Sep 16, 2007 17:06
I usually travel to London annually in the winter when the fares are down, staying with my second family (the Clutes) in Camden Town and visiting with them, La Cadigan, Paul McAuley, Rob Holdstock Kim Newman, and hordes of other Londoners and those in other counties/countries passing through (like Lisa Tuttle from Scotland and/or Caroline Oakley from Wales and/or Maura McHugh from Ireland).
Well, after returning from Japan I was thinking that I just couldn't afford it this January/February...but then I got an email from American Airlines telling me to "use my miles'! And I discovered that I had plenty of miles to get me to London....so London here I come! I'll be going February 4-16th. I'll even make a tiny bit of moolah by talking to some students--an in informal, interview-type situation.
I've come to realize that I could probably make some decent money if I wasn't terrified of public speaking (you didn't know that about me, did you?). Sure, I can participate in panel discussions and writing workshops and I have no problem at all being interviewed. But to stand up in front of an audience/class and give a talk or a speech...um--no way no how. (I still have nightmares about forgetting lines. ) Oh well. I may just rationalizing my fear, but I think it's a good thing to accept what you do well and what you don't.
Nearer future, I'm going to be at Capclave in October (already mentioned), Saratoga Springs for WFC in early November, Florida for a few days mid-November, for my parents' 60 anniversary party, Maine for a week in December visiting Liz Hand. So traveling a lot, which I do enjoy.
conventions,
clute,
travel,
london