It is good, I didn't mean to bring the mood down. And I hope your mom and brother show up! People do that, all the time. My brother is here, he looks like me but wouldn't know the difference between an Ent and an Elf if Treebeard himself knocked down Isengard's walls literally in front of his face. A version of my mom is here too--that's a really long and complicated story, it's better to just go with it.
NYCC is amazing in that it's huge and there are so many people and the cosplay is incredible and the panels are fun and Artist Alley is like, out of this world. It is not amazing in that I basically exist on energy drinks and crappy con nachos/pretzels, but I'm not ashamed. I've always wanted to go to San Diego too! Mostly I think it's just fun to be surrounded by people who are all passionate about something. You know what was super good? The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon, and Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Oh! And the Xanth series by Piers Anthony.