Guess what? Yeah, I'm at WorldCon (hee hee)

Can there really be only one more day? Noooooo. Say it isn't so.

Day 4 in review:

I was debating between a panel and a signing (by Stephen Baxter who I really like a lot and whose anthologies I'd bought this weekend, I'd gotten out last night and tagged his stories in for him to sign) this morning, but since I stayed up half the night/morning watching the rerun of the Olympics opening ceremonies, what I did this morning was roll over and go back to sleep. Hey I'm supposedly on holiday, right? Still, probably not my best decision since I missed the opportunity to stand in Baxter's autographing line with Kathryn. Sorry, Kathryn. Maybe I should have asked for a less comfortable bed. I will go to sleep before 4am tonite. I WILL DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I did haul my fanny to the 11:30 panel on the Wild Cards series which was very cool. I never read any of the volumes, but I think I'll pick at least one up now and see what happens. Then I trotted over the the Hyatt for readings by Charles Stross and then Sharon Shinn. While trotting I clutched the latest convention newsletter which I grabbed on my way out of the convention center. I got a spot in the back of the Stross reading room and got my stitching ready then decided to look at the morning newsletter where I found the message saying that he (followed by Sharon) would be reading in the convention center. I rallied the room and we all trotted back across the street to join the folks who HAD read the newsletter. lol You know, all the way to the Hyatt I kept thinking "you really out to look at the newsletter to see if they changed any rooms." Oh well. Apparently I needed the extra walking today.

Regardless, Stross (seen below) gave a fine reading of his recently released Saturn's Children.

So engaging was what he read that when he was finished with his reading I hot footed it upstairs to the dealer's room to collect one (and my newly traditional strawberry/blackberry smoothie lunch)--

As you can tell, it found some friends. lol You wouldn't want it to be lonely, would you? I didn't think so.

Post-shopping I was back downstairs, to the right and a few rows forward of my seat from the Stross reading for Sharon Shinn's reading. She did pieces of an upcoming Angel novella and a 13 Houses novel. I couldn't rush out for those since they aren't out yet. that's probably the only thing that kept me from a return to the dealer's room. I'd show you a pic of Sharon in action but the one I got has given her bright red eyes. I really don't feel she's meant to look possessed.

After Sharon in was back downstairs for the Sigma panel -- a science fiction, pro-bonoish think tank. Entertaining, frightening, and thoughtful.

And, I saved the best for last, thinking, I wonder if I ought to go to something else, I settled into "Worth a Thousand Words." It's described in the pocket program as:

"Authors read a new or favorite brief description of a character, setting, or action, and the artists spontaneously illustrate it. The artists then reciprocate with a new or favorite original drawing, and the authors spontaneously write a description of it."

I laughed so hard I cried. Someone said they were youtubing it. If you want to be entertained, try and find it. OMG. The writer was David Brin and the artists were Frank Wu and Teddy Harvia and with Frank and Teddy on dual easels, Brin began a audience-participation-driven improv. I can't really begin to explain it all, but here are a few pics and you can pick up some bits from the quotes of today ---
It started with the words "laser canon," "dragon," and "home-made peach jam."

That's Brin story telling and Wu working on his laser canon.


Contrary to the story Wu's early-stages dragon attacks the laser canon with a jar of peach jam.


That's Teddy Harvia with his dalek which contains 12 monkeys and an echidna.


And that's Teddy with Fred, the intelligent laser canon who's not as smart as he thinks he is. Fred has performance anxiety and dreams of electric sheep.


Brin doing his platydude dance.

Honest, funniest hour and a half of the week!

Still chuckling as I left I had to find a quick dinner and get back to the convention center for the Hugos (the big literary award series voted by the members of the convention annually). My mistake--- NOT going back to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. I headed instead for "16th Street" which is touted as the cool shopping dining, hanging experience downtown. What a waste. For those of you with this point of reference, you'll understand -- think 3rd Street Promenade (Santa Monica) without the smells and the parking garages, but with all the junky kind of shops interspersed with big-ish named restaurants, oh and here the "walk street" concept allows for trams, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages. The good thing is I learned I don't need to go exploring there on Monday! Bubba, I'm sorry.

I made it back for the Hugos and got a prime balcony seat. It was a lovely ceremony moderated handily by Wil McCarthy (a personal favorite author of mine). You know, I think it might have set a record for brevity. I was quite impressed. Here are the winners:


Stitching of the day:

This is a yet unbeaded version of the specialty-stitch version of part 7-8 of Papillon Creations "How Does Your Garden Grow" done in a couple Belle Soirs. I plan on using white beads but I didn't bring any of those along. The pattern calls for stitching all those specialty stitches with two threads which I did, but I think the one I started right after this one will get one-stranded specialty stitches. It's just to thick with two and you can't tell so much from the pic but it's not that it is rumpled, but rather that all that tread is playing heck with the fabric flatness. Memo to self: stuff that ornie really full!

Quotes of the Day:
"Next year's novel is a short story collection." Charles Stross

"A lilliputian unspeakable horror???" David Brin

"Wait a minute; I'm not done with the electric sheep." Teddy Harvia

"Back in my day we used to have to do our own genetic engineering." Frank Wu mocking David Brin

"Am I the Rodney Dangerfield of science fiction?" David Brin

"In the annals of Hugo lore I would like to be remembered as the people's moderator." Wil McCarthy

"It's not enough that we make you sit there for two long hours. We also make you clap." Wil McCarthy

"My SF efforts have been rewarded with venture capital. Take that John Scalzi!" Wil McCarthy on not having won a Hugo

"...the coolest award in the world mostly because it's got a detachable rocket." Steven Moffat and Hettie Macdonald upon winning the Hugo for best dramatic presentation short form for the Doctor Who episode Blink (my personal favorite -- dang it was creepy!!!)

"Oy! Who new?" George R.R. Martin accepting the Hugo for best novel on behalf of Michael Chabon for The Yiddish Policeman's Union

Specific notes:
Nic --- err not by my phots... oh wait, the Hugos pic shows unfuzzed faces, of course most of those are women, editors, or friends of writers accepting on their behalves. lol BTW, I'm with you on Gaiman. He's marvelous. I first encountered him with his co-authoriship with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens, then fell head-over-heels for Neverwhere. Have you read Anansi Boys? I liked that one a lot too.

Barbara -- See ya there I hope! But you know, how much of a honeymoon is it if you both spend all you time at the convention center? lol BTW, I was over on the Toronto page yesterday and they have a "deal" on membership costs that ends this weekend I think.

Dani -- I can add that Elizabeth Moon is also darn funny. She was a hoot telling stories of dealing with the "old broads" in her small town when she was reserching characters.

I'm still at WorldCon!!! neener neener neener

loll sorry, I can't help but do that. You should see me -- I'm just sitting here giggling in happiness.

Report on Day 3 of scifi happiness:
Up groggy around 8am. Fight with sink. What moron thought this was a good idea? I have to say that when my buddy told me about it she said (and I thought) well, it's really a bigger problem for her because she's rather short. I'm really pretty tall and I have long arms. You know what? Height and wing span do not help you when you're spitting toothpaste and trying to get soap out of your eyes. Idiots. I know why they did it-- they wanted to gussy up the bathroom when they took over the hotel, but they didn't want to spend the money to actually redo the plumbing. Look, people, fire the frikin architect or designer and use their pay to move the plumbing!

Leave sucking on a Zicam (haven't tried them -- do, they really work!) because I was feeling a little off-- a little sniffy. I cannot have a cold while at Con. I must be able to fully enjoy every moment. How cold I be groggy and sniffy??? I mean just cause I go to be after 3am that couldn't be it could it? lol

Trot over to the Convention Center for a panel on NASA's development with engineers/writers discussing humorous stories of the good ole days. Leave that early because I have this overwhelming compulsion to visit the dealers room. I tell myself I'm scooting out because I want to go leave a message for Kathryn on the voodooo boards (why haven't I taken a picture of those? -- I'll explain them later), but really I hear the hucksters calling to me. The dealer's room manages to sell me NOTHING! No, honest. Nothing. lol Yeah, I wouldn't believe me either, but it's true.

Those big numbered signs hang over the dealer's room. What could I have bought there, you ask?--- pottery, blown glass, books, t-shirts, velvet capes, corsets, books, magazines, books, book covers, kimono pull stays, crystals, books, toys, sculptures, books, and for no apparent reason chocolate honey. Honest to pete we have a booth of nothing but chocolate honey. I hate honey.

Post huckster's I headed for the panel on what might get nominated for the Hugos (our literary awards) in 2009 (great, more books I need). Then I was off downstairs for the Guest of Honor speech by Lois McMaster Bujold. Well, it wasn't starting for a few minutes so I was peaking over the edge of the escalator and found KATHRYN!!!! At long last. Waved at her; she was busy. Went off for the speech --

That's Lois listening carefully to an audience question.
Once the questions really got rolling for Lois, I headed out to find Kathryn again and we got to chat for a while. lol She just looked at me and said, you have a lot of pictures. I must have looked lost because all I could think was "I didn't use all the ones I had and I only quit because I was exhausted." lol She showed me her progress on Bad Hair Day which is really cute. Hopefully we'll connect again for fun and gossip since I had to desert her to go upstairs to Sharon Shinn's signing. Here she is chatting and signing--

She's exactly as nice and perky as she looks there.
As soon as I got my signatures and pictures I was off downstairs again to a panel on vampires and other creatures "of the night." Kinda entertaining. After that is was only across the other side of the building (at least on the same floor) for a reading by S.M. Stirling from his book that comes out in a month or two.

That's Mr. Stirling with his Kindle which he loves.

I closed off the panel day back across the floor at "No Swords, No Horses" a panel on doing fantasy without all the tropes. I was there because it included Glen Cook (I believe you've gotten the idea he's one of my favorites). the panel was quite good and I picked up some new people to hunt writings by. Here's the crew:

From left to right that's Michael Swanwick, Liz Scheirer, Glen Cook, and Patrick Rothfuss. They ended about 6:20 and the Masquerade (I'll explain in a minute) was called for 7:30. So I need dinner. I probably need real food since lunch had been a smoothie in the dealer's room (btw, the Denver Convention Center makes a mean blackberry-strawberry smoothie), but I need it close and kinda fast. Off I go across the street to Bubba's Shrimp. So far I have eaten ALL of my dinners in Denver at Bubba's. See, I was tired the first night and I needed something fast and I couldn't remember if I'd seen a restaurant near my first hotel so my friend Elaine (the original sink complainer) said I should try Bubba's. I was jonesing for a salad and right there posted by their door was a menu featuring a cobb salad. So, Wednesday night Bubba's Cobb Salad at the bar where I met Mary and we compared plans for the next day of the Con. She had gotten the Shrimpers Sampler and ha me try one. I vowed I'd have shrimp there before leaving town. Last night I had 45 minutes between the Chesley's (art awards) and the art reception so back to Bubba's (in my defense, they are the closest restaurant!). Nope, not the shrimp sampler, I got the stuffed trout--- yummy. Tonight in my hour I go back to Bubba's hoping I'm early enough for the spicy sea bass with chopped avacado salsa. I was, and it was WONDERFUL!

I was paying my check at Bubba's when the sky opened up. In the thunder and lightening I hauled back to my hotel (a block away) to drop my bags. By the time I get up to my room it's just sprinkling-- check out the sky through my room window:


For those of you who read Rachel Caine -- do you think there might be a pissy weather warden somewhere?
I trot back to the convention center -- as I leave my hotel there's an occasional raindrop. A quarter block from the center doors, the drops become insistent enough for me to open the umbrella. Between when I enter the convention center and when I get to the other end of the building to the auditorium where the maskerade is being held (approximately 3 minutes) the sky has exploded--


About maskerades. One thing we do (well some of us) is costumes. And no, I don't just mean Star Trek uniforms and Princess Leia. Folks were costumes all during the day and then if they so choose there is a maskerade where they debut a new costume and generally a mini stage show for ribbons and applause. I have been thoroughly awed at maskerade presentations and I've also laughed until I cried at them too. I don't have pictures from tonight's event (no flash photography for the safety of the participants), but here's a few offerings from a display in the hall with the hucksters and the smoothie vendor (can't wait to drink lunch tomorrow lol)




See? All the biggest stars come! lol

Stitching of the day:

The sheep is part of a LK flip it from a couple years ago and the other is the one from yesterday with it's final border around it. Tomorrow... maybe I begin a dragon????? We'll see.

Book purchases of the day (you know, I don't know when those happened lol):


*****************
Quotes of the day:
"I'm allergic to being held responsible for things over which I have no control." Lois McMaster Bujold

"Where is SF going in the 21st Century? I don't know. I'm not driving!" Lois

"Gene Wolfe isn't here so I'm officially the greatest author at WorldCon." Michael Swanwick

"Who wants to destroy the world?" ... "Where would you put all your stuff afterward?" Patrick Rothfuss

"Nobody reads the book that I wrote." Glen Cook

"I think the rule of thumb is: if you've never shot a horse..."
"That is NOT a suggestion!!!"
Michael Swanwick and Liz Scheier

********************
Specific notes:
Carol -- keep reminding me you want to know what that pattern is. It's from a JCS of a few years back and I stitch it from blown up photocopies I make to keep myself sane. So I can definitely tell you, but just not right now.

Barbara -- oh, man, we could hook Niek up. lol If you go to WorldCon's homepage you'll see the dates for next year's which is in Montreal. They just finished the votes today for 2010, and I don't think they're counted yet, but it's safe to say Australia won. It's a long story, but since the convention will be out of North America, there will be a make-up convention called a NASFIC in 2010. Where isn't figured yet. 2011 hasn't been voted yet, but I think it's going to be Seattle although Reno just started up a run for it. It's real complex. Frankly I'm all excited about 2009 since Montreal's Guest of Honor is Neil Gaiman who I really love.

Kathryn -- Hugos, you're on, dearie! Great to see you today!!!

I'm at WorldCon!!!!! I'm at WorldCon!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo! Happiness alert. Actually, supreme happiness alert! hee hee

Ok here's the trip report so far:

Day 1:
Leave LAX via gate 1 and get a message from the fates--

Those are some of the hall art pieces on the tunnel that leads to gate 1. See, fate called me to WorldCon.

Arrive at Denver Intl Airport which is really nicely arranged. It seems to be very efficient too -- when I got to baggage pickup my suitcase was just sliding out onto the roundabout. I mean you can't ask for better timing than that, right?

Check in to my one-night hotel on the fringe. I was too late to get a room for the first night in one of the con's 7 hotels so I made do. It was an adequate place and the bed was really comfy, but I am happy to be up near the convention center now -- no pealing bathtub paint, no broken coffee maker (I hope-- I haven't tried it in the new hotel), no broken elevators, no non-functional internet, etc. [Oh, and when I went to fill out the comment card in the room, it was already filled out -- by a guest who stayed there 6 weeks ago. lol]

Headed to the convention center to meet up by the Big Blue Bear --


(Ain't he cool?????)
-- anyway at Blue's feet I met up the person whose "spare" membership I was buying. I'm soooo lucky! She'd already registered and sussed out where the transfers line was. It was a blissfully short 2 people--- a real godsend since regular preregistration pickup was INSANE. I should have taken a picture but then you would never come to WorldCon. If I had to go through those lines at my first con I'm not sure there would have been a second one. We went from registration to the dealer's room where I picked up 4 books from Glen Cook (He's a bookstore and a writer and I try to buy my books from him when I can so he has plenty of backing for his writing.)

Aren't they pretty? They're so decorative. And fun too!

I also checked out some of our sporting activity options:


We get up to some funky stuff at cons. lol

My programs for Day 1 were Programmable Matter with Wil McCarthy; 2008 the Year in Science Fiction (David Hartwell, Jonathan Strahan, Charles Brown, and Gary Wolfe); Age and Wisdom (older characters in SF) (Elizabeth Moon, Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Margaret Bonham, and Robert Silverberg). I got a nice collection of cool books to check out and a number of chuckles.

Here are the folks from the Age and Wisdom panel:

from left to right: Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Moon, Margaret Bonham, Robert Silverberg, and Larry Niven

Quotes of Day 1:
"It's a mentor's job to ment." Robert Silverberg

"My life is just a big blob. It never turned the corner into plot." Elizabeth Moon

"It's really a great background for a writer to have made lots and lots of stupid mistakes." Elizabeth Moon

Stitching of Day 1 --

Yes, she's all DONE but the beads!!!!! Yahooooo

In case one memo from Fate (ie. the art at LAX) weren't enough, check out the light fixtures here at the Denver Convention Center--

Come on -- those are definitely UFOs!


DAY 2:
Up extra early to evac to my new digs at the Crowne Plaza. lol My buddy Elaine who conferences frequently in Denver was right, the bathroom sink is weird and not so very functional.

Yes, that is the entire counter space for the room, and, yes, the sink is set back a full foot from the edge of the counter.

Day 2 seems to have been a reading day for me -- I went to readings by Carrie Vaughn

She's quite funny and very nice -- now I need to go get the rest of her books. dang, more book shopping. What a bummer!

And by Stephen Baxter

He read us a wonderful story that I simply have to go find!

And by George R.R. Martin

Who did a marathon hour and a half of reading from a story that's not coming out until 2010. Talk about a tease!

I finished up the day's panels at the DAW Books forthcoming books slideshow. Cool stuff is coming our way!

I also went to a singing by Glen Cook -- happy happy. And picked up some more books --

That pic doesn't include any of the gift books I bought so if you wee something there you like, it's not for you! lol

I finished up day 2 at the Chesley Awards -- well, the Chesley nominations this year. Seems they've had problems this year and weren't ready for their membership to vote in time so we ha a slideshow and presentations on the nominees and then a great reception at the art show with all sorts of delectable goodies. I shared cookies with one artist who does the most amazing pictures. She paints and her husband custom builds these tremendous frames. Absolutely mind-blowing frames. If I had space and $3000 to spare one of them would come home with me. It'll make someone very happy somewhere.

That puts me back at my hotel at 11pm, crashing my computer trying to get office stuff done, and now visiting with ya'll since the work thing just keeps killing my poor computer. Dang, I'm tired!

Day 2 stitching:

This will get a charm of some sort in the center.


That's an in process piece -- I still have one row of "frame" to go and I need to figure out what I want to put at the bottom.... I'm leaning to "Christmas 2008."

By the way, this is the stitching I brought --

Hey, I'm a mood stitcher! I have to have options!!!!! At least several options! lol

I'm going to bed. Maybe I'm sleepier at higher altitudes?

Chris, if you're reading this, can you email me at yahoo about the dates of Pals? When I looked before I left there were two sets of dates on the page. Bless you!