october updates

Time flies. Of this I am completely certain. Over the course of this, my second “con year,” I’ve felt time rush by at a rate faster than I ever thought possible, making 2010 feel like an extended 2009. And as the end of the year comes rushing down at me, I’m confronted by several monumental tasks awaiting me int he coming months, that will hopefully give way to a period of recovery the likes of which I have rarely felt.

And yes, this is an updates post.

First off, the thesis. It’s actually coming along well, I passed the halfway point a few weeks back. So far, I’ve written the sections on Con History and Activities, Attendees, Events, Methodology, Statement of Thesis/Significance of Project, and am in the process of revising my Review of Related Literature. As the bibliography has extended a bit in the past few weeks, I’ve had to make everything fit, and I’ve gone into more of the participation aspects of the culture as a whole. Fortunately, it’s been coming along nicely, and all I have left is Demographics, Identification with Japanese Culture, Participation and Discussion sections left, and it will all finally be over. And believe me, I’m looking forward to that greatly.

Second, my end of year schedule has pretty much been finalized. Nest weekend I will be at New York Anime Fest, hosting “Dead Like Us” and “Worlds of Miyazaki.” I’ll have the schedule for those panels up very soon. Then I’m off to Nashua, NH for Another Anime Con, also presenting those two and “Modern Myth.” Then I have a break to finish my thesis draft before heading south for Nekocon and AUSA. This will be the last time I plan to present Modern Myth for a while, as I need to revise it again, but I have a few new panels I plan to debut early next year, focusing on topics like “Religion In Japan,” and a better grasp on my thesis work.

I’ve also revised and expanded “Dead Like Us,” so anyone who has seen the version I’ve been giving since June will find added shinigami, more connection to folklore and less lecturing on religion in Japan, since I’ve noticed the section was a little long and out of place. Shinigami, as I now state, are not so much a religious construct as they are a connection to, and interpretation of, the folk history of the country, so I make stronger ties to their mythology than sacred beliefs.

So that’s about it. I’m hoping to get back to regular postings soon, but right now I’m neck deep in work (I have a new position writing manga reviews for Real Otaku Gamer, which I am excited about) and on a deadline. So keep watching for more updates and a more reviews.