Not the way you want.

After calculating the costs involved for travel and hotel fees, I don't think I'll be going to BASCon after all. Even if I used some credit card-based reward point system, and even if I stayed with a terrifically generous and all-around awesome trolleypup for three nights, it'd still be a large chunk of money - the remaining travel costs, con registration itself, the dealers' room, food, all sorts of things. It'd be a not-insignificant cost.

I was able to swing it for four years in college because I was right there - my first two years attending I didn't stay at the hotel and took BART to get there, the third year I didn't have to pay for a plane ticket, and the fourth I was able to split the room cost. But none of those options are around now, so I have to be the adult, buckle up, and let it go.

When I think about how easy it is for me to chart how much I matured and grew comfortable with myself in college, BASCon is about the best way I can do it. I went from being afraid to say the con's name to the receptionist and unable to figure out how to talk in a group of like-minded fans to - well, being comfortable in my own skin, capable of talking to completely new people, open and ready for new things. And yeah, it sucks I can't say good-bye to it in person. I didn't think I'd have to say good-bye to it at all, but I don't think I can do anything else.