Let’s work on 2019! A lot has happened in 2018 and I am looking forward to working towards another year of experience. Let’s go!
Tag: Blogging
West Side Mini-Con at Nanakuli Public Library
On November 3, 2018, the first-ever West Side Mini-Con at Nanakuli Public Library happened! The Last Outpost of Hawaii was the main organizer of the event, bringing in local vendors and artists. I went to help the public library but also to observe. Unfortunately there were many hiccups that I took this as a lesson on the pros and cons of having a pop culture event at the public library. Nevertheless, I enjoyed talking with the vendors and patrons who attended the event with gusto.
Artist Anh Vu of O.N.K. @onk97 
Star Wars cosplay! 
Anime schedule shown during the event 
Board games for attendees to play 
Inside Table Top Board Games room 
BINGO sheet given to kids 
Inside the Meeting Room with Artists and Vendors 
Inside where the Panels were located
The library counted a little over 100 people who attended the four-hour event, from 12 pm to 4 pm. The library had a table outside promoting library services and books while their Friends of Nanakuli Public Library were fundraising by selling snacks and drinks. They’re a friendly group who value seeing the newest library in the Hawaii system flourish!
Hinata from Haikyuu!! has his library card, do you? 
Books to borrow! 
Very artistic sign by the library!
Pros:
- Plenty of attendees were dressed up and happy a pop culture event like this was held in Nanakuli as many events are held in town, which can be over an hour drive with traffic.
- Parents and kids were happy that the event was held at the public library. A few said they were able to check out books and have fun, making it a family fun day for them.
- Due to the layout, it made attendees explore the meeting room (separate building from the library) as well as inside the library thus being able to experience everything.
Cons:
- Schedule of panels kept changing/no official schedule given to attendees.
- Attendees were asking who the “local celebrities” were as they weren’t properly headlined on the advertisements.
- Tabletop room was crowded.
- Miscommunication on all fronts, from vendors (an artist was told they were to do a talk but admitted they were not prepared due to not being told beforehand) to staff (there were plenty of helpful staff but due to the schedule changes, not everything was communicated well and had a domino effect leaving attendees unhappy) and online (3 different Facebook events were created for West Side Mini-Con causing discord).
For a first time event, it wasn’t too bad. The main thing is that the attendees had a good time. Despite the hiccups here and there, most families were happy that an event came to fruition while some expressed this could have been executed better.
Dungeons and Dragons “Don’t Split the Party!” List
Planning my fall programs and I’m super excited to say we’ll be hosting a Dungeons and Dragons program! I collaborated with my friend and this was the result, a resource list for both new and seasoned players ages 10 and up who are interested in Dungeons and Dragons.
I’m grateful that a local group of friends came together and created the Aloha Adventurer’s Guild. Their aim is to teach and guide players in creativity, communication and teamwork by playing tabletop gaming!
To note, the listing of stores are located on Oahu only. I hope one day to visit all game-related stores through the islands!
What is Dungeons and Dragons?
DnD, for short, is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in an imaginary world loosely based on medieval myth.
Why 5th Edition?
The 5th Edition of DnD gives flexibility and functionality to players while making room for more creativity. The aim is to create a unified edition that both seasoned and new players can enjoy.
Browse these non-fiction sections for more at the library:
Indoor Amusements: 793
Adventure Games: 793.932
Authors of Dungeons and Dragons Novels:
- Norton Andre
- Richard Baker
- Bruce Robert Cordell
- Troy Denning
- Erin M. Evans
- Tracy Hickman
- Paul S. Kemp
- A. Salvatore
- Robert J. Schwalb
- Lisa Smedman
- Margaret Weis
Online Resources:
Wizards of the Coast – https://bit.ly/1CM4pXY
Introduces DnD to new players. Official resource and website related to DnD.
Dungeon Masters Guild – http://www.dmsguild.com/
Official source for Dungeon Masters.
DnD Adventurers League – https://bit.ly/2AXMWqR
Official DnD league offering materials and support running games.
DnD Beyond – https://www.dndbeyond.com/
Includes useful tools such as character generators.
RPG Tool – https://roll20.net/
Easy-to-use digital tool that can evolved from pen and paper.
5th Edition Rules/Reference – https://5thsrd.org/
Open rules related to 5th edition. Players are suggested to refer to start with Player’s Handbook.
Local Stores on Oahu:
Check out these stores to get your Dungeons and Dragons adventure started!
Armchair Adventurer
Dole Cannery, 650 Iwilei Road #160
Honolulu, HI 96817Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Phone: (808) 843-1250
Carries everything from Warhammer 40k model kits to pop culture-inspired tabletop games. Book a separate room or join a game and meet new adventurers!
Dragon’s Lair
Space E-10, 95-1840 Meheula Parkway
Mililani, HI 96789Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Phone: (808) 597-6981
Comic book store carrying Dungeons and Dragons manuals, dice, and kits. Check out their large comic book selection to get you inspired!
Other Realms
1130 North Nimitz Highway C-140
Honolulu, HI 96817Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Phone: (808) 596-8236
From private rooms to comics and collectibles, Other Realms has a large stock to get your adventure started!
Westside Comics
590 Farrington Highway #538
Kapolei, HI 96707Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Phone: (808) 674-2866
It isn’t just comics this shop sells on the west side, check out their Elite Membership program to earn points to grab special deals!
Eisner Hall of Fame: Rumiko Takahashi!
It’s the year of Rumiko Takahashi! She is the FIRST female mangaka to be inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame!
Let’s briefly start with what the Eisner Hall of Fame is, from the Comic-Con International website:
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, are handed out each year in a gala ceremony at Comic-Con International: San Diego. Named for renowned cartoonist Will Eisner (creator of “The Spirit” and pioneer of the graphic novels), the Awards are given out in more than two-dozen categories covering the best publications and creators of the previous year.
Big deal? It’s a big deal. More at the Comic Con International website. She joins Osamu Tezuka (2002 inductee), Goseki Kojima (2004 inductee), Kazuo Koike (2004 inductee) and Katsushiro Otomo (2012 inductee).
Rumiko Takahashi’s works include:
- Urusei Yatsura – 34 volumes
- Maison Ikkoku – 15 volumes
- Mermaid Saga – 3 volumes
- Ranma 1/2 – 38 volumes
- One-Pound Gospel – 4 volumes
- Rumic Theater (Short story anthologies)
- Rumic World (Short story anthologies)
- Inuyasha – 56 volumes
- Rin-Ne – 40 volumes
She had been nominated for the Eisner Hall of Fame previously in years 2014, 1016, and 2017. Ms. Takahashi won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award in 1980 for Urusei Yatsura and in 2001 for Inuyasha, both in the Shonen category.
Congratulations to Rumiko Takahashi!
Dealing with Burnout
Feeling fatigued? Want to stay in bed and recharge? See the bags under your eyes despite sleeping 8+ hours?
That could mean a lot of different things but what if it revolved around your work?
Tips to get yourself recharged and energized for work!
- Do not bring work home. As a librarian, reading is part of the job, even if it means previewing a book in case patrons have questions. Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed when it’s the weekend and you’re waiting on confirmation for a program or anxious because you forgot to finish something before closing time. It’s okay. You’re not alone, I need to repeat it every day at closing. For reading, read something you want rather than reading something off your work list.
- Log out of your email. It’s tempting but do not enable work email on your phone or your home computer. Nooooo. Nope. Nada. Keep that at work.
- Stress-less hobby. Rather than saying “mindless”, do something that doesn’t cause you stress. For me it’s playing video games or doodling in my bullet journal. With video games, I need to monitor my stress levels and need to listen to myself when it’s time to quit a game.
- Take a walk. Fresh air, greenery, just walking around outside is a nice change of pace after being cooped up in the office.
- Treat. Your. Self. Finished a program you’ve been planning for 3 months? Treat yourself. Successfully completed a reference transaction? Pat yourself on the back and treat yourself. Got a negative reaction from a situation you could not control? Learn and treat yourself.
- Vacation or Sick Day. Take a mental health day or plan a few months in advanced a couple days to refresh yourself. You need to recharge yourself but do not feel bad that your coworkers are picking up your slack. They’d want you at 100% rather than 25% and unable to provide teamwork. I feel bad calling in sick but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Island Librarian 