Dragon Encounter Check-In

 I am exhausted, Dungeon Meshi Maniacs!  No, not because I'm training for a marathon.  This is the fun kind of exhaustion!  Last weekend I took some time from my neck of the dungeon to travel far away.  To a land of myth and maybe.  A land where the daily heat index hit unhealthy levels. Where people come from far and wide to dress in costume and hand ribbons to others dressed in weirder costumes.  Where you can buy cookies decorated with the image of a hotel carpet pattern long since removed.

That's right, DMMs, I was in the fabled land of Atlanta!  But this wasn't any visit to a famous Delta hub, oh no.  This weekend was a meeting of the very monster we ate last week.  A Convention of Dragons!

Every Labor Day weekend Editor and I try to make the trip to see all the wonderous things that occur when dragons from far and wide descend on a Southern town to talk all things wise.  At least I feel that they are wise.  I mean, where else can you learn about 50 year old television series from the people that helped make them?  And there were so many dragons to meet!

Not just tiny dragons but long dragons!

Famous dragons!

Even dragons that you could paint!

Don't assume it was all dragons all the time, DMMs!  Where there are dragons heroes are always close by.

Obscure heroes!

Even heroes that wander other dungeons!

Not to mention powerful steeds!

Why I even had opportunities to do some heroics myself.

Not to mention the opportunities to learn arcane arts like new spells!

At least...I think that equation is a spell. I also learned new arcane trades!

That's right, DMMs. I am now a Broom Making Slime!

But this is a cooking Dungeon Meshi blog so how does this tie to our neck of the dungeon?  First off, I saw some canary signs.

I knew those elves were about!  Luckily I didn't encounter them directly.  I was able to sample some dishes that I have cooked in the past but this time cooked by master chefs!  Remember Tentacle Gnocchi?

I hate to admit it but this chef blew me out of the water!  It's amazing what a professional chef can do.  It wasn't all fun food, DMMs.  Some questionable dishes were around.

Look, I know we all find ourselves in desperate situations while exploring a dungeon.  It's what started this whole adventure. Those tacos, however, will end in sorrow.  Toilet sorrow.  I personally didn't do much cooking on this side quest but I do have a couple of tips for long travel.  First, bring a way to heat water!

This makes life so much simpler.  You can now make tea, coffee, noodles, oatmeal.  A must for when you don't want to spend large amounts of coin for a meal.  Which is great seeing how the vender's market at this convention is four stories high.  Another tip, always have powdered energy drink on you!

It doesn't matter how hot or cool your location is, a giant convention is a lot of walking.  So you need to stay hydrated first and foremost.  Do not wait until you are thirsty, DMMs!  By that point you are already running low on fluids and have to work harder to catch up.  Having fun is thirsty work!  And hungry work so also have snacks on hand.

Good enough for mercenaries, good enough for slimes.  Dragon Con is a very special time for me, DMMs.  It's not just a place to relax but where I go to become inspired.  This blog even came from a visit to Dragon Con.  A little peek behind the blog, it was two years ago and I was having some difficulties on the way home.  I was surrounded by happy people the whole weekend but I simply wasn't and hadn't felt that way for a long time.  Not to say I didn't enjoy myself, I always felt disconnected from the convention as a whole.  I think I was a bit envious that everyone seemed to have a creative drive that I was lacking. This isn't just a convention for dragons, it's also a convention for artist!  So I decided to try something new and through that process this blog came into being.  Now I just needed to tackle the whole "being disconnected in a sea of humanity" thing. 

Desserts are usually correct, DMMs.  It took a lot of trial and error but I finally found a therapist/combination of drugs that helped even things out.  I've been going to Dragon Con for ten years, this was the first year I felt like I was actually "there".  I had enjoyable conversations with strangers.  I hugged people I met online. Even if I encountered a rude person or a set-back I didn't spiral into a dark pit thus ruining my time.  It was nice to just be somewhere are be open to the fun that was all around me.

That wasn't me, DMMs. Someone else was having a bit too much fun, I just photographed the aftermath.  So that's it for this week!  Thank you for indulging me as I yammer on about my time away.  Next week, however, it's back into the kitchen for this slime!  You won't want to miss it as we are getting as redneck as we can. (you'll appreciate the pun next week).