Places I've Been

# Wednesday, September 18 ## The Pre-Trip Disaster I had been planning for TwitchCon 2024 for months, meticulously organizing everything. Being a responsible student, I had informed all my professors well in advance that I wouldn't be available during the convention dates. I knew the trip would be exhausting, so my plan was to stay up the night before our flight to ensure I'd be tired enough to sleep on the plane. The evening before our departure, I was sitting in my room, iPad plugged into the charger, working on a drawing of my character Opal. I was adding the final touches, excited to have something to work on during the long flight ahead. Then, without warning or explanation, my iPad went black. Not the normal kind of power-off black—the ominous, "I'm never turning on again" black. I tried everything—hard resets, different chargers, pleading with it desperately. Nothing worked. My iPad had completely bricked itself at the worst possible moment. This was a massive disappointment. My flight entertainment options had just dwindled to: - Getting motion sick playing games on my phone - Somehow staying asleep for the entire flight while listening to music - Staring at the ceiling of the plane contemplating my life choices As I packed my now-useless iPad (still hoping for a miracle), I couldn't help but feel like this was a bad omen for the trip. Nevertheless, I tried to remain positive. "It's just the tech demons," I told myself. "The rest of the trip will be fine." ## The Journey Begins Our travel itinerary wasn't straightforward: San Antonio, Texas to Salt Lake City, Utah, and finally to San Diego, California. Despite leaving from different locations, the timing worked out surprisingly well—most of us landed around the same time and congregated in the airport lobby. While my family and I waited at the pickup zone for our Lyft, I spotted something unusual: my friends were on top of the parking garage, enthusiastically waving down at us. It was such a bizarre, movie-like moment that I couldn't help but laugh. We engaged in what I can only describe as "yell-talking"—shouting conversations across the distance between the parking structure and the pickup zone, much to the confusion of other travelers. We took pictures of each other from our respective locations—them from above, us from below—creating a strange first-meeting memory. What made it even more interesting was realizing that among those distant figures were Kawten and Delta- friends I hadn't yet met in person but would soon come to know. They were picking up our other friends, Crow, Davijaan, and Eli. Our Lyft arrived, and we headed to our hotel to check in and drop off our luggage. The plane trip had been exhausting, but I was running on pure excitement. ## The Great Meetup After checking into the hotel, I didn't waste any time. I told my parents I needed to "freshen up" from the plane ride, which was partially true, but mostly an excuse to dash off and meet my online friends in person for the first time. I had already missed meeting Hyrn and Ran, which was disappointing, but Kawten, Delta, and my partner Korima were still around and waiting. Finding them was a surreal experience—seeing people you've known for years through screens suddenly existing in three-dimensional space. Meeting Korima for the first time was everything I'd hoped for and more. Yes, there was the initial awkwardness that comes with any first meeting, but it quickly dissolved. We're both physically affectionate people by nature, and after sharing a burger, drinking probably too much soda, and exchanging nervous jokes, the awkwardness melted away completely. During this meetup, my friend Delta presented me with a gift that became one of the trip's highlights: an enormous gummy shark. This wasn't a random present—it was a thoughtful reference to my character (and fursona) Neo. I immediately posed with it, hamming it up for photos that I later shared with our other online friends who couldn't make it to TwitchCon. ## The Airbnb Nightmare Begins After our meal at Five Guys, I decided to tag along with Jowl, Sal, Crafty, and Korima to see their Airbnb. I wasn't planning to stay—I just wanted to spend more time with Korima before heading back to my hotel. As we approached their building, the first red flag appeared: the elevator literally had a sign stating "DO NOT LEASE UNITS OUT TO PEOPLE." We exchanged nervous glances but continued upward. Maybe it was an old sign? Maybe it didn't apply to short-term rentals? We were about to find out. Initially, the apartment seemed acceptable—basic, but functional. That impression lasted approximately five minutes. The cascade of disasters began when someone sat on the couch and it immediately collapsed underneath them. We tried to laugh it off, but then discovered the bathroom toilet was broken too. Curious about the view, someone tried to access the balcony, only to find that the door handle was completely broken—not locked, but actually broken off. The final straw came when we investigated the kitchen. Not only was it filthy, but opening the refrigerator revealed rotting food that could only be described as a biohazard. The freezer was somehow even worse. This wasn't just a disappointing rental; it was unlivable. Korima immediately contacted Vrbo, beginning what would become an ongoing battle for a refund. Meanwhile, Sal heroically attempted to find an alternative Airbnb on short notice. ## When It Rains, It Pours Just when we thought things couldn't get worse, they did. Sal managed to book another place, but when they arrived, no one answered the door. After multiple attempts to contact the host, they came to the horrifying conclusion: they might have been scammed twice in the same day. The group was now faced with a grim reality: it was getting late, they had no place to stay, and TwitchCon would start the next morning. Exhaustion and stress were taking their toll on everyone. In a moment of crisis, a friend came to the rescue, booking two hotel rooms for the night so everyone could at least get some rest before figuring out a long-term solution in the morning. This temporary reprieve was much needed, allowing everyone to regroup and approach the problem with fresh minds the next day. ## The Denny's Incident After the Airbnb chaos had somewhat settled, our growling stomachs reminded us that we hadn't eaten properly all day. Perfect timing—several friends messaged to say they were heading to a local Denny's for dinner. Despite the day's disasters, the prospect of food and more friend meetups lifted our spirits. The Denny's was running a special Beetlejuice-themed menu to coincide with the new movie release. I remember being genuinely surprised by how good the food was—far better than I expected from a Denny's. Korima and I, already comfortable sharing space and food, split a burger and fries. The restaurant became an impromptu convention meetup spot as I finally got to meet several online friends face-to-face for the first time. Conversation flowed easily, the stress of the housing situation temporarily forgotten as we laughed and shared stories. It was one of those magical moments where internet friendships seamlessly transition into real-life connections. Then everything changed. A woman entered the restaurant and seated herself without waiting to be guided to a table. Within minutes, she began shouting at the staff, claiming they were intentionally ignoring her. Her voice escalated as she repeatedly announced that she had ten dollars and was "going to spend it no matter what." When a brave Denny's employee approached to de-escalate the situation, none of us were prepared for what happened next. The woman grabbed a large serving tray and began sweeping everything she could reach onto it—salt shakers, pepper mills, and as many of those heavy plastic-glass tumblers as she could gather. With shocking force, she hurled the makeshift projectile collection toward the workers and nearby tables. The crash was deafening. Glass and condiments flew everywhere. A nearby table with a teenager was hit directly. We all froze, the restaurant suddenly silent except for the woman's continued screaming. What had been a pleasant dinner had transformed into a potentially dangerous situation in seconds. We exchanged nervous glances, uncertain whether we should leave, hide, or attempt to help. And here's where I have to admit something terrible about our friend group: we all share the same inappropriate nervous response—laughter. Not because anything was remotely funny, but because our bodies process fear and shock through inappropriate giggles. We had to actively avoid eye contact with each other during this genuinely traumatic event, knowing that one nervous smile could trigger an avalanche of stress-induced laughter that would be horribly misinterpreted or actively make the situation worse, make our table into a target. Korima, already at his wit's end from the Airbnb debacle, was visibly tense beside me. Though normally the calmest person I know, I could sense his patience had evaporated. He was protectively positioned, dividing his attention between ensuring I was safe and warily watching the woman to make sure she didn't approach our table or his rental car outside. The most surreal moment came when the police arrived. As they entered, we all noticed something we'd somehow missed in the chaos—the woman was in a wheelchair. She dramatically rolled toward the exit, screaming "END SCENE!" like some deranged theater performer taking a bow after her destructive one-woman show. We sat in stunned silence as the police escorted her out. The restaurant staff immediately rushed to check on the table that had been hit, helping the shaken teenager and his family. Korima and I stayed close, both processing what we'd just witnessed. Despite his obvious exhaustion and frustration, he remained focused on making sure I felt safe. It was one of those moments where you learn something profound about a person—how they react when everything goes wrong reveals far more than how they behave when everything is fine. ## Finding Stability The next morning, after much searching and phone calls, they finally secured a long-stay hotel that could accommodate them for the duration of TwitchCon. It wasn't the cozy Airbnb they had envisioned, but it was clean, functional, and most importantly, actually existed. As for Korima and me, we found our own solution. Despite having only just met in person, we were comfortable enough with each other that Korima ended up spending most nights in my hotel room. What could have been an awkward situation turned into quality time.

## Thursday, September 19 yes yes > x

## Friday, September 20 x x ### Their recommendations: 1. 3 2. 2 3. 1

## Saturday, September 21 x x  *"erm a quote*