The Chicago Xena Convention: What would Xena do?

Okay, so most people who know me know that I am a Xena Warrior Princess freak. After all, I do call myself Addi Warrior Princess (thus the addiwp) and I do collect all sorts of Xena crap and I own every episode of the six seasons of Xena....so, it is hard to imagine that I would even QUESTION whether or not I would go to the Chicago Xena convention in October 2007.

I myself cannot believe I am even questioning this. Me, the girl who spent twelve zillion dollars on Madonna concerts last year. Me, who named my dogs after two characters on Xena. Me, who sported WWXD license plates. Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor have never been to Chicago--this will be my first (and possibly only) chance to see the two of them together in the same room as me. (In case you are wondering, Xena conventions are few and far between. They are usually only in California, with a stray one here and there--without Lucy and Renee.)

The problem is the Dave Ramsey Debt Diet.

I have done so well in slashing my debt that I am scheduled to be debt free by January 1, 2008. (Everything but having the house paid off--Dave says that doesn't count when considering yourself debt free. Don't try to understand.) I've done everything Dave has asked me to do, including not purchasing anything without having the funds to pay in cash immediately for the item in question. My charge card is lonely but the balance is being addressed, chunk by chunk.


I am here to tell you that Dave Ramsey would SO poop all over my idea to attend the Xena Convention in Chicago.

I can't tell you how much I've struggled with this. It all started because Creation Entertainment sent me that dreaded email announcing the convention in Chicago. I deleted the email, I undeleted the email. I clicked on the link, I signed out of the link. I repeated this about thirty times, and I am not kidding you about this. I'd click on the icon to buy tickets, I'd think of Dave Ramsey, I'd back out of the buy tickets.

It's the cost of the ticket that is the problem, not the convention itself. If I am going to go the convention, I am going to do it right: I'm going to get the entire weekend gold pass/package, I'm going to attend the gold package breakfast and silent auction, I am going to sit in the first few rows with my closest Xena stalkers and I am going to get the Lucy and Renee autographed photo as part of the package.


The good news is the cost of the convention admission is less than a Madonna ticket. The bad news is that is barely less than the cost of a Madonna ticket.

The good news is that I will get a lot "more" for the price of going to the convention than I technically did at a Madonna concert. (No offense to Madge, but I didn't get her autograph, I didn't get to meet her, I didn't have the chance to have a photo with her, I certainly didn't sit in the front row.) The bad news is that the ticket is $319.

The good news is that this is the cost for the entire weekend--everything--and I'll be right up there, close enough for Lucy Lawless to sweat on me. The bad news is that the ticket is $319.

The good news is that I won't have to travel to Pasadena, California to attend a conference with Lucy and Renee in attendance, I won't have to pay for airfare or hotel costs, I won't have to buy all my meals in a restaurant. The bad news is that the ticket is $319.

The wife is all in favor of me going to the convention, which is in direct opposition to Dave Ramsey. (I'm almost surprised by her support as this is a lot of money but she recognizes my love of Xena and that the company has never brought Lucy and Renee to Chicago and that I will have many regrets if I don't go. God love her.) I explain my woes to her and fret about Dave. I'm doing so well but to buy the ticket I will have to charge the cost and I don't want to do that. But, if you think I have $300 sitting around, you have been watching too many Xena episodes. I go back to clicking on the convention link and then backing out. It's almost like a ritual. Open, close. Open, close.

I woke up this AM and turned on the computer. I open the email (once again un-deleted) and click on the link. I stare for a few moments at the link to buy the gold pass, swallow and click on the link. I think to myself, "What Would Xena Do?"

She'd stab Dave Ramsey right in the head and then buy the ticket.

I can't argue with that. You bet your bippy I bought the ticket.

Dave who?