A weekend of Boskone
I'm in a really good mood right now which is a special enough occurance to warrent a post on the old livejournal.
I just got back for a three day whirlwind marathon at Boskone, a Boston sci-fi convention with an emphasis on books. I went to a lot of panels, but also spent a lot of time volunteering. I spent five hours Thursday night setting up the art show. The artist guest of honor was Donato Giancola (http://www.donatoart.com/) and he has some great painting. This image was used as the main ad for the convention (http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/construct.html) Friday I helped set up the consuite, and helped man it Saturday and Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon I helped take down the art show, which was a lot faster then setting it up. My work really reminded me that fan conventions are run on the backs of many many volunteers, but it's still all worth it. The organizers are really grateful and it's a good way to meet other fans.
Cory Doctorow (http://www.craphound.com/) (famous for running the blog http://boingboing.net/) was a guest of honor as well, and I went to a panel on the future of blogs which was really interesting. He's a great guy to talk to with lots of ideas on the future of the internet. I was lucky to get to meet him in person. George R.R. Martin came to Boskone as well, and read a chapter from his upcoming book "A Dance with Dragons". He's one author who is really good to his fans. Some fans threw a party in his honor and he attended, sitting around for two hours chatting with people and answering all their questions (though not divulging much). I also went to several fun filk concerts, I love filk music's mix of a folk sing-along style with sci-fi and other geek topics.
It's hard to describe it all in writing, but between the panels, the guests, good parties and new friends, it was a wonderful weekend. Of course sleep was not something I got much of, but I'm taking a break from temping, so I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Of course it's a national holiday, but when you're not working you tend to forget these things. So I encourage to attend your local conventions when you get a chance, because as the fans running them get older, they will only go on with continued support from people like us.
P.S. I'm still listening to "The Road to Santiago" by Heather Dale, it's a wonderful CD. One of the best I've heard in a while.
P.P.S. The name 'Arisia' and 'Boskone', the two major conventions in Boston, are both refrences to the Lensman series by E.E. Doc Smith. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._Smith)
I just got back for a three day whirlwind marathon at Boskone, a Boston sci-fi convention with an emphasis on books. I went to a lot of panels, but also spent a lot of time volunteering. I spent five hours Thursday night setting up the art show. The artist guest of honor was Donato Giancola (http://www.donatoart.com/) and he has some great painting. This image was used as the main ad for the convention (http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/construct.html) Friday I helped set up the consuite, and helped man it Saturday and Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon I helped take down the art show, which was a lot faster then setting it up. My work really reminded me that fan conventions are run on the backs of many many volunteers, but it's still all worth it. The organizers are really grateful and it's a good way to meet other fans.
Cory Doctorow (http://www.craphound.com/) (famous for running the blog http://boingboing.net/) was a guest of honor as well, and I went to a panel on the future of blogs which was really interesting. He's a great guy to talk to with lots of ideas on the future of the internet. I was lucky to get to meet him in person. George R.R. Martin came to Boskone as well, and read a chapter from his upcoming book "A Dance with Dragons". He's one author who is really good to his fans. Some fans threw a party in his honor and he attended, sitting around for two hours chatting with people and answering all their questions (though not divulging much). I also went to several fun filk concerts, I love filk music's mix of a folk sing-along style with sci-fi and other geek topics.
It's hard to describe it all in writing, but between the panels, the guests, good parties and new friends, it was a wonderful weekend. Of course sleep was not something I got much of, but I'm taking a break from temping, so I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Of course it's a national holiday, but when you're not working you tend to forget these things. So I encourage to attend your local conventions when you get a chance, because as the fans running them get older, they will only go on with continued support from people like us.
P.S. I'm still listening to "The Road to Santiago" by Heather Dale, it's a wonderful CD. One of the best I've heard in a while.
P.P.S. The name 'Arisia' and 'Boskone', the two major conventions in Boston, are both refrences to the Lensman series by E.E. Doc Smith. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._Smith)