Thursday, August 7, 2008

WorldCon, Day 1

Although Wednesday started inauspiciously, what with being attacked by a bottle of soda and nearly mauled by some other out-of-state drivers, once we actually got to the con things got much more enjoyable. As we were regsitering Aaron Buchanan, Kirsten Gong-Wong and their daughter Teddy came up to say hi. After registering we headed up to the dealer room to say hi to Amelia Beamer at the Locus table and Howard & Sandra Tayler at the Schlock Mercenary table.

After that we headed back to our hotel to actually claim our room (no early check-in for us!). After settling in for a bit (a much-needed breather for myself), we hit the "Year in SF: 2008" panel. I missed most of it, but they were very enthusiastic about the original anthologies this year. Afterwards I said hi to folks, and walked with Charles Brown back to the dealer room. I mentioned some books I was looking for, and he wheeled me straight over to the NESFA press table. I got The Immortal Storm by Sam Moskowitz (early fan history), More Issues At Hand by Atheling/Blish, In Search of Wonder by Damon Knight, and then Charles threw on The Tale That Wags the God, also a James Blish essay collection. If I do no other shopping at this WorldCon, my most essential goals have already been met.

Curtis also went to the "Real Spaceships" program item, which sounded interesting. I hung out at the Locus table, talking with Teddy and Amelia and watching the flow of people go by. People gathered there around 6pm for dinner at a fondue place a few blocks away. It was confusing, but everyone got fed and the company was excellent.

After dinner folks wandered back to the Grand Hyatt, where we're staying, for drinks and then a (relatively) early night. I was back in my room around 11:30.

One thing that I'll need to write more about when I have more time is Gary talking about an aesthetics of SF and what that might involve. Interesting stuff that needs more thought.

That's it for now: today I need to juggle meeting Curtis' awesome niece & introducing her to her first con, lunch with a friend, kaffeklatch with Charles, and dinner with another friend. It will all work out somehow.

Curtis has posted first day pictures on Facebook. I'm going to choose some to put up on Flickr, but not until we're home on Tuesday. Curtis is hoping to have them up closer to real-time.

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