Last week, I got Kim Kardashian West's Selfish, a book of selfies. One thing I liked about it was that any time she takes a selfie with a friend (Paris, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige) they are basically props. Like, "hey check out me and my close friend having fun, but mostly look at me!!!!" It amused me. This influence is reflected in the following photoset of my time in North Bethesda, Maryland for the Small Press Expo.
Friday
I traveled with my 2d Cloud tablemates Sarah Ferrick and Andy Burkholder. O'Hare was nuts, and we came close to missing our flight. But everything ended up being ok!!! We met up with everyone else at the hotel and drank red wine.
Saturday
Tabling was great. But I spent a lot of time worrying about the Ignatz awards that evening. I was nominated for Promising New Talent and reeeeally wanted to win (duh!). I knew it was unlikely, but just in case I won, I saved the lyrics to "Believe" by Justin Bieber which I would read as my acceptance speech.
When I lost, I took pictures of myself crying to get pity from social media.
Eventually I drank enough red wine (stealthily consumed out of a coffee cup in public) that I was ok.
Bill Kartalopolous showed me the final print of The Best American Comics 2015 (out in October). Someone Please Have Sex With Me is in it. I'm very happy.
I met Julia Gfrörer! Julia is so hilarious and smart and COOL. I got to hang out with her a few times throughout SPX, and it was super fun!!!!!! She is the best, and Julia and Sean are such a handsome couple (#goals!)
Sunday
Tabling on Sunday was fun, too.
Look at how happy I am to meet Noah Van Sciver!! I've been a fan of his for a long time. I thought he had no idea who I was, but he bought Big Pussy and let me take a picture with him (and put his arm around me, hehehe). We talked some more later that night, and he gave me his pocket change that he didn't want to hold. What a thrill.
Most of Sunday night was spent drinking whiskey outdoors (er, bourbon whiskey) and in bathrooms with Jacq Cohen and Julia, henceforth known as team #PuffyLips.
One of the most exciting things to happen was briefly talking to Phoebe Gloeckner because she is my hero and #1 favorite artist and I love her!!!!! She even said she remembered the comics she got from me at CAKE 2013!
She is a SAINT for letting me ambush her like this (I was drunk).
Monday
Going into D.C. with Tom Kaczynski and Will Dinski
Met Clayton for some delicious lunch and strong beer. We got to catch up, and then he held my suitcase at his office for a few hours so I could sightsee.
I was trying to take a sneaky selfie with Tony Hawk at the National Portrait Gallery, and security yelled at me.
Exhausted as hell with Sarah while we wait to board our flight back to Chicago. Sarah made me laugh a lot the whole weekend and is good company.
VERY GOOD WEEKEND! I look forward to the next time I can go to SPX.