Transcript
[0:00] Alright and.
[0:05] Music.
[0:36] Hey, You tell us the first in a while. Alright, I'll try it again. Any recording now, hitting record now. I mean, I've had the other audio recording but.
[0:57] Music.
[1:10] And then I played the wrong one.
[1:16] Music.
[1:45] No featuring your muppet.
You're funny.
[2:09] Welcome to another edition of.
[2:21] A roughly 300 days since we did one of these.
Great. I'm just going to record. 315 days since the last time we did. 315. That sounds about right. Yeah. Hi. Hi. Oh my god. When did it become 2020, I don't know. Right after 2022 ended it became. Yeah, I don't think. See, we lost 2 years there. 20.
20 and 2021.
And I have no idea what.
[2:58] Time is we had a dragon kind that was not in Atlanta that was just only on computer screens and we had a dragon that was smaller than much smaller than normal. Then we have one that was slightly smaller than normal.
And according to the if you guys are listening to this one now you would have heard are previous guests they're still going to sort of limit things this year. Huh. As far as the number of folks.
But letting it a little bit more in trying to grow it again a little bit but not back to 2019 size yet so, I'm I'm on the side of you know it's probably good to sort of, Yep. Anyway, Paramount Plus loves my money.
[4:02] And, Corleone.
So you want to hear everything else you want to hear something funny, I can't wait.
Put together that instant amount, I did not know that it just put it together today even though by the way in humans, Not the greatest series. Not the greatest. No.
Listen, I'm just going to come out. My personal opinion, it was the writing was Terrible.
[5:06] What do you call it? You know, ABC, yeah, ABC. Marvel thing, which, you know, even when she'll, even though I love agents of Shield, it's still was not.
MCU property. You know, I mean, it was, it had, it suffered from, From network television IS, Hey, But also there is a heck of a stargate Atlantis reunion.
We have got David Nichol just was looking David Nickel Paul McGillion I'm, Why can I not remember his name right now that irritates me?
Pretty sure Joe planning in was named but I know Nickel and McGillion were I can't, Yes.
You know.
[6:25] Is Song going on, Right?
Unfortunate but you know, lemonade out of lemons. You know, right. It's possible that there will be some other folks added because they're just as no jobs out there because if you don't have anything written, you can't. Right. Say that stuff.
You know, anyway.
Where are we at? Where are we talking about Lee? Sorry, I don't know what we're talking about.
And so now he's on that.
[7:27] But we also have Colin Ferguson who was in Eureka. Yes. And he's also the Maytag man and he also Directed one of the lake placing movies which, I'm sorry I love those old sci-fi originals but that's really good but but as I just said it's very early for that but I started looking at the drying con website and you know what's on their job? There is more than mortgage.
Hey merchandising is on there, Hmm.
There are really cool shirts and there's some hoodies and all of that but those are things you have to pay extra Florida.
But you know what?
I knew I was going to do it.
Hey.
[8:43] Thank you all so much so much for being here and these are the people that do started or or find out.
We'll find out we're going to. They're related to. Somehow, but I would like to pitch squad.
Swag swag swag and squeeze how about swag and squeeze, Cuz I know when I found.
[9:11] Sorry to leave early. And I never got over to that. Never made it over to the vendors hall because, It's insane.
Cute little swag and seek thing which was which was a it was a little necklace with a little dragon, And and I get I hadn't got anything for my my kids. I didn't have anything. You know, I I'd stopped and I bought the the charity comic book coloring comic.
Coloring book rather. Coloring book, always focus.
Hey I found that and I was like ah they would love this and in fact they did and it was saved my save my height so I appreciate so Lee take it away find out talk to these people find out there what they're doing, Maria Franchesca and Alex.
On the program and I just kind of wanted y'all to introduce yourself. Can you tell us how you, what is wagon seek?
Start with Alex.
[10:31] Was a 2017 my husband and I were traveling from Saint Petersburg.
To go to Dragon Gun in Atlanta and we were leaving our, For probably the first or second time, Hey.
[11:12] And so, I kind of, you know, thought about it for a second and I decided to go on to Facebook onto one of the the Yeah I was dragging kind of unofficial most people know what that is. And I I kind of put up a post and you know I said what do you guys think about this? Do you think it's it's okay to do?
I got so much feedback and people started saying, you know what? I'm bringing stuff too.
I usually, yeah, I usually do that and a lot of people are saying, well, I do it and I theme it with my cosplay every year.
They said, you know, like I dress up as so and so and I bring you know, related swag and I give it out to you to folks and the thread got To be extremely large, Everybody started saying oh I'm going to be over here giving stuff out. I'm going to be dressed as this person giving stuff out. You can find me in this place and the thread was just getting larger and larger. And so I thought you know what? This is, I'm going to make it it's own Facebook page and people can post where they're going to be with their little free items that they're giving out and I don't know maybe people will join it maybe they won't, And I think I made it and I made this stupid name, Dragonsick nobody can say.
[12:40] And, Thinking.
[12:53] And all of a sudden it was like this thing people were posting you know I'm bringing this and i'm I didn't I wasn't going to but now I'm going to you know this is a fun idea and so it just became this, Entity onto itself and You know, there is no meet up. There was nothing except that page that year. And I gave out my goodie bags and I I think I met Maria's children that year without knowing I was meeting them.
[13:25] That was it. I mean, by the time that by the end of come, we had probably close to a 1000 that was, Was 2017 right, And that it just was such like a nice idea and just such like a selfless thing. Everybody was just kind of giving.
Because they wanted to and it was such a nice group of people that started chatting and and connecting on this Facebook page that I kept it up, Throughout the year just kind of.
As a way to keep in touch with folks and we started planning what we were going to bring for the next year and we started doing look little giveaways like somebody, You know if somebody watch once we start holding like little contests and stuff like that just to keep conversation going and It got closer and closer to Con 2018 and I had a family wedding I needed to go to there was no way I was going to be able to make it And people started saying we need to meet up. You know, we've we've all become a little group and we we need to meet up now and I thought, no, like I I'm not getting that involved in this. I can't do anything about it, Contacted by.
[14:50] And i can do this this is what I do, Okay I'm not sure who you are but you sound exactly you know like what we need and you know go ahead if you think you can, You know handle it and you want to, It was huge. I sort of, They kicked the mark the floor It was it was 200 yeah.
[15:37] Okay. Well, there you go. Hey, I'm sorry. I like how you said this was a movement. I want to get to Alex and I want to get to, Maria in just second but I love how you said that and all I could think of was Alice's restaurant song and you know, And we you can start a moment. This is the dragon.
Sorry or where I'm, It became sort of a selfless thing and and very nice idea that we've got. Like you said, sometimes you don't make it to the vendor hall and sometimes.
[16:22] Or or you you try and you just you don't make it there and so this became a way to kind of get a little souvenir because people.
[16:36] And it wasn't just candy and you know, stickers that people were giving out. It became, Very neat and some instances and and you sometimes you can find something that really meant a lot to you.
And you know it was it was this free item just given to you by somebody that you know did it out of The goodness of their heart and out of love for the same phantom is that you love and it kind of just took off from there every year I think our our meetups have gotten bigger and bigger and We we just Our goal is to put that kindness out there put that attitude out there to dragon and hope that it spreads you know we don't you don't need to, You know, be participating necessarily but if it brings you joy, we hope that you spread it on some other sort of way, whether it's just giving me directions or just being generally sweet and kind of people or you know, doing, Put this attitude fourth and we hope that the general, That is awesome. So, Alex, you are the one in charge of getting that first meet up together.
So you're to blame for when getting kicked out is what we're.
[18:04] And actually probably the only reason they really had to have you leave is we it's called a fire marshal. Yeah. And we have to make the farmer marshal very very happy. We do not want an upset farm motion.
So, I actually didn't join that first year. I I joined 2018 because a friend of mine referred me to the group.
Like friends that people protest because that people were doing this before where we just do cosplays and we make little things to give to people my velocity is I really like birthday parties And I like doing party favors so that's how my swag became a thing because I like doing party favors for all of it, And so, Awesome. Awesome. Okay and then, so Maria, Getting some swag and I think John I also got The cute little dragon thing last year too. Yeah. And it was so adorable.
And mine was on a pink ribbon. It was really cute. But Maria, so how did you get involved? Other than your kids went, look, I found something. Can I keep it? Can I keep it?
Well, actually.
[19:28] Oh my. We were dressed up as a mash up of Star Wars and was of Oz and she was in this big pink dress and Katie was like I just your your daughter's first word's going to be the F bomb and I'm going to pay for the therapy. No. So, you know, my husband's like geeking out and I'm just like, okay.
I'll I'll take you up on that but yeah that's how she met my kids is because they were called out by her.
Basically the day for Rochester created it because, There was a there was a group it was like a painted rock group for dragoncon and I can't paint rocks. But I can make I I make these dragon eggs.
Hey.
[20:14] I used to run a charity that was around a kind of charity that helped women with medical expenses so that was already up my alley, And so when because then so I was posting you know hey I can't paint rocks but I have these dragon eggs I I want to hand out you know, Cuz I've been going dragon hunt for a while and so then they're like hey you need to go over in Francesca just started this.
[20:43] Just for me to help out with like the the charity ass bags and like just to kind of let her event a little bit when she needed to you know that kind of thing, But yeah, but it's always been something, you know, I've been doing different types of randomist charities for years and so this was just like, okay, I'm already doing this.
Yeah, sign me up. I'll do whatever I need to do, Having people look at us like why are you giving me this? What is the catch?
You know, to going to, you know, 2019 where one of the the the director program director Regina found a piece of swag, you've made her day, and so she's like, hey, we're going to put you in main programming now. Remember, like, Ok But it's just the being able to spread the message and seeing everybody, I think I think Lee's having an issue. Oh, go on. Okay, okay. Then, I'll be fine. Oh, You know, it's just kindness. It's just like, you know, there's always going to be people that are like, oh yeah, free stuff, but at the same time, we're like, you know what? You're, But just seeing people you know.
[22:13] There are just some people that really like you know okay they they sell these things but they're like you know what we want to spread this kind is that we're going to just give it because we know how much that's going to make someone's day and that's such a, And to see you know we need so much more kindness in this world anyway.
Hey Facebook.
[22:41] Joined in and I I have to say I always try and make this known that these two ladies they saw what this could be, Way more than i ever, Wow.
They were like, no, you people love this. This means a lot to people and it's it's getting bigger and it It's it's a thing. We're becoming AA big deal and, When I did it and it it really has you know I've amazed a lot of times that you know what they, I'm just amazed that it's come true but they saw it and that's why I'm so grateful for them because you know Alex kind of came in and and help me Things in order and and organize things in Maria came in and she said you know what like this is getting a little big we need some rules we need some guidelines we need something official that people can follow.
[23:50] That's excellent. That's awesome. So, now, we talked about, John. No, right? Yes.
Swag and seat I.
[24:12] Name the way it is is what makes you remember it, Hey, No and so, we talked about how you got into S and S.
I'm going to start with Alex.
[24:56] Actually I started I think my first year was actually 2017 and I had friends for years tell me that I need to go to Drankon because I'm from Louisiana and we at New Orleans actually and we have a, And all my friends raved about it and they're like, no, you don't understand. You need to come. Like, this is not, this is not this little tiny convention. You need to come. There's 24 hours programming. You're going to love it, I stopped doing, Also running a show in New Orleans the time that same weekend and I decided that I need to take a break from that show and do dragon con and then when I did dragon I'm like okay well I'm never running that show again, Hey Facebook, So I started going in 2013 I've always I I used to be at the actual costumer and I you know cosplays and things like that and renaissance fairs and all that it's always been my jam and we moved, To Georgia that my husband had just gotten out of the army so we're finally stationed somewhere like not moving.
[26:16] Any dressed up as, Logan Wolverine and cut his beard and everything and everybody just got so excited seeing him, Oh, okay. You know, but secretly, I'm like my plan worked. We're good. But yeah, so we started then and I've just always loved I apologize my little girls Jealous that she's not in here. But it's just something that I've always loved and just to be able to go in and I honestly I've only been to a couple panels. I love going to like the workshops and all that kind of stuff that was kind of my my draw to it, Very cool. Very cool.
[27:04] My dog, Yeah.
[27:20] Tell everyone hi and and put her swag bag out and did she'll go around like trick or treating just stay swag and seek and open her bag, That's awesome i couldn't get away with that okay so, So 2017 was also my first year we were mega con people we went to, Snap a big comic con. We're Florida folks. That's our circuit around here. And like I said, we had a baby at that time. We hadn't been doing anything at all. We were first time parents and kind of Drained and, My husband just surprised us. He said, you know, we're we're getting in the car and we're going to drag and come. We'd wanted to for a long time and he he said, there's a big battle star galactic panel and you You're going to go meet colonel Ty and so, Was that the panel where he said so say we all and everybody just yelled it out back to him a couple of times.
Edward James Thomas. So cool.
[28:40] Now you said there are now some rules and you've gotta Facebook group we're going to get you to.
[28:51] How what how did what are the rules? And who can join the Facebook group? Do you have to be swagging and seeking, So with the group.
[29:10] They just find us on Facebook and they just have to answer the three questions or the two questions and agree to the rules and they're they're in, And then basically the biggest rule is you don't be kind, You know and and another big thing is that we're not a trade group. We are a giving group.
So, you know, it's not required. If you give something or you ask for something, it's not required that you give, you know, get, it's giving without the expectation of receiving.
So, I mean, you know, traits can happen. That's fine but we just asked that it's not you know, required. That's one of our biggest rules.
Don't require it. But another thing is I think another big rule is don't hide on the sky bridges, Oh, that's a very good rule. We're actually going to be on the sign at this point.
You know, basically hide in places where you know, it's not people don't have to climb. You know, be considerate. It's not really like a seek in the sense of like have people go places they shouldn't be going. We don't want to be dangerous. We don't want to cause any property damage. We want the hotels.
To tell us that we can continue doing it.
[30:31] You know not on the floor and we also say that if you hide things put a tag on it saying that it's swag so people don't think it's lost or it doesn't get thrown away things like that those are the big safety rules as well as do not hide anything that Is perishable, Yeah, we've had that happen. So, we're candy or anything.
Was that? No.
[31:12] It's just left around and. Right. People assume, Okay so very cool and I know that you also have something that you ask people to print out and put with their slides so people understand yes this is why I do This is how it came about.
Right? Those little then you have those already on your Facebook page. Yes. The templates are on the page and then our logo is free to use for anybody who wants to use it.
But yeah that's the big thing is just, Yeah. Our logo is free to use.
[32:01] We have our logos is free to use for anybody.
There you go.
Right. Very cool. Very cool.
And John, for those that are watching this podcast, John just showed up the Facebook page.
Cuz I was like, man, I look like that. Yeah, I was like. But yeah. So, very cool and the Facebook page, Alex, what is the Facebook page address?
Oh it's just swagging like dragon sorry.
[32:47] On Facebook. Yeah, you can get, you can get to it. I'll link to it in the post that this podcast goes out on. It should be also on the note somewhere there.
But also if you just, you know, pick Google and type in dragon swag and seek Facebook.
First thing up. So, that's how I found it. There you go. Yeah. I do want to, I do want to share something. So, I don't, I guess it was probably, it had to be 2019, I think.
That I I had actually found send me to some little character somebody it made or something I forgot it was and I I found it out on the street I was waiting in line for something and, And I was like, oh, that's pretty cool. And I kind of put it in my back pocket, backpack, and I was like, oh, no, hold on this. And a, 2 hours later there was this little girl that was having a hard day or she was obviously having a hard time and so I went oh you know what I don't really need this thing this thing doesn't you know it's not going to, I'm going to go ahead and dug into my backpack and I found it and it was it was a little I forgot what it was but I went over the parents said hey do you mind if She has this and they said, yeah, sure. And so, I gave her and it brightened her day so much. She was, you know, she was obviously she was exhausted. She's crying. And I'm sure you have a 1000 stories like that every day but, You know, it made me look like here but I'm like, it wasn't me. I look, I found it. It's a swag and seek thing. I found it. It's supposed to be.
[34:08] And that's what it's all about. Yeah, it was it was totally awesome. It was totally something that that you know, you know, I'll see him. Oh, you know, I'll see him around. I have seen him around and I'll just kind of leave him there because I'm like, you know what?
I don't eat but I know somebody else is going to somebody else is going to want this or I'll move it so it's a little more visible if I kind of I think it's a little more yeah that's another way you can participate is move the item, You know, just rehite it. Use somebody seen it. You know, you can rehydrate it. You can pass with your friend. You don't necessarily need to collect everything you see.
But yeah plenty of people just pick it up to rehide.
That's really cool. And you've got everything. So John was showing some pictures and.
I last year there were teachers and they had a little bag that, Had they just came over to me and I was like oh you guys look awesome they were in costume, Erase her.
[35:15] But yeah, those are all these great too. I think, They're they're so many fandoms but people also just very creative too, Some other people have you guys are very creative and some people put a lot of work in these, So how does all of ya mean just what have you seen that you just amazes you, Oh I have I have some things I can show you that I've got that have been like my favorite, So, there is one of our two of our biggest members of Brandon and Michael. They actually run one of our events. They do pearler beads.
And this is from the legend of Zelda Little, On your fridge or whatever costume my son was Link and so he was wearing it so they make amazing amazing stuff and then my absolute favorite swag that I've ever gotten because I'm I'm weird If someone every year she hands out eyeball roses oh that's awesome, Yeah. So, let me we make stuff but it's so much fun to see.
[36:36] Every day and I'm like, holy cow, how did you even think about that? Like, she, she's done so many cool stuff. So, it's just, So much fun to see. I know I think Alex has a couple of things she could show too. Yeah, Alex, what's that? What you got?
So I the past couple of years I've been I call myself the swag which, Trying to use all my craft stuff because I just keep collecting it.
Oh that's cool.
I told my partner that I would I would get rid of all my skull beats because I've had it for 3 years.
Hey Facebook.
[37:34] Somebody else might be like, I have nothing with me i'm not prepared sorry, Can you.
[38:11] Those are group names and they say kindness is free.
So it's just a little message tagline.
[38:24] Hey Facebook, Expensive suggestion I like to give people for for swag because you know some you can spend a ton of money on this or you could spend no money on it and You know, make it out of stuff that you already have and people really appreciate it. Sometimes, we've had folks write little notes that just, Encouraging little sayings or, You know, a little motivational things and it's just written on an index card that it made someone else's day.
Which is just awesome, I have to brag on our members for just, Every year, so we, once we started doing you know, with dragon concert allowing us to have room to to do an event.
We started it. We were like, okay, well, is there anything we can give out? Oh, maybe we should do some bags or something like that and we put the idea out. Francesca put, Hey Facebook it's going to the point where every year like this is what they had we did last year, That you can see. Nice.
[39:45] So we'll be seeing And basically they people up things the donation ends on the 15th of July but they will, Just so many people were like we want to help. We want to help. We want people you know they also donate enough to be able to do like buttons and ribbons.
Every year we've raised over a $1000 and we've been able like last year we're able to give out 800 bags 300 ribbons and 200 button, Oh, that's so cool. And that's just that's a big deal that our community is willing to come together. Just like, hey, we we may not get one but we want other people to have them.
Our group continues to impress us.
That's an awesome great idea, They're just not going to be there too busy at Drive Con to be Stuff out. We're actually.
[40:54] So that sometimes donating to the bags is a good way to just you know put the kindness, Maybe feel bad that you collected stuff but didn't give out something you can give beforehand and just provide those bags to your fellow members, Very cool. That is so awesome.
And to Maria and Alex thank you for especially Alex for, Pushing forward and being pushing forward the administration part of it and where everything it just you guys it's, Drankon start you know has always had not always but think of mom maybe always as always had a charity well at least for as long as I can remember, And then they start batching and the earthing it's just a sense of community that this the whole, Dragoncon experience brings up and and yeah it's great everyone's out there partying and, Some people are out there getting going for the alcohol in the in the.
[42:15] Heart to, Mega con and even Tampa Comic Con. They have nothing like this. They're nothing. You're going to Drankon in this. It's not a community. It's a Hey, we talked about this. We talked about this a lot. It's you know, track kind of a fan based.
Convention and it's really geared towards a fans. Fans participating fans meaning, you know, make they make suggestions in the the people listen and whereas all the the most other cons of people go to.
Are, More corporate sort of money making. Yeah, and again, Drankod's not going poor or anything but but the the point is is that that it's they're also giving back everything. They get and people would have heard it by now.
We exceeded last year that the goal for open hand so we had, The goal was up to $100 thousand. They would match during coming match.
For a charity that that is, Small in size. You know, in general.
[43:32] It really that that little moment.
For that that that little girl, How much I appreciate what you guys do and especially when it you know in reality a lot of it's going to be going that the kids are going to get the best biggest, Kick out of it but even my even my my my migraine kid love that that little that little necklace that I found. So. Huh.
Hey Facebook I'm a huge sticker person. I love me some stickers.
[44:16] You don't just have to be creative. You can just order stickers online and then hide those and and all swag is is accepted in welcome. Yes. That is very cool and yes, so stickers are always great, I might be doing that this year as well. I don't know yet.
But I'm probably just going to hand them out and.
[44:44] We talk about a lot of times that Dragan Con is our, And I'm getting teary and I don't like it. Why did too? I don't know if you notice it wasn't.
I mean, you know, I I love this just just as much as I love when a kid looks up and goes, Captain America and that person will stop turn themselves around and come right back down to talk to the kid and then, We'd love to see you.
I'm sure I'm sure there's a Chris Evans that comes a dragon con. I'm sure there is a Chris Evans that comes to Dragon Con. But yeah.
Hey Facebook thank you, Hey.
[45:58] Yes I could see the part of it with your hair and I was like wait is it, Yeah, I gotta represent, you know, Hey image you want on it it', Arts cow as in COW, Yes A R T S C oh W, Okay. So, we are now at the portion where we're going to we're going to be you know, So And do this but what is the Facebook group and do you have other groups do you have maybe a Twitter or Instagram or whatever else, Or yeah, help people, help people can reach you to find out more information basically.
[47:13] Seek so SWAG in, But that's what yes it's Facebook, And that's going to be the ideas. I know that there we're mentioned on discord some but we don't have our own server. So, Facebook is really like we can only we can only handle so much with the three.
Alright there with you on it yes got it that is so great and okay so, Alex what are you doing, You mean a bit wise or yeah a bit wise for I mean what are you making stuff this year or you just kind of trying to heard the cat to make sure everybody's, Hey, So poison apples. Oh nice.
I like making bags for my to put my swag in to give out to people that matches my cospla, So you're.
[48:36] Pastel gobstickers, Which is like so like I said stickers are fun and they're very easy if you if you spit if you decide you only want to make 10 things of one item because like I said those little skull people take forever, But that is really cool. I'm actually really big day at the dead thing. It's one of my favorite.
Am I goal is to make 2000 throws do not do that that is just what I do because I also have five other people pulling from my back who do not make swag and zinc I don't I'm sorry, Swag not throws throws as a Mardi Gras arm I apologize, Yeah sorry I I would like to I I do a lot of note parades here in town and so another thing is is that we call it throws instead of swag so when one one event ends another one starts so I have to switch, The words I use.
Everybody's got their own terminology.
[49:48] If you know, you know, Which is very very cool. Okay.
Alex talk about the events because y'all need to know how to find us.
At least I have one event each day so, Free con. Wednesday night. If any of if anybody precise to come in, a little bit early from nine to 10, we're going to be at the Hilton Lobby and the market area where they usually have the tartist And that's that's going to be my my event. It's called our pre con swag meet up. It's a dope friendly So come meet new friends and oh and before concakes and full gear.
Thursday evening is going to be our official.
[50:52] Hey Facebook, Meet other swaggers and give our receive fun swag gifts come join us, And then Friday, Six to 7 PM on the 10th floor is Maria's Marriott meetup right Maria did I get, So, when I use the term kid friendly or adult friendly, a lot of, Bunny hutch.
[51:46] Let people know sometimes that you know certain ones will have certain types of swag.
Yes anybody knows Joe O'Shack no, Hey Facebook, Probably will be posted maybe like a week before con but we'll like we'll have it on the page.
Sunday is another kid friendly from 10:30: to noon at the Western Cafe will be our ambassadors Brandon and Michael will be posting our swag social, A swag social oh there's the more community based because we want, Hey.
[52:54] That'll be great. Thank you so much. That's awesome. I like thank you.
Group one's a fan page. One's AA private group.
Which is the one you want to drive people to or both of them I guess. So is the fan page the one with the blue logo?
Yeah. Can we do we do have a fan page? It's like a business page. This is public. Right. Huh. So that's also us. That's our rules out for people who don't want to join the group just so they know what our rules are. Got you.
So they can you can like that and then the private group is our group where people post about you know list for the community as where they post their swag and we encourage each other and all that kind of stuff yeah there's like 7000 plus people in your Private group. Amazing.
So we we we gain a 1000 every year.
Francesca, how do you, how do you, how do you feel about that? How do you feel?
I thought maybe I'll delete it too. I thought maybe I shouldn't have done that. Maybe I'll delete it because I don't want to track it. I don't really want to have to upkeep it.
[54:13] Oh my god. Oops. There's a lot of people joining. What am I going to do? Okay. You know, I'm so glad I did it because it means so much to me now. You know, it's just snowballed until like a Awesome thing and I just I kept waiting for the day. They that dragon was going to say you need to stop this. You need to delete it. You need to, Like helping us out and inviting us and and you know making us feel like we're officially part of Dragon Con and you know I've Especially during COVID I thought like they they have to stop this like we're handing stuff back and forth like they're going to get rid of us I know it and and they haven't they just haven't, The upper admins of of dragon have have been affected by this so, We're we're very grateful that we've been so accepted.
That is so so pretty awesome and I like seeing.
[55:22] That is kind of awesome as well. So, very cool. Okay. So, now, we know how to find you guys. We know that you're having socials and get togethers.
Anything else that, I just had something and it flew right out of my head and it Alex, You know, we we've seen a lot. I I think for me and I put a big post up about this because Every year, we see people saying, you know, oh, I'm not going to have enough swag or I can't give out swag or you know, mine's a it's mind going to even be good enough because look at these other people and what they've done, you know, I'm actually 10 things and all that and people just start doing guilty about it.
And for me it's like I want people to know.
[56:21] You hear the reason we're doing this, Is it still giving and it's such a huge it's a huge deal and it's just You know everybody has so much worse in that group and we just don't want anyone to think that they're not good enough because every person no matter what they do the fact that they're Involved and that they support the acts of kindness movement that is worse a lot Yeah. And so that's something I want to encourage a lot of people to understand. Even people who aren't a part of the group, they get swag. I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't have anything to give you and it's like it's okay. We, you know, We just want you to have something we want to make your day we want to just, So maybe maybe maybe later on you'll be like oh this person made me happy hey I'm going to go and you know pay for that person's drink, You know or I'm going to go in and and you know help that person who I may have walked by before like it's it's such a contagious thing And so just being there is so much value and even like commenting on someone's swag, saying, oh my gosh, you're doing so great, like that means so much, and so that's the big thing is just, There should not be any guilt.
[57:35] There you go. No milk. No milk. That's wonderful.
Hi.
[57:53] Yeah. Here, take this.
Because some people may not and it may be uncomfortable, You ask parents but the big thing is please don't hide things people's bag like ask them and if they say no it's not up it's not anything to do with you because some people just, Hey Facebook say no to us all the time because, Usual to get something for free.
Right?
[58:43] No, no, no, no, no. I don't want that. You know, thinking that there's some kind of catcher. You just being kind of weird. But you know, We just ask that you keep that in mind and don't get offended. If somebody doesn't watch.
If you don't know what's going on yeah, Yeah. Believe it or not, dragon con is big enough not for everybody. I know everything. That's why. We wanted to bring you guys, Yeah I know I tried to get rid of the y'all out of my vocabulary and not like no I'm really trying to get it back in. Gotta get back in because I got a good idea.
So, okay. So, John, you're drunk. Yes, so Again. Thank you all for for joining us today. Greatly appreciate it. Thank you for taking time out and I know that you got you got stuff you gotta be building. You got stuff you're making. You got time. It's taking time out of that.
So I'll I'll be sure to let you guys go but again thank you so much for being for building the community that you built And for, you know, continuing to grow it and and it's it's a wonderful thing and and like I said, there's, You know, just like.
[1:00:04] I can't. Sorry. I can't say enough of it. So, until next time. Oh, be sure, by the way, Aaron, be sure to go out and check out their Facebook page. Again, Dragon Con, swag, Swag, The post for this. It'll be in the notes. It'll be everything. I'll tell you, you'll be able to find it there but of course, just type in dragon swag and seeking you'll find it. And by the way, I I typed in dragon swag and seek and it's still found it. So, You're golden. You'll you'll find it. I trust you can. Go out there. Join it. Check out all the awesome post that people put up of things that they've they've made or they are made in the process of making it. It's all all that's beautiful and awesome, So until next time, Francesca, Hey, Hey Facebook, Hey Facebook.
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