The Botcon-Seoul Dilemma of 2009

[Nigel]

I have a dilemma.

Ever since going to Botcon in 2003, I've wanted to go back. (Or more accurately, having wanted to go to Botcon since about 1999, I finally was able to go in 2003 but they changed the name to OTFCC and I've continued to want to go to Botcon ever since.) Not having made it the last couple of years, I was especially keen to go this year for the 25th anniversary. This year's venue of Los Angeles is especially appealing and the cost of the event is just about affordable. (Though I'd have to go some to save the spending money.)

An old uni housemate has invited me to his wedding in March. He now lives in Seoul. It would be great to go to Korea, and to share in the happy occasion.

My dilemma is, I can only afford one of the two trips. I'm tending towards the wedding. Although I've hoped to visit Botcon for a few years now and I can't see me otherwise going to LA any time soon, Botcon is an annual event and a wedding is (hopefully) a one-off. But then, when I think about one possibility, I swing back in the other direction.

Of course, there is a third option: don't go to either. This would actually be the most sensible, frugal option, but it doesn't fit with my new personal motto, carpe annum.

I've got to decide soon. The first Botcon hotel block is already sold out and March is not far away.

[The Doctor]

I would say the wedding. Your mate's wedding will only happen once and Botcon happens every year.

-Ralph

[legios]

Indeed. There have been Botcon's before and will be Botcon's again. I would have said that they take second place to helping to commemorate a momentous event in a good friends life.

Karl

[Hero]

Pick the wedding.

Imagine if it was your own wedding and your good buddy opted out to go to an annual TF convention. That would suck.

Besides TF anniversaries will probably be every 5 years from now on.

I was happy to have some of my invited friends attend my wedding and the ones who could'nt make were for understandable reasons.

===KEN

[Grand Moff Muffin]

I plan to go to one convention this year, this one. It's right on your doorstep, Nige, so if you do decide to save your money and not travel at all, bear it in mind...

Martin

[Deleted]

Nigel,

Go for the wedding. Trish and I got married last month and we had friends who couldn't make it for various reasons. Quite a few sadly couldn't because of work commitments and were understandable but there were a few who either couldn't be bothered or put other things first and it really made us see some people in a different light. I won't name names although none of them are members here.

Like others have said though, conventions come and go, but hopefully your friend will only get married once. If you're able to go and you miss it it's something that you'll regret.

[Andy Turnbull]

Go for the wedding. It's only a transformers convention which happens annually so there is always next year!

Andy

[grahamthomson]

Wedding, definitely.

[Bogatan]

The wedding should be your first priority if all thing are even. It shouldnt be about going to Botcon so much as not going to the wedding if you do decide not to go.

Having said that, we here have had more than a few discussions recently on this topic, the pro points I can think of have been made so here are some of the relevant points against.

Quite a few family and friends have opted to go abroad for weddings in the last few years and others already living abroad have married in that country and the expectation for people to attend is much lower than if it was being held anywhere in the UK.

The fact that its happening half way around the world is a factor and two months isn't long to get prepared (I dont know how long you've been invited but if you haven't already booked anything then it isnt that long)

Cost, you sound like you've priced up already so that shouldnt be an issue.

And your friends going to be pretty busy for the duration obviously. Its not likely the best time to catch up. Though if other friends are going its a good chance to see them.

In the end it comes down to which would you feel worse missing?

Andy

[Nigel]

I am now pretty much fully on the side of the wedding. Despite the little voice inside saying "no, I don't want to miss Botcon again" - which is getting louder as I type this.

If they were both in this country, there'd be no issue. (I've done a wedding and half a Dr Who convention before now.) It's the fact that I've wanted Botcon for years and it was within reach this year, whilst the wedding has come along recently and unexpectedly and is actually the first non-family wedding I've been invited to. (Billy no-mates, me. )

I still need to cost the trip fully and accurately to make sure I can do it at all.

(There is another point, which is not part of the decision-making process, but a nice fringe benefit and consolation for missing Botcon: I could potentially get a relatively cheap Masterpiece Grimlock out of the wedding trip.)

[Bogatan]

Genius!

Andy

[Deleted]

The wedding is top priority without a shadow of a doubt. I won't go into my reasons for this decision because they have already been mentioned by other people here. Besides, considering how big Botcon is there's no doubt that video footage of the event will turn up on some website or other sooner or later so you won't exactly miss much other than the thrill of being there.

[Nigel]

In case anyone was wondering, prudence eventually won out and I decided not to go to either.