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WorldCon 2010 and 2011
Sep. 21st, 2010 06:59 pm"Sometimes it's better if you know it's gonna hurt." –me, RPG panel
This was my first WorldCon ever. I think. I might have been dragged to a WorldCon in SF at some point in my past—I have vague memories of such and they are the frightening sort of being traumatized by being shy and thrust into a huge group of people and abandoned without a car in San Francisco. So, I'm just going to count AussieCon 4 as my first ever WorldCon.
I had a blast despite me forgetting my make up for the Hugo party, burning up my old NOT dual voltage curling iron (but not burning down the hotel=WIN), losing one of my favorite earrings and losing the battle with Aunt Flo at a damn inconvenient time.
The panels were fun and my schedule was very light. I got to meet up with almost the entirety of the GRANTS PASS Aussie crew. We got some pictures of up. I also got to meet a number of really fabulous people for the first time. These people included (but aren't limited to): John Scalzi, Chuck McKenzie, Ian Tregallis, Melinda Snodgrass, Cat Valente, Peter M. Ball, Pete Kempshall, Martin Livings, Amanda Pillar, and Patty Jensen.
I think I was most nervous about meeting Amanda Pillar and John Scalzi. Amanda because I had worked so hard on GRANTS PASS with her and hoped she wouldn't hate me on sight. She didn't or she hid it well. We had lunch and talked about writing and stuff. It was just like chatting online. John because I needed to talk to him about a SFWA thing and a professional non-SFWA thing and because he is a cult of personality. I've met people as famous as him before and been completely blown off. Quite the opposite with John. He talked to me about both the SFWA and non-SFWA thing and then later came back to make sure I didn't need to talk to him again. I didn't but I did try to get him to try the brilliant Aussie-made snack: Cheetos Cheese and Bacon Balls.
Speaking of Aussie made foods, I had the rule that I had to at least try something I'd never tried before each day. I tried: vegemite (loved it—seriously), Turkish bread (yum!), chicken flavored chips (meh), Cheetos Cheese & Bacon Balls (brilliant!), bacio ice cream (yum!), a peppermint hedgehog (yuck), a crayfish (OMG yum!), honeycomb ice cream (meh), chai vanilla (awesome), and a flat white (OK).
Basically, that was my Worldcon 2010—new people, new food, new places to visit and watching one of my good friends win the Campbell award. I enjoyed it a lot. I had a good time. I am still culling through the hundreds of pictures we took to find the best that we like before putting the pictures and the stories up online.
***
As good of a time as I had at WorldCon 2010, I had not planned on going to WorldCon 2011 even though it is driving distance from my house. Before I continue, yes, I am going to WorldCon 2011. I already have my membership, even.
So, when people asked if I was going to be at 2011 and I said no, I experienced something I've never experienced before: fen rage.
Seriously, people were furious at me for coming all the way to Australia for WorldCon but not planning to go to a WorldCon that was practically in my backyard (if you count Nevada as Washington's backyard). I was mystified at the anger people were throwing at me for not going. I had one woman I'd just met say, "Well, at least go for all us Kiwis who can't afford to go to the states next year!"
Seanan tried to explain it to me but I didn't really get it. However, after some careful thinking, thoughts about what's coming up in my professional career in the next year, and several offers to share a room with me, I decided that I could and would go to Renovation SF. It is in my metaphorical backyard. I do know a lot of people helping out. I did get to meet a number of pretty awesome people and, generally, I do have a fabulous time at conventions.
Still, I am a little mystified at the rage I encountered at the thought that I wasn't going to go.
This was my first WorldCon ever. I think. I might have been dragged to a WorldCon in SF at some point in my past—I have vague memories of such and they are the frightening sort of being traumatized by being shy and thrust into a huge group of people and abandoned without a car in San Francisco. So, I'm just going to count AussieCon 4 as my first ever WorldCon.
I had a blast despite me forgetting my make up for the Hugo party, burning up my old NOT dual voltage curling iron (but not burning down the hotel=WIN), losing one of my favorite earrings and losing the battle with Aunt Flo at a damn inconvenient time.
The panels were fun and my schedule was very light. I got to meet up with almost the entirety of the GRANTS PASS Aussie crew. We got some pictures of up. I also got to meet a number of really fabulous people for the first time. These people included (but aren't limited to): John Scalzi, Chuck McKenzie, Ian Tregallis, Melinda Snodgrass, Cat Valente, Peter M. Ball, Pete Kempshall, Martin Livings, Amanda Pillar, and Patty Jensen.
I think I was most nervous about meeting Amanda Pillar and John Scalzi. Amanda because I had worked so hard on GRANTS PASS with her and hoped she wouldn't hate me on sight. She didn't or she hid it well. We had lunch and talked about writing and stuff. It was just like chatting online. John because I needed to talk to him about a SFWA thing and a professional non-SFWA thing and because he is a cult of personality. I've met people as famous as him before and been completely blown off. Quite the opposite with John. He talked to me about both the SFWA and non-SFWA thing and then later came back to make sure I didn't need to talk to him again. I didn't but I did try to get him to try the brilliant Aussie-made snack: Cheetos Cheese and Bacon Balls.
Speaking of Aussie made foods, I had the rule that I had to at least try something I'd never tried before each day. I tried: vegemite (loved it—seriously), Turkish bread (yum!), chicken flavored chips (meh), Cheetos Cheese & Bacon Balls (brilliant!), bacio ice cream (yum!), a peppermint hedgehog (yuck), a crayfish (OMG yum!), honeycomb ice cream (meh), chai vanilla (awesome), and a flat white (OK).
Basically, that was my Worldcon 2010—new people, new food, new places to visit and watching one of my good friends win the Campbell award. I enjoyed it a lot. I had a good time. I am still culling through the hundreds of pictures we took to find the best that we like before putting the pictures and the stories up online.
As good of a time as I had at WorldCon 2010, I had not planned on going to WorldCon 2011 even though it is driving distance from my house. Before I continue, yes, I am going to WorldCon 2011. I already have my membership, even.
So, when people asked if I was going to be at 2011 and I said no, I experienced something I've never experienced before: fen rage.
Seriously, people were furious at me for coming all the way to Australia for WorldCon but not planning to go to a WorldCon that was practically in my backyard (if you count Nevada as Washington's backyard). I was mystified at the anger people were throwing at me for not going. I had one woman I'd just met say, "Well, at least go for all us Kiwis who can't afford to go to the states next year!"
Seanan tried to explain it to me but I didn't really get it. However, after some careful thinking, thoughts about what's coming up in my professional career in the next year, and several offers to share a room with me, I decided that I could and would go to Renovation SF. It is in my metaphorical backyard. I do know a lot of people helping out. I did get to meet a number of pretty awesome people and, generally, I do have a fabulous time at conventions.
Still, I am a little mystified at the rage I encountered at the thought that I wasn't going to go.