At Potlatch
Potlatch has begun. I will be liveblogging the convention in this post, so watch this space.
So far I have ran back and forth from Redmond to Seattle several times ferrying crap for the Hospitality suite. The Tiki decorations look cool, all the more reason to be disappointed that I didn't manage to finish my special project in time for the convention.
While unloading my van I got out a couple of balloons that Anita had purchased. One was a 'one' and one was a 'five' (1 and 5). Both about a meter tall, and meant to represent this Potlatch (it is number 15). I set the balloons down (they were tied to weights) and turned around to get out a box. When I turned around again I struck one of the weights with my foot and then watched helplessly while the 5 floated away in the general direction of the Space Needle.
Crap...
In other news, Potlatch 1 is going just fine right now. The Hospitality suite is full of people and there is a general happy drone of conversation.
(Update: 12:54 PM)
My friend Bill saved the day by picking up a replacement balloon 5, and renting a five-foot Tiki statue as well. (Not as cool as the seven-foot one I ran out of time trying to finish for the convention, but better than nothing.) We got everything set up, including the fake grass shack, the cool lights and the other decorations.
Then we did a spontaneous dinnering, with eight of us going out for pizza and a couple of beers. We missed opening ceremonies, but did get back about the same time as the other dinner groups; so the opening ceremonies must have been pretty sparsely attended. Afterwards there was much talk and noshing, then holyoutlaw and juliebata's engagement cake. After that I opened the Tiki bar and started making tropical fruit drinks with rum for any and all.
All turned out to be a significant subset of the people there. Some even had seconds (and thirds and fourths and so on). Finally I was just getting too tired so I punked out and headed home. Anita will spend the night at the convention hotel, sharing a room with some friends.
(Update: Saturday, 5:59 PM)
The panel discussion I was on went well this morning. I was afraid the subject (dystopias in SF) would be somewhat self-limiting and lead to a lot of people going through lists of dystopian fiction they had read. However we did manage to discuss it on a more meta level, and a lot of people told me afterward that they really enjoyed it.
I attended two other panels later, both of which were reasonably interesting. Also a lot of talk with old and new friends. However I ended up having to go back home again because I forgot the box of single malts for the scotch tasting. (AAAARRGGHH!) This was made worse by the fact the SR 520 bridge is shut down for maintenance, meaning that not only do I have to take the longer route across I-90, but the traffic on that bridge is heavy for a weekend because everyone else does as well.
(Update: Sunday, 2:00 AM)
I didn't see much of the Clarion West auction because I had to leave early to do the play runthrough. Afterwards it was a rush to prepare for the scotch tasting, but once it was going it went really well. I didn't do the 'full' presentation because most of the people there already knew about single malt scotch, but I did explain how to drink it properly for a few people.
Afterwards we hung out in Hospitality for a while, and I played some guitar and sang. Anita went to bed around midnight, so I shut down Hospitality around 1:30 and shuttled some people back to my place so they could crash here.
In the morning? Brunch, the play, and (possibly) be a docent for some people that want to go to the Science Fiction Museum.
No rest for the wicked...
(More later.)
So far I have ran back and forth from Redmond to Seattle several times ferrying crap for the Hospitality suite. The Tiki decorations look cool, all the more reason to be disappointed that I didn't manage to finish my special project in time for the convention.
While unloading my van I got out a couple of balloons that Anita had purchased. One was a 'one' and one was a 'five' (1 and 5). Both about a meter tall, and meant to represent this Potlatch (it is number 15). I set the balloons down (they were tied to weights) and turned around to get out a box. When I turned around again I struck one of the weights with my foot and then watched helplessly while the 5 floated away in the general direction of the Space Needle.
Crap...
In other news, Potlatch 1 is going just fine right now. The Hospitality suite is full of people and there is a general happy drone of conversation.
(Update: 12:54 PM)
My friend Bill saved the day by picking up a replacement balloon 5, and renting a five-foot Tiki statue as well. (Not as cool as the seven-foot one I ran out of time trying to finish for the convention, but better than nothing.) We got everything set up, including the fake grass shack, the cool lights and the other decorations.
Then we did a spontaneous dinnering, with eight of us going out for pizza and a couple of beers. We missed opening ceremonies, but did get back about the same time as the other dinner groups; so the opening ceremonies must have been pretty sparsely attended. Afterwards there was much talk and noshing, then holyoutlaw and juliebata's engagement cake. After that I opened the Tiki bar and started making tropical fruit drinks with rum for any and all.
All turned out to be a significant subset of the people there. Some even had seconds (and thirds and fourths and so on). Finally I was just getting too tired so I punked out and headed home. Anita will spend the night at the convention hotel, sharing a room with some friends.
(Update: Saturday, 5:59 PM)
The panel discussion I was on went well this morning. I was afraid the subject (dystopias in SF) would be somewhat self-limiting and lead to a lot of people going through lists of dystopian fiction they had read. However we did manage to discuss it on a more meta level, and a lot of people told me afterward that they really enjoyed it.
I attended two other panels later, both of which were reasonably interesting. Also a lot of talk with old and new friends. However I ended up having to go back home again because I forgot the box of single malts for the scotch tasting. (AAAARRGGHH!) This was made worse by the fact the SR 520 bridge is shut down for maintenance, meaning that not only do I have to take the longer route across I-90, but the traffic on that bridge is heavy for a weekend because everyone else does as well.
(Update: Sunday, 2:00 AM)
I didn't see much of the Clarion West auction because I had to leave early to do the play runthrough. Afterwards it was a rush to prepare for the scotch tasting, but once it was going it went really well. I didn't do the 'full' presentation because most of the people there already knew about single malt scotch, but I did explain how to drink it properly for a few people.
Afterwards we hung out in Hospitality for a while, and I played some guitar and sang. Anita went to bed around midnight, so I shut down Hospitality around 1:30 and shuttled some people back to my place so they could crash here.
In the morning? Brunch, the play, and (possibly) be a docent for some people that want to go to the Science Fiction Museum.
No rest for the wicked...
(More later.)