About A Year Ago (pt. 3)

About a year ago, I went to my first anime convention. I went to Anime Weekend Atlanta. I went for two reasons, to go TO an anime convention and, this is pretty much the main reason, to meet J Michael Tatum, my favorite voice actor. Yes, I did other things besides meet Tatum, I went down artists alley and walked up and down the aisles for vendors. It was fun. I got a piece of art and a thermos. This story is a long one, mostly because I want to tell every detail and that starts from that morning up until the end of the day and into the night... And then some of the next school day. So... Part 3 of AWA. (For part 2 go here.)

I met J Michael Tatum. It was an exciting time to be alive. After that not much happened at the con. I immediately texted my best friend once I calmed myself.

9/27/14 2:18 PM

Just about passed out talking to Tatum. He's sooo nice, and understanding and every bit of AWESOME as I expected.

Yeah, I was excited, still am. I wandered around some more, walked down artist's alley and got a picture. Saw some amazing cosplay. And I met Vic Mignogna. Let it be said, that I think Vic Mignogna is an amazing very talented voice actor, but I'm not drop dead fan girl crazy about him. Todd Haberkorn, Travis Willingham, J Michael Tatum. Them I have to make sure I'm not gold fishing or dying, but Vic. I don't know. Vic is Vic. So anyway yeah, I met Vic Mignogna, honestly just because I could. I have nothing against Vic. I was there, the line was just forming, Tatum was still there, and I thought, ok might as well get him to sign the Ouran DVD cover while I'm here. So I did, and I had him sign the AWA program. And I got a picture, which probably looks akward...

Yeah, definitely slightly awkward looking. Anyway, that was my day. It was sooo exciting and amazing. Then I had a thought, well a flash back..

I remember on the first day of sophomore year, I had been watching one of Tatum's panels on YouTube the night before, anyway, I walked into my first period/home room, saw my teacher and immediately backed up and had to collect myself, with the phrase, "Oh my gosh, J Michael Tatum is my lit teacher," going through my mind. Basically, my teacher reminded me of Tatum so much, even the way he spoke with that same sarcastic voice, I was sitting in class trying to not completely lose it, it also didn't help that he was totally completely and utterly awesome like Tatum. So the whole first week of school, I was trying so hard to not completely freak out. To this day, even though now that I’ve taken note that he looks NOTHING like Tatum, I still link him with Tatum because of that initial freak out when I only took a quick glance before backing up and collecting myself in the hall.

Anyway, I realized that I STILL had that link and knew that there was no way I could deal with my favorite teacher on Monday... I still went to his classroom that Monday morning before school for one of our little quick chats. I babbled about meeting Tatum and such. As always he was nice about it and listened. I didn't completely die from the memories. And then on October 1st... I realized once again... that I had met J Michael Tatum. 

I still have these little epiphanies that I met Tatum. And I still have those moments when my teacher reminds me of Tatum (it's the sarcasm I swear) and all I can hear is Tatum's voice saying, "I'm a ball buster. I bust balls." (which is referring to his sarcasm). Literally, the other day, I sat in class for pretty much the whole time trying to not completely loose it. So that's my tale. It was a long one but I'm happy to actually get it out and share it. Sanders out.