......so I ordered some new retro Sega shirts to arrive in time for MCM Birmingham from a new supplier. When I arrived home on Friday I found that they tried to deliver whilst no one was home. The depot is in freaking Newbury so no new shirts for the con and a limited number of Marvel shirts as I'm still waiting for them to arrive. So by this point I'm a little stressed.
My friend Robbie agree to come to Birmingham with me so he picked me up after he finished work on Friday and our friend Kev met us at his and we got pizza and played Mario Kart until about midnight, feeling a lot better about the weekend.
The alarm on my phone went off at 4.45 which was not fun, and I mighta eaten too much pizza the night before as I was still stuffed! We packed the car and off we went in the dark. 2 hours later we got to the NEC, Rob dropped me off at the door and went and parked up. We rushed setting up and found ourselves between the Amazing Cake Company and an artist selling Anime copies called Anya and her sister's boyfriend Josh. Yes the Amazing cake company do amazing cakes (as I type this I realise Robbie stole my one I got at the end of the convention and have just sent him an abusive text. Not happy). Anya has a lot of talent, although you could tell her heart wasn't really into Anime.
So Saturday was a good day, with us selling more in one day than all of last weekend! I had a chat to the guys I always bump into and found that one dealer last weekend sold a total of a single £2.50 key ring in 3 days which made our losses seem a lot better!
After we finished we drove to the hotel and got a massive KFC. I basically ate so much fried chicken it hurt to breathe and fell asleep before the end of the film I was watching (Ocean's 11).
So I was up quite early Sunday sweating as I'd turned my heating on full. After my morning ablutions I booked next March's con online so I didn't have to fight the crowd in the organiser's office and off we trundled back to work.
Sunday was slower as always, Robbie found something for his kid and Baby Momma and I managed to have a flying chat to Cult stuff who were next to me at Cardiff comic con. For lunch I sent my helper out to get Subway as that's healthier than Pizza or fried chicken......
At the end of the day Danny John Jules dropped past the Amazing Cake Company, robbie got all fan boy and almost blinded him with the Flash on his camera but was too shy to ask for an autograph (I like to point out the deal for him helping at the show was Craig Charles autograph, its not my fault he pulled out, and he could of gotten the Cat's for Free). As this was happening one of the organiser's brought a shirt, so I must be doing something right with our selection!
So after we had packed up and started the journey home our trusty Sat nav took us down lots of back roads all the way to the M40. We eventually found a decent services just outside of Reading where we completed the fast food pyramid by having a Bacon double cheeseburger XL from Burger King and robbie brought a couple of books as he was feeling emotionally guilty for leaving his son for the first time.
I eventually got home about 9 and collapsed in front of the TV with a cuppa tea to start catching up on my tv shows from the weekend. Today I've been doing the boring admin bits but I'll tell you all about that another time
And the Geek shall inherit the Earth.
Monday 25 November 2013
Monday 18 November 2013
Collectormania 20 aka The frozen wastes of Milton Keynes
So I'm thankfully back from Collectormania and grateful to be home as it was awful. Sit back and hear the tale.........
After another ungodly early start (5am Wake up for a 6am train) I got to london, made it across to Euston on the Northern line to be confronted by steps off the platform. Lets say with 2 suitcases this was looking pretty shitty until a helpful aussie kindly carried one up for me. I made it to my train and felt a little quesy, I mean tilting trains just isn't normal! So I got to Milton keynes and got a taxi to the Arena (no way was I walking the hour!).
So I got in and set up and was a little apprehensive as the people next to me had a baby, which as it turned out was the least of my problems over the weekend. So I got set up and sat down, waiting to sell my wares and realised the arena was only half finished. The floors were bare concrete, the walls were half finished and it was freezing. Oh, and there were pigeons flying about like the vermin they are.
Friday was slow, hardly any people at all and fewer sales. If I hadn't enjoyed talking to Andy the autograph dealer and Seb, Anne-Marie and the baby from Dr Who online I might have cried, everyone agreeing that tommorro would be a better day. Afterwards I got picked up by my friend Myf who's house I was staying at and went back to her's to warm up. After watching Star Trek Into Darkness (KHAAAAAAAAN!) I went to sleep.
After another early start and burning my self on her shower I put on 2 pairs of socks and off we went. We were only a few minutes late (I blame it on the queue at the Mcdonalds drive-thru) we sat and waited for the customers. They didn't appear.
After a soul destroying day for all dealers we (Myf and I) decided to have Wagon mama's for dinner and watch Gravity to cheer me up. The food was good (love Udon noodles) and the movie was good, but not sure if it was as good as the hype, but most probably the best 3D movie I've seen (well, I have only seen 3 now, that, Thor and Dredd).
Sunday Myf dropped me off, I was well prepared this time wearing 3 pairs of socks, before returning to her bed. Sunday was a strange day, the Dr Who online team had headed home so we expanded a bit and we actually sold more t-shirts than on the Saturday. Myf turned up at about 2 to help bearing much appreciated KFC, although it wasn't appreciated as much as being able to leave her to look after the stall whilst I went to pee!
The highlight of the weekend was most probably stood chatting to Myf, Andy and Judson Scott about films, directors and actors he knew and what kind of people they were. At about 5 it was obvious there was nobody else coming in and so we packed the suitcases which were still basically full after an awful weekend and I was dropped off at the Station for my journey home. The connections were good and I finally got home about 9 trying not to use the weekend as a positive. Yes, I lost money, but it's a learning curve and one bad show out of 4 isn't too bad, I just hope MCM Birmingham is better next weekend.
My highlights of Collectormania 20 include:
Next up is MCM Birmingham, hopefully there we'll make some money...........
After another ungodly early start (5am Wake up for a 6am train) I got to london, made it across to Euston on the Northern line to be confronted by steps off the platform. Lets say with 2 suitcases this was looking pretty shitty until a helpful aussie kindly carried one up for me. I made it to my train and felt a little quesy, I mean tilting trains just isn't normal! So I got to Milton keynes and got a taxi to the Arena (no way was I walking the hour!).
So I got in and set up and was a little apprehensive as the people next to me had a baby, which as it turned out was the least of my problems over the weekend. So I got set up and sat down, waiting to sell my wares and realised the arena was only half finished. The floors were bare concrete, the walls were half finished and it was freezing. Oh, and there were pigeons flying about like the vermin they are.
Friday was slow, hardly any people at all and fewer sales. If I hadn't enjoyed talking to Andy the autograph dealer and Seb, Anne-Marie and the baby from Dr Who online I might have cried, everyone agreeing that tommorro would be a better day. Afterwards I got picked up by my friend Myf who's house I was staying at and went back to her's to warm up. After watching Star Trek Into Darkness (KHAAAAAAAAN!) I went to sleep.
After another early start and burning my self on her shower I put on 2 pairs of socks and off we went. We were only a few minutes late (I blame it on the queue at the Mcdonalds drive-thru) we sat and waited for the customers. They didn't appear.
After a soul destroying day for all dealers we (Myf and I) decided to have Wagon mama's for dinner and watch Gravity to cheer me up. The food was good (love Udon noodles) and the movie was good, but not sure if it was as good as the hype, but most probably the best 3D movie I've seen (well, I have only seen 3 now, that, Thor and Dredd).
Sunday Myf dropped me off, I was well prepared this time wearing 3 pairs of socks, before returning to her bed. Sunday was a strange day, the Dr Who online team had headed home so we expanded a bit and we actually sold more t-shirts than on the Saturday. Myf turned up at about 2 to help bearing much appreciated KFC, although it wasn't appreciated as much as being able to leave her to look after the stall whilst I went to pee!
The highlight of the weekend was most probably stood chatting to Myf, Andy and Judson Scott about films, directors and actors he knew and what kind of people they were. At about 5 it was obvious there was nobody else coming in and so we packed the suitcases which were still basically full after an awful weekend and I was dropped off at the Station for my journey home. The connections were good and I finally got home about 9 trying not to use the weekend as a positive. Yes, I lost money, but it's a learning curve and one bad show out of 4 isn't too bad, I just hope MCM Birmingham is better next weekend.
My highlights of Collectormania 20 include:
- Freezing (it was warmer outside on Friday)
- Not being Shat on by Pigeons (apparently that happened to a couple of dealers)
- The apology letter for how bad the show was from the organisers.
- Meeting Seb and Anne-marie
- Chatting to Jusdon Scott.
- Getting home.
Next up is MCM Birmingham, hopefully there we'll make some money...........
Wednesday 6 November 2013
MCM London Winter Comic Con - part 2, eventually
......so after a weekend at a wedding and hassle from Ali, I'm finally finishing the story from MCM, why did I split it into 2? Mainly as I was told my last coupla posts were "wordy" but anything longer than a tweet is wordy for ali!
So The Saturday at Comic con, after a much needed Bacon Sarnie we got to Canning town and had to walk to the Excel with our suitcase (Ali still contends he's got a bad hand from playing netball). So we got set up, ali bitched about there only being one chair and we were off.
The morning started slowly but soon picked up, at one point whilst ali was peeing I was serving 3 people at once, I am one fine salesman! Originally we were going out with a friend drinking but by the end of the day we ended up crashing as soon as we got back to his and doing Ali's homework - watching Arrow season 1 (The poor boy is good with computers, but lacks all popular culture references what so ever, sometimes I wonder what he did as a kid when he couldn't even name Donkey Kong......)
So Sunday Morning I woke up bright and early and was surprised that I was awake before Ali, so I did my morning ablutions and Ali was still asleep. It was only then that I had the glass shattering realisation that I'd forgotten to change the time on my phone so was up an hour early, Sunday was gonna be a long day!
It only got longer when we got to the Excel and found it opened at 10am, so we were an hour early, and I was so tempted to climb on top of our table and sleep. Sunday was also a lot busier than expected, but i was good and didn't look round as I'd of brought too much stuff but did see some awesome cosplay, including a real life space marine. He was so big he had to have a guide to tell him when to stop and when to go!
So at the end of the day we managed to put all our remaining stock into my 2 suitcases and managed to squeeze onto a bus to Canning town so I could get the train home. I wasn't that lucky. Due to the weather my train took 2 hours instead of 1 and was rammed full of people. By the time I got through my front door all I wanted was a cuppa tea and my bed!
Next up we've got Collectomania in Milton Keynes with a new comer to con life, our friend Myf....
So The Saturday at Comic con, after a much needed Bacon Sarnie we got to Canning town and had to walk to the Excel with our suitcase (Ali still contends he's got a bad hand from playing netball). So we got set up, ali bitched about there only being one chair and we were off.
The morning started slowly but soon picked up, at one point whilst ali was peeing I was serving 3 people at once, I am one fine salesman! Originally we were going out with a friend drinking but by the end of the day we ended up crashing as soon as we got back to his and doing Ali's homework - watching Arrow season 1 (The poor boy is good with computers, but lacks all popular culture references what so ever, sometimes I wonder what he did as a kid when he couldn't even name Donkey Kong......)
So Sunday Morning I woke up bright and early and was surprised that I was awake before Ali, so I did my morning ablutions and Ali was still asleep. It was only then that I had the glass shattering realisation that I'd forgotten to change the time on my phone so was up an hour early, Sunday was gonna be a long day!
It only got longer when we got to the Excel and found it opened at 10am, so we were an hour early, and I was so tempted to climb on top of our table and sleep. Sunday was also a lot busier than expected, but i was good and didn't look round as I'd of brought too much stuff but did see some awesome cosplay, including a real life space marine. He was so big he had to have a guide to tell him when to stop and when to go!
So at the end of the day we managed to put all our remaining stock into my 2 suitcases and managed to squeeze onto a bus to Canning town so I could get the train home. I wasn't that lucky. Due to the weather my train took 2 hours instead of 1 and was rammed full of people. By the time I got through my front door all I wanted was a cuppa tea and my bed!
Next up we've got Collectomania in Milton Keynes with a new comer to con life, our friend Myf....
Monday 4 November 2013
Our first 10% off offer
We hope you had great weekend, we certainly did at our friends wedding, congratulations to them both.
As it is now November and I know my wife is already thinking about Christmas presents, we thought it would be great to do our first 10% discount code.
We announced it yesterday on our Geek is Chic facebook page.
By entering "geek01" into your basket you can get 10% off of you whole basket. Unfortunately the code will expire on the 10th of November so don't delay or you might miss out.
Visit Geek is Chic now.
As it is now November and I know my wife is already thinking about Christmas presents, we thought it would be great to do our first 10% discount code.
We announced it yesterday on our Geek is Chic facebook page.
By entering "geek01" into your basket you can get 10% off of you whole basket. Unfortunately the code will expire on the 10th of November so don't delay or you might miss out.
Visit Geek is Chic now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)