Saturday with Sach: Today, Halloween; Tomorrow, Minecon

THIS IS HALLOWEEN



I know, I know - it's not actually Saturday. More on that in a minute.



Halloween was always one of my favorite times of year, because it gave me an excuse to scare people for no reason. Of course, how I scare people has changed a lot over the years; long ago, I might've put a rubber spider in a girl's lunch. Today, I'd say something terrifying, like "Did you hear that Minecraft is going to a monthly subscription plan?"



Disclaimer: Minecraft is not actually going to a subscription plan.



Have you ever wondered why we scare people for fun, though? It seems like such a weird thing to do, when you really look at it, but it makes a weird kind of sense. The short version of this explanation might be, "we like the rush." That holds more true for some than others, and only explains why we like to BE scared, not why we like to scare others.



It might also explain why endermen are one of my favorite monsters - in the right situation, they are properly terrifying.



PERSONAL TERRORS



Somewhere in my past, I became cripplingly afraid of flying. It's not something I can easily explain, since I used to love flying as a kid, and did so often. There weren't ever flights that were especially scary, or where I ever felt in danger, but I still developed a fear of it.



Fear of flying is, generally speaking, nonsense. Commercial air travel is easily the safest way to get around today, and one of the fastest too. So, I sat and thought about the various things that I might be afraid of when it comes to air travel:

  • Crashing: We have greater odds of being hit by a meteor than crashing in a plane; the staggering amount of safety checks and training required to get just one plane off the ground is enough to make anyone's head spin. Strangely enough, pilots like being safe too - who knew, right?
  • Turbulence: For some people, turbulence is terrifying; you're in this gigantic metal sausage, and suddenly it starts shaking around like a blender in an earthquake. Surely, that's a bad thing, right? I made a weird discovery about turbulence the other day, and you can even try this experiment yourself! Next time you're in a car or bus, close your eyes while the vehicle is moving. That bumping around on the road you're feeling is actually more bumpy than most airplane turbulence. Suddenly, turbulence doesn't seem nearly as scary!




There are other things that scare people too, but what it all boils down to is, flying isn't really that scary. Now, we come to why I'm even talking about scary flying:



MINECON 2013



Tomorrow, I fly out to Orlando, Florida, to join over seven thousand people for Minecon 2013! I've got a busy schedule ahead of me, and a lot of work to do, but easily one of my favorite parts of Minecon is meeting up with all the friends I've made in the community over the years. I have the pleasure of knowing a lot of very talented modders, YouTubers, map-makers, and many many others; getting to hang out with them in real life is a real treat. I remember last year clearly; the first person I saw who I recognized in Paris was SethBling, who I bumped into in the airport. It became harder to talk to him at the convention itself - every time he left the hall, he was instantly swarmed by people looking for autographs - but I was always touched by how he made time to sign them all, and talk to everyone who approached him. He's a really great guy, and represents how most of the big names in the Minecraft community are at these conventions; they are all great people, and I'm glad to know every one of them.



I also really, really enjoy getting to meet you guys in person! I've been to both previous Minecons, and both times, I was amazed at just how awesome the community is in real life. People from all over the world gather to talk about their favorite game, make awesome costumes, get awesome loot, and meet their favorite Minecraft people, all in one place. In the end, you guys are what make Minecraft the greatest game in the world, by being the best community in the world. I've worked with a lot of games over the years, and Minecraft is, without a doubt, one of the best communities I've ever known.



You guys are why I am willing to tackle my fear of flying head-on, because you are worth it.



If any of you are going to Minecon and want to badger me in person for whatever reason, I'll be all over the place; I'm moderating a modder's panel on Saturday at 10:40, and another modder's panel on Sunday at 3:40. Toby and David have created some great video guides that will be playing on the convention floor, and I am voicing those videos, giving out lovely directions and schedules all day. We will also be having a meet-and-greet with Toby, David, and myself at the Curse booth, where we will chat with everyone, sign things, and all that fun stuff. I'm looking forward to meeting you!



I probably won't be making another post until Saturday, since I'll be flying/being terrified of thinking about flying during layovers all during Friday. Starting Saturday, the front page will be a flurry of pics, vids, and real-time coverage of all things Minecon. Be sure to check in all weekend, it's going to be great!



TODAY'S TOPIC(S): FEAR, OR MINECON (OR BOTH)



Let's hear from you about one of two things:

  • What is the scariest thing you have ever seen/heard/experienced, but faced down and overcame?

    • OR


  • What will you be doing for/at/because of Minecon?

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