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Eastercon 2013
Apr. 5th, 2013 11:43 pmThat was a good con.
There was much more snow over t'other side of the Pennines than here, and it was bitterly cold outside, plus the hotel heating could not cope so most of the function rooms were downright chilly and the main lounge, with its doors to outside opening all the time, was often too cold for me. Layers saved my bacon, lots of layers, I don't think I've been out without a pair of leggings under my trousers since about October!
We (lj user=purplemermaid> and I) had an easy drive over from Cheshire (it's only 60 miles) but other dealers were caught when the motorway (606? or 62) was closed not long after we got there and had a much harder journey.
Some excellent programming, I very much enjoyed the items I was on particularly the Alan Garner one, though I had to apologise to the other panelists and audience as I totally took too much of the time allotted, it's just, he's my 'specialist subject' and I just know stuff about him and the books, non of which is academic but all of which I hope is interesting (for example, amongst Prof Tolkien's papers is a copy of Weirdstone from 1963, annotated, rather angrily and extensively by the great man, Alan would absolutely love to get his hands on it, to see what he wrote). Bought Mike Shevdon novel on the grounds that he was interesting on the panel on the magical British countryside.
Enjoyed Zulu Tradition, would have enjoyed it more with more dancing!
Biggest regret was not making Anne Sudworth's GOH speech, her art intrigues and delights me with her technique as well as her subject matter, dealers room does tie you down a bit. But because I haven't run the stall for about 4 or 5 years now, everyone had forgotten that they had already bought everything so I sold quite a lot. I even sold the green man bowl which has been on the stall for about 7 or 8 years, to someone who really, really loved it, which is always a good buzz, when you can tell it has a very good home. Now to start work on stock for Worldcon. New display units on the stall worked well, rather pleased with how it looked, and pleased to put some of my friends books on the stall once I had the space, planning two tables for Worldcon, at least half of one for books.
Only one meal out, too bitterly cold for me to want to go far, but a brisk walk to the excellent Shalimar, for a fish kebab was doable, even the cafe was cold though! Mango lassi to die for. And it was my only exercise, apart from Tai Chi with Fiona, and 45 minutes on the cycling machine in the hotel gym (I wanted to use the treadmill, but I was too chicken, you've seen those videos of cats on treadmills on You Tube... whee, splat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESM3495FiZM). The cheap hotel food was a bit limp and boring after a whole weekend of it, but the bar food was good and the breakfasts were fabulous.
Didn't do much for the Newsletter, despite it's magnificent dongle, but provided the masthead at very short notice. Worldcon newsletter had better give me more than 24hrs notice if they want one...
People noticed my reduced waistline, I keep having to buy new trousers and work clothes, which is a small price to pay, really, and sizes 18 to 22 (depending on the vendor) are cheaper than bigger sizes and easier to get hold of.
I still like the hotel, despite the lack of rooms, but the main bar is also not really big enough; given my druthers, I would have moved the green room to some other location, the bar wasn't big enough to lose so much space, particularly in the evening.
Saddened by the loss of Zoe, reported at the weekend, she could be maddening and hard to help, but not all her issues were of her own doing and neither she nor her parents or friends deserves such a sad ending. I will miss her.
Sunny, cold dry weather means that I have done a load of washing every day this week, the house is returning to normal and Max will just about have forgiven me by the time I go to Portmeirion at the end of the month...
All in all, an excellent weekend.
FF
There was much more snow over t'other side of the Pennines than here, and it was bitterly cold outside, plus the hotel heating could not cope so most of the function rooms were downright chilly and the main lounge, with its doors to outside opening all the time, was often too cold for me. Layers saved my bacon, lots of layers, I don't think I've been out without a pair of leggings under my trousers since about October!
We (lj user=purplemermaid> and I) had an easy drive over from Cheshire (it's only 60 miles) but other dealers were caught when the motorway (606? or 62) was closed not long after we got there and had a much harder journey.
Some excellent programming, I very much enjoyed the items I was on particularly the Alan Garner one, though I had to apologise to the other panelists and audience as I totally took too much of the time allotted, it's just, he's my 'specialist subject' and I just know stuff about him and the books, non of which is academic but all of which I hope is interesting (for example, amongst Prof Tolkien's papers is a copy of Weirdstone from 1963, annotated, rather angrily and extensively by the great man, Alan would absolutely love to get his hands on it, to see what he wrote). Bought Mike Shevdon novel on the grounds that he was interesting on the panel on the magical British countryside.
Enjoyed Zulu Tradition, would have enjoyed it more with more dancing!
Biggest regret was not making Anne Sudworth's GOH speech, her art intrigues and delights me with her technique as well as her subject matter, dealers room does tie you down a bit. But because I haven't run the stall for about 4 or 5 years now, everyone had forgotten that they had already bought everything so I sold quite a lot. I even sold the green man bowl which has been on the stall for about 7 or 8 years, to someone who really, really loved it, which is always a good buzz, when you can tell it has a very good home. Now to start work on stock for Worldcon. New display units on the stall worked well, rather pleased with how it looked, and pleased to put some of my friends books on the stall once I had the space, planning two tables for Worldcon, at least half of one for books.
Only one meal out, too bitterly cold for me to want to go far, but a brisk walk to the excellent Shalimar, for a fish kebab was doable, even the cafe was cold though! Mango lassi to die for. And it was my only exercise, apart from Tai Chi with Fiona, and 45 minutes on the cycling machine in the hotel gym (I wanted to use the treadmill, but I was too chicken, you've seen those videos of cats on treadmills on You Tube... whee, splat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESM3495FiZM). The cheap hotel food was a bit limp and boring after a whole weekend of it, but the bar food was good and the breakfasts were fabulous.
Didn't do much for the Newsletter, despite it's magnificent dongle, but provided the masthead at very short notice. Worldcon newsletter had better give me more than 24hrs notice if they want one...
People noticed my reduced waistline, I keep having to buy new trousers and work clothes, which is a small price to pay, really, and sizes 18 to 22 (depending on the vendor) are cheaper than bigger sizes and easier to get hold of.
I still like the hotel, despite the lack of rooms, but the main bar is also not really big enough; given my druthers, I would have moved the green room to some other location, the bar wasn't big enough to lose so much space, particularly in the evening.
Saddened by the loss of Zoe, reported at the weekend, she could be maddening and hard to help, but not all her issues were of her own doing and neither she nor her parents or friends deserves such a sad ending. I will miss her.
Sunny, cold dry weather means that I have done a load of washing every day this week, the house is returning to normal and Max will just about have forgiven me by the time I go to Portmeirion at the end of the month...
All in all, an excellent weekend.
FF
