Well it pains me to finally make this post.
To get straight to the point- I won't be attending D-Con this year.
I made it "official" (to myself) today by filling out my vacation request form, and
not requesting my annual two weeks off around Labour Day weekend.
My debts have been piling up over the years and quite frankly I've been in denial about it. I've allowed myself to use my credit card(s) to finance prop builds, costumes, and trips to D-Con without truly looking at the consequences.
This isn't to say that I've
only been using my CCs, or that I haven't been paying them off; I always pay them on time and use that thing called "money" when I have it.

But the fact is I've only been making minimum payments, and as I continued to purchase things, the debt climbed instead of going down.
D-Con is a huge expense for me and I've made the (extremely) hard decision to put that money to more pressing needs this year.
So this means two things-
1) I have been the Parade Liason for our group for the last 7 years. This year someone will have to fill my shoes. It is by no means a difficult job. All you have to do is create a sign up list here, get an estimate of how many want to participate, and then submit that estimate to the Yahoo D-Con Parade Group (I can post better details to whoever takes the job).
Jan Price the official D-Con Parade Organizer knows me and our group well enough now that you won't be "diving in without a lifepreserver" so to speak. She will recognize the "US Colonial Marines" instantly and welcome us back as usual. She is VERY friendly and willing to answer any questions- even walking you through the registration. But I'll be able to help you first.
2) I have a room booked at the Hilton for 4 nights from Thursday Sept 2nd to Monday Sept 6th. The cost is $184.00 per night plus tax- the grand total with tax is $846.40 USD. (This does not include parking if you drive there).
If no one here takes it, I'm simply going to cancel it. I know this may seem like blasphemy to cancel, but quite frankly I want this room to go to a Marine (or Xeno

), and someone who I trust will promptly transfer the room onto their credit card once I transfer the room into their name. I don't really want to give this to some person I don't know, and ultimately end up paying for their hotel room.

I'm off to work shortly- so this is all I can say for now.
By the way- this doesn't mean I'm
never going to D-Con again. I'm sure I'll be making my return for that little 25th anniversary of our favourite film.
Kevin