I don’t know that I’ve ever blogged about my LARPing experience, but even if I have, Nekocon LARP 2014 is a spectacular reason to rehash. Why? Well, if for no other reason than one of my best humans, my human that at the ripe age of 12, we attended our first Con and LARP together. That makes it fif.teen.years. since we started LARPing.

We realized that this weekend.

Shit.

We’re such freaking nerds.

Hahaha. <3

My friend Brenden and I talked a bit about this weekend, but GMing at Nekocon (yes, I’m not only a LARP nerd, I’m a GM and on top of that, an Assistant Department Head… aka Assistant Head Nerd) always makes me incredibly nervous. So many of our players are well seasoned, LARP at many conventions per year, and I literally come to one. Neko. I LOVE Neko and I ride on a high EVERY YEAR after the con, but for some reason the weeks leading up, and even the first night, just terrify me.

As far as why… I think it’s a combination of things. I think in many ways our players are more experienced than me in the system. I know many of them have DEFINITELY watched more anime than me. And then, of course, I’m not that confident with my abilities to act and to create worlds and make calls that will give them the amazing experience they all deserve at the LARP they’ve all paid for and traveled to be at. With all of those things combined, Friday night in particular is always a challenge for me.

However, by the end of the night I’m finding my groove again, and by Saturday morning, I’m grooving and running scenes and events. Every year it gets easier and easier somehow, even though I’m still a stiff at the beginning (sorry guys, I know I know). This year by Sunday I was feeling free-er and more relaxed than I have in a really, really long time. Maybe even since my Sakura Kinomoto days, which were amazing days, if I do say so myself.

All in all, I had an amazing weekend at Neko with my fellow GMs and the wonderful players who for some reason come and play in the world of make believe that we create every year. It’s my home, no matter what else I do, or where else I go, or what other dreams/goals/accomplishments I achieve… my LARP family is my family for life.

……

FOR LOVE AND JUSTICE!

GM Dara <3