Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Wiscon as usual was lovely, far too quick and way too short/just the perfect length.

I woke with a sore throat this morning which is a small price to pay for the activities that filled the last five days. I've had a slightly different Wiscon since I've become involved with the organizational side of things. It's busier but no less enjoyable. I cut back even further this year by not signing up for panels or readings but things seemed to stay just as busy. A lot of the Wiscon concom completely give up their lives for the span of the con to make it work. To those of us on the outside it seems so seamless but it isn't.

Lots of highlights, too many to count, but here are a few:

Singing along to karaoke Centerfold by J. Giels Band with Cliff

Sushi, twice, with Karen

Visiting with Jeremiah and Par, though my time with them was way too short

Sharing stories of convention geeky shyness - you know those times when you find yourself alone and panic and think that no one likes you, knows you, wants to hang with you..

Hanging with Elad and hearing about his life and girlfriend

Seeing Maureen McHugh - actually, walking right past her, gorgeous but hard to recognize with her temporary straight hair - and Bob again

Meeting people at packet stuffing and registration

Finding out that David Moles had been in Tokyo at the same time I was, although he was in high school and I was in college. It was an amazing moment to find we'd both found the best two places for American style burgers, the well-known Hard Rock and lesser known, Homeworks.

Lots of great advice on pregnancy, motherhood, etc. from all the wonderful new mom authors at the con - and no this is not a way to say that I'm pregnant. Sorry Mom and Dad.

You've got to check out the link below to Technorati's Wiscon tag page and check out the photos. There's the one of the cutest photos ever of Alan and the much cuter Meghan McCarron (sp?)

I love hosting the party at Wiscon. Over the past few years, we've kept Wiscon dancing and for the past two proved that a SF convention can handle karaoke. This year, the Speculative Literature Foundation was a co-sponsor and we had a great turn-out. While we were cleaning up and shooing people out of the suite at the end of the party this year (at 3:15 a.m. ) the con party organizers, Scott and Jane, mentioned the possibility of moving the party to the ballroom next year which would allow later nights, less crowding and more room for socializing and watching. We'd be able to bring our beer and cider and other refreshments although there might be a corkage fee. We'd have an actual dance floor and might be able to bring in a real DJ and equipment. All of these are big plusses. The thought of moving off of the party floor makes me panic a bit, though, since so many of the people hang out in the hall outside the party at least part of the time and come and go from other parties. Would anyone come see us downstairs? If anyone reads this, let me know what you think.

Friday, May 27, 2005

Dang! Another month had passed...

  1. The person (or persons) who passed the baton to you.
    Richard.
  2. Total volume of music files on your computer.
    Since going through 2 hard drives in short succession earlier this year we are down to nothing. I don't even have the punk kitties from Rathergood anymore.
  3. The title and artist of the last CD you bought.
    Alan got me a CD of the Von Bondies since I loved the FX show Rescue Me's theme song so much. My husband is pretty much my music source.
  4. Song playing at the moment of writing.
    No music now since I'm in a hotel room and it's still early. I did spend a lot of the weekend crammed into Alan's office closet doing some emergency work on our bathtub plumbing. I listened to what Alan had in his boombox which included the Von Bondies CD, a southeast Asian hip hop band, MIA, and a funky jazz band, Medecki (sp?) Martin and Wood. I found the first three tracks on the Von Bondies CD the most helpful when I was tearing out the old faucet pipes.
  5. Five songs you have been listening to of late (or all-time favorites, or particularly personally meaningful songs)
    • "Cmon, C'mon," Von Bondies
    • Any of the music from Deadwood
  6. The five people to whom you will 'pass the musical baton.' Is there anyone who hasn't done this, yet?