Three in a Row.

This weekend we’ll be at AwesomeCon.  It will be my first convention alongside Garth for 2019, but my third consecutive convention in three weekends.  I like doing conventions, meeting readers both old and new, hanging out with Garth, and returning to cities I like to visit… but man, I’m exhausted.

That’s not to say I’m dreading AwesomeCon.  Far from it.  AwesomeCon is one of my favorite shows to work.  Last year I had to miss it due to scheduling conflicts, so I’m extra excited to be returning this weekend!  AwesomeCon has a great crowd that’s honestly hungry for comics, and that’s quite a feat given the impressive list of celebrities that will be in attendance.  Comics creators tend to get pushed to the wayside in favor of celebrity autograph and photos, so for a show that pulls in pop culture and nerd icons to still have a solid focus on comics is impressive.  AwesomeCon can be a madhouse, but I love the feeding frenzy.

But man, I have to admit, doing three shows in a row is not as easy as it used to be.  I take that back.  Three conventions in three weekends as an exhibitor has never been easy.  Even as a younger man, on those rare occasions when the schedule lined up like this, it was exhausting and expensive.  Arranging travel and hotel, covering the time away from home (especially when there are kids and pets who rely on you), being “on” for the long hours of a vendor hall, and just the weariness of frequent travel are all tests of endurance.  But even now, as an older man, I face that endurance test fueled by a passion for what I do.

Thankfully, this is the final stretch of my marathon.  After AwesomeCon, we get a break until July.  Normally I start to miss the spring and early summer conventions, but after this endurance test I could use some serious hibernation time.