While some reporters try to cram every bit of content, every panel possible into the packed weekend, I try to take a different approach. I like to fit in dead spots - points where I have absolutely nothing to do, outside of wandering and soaking in the atmosphere of the convention. I still haven't figured out if this is a good thing, or a bad thing.

This year, I spent a good amount of time exploring the Hynes, pausing for the occasional photo op, or to get some random footage for the daily logs. Despite taking over two hours of footage this year, there was a ton of stuff that just missed the camera's lens. This includes:

• A Haruhi cosplayer performing the Hare Hare Yukai outside of Panel 203
• A Vocaloid cosplay group doing the Caramelldansen near Panel 206
• A "Witch Attack" straight out of Left 4 Dead
• Greg Ayres chatting it up with a few attendees in the main hall
• A sea of saluting fans during the VGO's Metal Gear Solid piece
• The pedobear offering creepy hugs as a photo op

During the weekend, I simply had to admire how well some things ran. Lines moved quickly, events started (mostly) on time, and it really felt like everybody working the event was on the same page.

In those moments when I had that urge to throw untold amounts of money to the wind, I took refuge in the Artist's Alley and the Dealer's Room. Word from the wise: Leave the credit card in the hotel room. It can get a fan into deep (deep!) trouble. The sights are always the same: Rows of quickly thrown-together booths bursting with merchandise. The Hynes room, however, seemed somewhat ill-fitted for its purpose. The room was separated into two "halves" by corridors on either side of the room. During busy times, this made exploring the entirety a bit harder than it needed to be. However, I digress. Even for the fan on a budget, it's worth the trip, as Dealer's Rooms tend to attract interesting, sometimes notable people.

This year, Reni Mimura, better known by her stage name Reni Reni had a booth, where she was signing copies of her album, as well as other Reni-branded merchandise. She was every bit as bouncy and cheerful as her on-stage persona suggested, and seemed to genuinely enjoy the hustle and bustle of the convention.

FUNimation's booth was unfortunately plagued with one misfortune after another, this year. The booth stood unoccupied for a while on Friday, with a sign that said "Merchandise coming soon!" taped to it. Eventually, the booth opened, but the pickings were indeed slim: a few single volumes, and an Afro Samurai set were the highlights. The company met a major setback in shipping, according to representative Adam Sheehan. The merchandise was set to arrive Friday morning, but guests looking to nab that coveted Claymore Blu-Ray, or Sgt. Frog box would have to wait until Saturday evening to get their fix.

As the weekend wore on, a sense of comfort began to wash over you. Suddenly, that giant crowd of people, or the strangely pungent funk that floats through the air stopped feeling like an issue. Instead, everything just felt right. Sometimes, the fun isn't to be had in the video rooms, or the panels, or the other distractions. Sometimes, it's just wandering and partaking of the thousands of people that can turn a good convention experience into a great one.