Review Turtle Con 2000

[Michaelangelo]

Oh yeah, this is working at digging up people's memories.  Though this was an event done by the fans for the fans, which had it's ups and downs.  

It was the first time I was throwing an event together, so a lot of things were not thought about... sheduals for the people working the booth and asigned jobs were some of those things.  Though besides for that, the convention turned out to be a lot of fun with trivia on the hour with great prices such as TMNT comforters, dolls, toys, and trading cards.  The Guest of Honor, Mitch aka Raphael's costume actor from Ninja Turtles : The Next Mutation, the surprise TMNT Guest, Frank Fosco : Pencil artist for the Image TMNT Comics.  And a ton of friends.

At that convention I met Tokka, Brinatello, Lisardo, Raka and many others for my first time.  Some of which I didn't know online before Turtle Con 2000, and now we're best friends.  So this convention was a good pull for the fans and one of the largest TMNT fan meet ups that was pulled together on TMNT-L.  The goal was to get TMNT back, not let them die away.  We didn't care if it was reruns on the Cartoon Network or something new.  

My reasons behind it was because I knew how much the TMNT did for my life, and I wanted others to have that chance to have the Turtles in their life.  Share the memories which helped people through their hard times.  I hear it a lot in TMNT fandom, how a lot of us were picked or, had problems in school or were just loners... and the Turtles were there for us.  They were that light that people saw and just couldn't turn away from.    Something so good just couldn't disappear, there's still many more who need that inspiration in life.  Everyone had their own reasons for being part of Turtle Con, if it was anything like mine or not.

This topic is so people can share their stories of Turtle Con 2000.  Feel free to share pictures as well.  Though most of my pictures are already posted up on an old Turtle Con web site, so I'll give the link to the photo section for anyone interested.

http://www.dazzled.com/turtlefans/pics.html

Turtle Con 2000 was a beginners thing for me, now I've got a few years behind me and got people backing me up.  So I promise that Turtle Con 2009 will be bigger, better, and more in order  And Turtle Con 2009 has a happier theme, "25 Years of TMNT"

[Absaraka]

It was an interesting couple of days for me, that's for sure.

Caught the Greyhound from Baltimore to, what was it, Youngstown, Ohio?  Wendy Sfikas took me in for the night--it was raining like mad, if memory serves--and I remember losing my balance in the shower, grabbing the towel bar, and taking it straight out of the wall (!!).  Long road trip from Ohio to Michigan--I brought my CD case, so we were at no loss for tunes--entirely too much caffeine in my system, if memory serves.  Met lots and lots of folks for the first time--it was my first con, after all--and hopefully didn't scar too many for life in the process.  (I'm being ironic, put away the smore makers.)  I remember a bunch of us went to a Toxic Hell (Taco Bell, I'm sorry) for lunch, and I think I totally botched my half of the conversation with Brinatello.  Tokka was as cool as he ever is, lots of swag somehow fit into my luggage, and I haven't worn a 'stache or a shimmer shirt at any con since.  The rest is all a blur, for lack of a better word.

Raka

[Brinatello]

Hmm, while the year 2000 certainly had its ups and downs, I do recall some memorable things that stand out from this event.  I met tons of new people from the Internet, partially the reason why Mom had a conniption when she found out I was going.  I didn't know anyone personally, just from TMNT message boards, and she freaked out that I would be riding across the country by bus.  By Greyhound.  What a lovely way to travel....NOT!  

This event was all new to me even though I had been doing the San Diego Comic Con since 1994.  It was an opportunity to meet those who hadn't had the chance to reach the west coast yet, or it was more like I was the first Californian to enter a whole other convention unexpectedly.  I'll never forget Ivey's face lighting up when she heard how far I travelled to be there:  "You came all the way from California?!?!"  I nodded a little and before I knew it, I got glomped by a girl wearing half a Ninja Turtle costume!

I could not possibly write up a report to this convention.  It's been far too long to remember things step by step.  There were some highlights that come to mind, and I'll mention a few of them...

*  I will forever be known as the one who was belching up a storm at Ivey's hotel room on Saturday night.  Her dad's got the proof all on tape.  She has told me she thought about sending the tape to Mike S. and all I can do is whine in fright!  I also wish I had known Frank Fosco was in the same room when it happened!  

*  A funny incident was first seeing Ivey in her Michaelangelo costume.  The last time I saw a costumed character was Leonardo at the TMNT II opening weekend in Chula Vista.  I wasn't expecting the arrival and jumped on poor Wendy!  I was seeing one of my favorite heroes in the flesh; I was totally unprepared and it certainly showed!  

*  Meeting an actual person who lived and breathed inside a Ninja Turtle suit: Mitch Lee Yuen.  Before this con, I had met voice actors, comic artists, even well-known celebrities, but coming across Mitch was quite special.  He was someone who physically wore one of those costumes that brought the Turtles to life.  The excitement was as equal as meeting Matt Hill at Youmacon. Okay, I was a little foggy in the noggin when I got the first introduction, but later on I was speaking one on one to an actor who got to be a TMNT for real!  Mitch was a sweetheart and very easy to talk to.  I felt very lucky to have had the pleasure of hanging out with such a cool guy.

*  Oh, this was nice.  There were some great TMNT findings while at the Motor Con itself.  I found two magazines with some articles/photos from Movie 1, Wendy and I came across a collection of TMNT II photos, and rumaging through a toy bin, I found a Donatello action figure of him dressed as the Dark Turtle!  Along with those gifts was some even more memorable items from Saturday's party and just being with everyone that night.

*  Michaelangleo and Bebop posing for pictures with that super model at the convention.  That was probably some of the funniest moments when interacting with other con-goers.

*  Seeing "Dinosaur" at the Star Theater.  While I was not interested in seeing the film, I loved the idea that we all went to see it together.  As a group, as a family.  It was the last night we'd see one another for awhile, but I knew I had taken quite a few pictures throughout the entire weekend.  That would soon become memories to last me a life time.

It all had to come to an end when I came home in late May and the house that I lived in practically my whole life went up on the market.  Dad grew tired of being the landlord and had our home sold right from under us.  The last date I lived in that house was July 29.  I attended the San Diego Con July 19-23 with my good west coast friends and was a real basket case throughout the event.  It was while saying hello to Rob Paulsen at an autograph signing that he noted something was very wrong with me.  I almost started to cry and say, "Yeah, I'll be homeless in a few days!" but I plainly said I was having it very rough and left it at that.  The last thing I did with two friends, Karen and Rose, is go see a Weird Al concert at the Orange County Fair.  That was my final event I got to enjoy for that year, for the following months was nothing but sheer stress and heartache.

Like I said, the year 2000 certainly had its ups and downs and I'm going to try and remember the ups the most.  They are what keep me alive and ticking...and smiling.  

[Michaelangelo]

Cowabunga Corner #25 is video from Sunday of this convention!

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUjaPoXF_Gs

[TurtleNinja]

*rofl*

Oh, that brought back a lot of awesome memories! That dance-off is one I'll never forget!

[Michaelangelo]

Cowabunga Corner #50 is up!

This one is the Saturday Night Party from Turtle Con 2000!    So sharing it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dTxSnpiZ_Y