in Florida sometime soon, so maybe my family will agree to visit Daytona on that trip! That would be fantastic.

Anyway, I am itching for a new adventure soon... I'll keep you guys updated on what I find!

Adventure on,

Taylor Ryerse
The Adventure Junkie