TCAF 2015

The weekend of May 8th to the 10th I went to the Toronto Comics Art Fest (TCAF), a convention showcasing independent comics and their creators.

I've been going to this event for three years now, on my own, and it's always pretty fun. I get there by train, which is always an experience. I travel business class (costs a little more, but totally worth it!) from Ottawa to Toronto. 

Train at Union Station in Toronto

The station in Ottawa is only about five-ten minutes from home, so it's pretty convenient. To help with accessibility, I make sure to phone the rail company and book the use of a mechanical lift on and off the train, and I ask for someone to meet me with a wheelchair in Toronto (the station can get kind of nuts if you're not used to it). From the station in Toronto, I get a cab (which I book beforehand) to my hotel. The past two years, getting a car outside the station was a pain but this year everything went smoothly.

I've stayed at the same hotel since I started going to this event, and I've always had a great stay. It's only a block away from where TCAF is held and is right downtown. This year, I booked a little late so all I could get was a suite (again cost more, but worth it).

For two nights, it was mine. All mine!

 After relaxing for a bit, I went out and explored a little, scoped out TCAF's venue (the Toronto Resource Library) a block away, and bought food for the weekend at a nearby market (my mother was proud). The weather was perfect, which was a welcomed change from the two previous years. I've always enjoyed downtown Toronto, but it can be insanely crowded.

Outside the hotel. The only photo that didn't look like I was taking someone's picture.

The next day was TCAF. I headed out a little early, as the venue's been pretty packed when I've gotten there before. It didn't really make a difference.

11-ish!

Though it was crowded, I was still able to get around. Within an hour, my bag was packed with books and comics! One good thing about the venue and hotel being only a block apart was that I was able to go back and forth to drop stuff off once my load got heavy. On my second trip, I attended a couple of panels, bought more books, and talked to a couple of pros. One writer had worked with Disney, and was really great to talk to. I took a few more photos, too.

Five floors of books and comics! I may want to live there. 

Eventually I hit a wall, and it was time to leave. I got back to my room, and assessed the day's spoils.

Highlights included collections of Johnny Canuck and Nelvanna, two Canadian superhero comics from the forties, the Disney comic I mentioned earlier, Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, and a couple of things by people I know from Ottawa.

Previous years I'd meet a friend for dinner, but this time I was on my own. Went out and brought some stuff back to the room, watched some TV, and relaxed the rest of the night. I also experimented with taking my first selfie. These are the ones that didn't look horrifying.

I got up and got the train back to Ottawa the following morning.

The overall experience was great. A bit costly at times, and I could have easily attended another comic convention in Ottawa that weekend, but it was a total blast being on my own in another city for most of an entire weekend!

Cheers

Making a List, Checking It Twice

No, I don't suddenly think I'm Santa. What I AM doing is getting things ready for a solo trip to Toronto for a comic book convention this weekend.

I find that it's a big help to write things down. Create lists, post reminders, set up schedules. In this case it's helping me keep track of what I need to take with me, but I use this method for other things, too.

One aspect of my disability is that I learn through habitual behaviour so I need to get into a routine when it comes to tasks others might take for granted like doing certain household chores or even just getting up at a certain time in the morning. So, to help, I write things down. It works pretty well and as an added bonus, I finally have a use for all the notepads and post-it pads I've "collected" from conferences and hotels over the years.

 

And I will definitely post about my trip next week!

Cheers