This Con did NOT start off as planned.

I was driving home from a meeting Thursday night and all of a sudden all these alarms start going off in my car. It’s beeping crazily and a message flashes on the dash:

AIR CONDITIONING TURNED OFF TO PREVENT OVERHEATING!!!

I look and the temp gauge needle has suddenly buried in High. So I pull into a driveway, have myself a nice little wtf moment, get my head on straight, and start making phone calls.

After a few calls and more than a half hour on hold I was finally rescued. The guy who towed the car was way earlier than expected, and I made it home safe and sound, and the car made it to the dealership.

The thing is, this happened the night before we were set to leave for Kansas City.

What if the car wasn’t fixed in time? What would we do?

I’m so grateful for the system I use to prepare for trips. If I hadn’t already been on that, I’d have been an absolute mess.

There were tears, but no complete breakdown.

I learned how to work the problem. I was unable to teach my Friday yoga class, which was really frustrating. But that’s how life is sometimes. I’m grateful Ruth was able to get a note on the door.

I wasn’t able to drop the dogs at Cottonwood. I wasn’t able to get groceries.

A couple years ago, this would have derailed me completely.

It was annoying as hell. But that’s life.

It turned out that the tech hadn’t screwed the coolant reservoir cap all the way closed. Thankfully, the engine wasn’t damaged.

So, we dropped the boys off and stopped to get groceries on our way outta town.

The drive to KC was pretty uneventful, but we did see a coffee truck. I didn’t know there was such a thing.

We stayed at the Aladdin, which is a holiday inn all dolled up. Free champagne with check in? Yes, please.

The valets were extra helpful. The public parking garage across the street was blocked off as “full” but they told us they’d been parking folks there all day. We could save 6$ a day in parking by just driving in there ourselves, since we didn’t plan to drive while we were in town.

We spent Friday night settling in and planning the weekend.

Saturday morning, Jesse dropped a bomb on me.

“You know, you’re gonna meet Stan Lee too, right?”

What!?

He purchased the Stan Lee VIP package. It provided early access to the con on Saturday, a photo op with Stan Lee, and an autograph, as well as VIP seating at his Panel that afternoon.

I had no idea that included me!

Something you should know about fan conventions:

They involve a lot of waiting in line. A LOT. You wait in line to get your lanyards and bracelets, wait in line to get into the con, and then wait in line if you’re going to go to a panel, get an autograph or photo op.

Jesse decided to invest in a Fast Pass. For 170 bucks you essentially get to go to the front of every line.

So there we were, 5th in line (in a group of HUNDREDS) about to have our photo taken with Stan Lee.

And there’s Jason Mewes (of Jay and Silent Bob infamy) a mere 20 feet from us. He ambled around a bit, and then snuck out a door to get some air.

Jesse whispered to me: We just saw a Jay in the wild.

And then the line started to move.

We knew that this would go fast. Photo ops aren’t a chance to talk to a celeb, they are a chance to be near them, and have the moment captured.

That’s it.

You get 10 seconds. Tops. Thankfully we knew this, or I would potentially have been crushed.

I am happy to say, Stan was joking and amiable. I shook his hand and said good morning, which Jesse was more than a little jealous of. Stan the Man has huge and incredibly soft hands. It was over before we knew it, and the photo was printed immediately and in our hands.

Then it was off to explore.

Planet ComicCon was even bigger this year, with a huge expansion to both Celebrity Row AND Artist’s Alley. I’m pretty sure it doubled in size.

I had the opportunity to chat with Katie Cook as she created a mini portrait for us, and she mentioned a trip to Honolulu. When I professed my excitement, she smiled and said:

“But I hate water, sand, and the sun…I do love umbrella drinks though. My husband loves hiking and nature. So, we make it work.”

She handed me the portrait and I couldn’t have smiled any harder.

Jesse had a few autographs he wanted to get, so he hopped in lines while I continued to explore and met Deadpool.

Wait, what?

No, not that Deadpool. But one of many Deadpool cosplayers you will see at conventions. Cosplaying Deadpool is basically a license to be hilarious, especially if you engage with them. This guy embodied the role perfectly.

There’s always amazing art, jewelry, prints, and of course, t-shirts

It’s essentially a nerd’s paradise.

There are drawbacks. Like the hoards of people.

So. Many. People.

I’m pretty easy to overwhelm when it comes to lots of people. I used to flip out when I had to sit next to someone in church. There’s a reason I sat in the balcony, and it’s not because of the tomfoolery.

Well, not just because of the tomfoolery.

Anyway, when it comes to the crush, I know I need breaks. The good news is, PCC had a couple of wide open spaces, as well as access to the outdoors directly from the main hall. I took advantage of the sunny day, and sat down for a bit to people watch.

And that’s when Draco Malfoy skipped past me.

Dude caught some major air. I gotta give it to Tom Felton, the guy skips like a pro. I couldn’t have taken a picture if I wanted to, it woulda been a blur.

Like the Flash and Reverse Flash.

I hadn’t planned to stand in any lines until I saw Mewes’s booth. Jason’s story of kicking heroin addiction is incredible. Watching his genuine interactions with people, I knew I had to get a sefie with the guy.

And did we ever.

By the end of Saturday, I was sore. We shuffled outside for a little more sun, and then it was back to the hotel.

We settled in with a couple Coronas and our food stash, had a picnic on the bed and fell asleep to Hulu episodes. But not before planning brunch.

I. Love. Brunch.

We found a place named Bristol Seafood a few blocks away that served an amazing brunch buffet. At 29$ a pop, it had better be amazing. This was our most expensive meal of the trip by far, so we had high hopes.

They had sushi. Garlicky smoked mussels. Some of the best Creme Brûlée I’ve ever tasted.

Eating a big meal right before driving 3 hours may not have been the wisest choice I’ve ever made, but it was worth it.

The drive home was simple, and unpacking was a breeze. I slipped into my new Deadpool tank and took a moment to reflect on the trip.

It wasn’t perfect. Things were messy, stressy and downright awful at times.

It can’t all be a handshake from Stan Lee, Creme Brûlée for breakfast and Olympic-level skipping.

Sometimes, that rough stuff? It’s there to remind you you’re alive.