Strangely distanced and vaguely reluctant
It's how I'm feeling about attending the Nebula Awards here in Seattle. It's been years since I attended, and what I remember of the several I attended as an editor at Bantam was that at worst it felt like a glorified corporate banquet; at best it felt like a really good dinner with fine friends and a little too much talking at the podium. It's just been years since I've gone, and I suspect it may feel odd going with no official affiliation.
Still and all, I've finally started making some plans partly because I've discovered that people are coming into town from Back East whom I very much want to see, partly because I promised the_monkey_king I would go, and partly because I'm beginning to think that picking up some freelance work (which I've strongly resisted until now) is looking like a good idea. And the truth is that, as I've said here before, it's always nice to have an excuse to get dressed up.
Besides, I know that there are local friends who will be attending who are going just to experience it; seeing them will be comforting. Seeing them dressed up will be ... novel. We're a pretty casual crew here in the PNW, and the Nebs tend to bring out the sparklies. My decision now will be, do I go full-length sparkly or business-length sparkly? Just that thought alone lightens the prospect of attending.
Still and all, I've finally started making some plans partly because I've discovered that people are coming into town from Back East whom I very much want to see, partly because I promised the_monkey_king I would go, and partly because I'm beginning to think that picking up some freelance work (which I've strongly resisted until now) is looking like a good idea. And the truth is that, as I've said here before, it's always nice to have an excuse to get dressed up.
Besides, I know that there are local friends who will be attending who are going just to experience it; seeing them will be comforting. Seeing them dressed up will be ... novel. We're a pretty casual crew here in the PNW, and the Nebs tend to bring out the sparklies. My decision now will be, do I go full-length sparkly or business-length sparkly? Just that thought alone lightens the prospect of attending.